In 1995… Years before Red Roses and Petrol was a twinkle in director Tamar Simon Hoffs’ mind, it was published as the debut offering by Irish playwright Joseph O’Connor and won the “Best New Irish Play” award. It was first staged that year by the Pigsback Theatre Company at Dublin’s Project Centre Arts Theater before going on to packed houses at the Tricycle Theatre in London. In 2002, the play was staged again at New York’s Irish Arts Center with actor, teacher, and renowned author Frank McCourt (“Angela’s Ashes”) in the starring role of Enda Doyle.