William Spencer Reilly - Sober St. Patrick’s Day “Reclaims the Day”
“St. Patrick’s Day Today, Hungover Tomorrow.”
Seeing that slogan on a St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt sent William Spencer Reilly on a mission to “reclaim the day” from negative stereotypes to what is best about Irish culture. So, he created the Sober St. Patrick’s Day® Grand Celebration, a culture-rich, family-friendly, attractively priced, alcohol-free way to enjoy the “great day for the Irish.”
We delve into Bill’s life in theater production, how it served him in developing Sober St. Patrick’s Day, the movement’s early supporters including the Consulate of Ireland in New York, the event's growing success, the dangers of binge-drinking associated with St. Patrick’s Day, the champion Irish musicians and dancers highlighting this year’s program, and his plans for future Sober St. Patrick’s Day expansion.
As Bill says, “I’m not anti-drink, I’m anti-drunk. Sober St. Patrick’s Day is about all the best things about the Irish, just without the alcohol.”
As this episode drops, tickets are still available but act soon because the event sells out every year!
Links
Sober St. Patrick's Day
William Spencer Reilly
Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 8; Total Episode Count: 111
00:00 - Chapters
01:43 - A St Patrick's Day Epiphany
07:38 - Theater Skills
10:57 - Origin Story
12:01 - Living the Faith
14:15 - Understanding Sober St Patrick's Day
19:46 - Challenges In Running An Annual Event
22:28 - Some Highlights
25:43 - Embracing Stigma And Understanding Recovery
27:23 - How to Participate In Sober St Patrick's Day
31:26 - Thinking Back
35:44 - John's Recap
36:20 - Credits
William Spencer Reilly
Founder and Chairman of SOBER ST. PATRICK'S DAY®
William Spencer Reilly has won over thirty national awards for his work as a television executive, much of it specializing in factual and dramatic content dealing with religion and spirituality. As an Executive Producer and Commissioning Editor, he has overseen many movies, docudramas and series that have aired in the U.S. in prime time and on BBC, RTE, and other international channels.
He has had an equally successful career in New York’s Broadway and Off-Broadway community having served as the Executive Director of The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, The TriBeCa Center for the Performing Arts, and The American Theater Wing, founders of the Antoinette Perry “TONY” Awards. He has a particular affinity for producing special events such as “Waitin’ in the Wings: The Night the Understudies Take Center Stage,” the Broadway workshop of Leon Uris’ “TRINITY” and more recently Sober St. Patrick’s Day. Reilly started his career as an actor on Broadway after serving his apprenticeship with The Yale Repertory Company. A graduate of Fordham University, he is married with two grown daughters, and is currently living the “life of Riley” in Ridgefield, CT.