News and Events

Congratulations to Dr Máiréad Ní Chróinín, who has been awarded an Arts Council Theatre Bursary Award to continue her work on digital technologies and performance.  As part of the bursary, Máiréad will be exploring how performance that uses sensor technologies and Virtual Reality interacts with the body, creating new forms of felt, embodied experience.  Separately, Máiréad’s company Moonfish Theatre have also been awarded an Arts Council Arts Grant to carry out a programme of work in 2021, focusing on diversifying the ensemble.  As part of this programme, Moonfish will begin development of a new work for young people and a new work for adults, both to premier in 2022.

Irish Theatre Institute and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig are delighted to announce the call for the 6th Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary & Residency. The Bursary and Residency is for professionally produced playwrights – but we know that several of you have had professional productions and for the rest of you it will be useful for you to know about this opportunity for the future! The Burary provides the time, physical resources and mentoring necessary to support their writing of a new play. The award comprises the ITI writer’s bursary of €2,000 and a two weeks’ fully resourced residency in Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig. https://www.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/news-post.aspx?t=call_for_applications_for_the_phelim_donlon_playwrights_bursary__residency_2021&contentid=492555

This week's Druid Academy workshop focuses on Producing and will feature Brian Fenton, Druid's Associate Producer.  Brian will speak about his journey from college to being associate producer; what is involved in the role of the producer; the steps involved in producing a show; and the challenge of producing work during a pandemic.The session will be held online on Blackboard on Wednesday, 4th November, from 4pm - 6pm. The Druid Academy is an exciting opportunity for students to connect with, and hear from, Druid practitioners working in the field across a large number of roles - from producing, directing, performance and playwrighting, to creative roles such as costume and set design, to administrative roles such as marketing and fundraising. Brian is the Producer at Druid. Originally from Cork, Brian moved to London in 2011 and worked as a freelance fringe producer as well as in the producing department at The Old Vic. Productions at The Old Vic include Girl from the North Country (also West End/Broadway), Groundhog Day the Musical (also Broadway), The Hairy Ape (also Park Avenue Armory, NY), 'Art' and A Christmas Carol (also Broadway). Brian is Joint Artistic Director of Nightingale Productions in Galway with Claire Mullane, and Colton Theatre Company in Cork with Killian Collins. Producing credits for Nightingale include Victory (Theatre503, London) and Debris (Belltable, Limerick). Producing credits for Colton include This Lime Tree Bower, ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore and Damages (all at Cork Arts Theatre).   Brian is a graduate of UCC (Drama & Theatre Studies and English) and the Oxford School of Drama (Acting), and is a Stage One alumni.    

Proposals are invited for a forthcoming online workshop Speculative Art and Spatial Justice: How can imaginative practices create fairer and safer spaces? Taking place on April 16-17 2021, hosted by the School of English and Creative Arts and School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at National University of Ireland, Galway. If you are interested in the issues of environmental despoliation, spatial fetishism and commodifications, spatial dichotomies, borders and migrations and other related topics as analysed through the lens of speculative literature and art – science fiction, fantasy, eco-fiction, utopia and dystopia – please submit a short abstract to sasj2021@gmail.com by December 30 2020. Further details are also available from that address.

The acclaimed Irish theatre company Rough Magic are streaming their recent Kilkenny Arts Festival production of Mike McCormack’s Solar Bones for free on the RTE Website, for 24 hours starting on 5 November. Mike is an award-winning novelist and a lecturer in Creative Writing here at NUI Galway, and the play stars Stanley Townsend and is directed by Lynne Parker –  https://www.rte.ie/culture/2020/1022/1173251-solar-bones-rte-culture-to-stream-acclaimed-play-online/

One of the major new publications of recent months has been Sinead Gleeson’s The Art of the Glimpse, an anthology of 100 Irish short stories, featuring work by major and emerging writers, from James Joyce to Sally Rooney. We were delighted to see that included in the anthology are stories by MA in Drama graduates Claire-Louise Bennett and Deirdre Sullivan. There are other NUI Galway connections too: Mike McCormack and Elaine Feeney, who both teach Creative Writing in the university, are included; and so is John McGahern, perhaps the greatest Irish writer of short stories – as shown by his archive, which is held at the NUI Galway library. Buy from Dubray Galway - https://www.dubraybooks.ie/The-Art-of-the-Glimpse_9781788548809  

The NUI Galway library recently launched a new archive and digital collection dedicated to Genevieve Lyons, an Irish actor who was prominent in the 1940s and 1950s, starring in many major plays. The archive includes photos, journals, and much more https://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/news-and-events/news-archive/2020/october/nui-galway-launch-genevieve-lyons-archive-and-digital-collection.html  

Congratulations to Drama PhD student Maria Tivnan, who has been awarded the New Scholars' Prize for 2020-21 by the Irish Society for Theatre Research!  

Mad, Bad and Dangerous: a celebration of ‘difficult’ women is a series of recorded conversations between influential Irish women in the public eye who are over 70 years of age which will premiere online this September as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival, and Bealtaine Festival this October.     Announcing an incredible line up of interviewers/interviewees including Leila Doolan, Bernadette McAliskey, Pauline Cummins and Jo Murphy Lawless, these once-in a lifetime conversations between these women cannot be missed.   Trailer: https://www.facebook.com/maddangerous/videos/616526475722077/ Premiering tonight in Bealtaine Festival of Age and Opportunity Episode 3: Mad, Bad, and Dangerous: a celebration of 'difficult' women featuring Pauline Cummins and Jo Murphy Lawless   Premiering Thursday, 22 October, episode 4: featuring Nell McCafferty and Lelia Doolan.   New MBD trailer, featuring clips of all 4 episodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNaciVSa4MQ     

We were delighted to recently mark the tenth anniversary of our department’s partnership with the Galway International Arts Festival, which includes the annual SELECTED internship programme, which gives students the opportunity to go ‘behind the scenes’ at the Festival, meeting artists and producers, seeing shows, and more.  See the recent article here:  https://www.giaf.ie/media/news/looking-back-on-10-years-of-the-selected-programme

MA in Drama Graduates appear in major new anthology One of the major new publications of recent months has been Sinead Gleeson’s The Art of the Glimpse, an anthology of 100 Irish short stories, featuring work by major and emerging writers, from James Joyce to Sally Rooney. We were delighted to see that included in the anthology are stories by MA in Drama graduates Claire-Louise Bennett and Deirdre Sullivan. There are other NUI Galway connections too: Mike McCormack and Elaine Feeney, who both teach Creative Writing in the university, are included; and so is John McGahern, perhaps the greatest Irish writer of short stories – as shown by his archive, which is held at the NUI Galway library.   Buy from Dubray Galway - https://www.dubraybooks.ie/The-Art-of-the-Glimpse_9781788548809  

Coming up this Wednesday afternoon is an online panel discussion about diversifying performance for young audiences. Ireland’s population has changed dramatically in just one generation. Children attend school with children from a myriad of backgrounds, ethnic groups and cultures. However, not all children are seeing themselves reflected on Irish stages, particularly in work made for young people. How do we address this issue in Ireland? Are there good examples to look to in other countries? Chaired by Dr. Charlotte McIvor, Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Studies and Deputy Head of the School of English and Creative Arts at the National University of Ireland. In partnership with Theatre for Young Audiences Ireland (TYAI) Panellists: Boomer Stacey (founding Executive Director of IPAY). Yvette Hardie (President of ASSITEJ International), Trina Haldar (Artistic Director of Mashi Theatre), Cliodhna Noonan (founder and director of Acting Up! Arts). Maureen Kennelly (Director of the Arts Council). Charlotte McIvor (Chair) https://www.baboro.ie/festival/programme/diversifying-performance-for-young-audiences-1

Check out Miriam Haugton's insightful article on RTE Brainstorm about news reporting about the Arts; https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0514/1138362-arts-news-daily-report-sport/

  Tá Ros na Rún ag lorg iarratais ó chriú do Shraith 25, a bhéas á léiriú san fhómhar.  Cuirimid fáilte roimh iarratais i ngach rannóg; Léiriúchán, Stáitse, Smideadh, Feisteas, Dearadh, Soilsiú, Fuaim, Ceamaraí agus Eagarthóireacht.  Seol do CV mar aon le litir iarratais chuig leiriuchain@rosnarun.com roimh an Aoine 29ú Bealtaine 2020.  Cuirfear fáilte roimh iarratais i nGaeilge.  Is fostóir comhionnanais é Ros na Rún. * * * * *  Ros na Rún seeks applicants for positions across all departments for Series 25, which will begin production this Autumn.  We are seeking applications in all departments; Production, Stage, Make-up, Wardrobe, Design, Lighting, Sound, Camera and Editing.  Please send your CV along with a cover letter to leiriuchain@rosnarun.com before Friday 29th May 2020.  We welcome all applications, preferably through Irish.  Ros na Rún is an equal opportunities employer.

We were delighted to announce that Drama will be joining forces with Galway Community Circus and several partners across Europe on a major new project, led by Ian Walsh. A grant of €360,000 was awarded for the research and development programme: ‘Circus++ Youth and Social Circus Arts – an innovative and inclusive education for Europe’. This will result in the first ever BA and MA courses in Youth and Social Circus. The future curriculum will be delivered by the partnering universities, including ourselves, from 2022 onwards.

Congratulations to Ella producer of Bread not Profits and all involved in this achievement!  The show won the Audience Choice Vote at the awards on Satuday night, 04 April. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/free-is-insulting-theatre-awards-winners-vent-on-funding-proposals-1.4221213

 As you know we have subscribed to a lot of it but there is much there that we have not been able to access up to now. The newly available material includes: Video content from the British Naitonal Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and several Oscar Wilde productions. The full scripts of Aurora Metro books, a publisher of new drama with a focus on women’s drama, international drama and drama by black and Asian writers. The full scripts of Nick Hern books, publishers of (among others) Conor McPherson, Caryl Churchill and Jez Butterworth Online acting classes  It’s all available via the library website – log on here: https://www-dramaonlinelibrary-com.libgate.library.nuigalway.ie/ or search for Drama Online via the library catalogue.

We are delighted that IETM has just announced they will host a satellite meeting at the O’Donoghue Centre in June of next year. IETM – the International network for contemporary performing arts - is a network of over 450 performing arts organisations and individual members working in the contemporary performing arts worldwide: theatre, dance, circus, performance, interdisciplinary live art forms, new media. This is another major recognition of the international reach and reputation of our Centre and looks set to be a great event! We’ll have more information soon!  https://ietm.org

We are all very excited by the forthcoming third year production, Diarmuid and Grainne. If you want a preview, check out these great videos by Marianne, Madison Carpenter, and Paul Mercier: https://diarmuidandgrainnenuigalway.blogspot.com/2020/02/video-links.html

Tea Cosy Theatre Collective are proud to present a special series of performances of The Vagina Monologues on 27th and 28th February in the O’Donoghue Theatre, NUI Galway. The production is being staged as part of V Day 2020, a global movement towards ending violence against women and girls worldwide.Featuring a cast and company of both nationally and internationally based females, the performance is set to make you laugh, cry, rage, and revolt (in that order). Performing love, life, heartbreak, and hurt, these are the stories of strong women with even stronger tales to tell.  Tickets are free through Eventbrite, with a collection on the door for the Galway Rape Crisis Centre  This production is staged in collaboration with NUI Galway's Active Consent.

We hope you’ll join us in the ODC on Friday, Nov 15th, for a major event to celebrate the Irish actress and activist Siobhan McKenna.  Highlights include: ‘Women Theatre-makers  Now!’ - A panel discussion on the position of women theatre-makers four years after the Waking the Feminist  campaign was started to advocate for equality for women theatre-makers Panelists will include Lian Bell (Stage Designer & Waking the Feminists), Ionia Ní Chroinín (Moonfish Theatre Company) and Dr. Tanya Dean (TU Dublin and Gender Counts report). 'Remembering Siobhán' A conversation with Lelia Doolan and historian Dr. Margaret McCurtain on remembering the life of Siobhán McKenna 'Working with McKenna’ An interview with Garry Hynes on her recollections of working with Siobhán Siobhán McKenna: Acting and Activism Lecture by Professor Lionel Pilkington  Devised work-in-progress in the Irish language inspired by archival materials This will be performed by students of the BA in Drama, Theatre and Performance at NUI Galway. Places for this symposium are limited and registration is essential.  For further details and to register by November 12th go to  https://bit.ly/2MPqt1P 

Galway’s Druid Theatre became the first Irish theatre company ever to present a live broadcast to cinemas when they performed The Cherry Orchard in February. That show had a huge NUI Galway presence! Fourth Year GY118 student DELIA KEANE appeared in the cast, as did GY115 graduate Peter Shine! Also involved were other graduates of the GY118 programme: Cliodhna Hallissey was assistant costume designer while Alison Grene was Druid’s marketing officer. And for Element Pictures (which arranged the live broadcast), Amy Walsh also worked on the marketing!  This shows how the GY118 programme seeks to prepare students for work in all areas of theatre – not just acting and design, but also arts management and related areas! 

After its huge success as part of Cúirt 2019 Fregoli bring The Fregoli Heart Project back! Led by Fregoli Artistic Director and DTP PhD student Maria Tivnan, this event takes place at the O’Donoghue Theatre and is available for booking NOW from EventBrite.  In an era of borders, marginalization, and mass attempts to inspire hate and difference, Fregoli wishes to return to what is quintessential to life: love. In October 11th 2018 Fregoli put out an open call and received an abundance of beautiful submissions from people of varying ages, backgrounds and abilities all-encircling Love. The creative team worked as an ensemble taking these submissions and moulding them into a theatre production bursting with love and light. “Fregoli delivered an hour-long show that was by turns touching, funny, poignant, joyful, heartfelt and true (……) It was a show as warm, life-affirming and soul-gladdening as a good, scrunchy hug.” -Charlie McBride  Book here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-fregoli-heart-project-in-association-with-nuig-tickets-75125154359