Theatre Artist in Residency

The Theatre Artist in Residency is a year-long post funded by the Civic Theatre, the Arts Council of Ireland and South Dublin County Libraries. The Artist in Residency scheme was set up by the Arts Council as a partnership between an artist, an arts organisation and a local authority. This format aims to empower and, support the work of the artist, as well as facilitating the artist in finding a deeper connection with the local community.

Jose Miguel Jimenz and Nyree Yergainharsian - Theatre Artist in Residency 2012 - 2013

This project is a year long initiaitive where the artists will work directly with the youth theatre at the Civic and with the clubs that gather regularly at the library, in the form of workshops led by us based on the personal experiences of the participants around themes like community life, economic distress, cooperation and alternative forms of social organization.

Each workshop will be recorded and this material will be processed in order to extract relevant situations, texts and group dynamics that will be re-introduced to the group in the next workshop. It is important to highlight the impact that the mix of theatre and non theatre aficionados will have on this process.

The development of this technique and the gathering of content shaped by the participants will be shared by the particpants with an audience in a final Work in Progress showing at the Civic Theatre.

Michelle Read - Theatre Artist in Residency 2011 - 2012

During the residency Michelle Read worked in conjunction with Tallaght Library and children from four local junior national schools to create new plays with, and for children. This project culminated in the publication of two volumes of new plays for schools.

Michelle also worked on a commission for the Civic. This new play for adults with the working title Trans, explores change and identity in post boom Ireland. It is supported dramaturgically by Fishamble: The New Play Company’s New Play Clinic scheme.

Michelle is a writer, theatre-maker and dramaturge. She originally trained as an actor and later received a masters in dramaturgy from Goldsmiths College, London. She has written extensively for stage, radio and television as well as co-creating and producing theatre. Her awards include the Hugh Leonard Bursary and the Eamon Keane Full-Length Play Award for Snakelight (2009), the Stewart Parker/BBC Northern Ireland Drama Award for The Other Side (2003), an Ondas Award for radio for A Day In The Life Of Kitty Sway (2001), and a Fringe First in Edinburgh for Romantic Friction (1998). Most recently her tiny play The Nation’s Assets was seen as part of Fishamble Theatre company’s Tiny Plays for Ireland at Project Arts Centre.

Read one of Michelle Reads' one-act plays online.
Click here to download.

Paul Meade - Theatre Artist in Residency 2011 - 2012

Award winning writer/director/actor Paul Meade was Artist in Residence for a period of 12 months from January 2011. As the key part of this residency Paul will write a new play for the Civic Theatre and will give them first option to produce the play.

Paul has worked for many years with Limerick Youth Theatre delivering workshops on devising and performance techniques. He has also given workshops for Ballina and Dublin Youth Theatre. He will work with past participants of the Civic/SDCC Tenderfoot programme to continue their connection with the Civic and also with the youth theatres based locally. This will include monthly pre or post show discussions (except during the summer months), play reading groups, and bi-monthly workshops (approx 6 over the year).

Recently Paul developed 2 Forum Theatre Pieces for Focus Ireland, working with writers Jennifer O'Dea and Gerry McCann. Clients of Focus Ireland were interviewed and their stories were worked into Forum Theatre Plays, which were performed to huge success in Focus Ireland cafés, centres and hostels for an audience of people with experience of homelessness. Due to this Paul is keen to establish relationships with An Cosan & Brookfield community groups with a view if possible to producing a Forum Theatre Piece with one of them at a later stage.

Paul has worked with the Civic Theatre since 2001. Projects as a writer include Trousers & Thesis. As director Trousers, Little Gem & Chicane. As actor The BFG and Hansel & Gretel. Paul's Compnay Gúna Nua has co-produced and toured 6 plays with the Civic Theatre.