Tutor Profiles

Hilary is a graduate of the RADA, where she held the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Scholarship. She was Senior Lecturer in Acting at the Webber Douglas School of Dramatic Art from 1985 until 2006. She is the London Director of the Georgian International Theatre Festival, an Associate Director of the Tumanishvili State Theatre, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, and Senior Lecturer in Acting on Fordham University New York’s London program.

Sue was an actor for many years before completing a Masters Degree in Movement Studies at Central School of Speech and Drama. Sue has taught at various drama schools including Central School of Speech & Drama, RADA, ALRA, Gaiety School of Acting before becoming Head of Movement at The Lir Academy.

Sue also works as a Movement Director in theatre, film and opera.

Sue’s Movement Direction at The Abbey, National Theatre of Ireland includes; I Girl, Translations,Crestfall, Oedipus, On Raftery’s Hill, Shadow of a Gunman, RUR, Hedda Gabler, Twelfth Night, Plough & the Stars, Heartbreak House, 16 Possible Glimpses, The House, The Rivals, and Pygmalion. She has also worked with The Everyman, The Lyric, Gate, Druid, Landmark, Verdant and ANU, most recently on The Lost O’Casey for which she won Best Movement Director (Irish Times Theatre Awards 2019).

In recent years she has worked as Intimacy Coordinator on several films and TV series, including The Dry, (Element Pictures/RTE), Flora & Son (Figment Productions), Normal People (Element Pictures/BBC), Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix), Smother (RTE/BBC) and Kin (Bron/RTE). Intimacy for Stage includes: Good Sex (Dead Centre/DTF), Once Before I Go (Gate), Conversations After Sex (This is Pop Baby/DTF), Our New Girl (Gate), Asking For It (Landmark/Gaiety/Birmingham Rep.),

Other work includes: choreography for Northanger Abbey (ITV Drama) and for opera Elektra (Canadian Opera Company), Radamisto (NI Opera), Semele (RIAM), and Dead Man Walking (Opera Ireland).

Cathal has a Masters in Voice Studies from Central School of Speech and Drama. He taught at Oxford School of Drama and was Head of Voice at the Gaiety School of Acting before coming to teach Voice and Dialect at The Lir Academy. Cathal’s film credits include Albert Nobbs, Parked, Eden and The Escapist and his TV work includes Love/Hate, Kitchen and Omagh.

Cathal coached the American Premiere of The Home Place at the Guthrie Theater where he also taught Shaw, Wilde and Beckett.

David is a theatre director and playwright. He is also the Artistic Director of Bewley’s Café Theatre - a position he holds alongside teaching Acting Technique at The Lir Academy. Most recently, he directed This Beautiful Village by Lisa Tierney-Keogh for the Abbey Theatre. He also co-wrote and co-directed CLASS with Iseult Golden, which played the Bush Theatre in London, won an Edinburgh Fringe First and a ZeBBie Award from the Writers Guild of Ireland for Best Theatre Script in 2018. It has toured Ireland and enjoyed sold out runs at the Abbey Theatre and the Galway International Arts Festival.

Other directing highlights include: These Halcyon Days by Deirdre Kinahan (Edinburgh Fringe First Winner/DTF), Beowulf: the Blockbuster by Bryan Burroughs (Edinburgh Fringe Stage Award, IAC New York, NY Times Critic’s Pick), Moment by Deirdre Kinahan (Bush Theatre, London), In The Next Room by Sarah Ruhl, Three Winters by Tena Štivičić and Brontë by Polly Teale (all at The Lir Academy), and the award-winning Tick my Box! (Inis Theatre) among others.

Paul Meade is a Writer, Director, Actor and Artistic Director of Gúna Nua Theatre. Paul trained at the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College, and later received an M.A. in Modern Drama from U.C.D. He is currently artist in residence at the Civic Theatre in Tallaght.

Vinny Murphy has worked as a Writer, Director, Actor and Composer for Film, Television and Theatre.

He teaches screen acting at The Lir Academy and brings with him experience in many different aspects of film making as well as his vast experience of working with screen actors.

He has acted in over 40 films and TV programs, he has directed nearly as many and has also written films including co-writing the international award-winning “Accelerator” which he also directed. He has composed music extensively for films including 2 feature films, so when he reminds an actor to “leave some room for the music” he’s not kidding.

Gavin is a graduate of The Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College Dublin and The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He worked as an Actor in the Theatre and on Radio in the UK before studying for his MA in Voice Studies at Central School of Speech and Drama.

Ciaran has been working in the film and theatre industry since 1998. In 2003 he graduated from the Theatre Studies programme at Inchicore College and later went on to train with the Irish Dramatic Combat Academy. Ciaran has trained extensively in armed and unarmed stage combat in Ireland and in the USA. He is among Ireland’s leading experts in theatrical violence and regularly works as a stage combat instructor, stunt performer, fight director, and actor.

Ciaran is a member of Stunt Register Ireland and has worked as a stunt performer on Vikings, Penny Dreadful, Into the Badlands, Red Rock, Reign, Jekyll & Hyde and the music video for Kodaline’s hit song All I Want, for which he also created the fight choreography.

Gavin Kostick has written over twenty plays for a wide range of companies, which have been produced in Dublin and have toured internationally. Gavin has provided dramaturgical support for dozens of theatrical productions throughout Ireland and he is also the Literary Manager for Fishamble: The New Play Company.

With 20 years of a career-to-date woven through with acting, singing,
songwriting and singing/voice coaching, Ruth combines the skills and tools
gathered from her rich pastry of experience to provide singing coaching to the
actors-in-training here at The Lír Academy. Ruth encourages openness,
curiosity and acceptance of every voice, focusing on what is already working
for her students and empowering them to find the path of least resistance to
optimal vocal expression.
An acclaimed actress she is a regular performer at the Abbey and Gate
theatres, and other leading Irish theatre companies, receiving two Irish Times
Theatre Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her performance of
Lucy In The Threepenny Opera (Gate Theatre, Dublin) & Lydia in FREEFALL
(Corn Exchange Theatre Company).
For film and TV, Ruth has appeared in The Clinic, Love|Hate, and What Richard
Did. She was most recently seen in Kin and The Bright Side.
Ruth McGill is also a founder, musician, singer and songwriter with the multi-instrumental, 3 part harmony group "The Evertides".

Judith Lyons is a choral director, soprano soloist and music teacher based in Dublin. She read music at Trinity College, Dublin and undertook further study at the Royal Conservatoire of Music, Birmingham. Her current roles include directing the award-winning upper voices choir, Dulciana Vocal Ensemble, singing as a Lay Vicar Choral in Christ Church Cathedral, singing and associate conducting at St. Ann’s Church, Dawson Street and assisting with the treble lines in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin where she began her career as a chorister. Judith has performed and toured widely with choirs and corporate ensembles such as Sing & Tonics, Peregryne, Chamber Choir Ireland, Anúna and New Dublin Voices. Recent and upcoming solo engagements include Bach’s Magnificat, Mass in B minor, Cantata BWV140 and St. John Passion, Mozart's Mass in C minor, Coronation Mass, 'Credo' Mass, Vespers and The Magic Flute, Fauré’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Sondheim’s Into the Woods and Vivaldi’s Gloria.

Christine is an Actor’s Alexander Technique teacher. She teaches at The Juilliard School, Drama Division (NYC) as an adjunct faculty member (2002-present), and The Lir Academy. She has trained and coached actors individually and in ensemble to apply the Alexander Technique to their individual process and in performance on over 20 Shakespeare and contemporary productions.

She holds an MFA in Acting from UNC Chapel Hill, AMSAT certification in the Alexander Technique from ACAT NYC, and mentored under Carolyn Serota (who taught with Judy Leibowitz). Her theatrical, tv and film experience has taken Christine to Pittsburg, Paris, Spain, London, NYC, Dublin and Florida where she currently lives with her spouse, Brian and their four children.

Christine incorporates Judy Leibowitz’s challenge to ‘dare to be wrong’ as a vital point of view for artistic excellence.

Michaela Wohlgemuth came to the Alexander Technique in 1993. After training in the Alexander Technique Institute Los Angeles and working with the performing community in LA, she moved to Ireland and developed there her busy teaching practice. She is training people one-to-one from all walks of life and particularly those in high performance like acting and music to improve performance with the Alexander Technique. She is one of the Co-founder of the Irish Society of Alexander Technique Teachers (ISATT) and has been training teachers since 2003. In 2006, she became the Assistant Director of Ireland’s only Alexander Teaching College in Galway, Ireland. In 2016 she joined the faculty at The Lir Academy of Dramatic Art Dublin.

Dewi qualified as a Teacher of Alexander Technique in 1985.
From 1986 to 2010 he taught at RADA on the BA Acting course.
Over that period and ongoing he teaches on various other courses at RADA: The Foundation Course, NYU Shakespeare in Performance, Nona Sheppard’s Acting Shakespeare, and the four week Shakespeare Summer School.
Dewi is on the RADA Audition Panel.

He taught for eight years at the Central School of Speech and Drama on both the Acting and Post Graduate Diploma in Voice Studies courses.
He has taught at The Drama Studio and at The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.
For ten years Dewi was part of a collective offering evening classes to staff at the BBC.

He sings in a choir and has active interests in Qi Gong and Argentinian Tango.

Ross Scanlon trained at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where he was awarded the Michael McNamara Gold Medal of excellence in performance and at the Royal Academy of Music, London. His operatic roles have received critical acclaim making him one of the most sought after Tenors of his generation. Notable roles include Le Thérière L'Enfant et les sortlièges with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Barbican, London, Hot Biscuit Paul Bunyan for Welsh National Opera, Irus The Return of Ulysses & Male Chorus The Rape of Lucretia for Opera Collective Ireland, Ed A Belfast Opera for NI Opera, Bookkeeper The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny for OTC and Rough Magic, Dublin. Ross has been a regular soloist with the RTE Concert and Symphony Orchestras and has an extensive Oratorio and Concert resume. Having sung for many dignitaries around the world, he recently was engaged to perform for HRH, Prince of Wales, with The Ulster Orchestra, Belfast. Ross is singing tutor at The Lir Academy, Trinity College and is also a member of the Vocal Faculty at The American College, Dublin where he lectures on the Musical Theater Course. Alongside teaching he is an Examiner for theRoyal Irish Academy of Music.

Andy Crook trained at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris and has a degree in Drama from the University of Hull. He has worked as a teacher of physical theatre and acting for various schools and universities including Trinity College where he was Associate Co-ordinator and then Co-ordinator of the BA in Acting programme, UCC, Birmingham School of Acting, Rose Bruford College and the Accademia dell’Arte, Arrezzo.

He has directed shows for Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, Peacock Theatre, Dublin, Articulate Anatomy Theatre Company, Backstage Theatre, Longford and The Republic of Culture and The Corps Ensemble. He also has acted for various companies in Ireland, the UK and USA. He is a member of The Corps Ensemble, Dublin. He joined the Lir Academy in 2020 as an instructor in Movement and Physical Theatre. (P/T)

Sara has been teaching the Alexander Technique to a diverse range of students since 2000.
With an exploratory approach, Sara has developed her own innovative teaching style which mixes the modern (somatic/sensory), with the classic (structural/respiratory) for an expansive alignment. Whilst living in France Sara explored and developed Alexander Technique for the face, helpful for freeing the jaw and tongue, broadening the gaze and opening the face.
Her aim is to teach students to become independent in expanding into and around their aligned torso, freeing their body of unnecessary tension whilst strengthening the easeful alignment. This dynamic poise markedly increases vitality.
With a curiosity and a playful approach Sara has an affinity for working in the performing arts.

Graham Whybrow is Course Director of the MFA (Playwriting). He was Literary Manager of the Royal Court Theatre in London for twelve years (1994–2007), when it premiered more than 200 new plays and launched a new generation of over 50 playwrights.

Thomas Conway works as a theatre director, dramaturg and theatre instructor. He is also the New Work Manager at the Gate Theatre.

Directing credits include Whoop It Up for Liberty!, Gentrification, The Winter’s Tale, The King of Friday’s Men, Once Upon a Barstool, Closer, In the Blood, Beowulf and What Where. As a dramaturg, he has worked with Druid, Pan Pan, Fabulous Beast and Barabbas, among others. He is the editor of The Oberon Anthology of Contemporary Irish Theatre, and had been Literary Manager with Druid from 2005 - 2024.

Karin McCully holds an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from The Yale School of Drama. She was the first full-time resident Dramaturg at the Abbey Theatre where she subsequently became Literary Manager. She has twenty years experience as a professional Dramaturg and lecturer in Theatre History and Dramaturgy having taught at Yale, UCLA, IADT, UCD and TCD.

Gavin Kostick has written over twenty plays for a wide range of companies, which have been produced in Dublin and have toured internationally. Gavin has provided dramaturgical support for dozens of theatrical productions throughout Ireland and he is also the Literary Manager for Fishamble: The New Play Company.

So far, 2013 has seen Maree design the acclaimed Pageant for CoisCéim Dance Theatre, The Factory Girls for The Millennium Forum in Derry, Zoe’s Play at The Ark in Dublin, Romeo and Juliet for Second Age Theatre Company, These Halcyon Days, a Landmark/Tall Tales co-production and Anglo the Musical at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Previous designs include: Macbeth, Dancing at Lughnasa & Hamlet for Second Age, The Goddess of Liberty (Guna Nua Theatre Company) Moment (Tall Tales Theatre Company) Plasticine (CorcaDorca Theatre Company) As You Are/ Faun for CoisCéim Dance Theatre, Happy like a Fool (Red Kettle Theatre Company), Splendour (RAW/Project Arts Centre), 84 Charing Cross Road and Over & Out (Lane Productions).

Sinéad is resident Lighting Designer at The Lir Academy leading the Lighting Design module on the Masters in Stage Design. Sinéad works as a lighting designer for Theatre, Opera and dance throughout Ireland. She has received Irish Times Theatre Awards for Best Lighting three times between 2007 and 2010. Sinéad's recent lighting designs include Tartuffe & iGirl (Abbey Theatre), Bajazet, The Lighthouse & Least Like The Other (Irish National Opera) and In Middletown (Gate Theatre).

She has worked extensively for The Abbey Theatre, Corn Exchange and Irish National Opera, as well as for The Gate Theatre, Liz Roche Company and The Emergency Room. Sinéad is particularly interested in sustainable theatre making and has been involved in drafting The Lir's Sustainability Policy and Action Plan.

Thomas Conway works as a theatre director, dramaturg and theatre instructor. He is also the New Work Manager at the Gate Theatre.

Directing credits include Whoop It Up for Liberty!, Gentrification, The Winter’s Tale, The King of Friday’s Men, Once Upon a Barstool, Closer, In the Blood, Beowulf and What Where. As a dramaturg, he has worked with Druid, Pan Pan, Fabulous Beast and Barabbas, among others. He is the editor of The Oberon Anthology of Contemporary Irish Theatre, and had been Literary Manager with Druid from 2005 - 2024.

Karin McCully holds an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from The Yale School of Drama. She was the first full-time resident Dramaturg at the Abbey Theatre where she subsequently became Literary Manager. She has twenty years experience as a professional Dramaturg and lecturer in Theatre History and Dramaturgy having taught at Yale, UCLA, IADT, UCD and TCD.

Joe has been designing for Irish Theatre - Opera and Dance since 1984. He has held the posts of Director of Design at the Abbey Theatre - ( 1994 - 1997 ) and Design Associate for the Wexford Festival Opera ( 2006 - 2008 ). He is currently leading an opera design project with the MFA students - Ariane and Blubeard written by the French composer Paul Dukas and first performed in 1907.

Annabelle is an award-winning Irish freelance theatre director, artistic director of Hatch Theatre
Company and Head of MFA in Theatre Directing, at The Lir, National Academy of Dramatic Arts,
Ireland. She has been working as a theatre director for 28 years and in recent years has
established herself as one of Ireland’s leading theatre directors.
In a freelance capacity, she has directed work for The Abbey, The Hampstead Theatre (London),
Druid, The Gate, Landmark Productions, The Gaiety, Dublin Theatre Festival and The Lyric
Theatre, Belfast among others.
Plays include Ravens (Hampstead Theatre, London), Our New Girl, Look Back in Anger (The Gate, Dublin), Evening Train (The Everyman, Cork), Asking For It (Landmark Productions, The Everyman and The Abbey), Andrew Synnott’s opera Dubliners (Opera Theatre Company and Wexford Festival Opera), Crestfall, Helen and I (Druid), The Wake, Hedda Gabler, Major Barbara, The House (Irish Times Irish Theatre Award for Best Director), Pygmalion, A Number, Blue/Orange (Abbey Theatre), Dancing at Lughnasa (Lyric Theatre, Belfast and Dublin Theatre Festival), Contractions, The Sit (Bewley’s Café Theatre), The Vortex (Gate Theatre, Dublin). For Hatch Theatre Company plays include The Talk Of The Town (in a co-production with Landmark Productions and Dublin Theatre Festival), Love and Money, Further Than The Furthest Thing, Cruel and Tender, Pyrenees, Blood and The Country (Project Arts Centre) and Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse adapted by Marina Carr (Hatch, The Everyman and Cork Midsummer Festival) and Girl on an Altar by Marina Carr for the Abbey Theatre.

Sue was an actor for many years before completing a Masters Degree in Movement Studies at Central School of Speech and Drama. Sue has taught at various drama schools including Central School of Speech & Drama, RADA, ALRA, Gaiety School of Acting before becoming Head of Movement at The Lir Academy.

Sue also works as a Movement Director in theatre, film and opera.

Sue’s Movement Direction at The Abbey, National Theatre of Ireland includes; I Girl, Translations,Crestfall, Oedipus, On Raftery’s Hill, Shadow of a Gunman, RUR, Hedda Gabler, Twelfth Night, Plough & the Stars, Heartbreak House, 16 Possible Glimpses, The House, The Rivals, and Pygmalion. She has also worked with The Everyman, The Lyric, Gate, Druid, Landmark, Verdant and ANU, most recently on The Lost O’Casey for which she won Best Movement Director (Irish Times Theatre Awards 2019).

In recent years she has worked as Intimacy Coordinator on several films and TV series, including The Dry, (Element Pictures/RTE), Flora & Son (Figment Productions), Normal People (Element Pictures/BBC), Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix), Smother (RTE/BBC) and Kin (Bron/RTE). Intimacy for Stage includes: Good Sex (Dead Centre/DTF), Once Before I Go (Gate), Conversations After Sex (This is Pop Baby/DTF), Our New Girl (Gate), Asking For It (Landmark/Gaiety/Birmingham Rep.),

Other work includes: choreography for Northanger Abbey (ITV Drama) and for opera Elektra (Canadian Opera Company), Radamisto (NI Opera), Semele (RIAM), and Dead Man Walking (Opera Ireland).

Thomas Conway works as a theatre director, dramaturg and theatre instructor. He is also the New Work Manager at the Gate Theatre.

Directing credits include Whoop It Up for Liberty!, Gentrification, The Winter’s Tale, The King of Friday’s Men, Once Upon a Barstool, Closer, In the Blood, Beowulf and What Where. As a dramaturg, he has worked with Druid, Pan Pan, Fabulous Beast and Barabbas, among others. He is the editor of The Oberon Anthology of Contemporary Irish Theatre, and had been Literary Manager with Druid from 2005 - 2024.

Karin McCully holds an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from The Yale School of Drama. She was the first full-time resident Dramaturg at the Abbey Theatre where she subsequently became Literary Manager. She has twenty years experience as a professional Dramaturg and lecturer in Theatre History and Dramaturgy having taught at Yale, UCLA, IADT, UCD and TCD.

As Artistic Director of ANU Productions, Louise’s work includes: Vardo (Dublin Theatre Festival), Angel Meadow (Nominated for Best Director Award, UK National Theatre Awards), Thirteen (Winner of the Judges Special Award, Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards), Living the Lockout: Dublin Tenement Experience, The Boys of Foley Street (Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin City Council Public Art Commission, Winner Best Theatrical Production of the Year Award ERICS, Nominated for two Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards including Best Director Award), Laundry (Dublin Theatre Festival 2011, Winner of Best Production Award, Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards, Nominated for Best Director Award Irish Times Theatre Awards), World’s End Lane (Dublin Theatre Festival 2011, Dublin Fringe 2010, Winner Best Off-site Production Award, Nominated Best Production Award, Irish Times Theatre Awards), Fingal Ronan (Robert Wilson Watermill Center New York), Memory Deleted (Winner Best Production Award), Basin (Dublin Fringe Festival 2009, Winner Best Supporting Actress Award Irish Times Theatre Awards) and Down The Valley (winner Best Production Award).

Since 2010, Louise is Associate Director with Prime Cut Productions in Belfast. She was individually nominated for the Special Judges Award at the Irish Times Theatre Awards for “For continuing to present challenging theatre in unusual locations that illuminates darker, often ignored parts of society and makes her audience question what theatre can be.”

Ivan has been working as a composer and sound designer in theatre for over fifteen years and has worked with most major theatre companies in the country.
He is the Head of the Sound Dept. at The Lir Academy and is the Resident Sound Designer and Composer. He also runs courses for the Fringe Festival and the AIST.

He has a background in live music having played in many bands and released many records over the last 25 years.

Des has worked as a production manager in Irish theatre for over twenty years. During this time Des has had the opportunity to work on shows of all sizes from tiny studio performances to West End transfers to festival management and everything in between, collaborating with companies including Fishamble, Cois Ceim, the Corn Exchange and the Abbey Theatre to name but a few.

Aisling has worked in Theatre for 27 years as a stage manager, production manager and technical director amongst other roles.

Aisling has production managed for THISISPOPBABY and Landmark Productions as well as The Abbey Theatre and worked at Inchicore CFE teaching Crewing and Working in the Performing Arts Industry.

Aisling was the Technical Director of the Abbey Theatre and member of the Senior Management Team. She has also worked as Head of Production and a Production Manager, CSM and DSM for the Abbey Theatre. She had been with the Abbey for nearly 12 years.

Aisling has a Diploma in Stagecraft Production from Inchicore VEC, she was a board member of the Association of Irish Stage Technicians, and is committed to the promotion of theatre specific training and creating best practice within the sector. She has directed an adaptation of Dawn Kings’ radio play ‘My One and Only’ starring Paddy Joe Malpas for Theatre Upstairs. She completed a BA in Management Practice from NCIRL in 2019.

Jason has worked extensively as a scenic artist for theatre, opera, and TV. He studied fine art at Sligo I.T. and has an MA in visual art from IADT Dun Laoghaire. He has been working as a scenic artist for over 15 years and has worked on major productions in Ireland, including painting scenery for The Gate Theatre, The Abbey Theatre, Landmark Productions, Druid and Wexford Festival Opera.

In tandem with his work as a scenic artist, Jason has worked freelance as a specialist painter, working on cruise ships and on commercial projects across the world.

Jason Coogans career in set construction began in Northern Ireland with Big Telly Theatre company when he worked constructing underwater sets, drawing on his experience as a commercial diver. He has since worked in set construction and as a touring stage carpenter in Ireland China, Serbia, Africa, the UK and Europe for seventeen years. During this time, he has worked extensively in theatre, dance, opera, television and installations. He has toured with Fishamble, Riverdance, Barabbas, hot for theatre, Rough Magic and the Abbey Theatre as well as many others. Jason joined the Lir in 2020 as the Construction & Technical Stage Manager. (Bachelor in Stage Management & Technical Theatre) (F/T)

Iris is a Performance designer and theatre technician from France who recently graduated with an MA in Scenography at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She grew up in the South of France and is now living between Dublin and London. With a technical background in lighting and Sound that she acquired from her Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre at The Lir Academy in Dublin, she pursued her passion for lighting and set design.

Iris worked with various theatre companies as Lighting Technician and Performance Designer in London and in Dublin. Her recent works include Lighting Design for Peter Pan with Les Farfadais Circus Company in the south of France and Set Design for A Hundred Worlds For Snow with In Her Element Theatre company at the OSO Art Centre in London.

Blue Hanley has been working in theatre and performance since 2010. She began working in subtitling for theatre before moving into lighting. Her design work includes The Abbey, Asylum Productions, Big Telly NI, and An Taibhdhearc; and work as a technician for axis, Druid, The Gate, and the Town Hall Theatre Galway.

Blue studied Stage Design (Lighting) MFA, The Lir 2018-2019; Translation Studies MA, DCU 2020-2021; and her recent research focuses on accessibility in theatre.

Sue was an actor for many years before completing a Masters Degree in Movement Studies at Central School of Speech and Drama. Sue has taught at various drama schools including Central School of Speech & Drama, RADA, ALRA, Gaiety School of Acting before becoming Head of Movement at The Lir Academy.

Sue also works as a Movement Director in theatre, film and opera.

Sue’s Movement Direction at The Abbey, National Theatre of Ireland includes; I Girl, Translations,Crestfall, Oedipus, On Raftery’s Hill, Shadow of a Gunman, RUR, Hedda Gabler, Twelfth Night, Plough & the Stars, Heartbreak House, 16 Possible Glimpses, The House, The Rivals, and Pygmalion. She has also worked with The Everyman, The Lyric, Gate, Druid, Landmark, Verdant and ANU, most recently on The Lost O’Casey for which she won Best Movement Director (Irish Times Theatre Awards 2019).

In recent years she has worked as Intimacy Coordinator on several films and TV series, including The Dry, (Element Pictures/RTE), Flora & Son (Figment Productions), Normal People (Element Pictures/BBC), Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix), Smother (RTE/BBC) and Kin (Bron/RTE). Intimacy for Stage includes: Good Sex (Dead Centre/DTF), Once Before I Go (Gate), Conversations After Sex (This is Pop Baby/DTF), Our New Girl (Gate), Asking For It (Landmark/Gaiety/Birmingham Rep.),

Other work includes: choreography for Northanger Abbey (ITV Drama) and for opera Elektra (Canadian Opera Company), Radamisto (NI Opera), Semele (RIAM), and Dead Man Walking (Opera Ireland).

David is a theatre director and playwright. He is also the Artistic Director of Bewley’s Café Theatre - a position he holds alongside teaching Acting Technique at The Lir Academy. Most recently, he directed This Beautiful Village by Lisa Tierney-Keogh for the Abbey Theatre. He also co-wrote and co-directed CLASS with Iseult Golden, which played the Bush Theatre in London, won an Edinburgh Fringe First and a ZeBBie Award from the Writers Guild of Ireland for Best Theatre Script in 2018. It has toured Ireland and enjoyed sold out runs at the Abbey Theatre and the Galway International Arts Festival.

Other directing highlights include: These Halcyon Days by Deirdre Kinahan (Edinburgh Fringe First Winner/DTF), Beowulf: the Blockbuster by Bryan Burroughs (Edinburgh Fringe Stage Award, IAC New York, NY Times Critic’s Pick), Moment by Deirdre Kinahan (Bush Theatre, London), In The Next Room by Sarah Ruhl, Three Winters by Tena Štivičić and Brontë by Polly Teale (all at The Lir Academy), and the award-winning Tick my Box! (Inis Theatre) among others.

Paul Meade is a Writer, Director, Actor and Artistic Director of Gúna Nua Theatre. Paul trained at the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College, and later received an M.A. in Modern Drama from U.C.D. He is currently artist in residence at the Civic Theatre in Tallaght.

Vinny Murphy has worked as a Writer, Director, Actor and Composer for Film, Television and Theatre.

He teaches screen acting at The Lir Academy and brings with him experience in many different aspects of film making as well as his vast experience of working with screen actors.

He has acted in over 40 films and TV programs, he has directed nearly as many and has also written films including co-writing the international award-winning “Accelerator” which he also directed. He has composed music extensively for films including 2 feature films, so when he reminds an actor to “leave some room for the music” he’s not kidding.

Iseult Golden is an actor, writer and director and is a founder member of Inis Theatre Company.

As an actor, Iseult has performed in a wide variety of theatre productions ranging from Shakespeare to Stoppard and has toured nationally and internationally. Her television credits include Fair City, The Clinic and The Importance of Being Whatever for RTE and Ri Ra and Aifric for TG4.
Directing work includes Breathless (Smock Alley, 2014), Mangan’s Last Gasp (Bewley’s Café Theatre, 2013), Payback! (Show in a Bag,2012) and Connected (Show in a Bag,2010) which transferred to Project Upstairs in 2011.
As a writer, Iseult has worked on the Irish soap opera, Fair City (2012/2013). She was co-writer on The Importance of Being Whatever (RTE 2011) which was awarded an IFTA, 2012. She also co-wrote the film Belonging to Laura for Accomplice Television/TV3, which received an IFTA Nomination, 2009. In 2007, she wrote Fireworks, a one-act play for Tall Tales Theatre Company (published in the collection TXTs).

Maisie is a freelance theatre director & Artistic Director of MIRARI Productions. Recent work includes ‘Our Island’ by Barry McStay for Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival (nominated for 5 Fringe Judge’s Awards including Best Production), ‘Playcation’ a series of readings of contemporary European plays in Project Arts Centre, June and July 2015 and ‘In Dog Years I’m Dead’ by Kate Heffernan winner of 2014 Stewart Parker Trust Award. MIRARI Productions were Artists in Residence in Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise 2013 -14, creating community Radio Drama ‘Hometruths’ for live broadcast on Midlands 103fm. Maisie was Resident Assistant Director in the Abbey Theatre 2013-2014

As Artistic Director of ANU Productions, her work includes: Last Words and PALS (National Museum of Ireland), Road To The Rising (RTE), Beautiful Dreamers (Limerick City of Culture), Vardo (Dublin Theatre Festival), Angel Meadow (Winner of two Awards at Manchester Theatre Awards including Best Production and Best Ensemble / HOME Manchester), Thirteen (Winner of the Judges Special Award, Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards), Dublin Tenement Experience, The Boys of Foley Street (Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin City Council Public Art Commission, Winner Best Theatrical Production of the Year Award ERICS, Nominated for two Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards including Best Director Award), Laundry (Dublin Theatre Festival 2011, Winner of Best Production Award, Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards, Nominated for Best Director Award Irish Times Theatre Awards), World’s End Lane (Dublin Theatre Festival 2011, Dublin Fringe 2010, Winner Best Off-site Production Award, Nominated Best Production Award, Irish Times Theatre Awards), Fingal Ronan (Robert Wilson Watermill Center New York), Memory Deleted (Winner Best Production Award) and Basin (Dublin Fringe Festival 2009).

At The Lir Academy Louise has devised and directed Given the Day, Coop and The Sin Eaters.

Ross Scanlon trained at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where he was awarded the Michael McNamara Gold Medal of excellence in performance and at the Royal Academy of Music, London. His operatic roles have received critical acclaim making him one of the most sought after Tenors of his generation. Notable roles include Le Thérière L'Enfant et les sortlièges with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Barbican, London, Hot Biscuit Paul Bunyan for Welsh National Opera, Irus The Return of Ulysses & Male Chorus The Rape of Lucretia for Opera Collective Ireland, Ed A Belfast Opera for NI Opera, Bookkeeper The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny for OTC and Rough Magic, Dublin. Ross has been a regular soloist with the RTE Concert and Symphony Orchestras and has an extensive Oratorio and Concert resume. Having sung for many dignitaries around the world, he recently was engaged to perform for HRH, Prince of Wales, with The Ulster Orchestra, Belfast. Ross is singing tutor at The Lir Academy, Trinity College and is also a member of the Vocal Faculty at The American College, Dublin where he lectures on the Musical Theater Course. Alongside teaching he is an Examiner for theRoyal Irish Academy of Music.

Andy Crook trained at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris and has a degree in Drama from the University of Hull. He has worked as a teacher of physical theatre and acting for various schools and universities including Trinity College where he was Associate Co-ordinator and then Co-ordinator of the BA in Acting programme, UCC, Birmingham School of Acting, Rose Bruford College and the Accademia dell’Arte, Arrezzo.

He has directed shows for Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, Peacock Theatre, Dublin, Articulate Anatomy Theatre Company, Backstage Theatre, Longford and The Republic of Culture and The Corps Ensemble. He also has acted for various companies in Ireland, the UK and USA. He is a member of The Corps Ensemble, Dublin. He joined the Lir Academy in 2020 as an instructor in Movement and Physical Theatre. (P/T)

David is originally from Australia and moved to Ireland in 2004. He has an uncompromising passion for the professional development of emerging artists and the highest quality of actor training. He has developed his own technical practice, has self-designed and directed actor training programs including The Applied Art of Acting, and written three textbooks on acting, theatre, and film practice.

David also founded Company D Theatre, specifically designed to provide opportunities and theatrical education for emerging actors. He has written, directed and produced many stage plays and has self-published thirteen complete plays. He continues to act professionally under the name David Michael Scott.

An Obie award-winning producer, he has worked with companies such as ANU Productions, Collapsing Horse Theatre, THISISPOPBABY and Dead Centre, producing work performed in venues across Ireland, and some of the most globally important festivals and theatres including Manchester International Festival, Brisbane Arts Festival, the Young Vic, and the Schaubuhne in Berlin.

As a curator and programmer, he ran Ireland’s oldest and largest comedy arts festival, The Kilkenny Cat Laughs, for five years, as well as the theatre stage at Electric Picnic for the last six years for Dublin Theatre Festival. He curated the Pitchonomics strand at Kilkenomics (Ireland’s first comedy and economics festival), and programmed and hosted Ireland’s first conference on Massive Open Online Universities (MOOCs) for the Higher Education Authority of Ireland as part of the UA Award Summit (of which he was Summit Director of for four years).

Matt is currently chair of the board of directors for Project Arts Centre, Dublin and was on the board of directors of Macnas from 2020 until 2023. He is also a qualified career coach working with arts practitioners around Ireland and the UK.

Cathal has a Masters in Voice Studies from Central School of Speech and Drama. He taught at Oxford School of Drama and was Head of Voice at the Gaiety School of Acting before coming to teach Voice and Dialect at The Lir Academy. Cathal’s film credits include Albert Nobbs, Parked, Eden and The Escapist and his TV work includes Love/Hate, Kitchen and Omagh.

Cathal coached the American Premiere of The Home Place at the Guthrie Theater where he also taught Shaw, Wilde and Beckett.

Bryan is an actor, director, movement director and more recently “writer” having penned and performed the award winning Beowulf : The Blockbuster earning Bryan a STAGE award for acting excellence at the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival. Other notable performances include Barabbas’ Johnny Patterson : The Singing Irish Clown for which he received the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor and “B” in Company SJ’s production of Beckett’s “Act Without Words II ” which toured most recently to The Barbican in London.

Bryan is a graduate from the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College Dublin and has taught Movement/Physical Theatre at Trinity College Dublin, NYU / Tisch School of the Arts and at the Accademia dell ’ Arte in Arezzo, Italy.

David is a theatre director and playwright. He is also the Artistic Director of Bewley’s Café Theatre - a position he holds alongside teaching Acting Technique at The Lir Academy. Most recently, he directed This Beautiful Village by Lisa Tierney-Keogh for the Abbey Theatre. He also co-wrote and co-directed CLASS with Iseult Golden, which played the Bush Theatre in London, won an Edinburgh Fringe First and a ZeBBie Award from the Writers Guild of Ireland for Best Theatre Script in 2018. It has toured Ireland and enjoyed sold out runs at the Abbey Theatre and the Galway International Arts Festival.

Other directing highlights include: These Halcyon Days by Deirdre Kinahan (Edinburgh Fringe First Winner/DTF), Beowulf: the Blockbuster by Bryan Burroughs (Edinburgh Fringe Stage Award, IAC New York, NY Times Critic’s Pick), Moment by Deirdre Kinahan (Bush Theatre, London), In The Next Room by Sarah Ruhl, Three Winters by Tena Štivičić and Brontë by Polly Teale (all at The Lir Academy), and the award-winning Tick my Box! (Inis Theatre) among others.

Vinny Murphy has worked as a Writer, Director, Actor and Composer for Film, Television and Theatre.

He teaches screen acting at The Lir Academy and brings with him experience in many different aspects of film making as well as his vast experience of working with screen actors.

He has acted in over 40 films and TV programs, he has directed nearly as many and has also written films including co-writing the international award-winning “Accelerator” which he also directed. He has composed music extensively for films including 2 feature films, so when he reminds an actor to “leave some room for the music” he’s not kidding.

Ciaran has been working in the film and theatre industry since 1998. In 2003 he graduated from the Theatre Studies programme at Inchicore College and later went on to train with the Irish Dramatic Combat Academy. Ciaran has trained extensively in armed and unarmed stage combat in Ireland and in the USA. He is among Ireland’s leading experts in theatrical violence and regularly works as a stage combat instructor, stunt performer, fight director, and actor.

Ciaran is a member of Stunt Register Ireland and has worked as a stunt performer on Vikings, Penny Dreadful, Into the Badlands, Red Rock, Reign, Jekyll & Hyde and the music video for Kodaline’s hit song All I Want, for which he also created the fight choreography.

Caroline Byrne is a director and actor trainer. She was formally Associate Director at The Gate Theatre and is currently an Education Associate Practitioner at Royal Shakespeare Company. Caroline has worked as an actor trainer at National Student Drama Festival, Lyric Belfast, East 15, Central School of Speech and Drama and the Actors Centre. As Creative Projects Manager at the Actors Centre she ran several creative initiatives such as BBC Talent Boost and Acting the Classics.

Caroline’s directing credits include Katie Roche (Abbey Theatre), Oliver Twist (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare’s Globe) The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Richard Burton Theatre), Parallel Macbeth (Clare Theatre, Young Vic) Macbeth (Chapter Arts, RWCMD), Old Vic New Voices Festival (Old Vic), Electra (Caird Studio) Eclipsed (Gate Theatre, London), By Mr Farquhar (Waterside Theatre, Derry); Text Messages (Project, Dublin) and Shakespeare in a Suitcase (co-directed with Tim Crouch for RSC). She has also directed for the Bush Theatre, Farnham Maltings, Central School of Speech and Drama, RWCMD and Durham Theatre, Berkeley, USA. Her work as associate director includes Grounded (Fringe First Winner at Traverse Theatre).

With 20 years of a career-to-date woven through with acting, singing,
songwriting and singing/voice coaching, Ruth combines the skills and tools
gathered from her rich pastry of experience to provide singing coaching to the
actors-in-training here at The Lír Academy. Ruth encourages openness,
curiosity and acceptance of every voice, focusing on what is already working
for her students and empowering them to find the path of least resistance to
optimal vocal expression.
An acclaimed actress she is a regular performer at the Abbey and Gate
theatres, and other leading Irish theatre companies, receiving two Irish Times
Theatre Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her performance of
Lucy In The Threepenny Opera (Gate Theatre, Dublin) & Lydia in FREEFALL
(Corn Exchange Theatre Company).
For film and TV, Ruth has appeared in The Clinic, Love|Hate, and What Richard
Did. She was most recently seen in Kin and The Bright Side.
Ruth McGill is also a founder, musician, singer and songwriter with the multi-instrumental, 3 part harmony group "The Evertides".

Iseult Golden is an actor, writer and director and is a founder member of Inis Theatre Company.

As an actor, Iseult has performed in a wide variety of theatre productions ranging from Shakespeare to Stoppard and has toured nationally and internationally. Her television credits include Fair City, The Clinic and The Importance of Being Whatever for RTE and Ri Ra and Aifric for TG4.
Directing work includes Breathless (Smock Alley, 2014), Mangan’s Last Gasp (Bewley’s Café Theatre, 2013), Payback! (Show in a Bag,2012) and Connected (Show in a Bag,2010) which transferred to Project Upstairs in 2011.
As a writer, Iseult has worked on the Irish soap opera, Fair City (2012/2013). She was co-writer on The Importance of Being Whatever (RTE 2011) which was awarded an IFTA, 2012. She also co-wrote the film Belonging to Laura for Accomplice Television/TV3, which received an IFTA Nomination, 2009. In 2007, she wrote Fireworks, a one-act play for Tall Tales Theatre Company (published in the collection TXTs).

Morgan Cooke is an actor, composer, musician and singing tutor at The Lir Academy. Recent work includes piano and vocal coaching on The Wake at the Abbey, the role of Flann O’Brien in the documentary An Béal Saibhir, multiple roles in YOUtopia at the Coombe Hospital and the Abbey, multiple roles in Star of the Sea in the Dublin Theatre Festival 2015 and the role of Daddy Warbucks in Annie at Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, Christmas 2015. He composed the soundtrack for Fornocht A Chonac at Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, a coproduction with the Abbey (Galway International Arts Festival 2016), and is currently in rehearsal for Breaks with BezKinte for the Dublin Fringe 2016.

Muirne trained as a dancer with Jill Wigham before joining Dublin City Ballet. She has performed with Dance Theatre of Ireland, Irish Modern Dance Theatre, Rubato Ballet,The Lido Amsterdam, Vienna Theatre Ballet and Coisceim Dance Theatre. Her choreography for theatre work includes The Dandy Dolls, The Tempest, Drama at Inish, Cavalcaders ,A Doll’s House and She stoops to Conquer (Abbey Theatre). Borstal Boy (Gaiety Theatre), Pageant, As You Are (CoisCéim Dance Theatre) and The Ballet Ruse ( Dublin and Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Duck Death and the Tulip, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Egg, A Spell of Cold Weather, Nivellis War (Cahoots NI), Gulliver’s Travels (National Youth Theatre), Little Women and Arcadia (The Gate Theatre), Dancing at Lughnasa (The Gate Theatre, An Grianán Theatre, The Bucharest National Theatre and Second Age), Wallflowering, Hue and Cry, Maisy Dailys Rainbow and Moment (Tall Tales), Can You Catch a Mermaid (Pavilion Theatre), How High is Up (The Ark) The Death of Harry Leon (Ouroboros), The Merchant of Venice (Second Age) The Lulu House and The Making of tis a Pity She’s a Whore (Siren Productions). Television credits include Rock Rivals (UTV Television). Muirne also choreographed the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony in Belfast in 2005. Together with David Bolger she devised A Dash of Colour (Special Olympics Croke Park 2004), Intimate Details and Golf Swing (Opening Ceremony Ryder Cup 2006) and the opening ceremony for UEFA League Final (Aviva Stadium 2011). Last year she was commissioned by Dublin City Council to create outdoor, pop up dance pieces to celebrate the Giro d’Italia in Dublin and for Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival.” Most recently she was movement director for Ouzel for Riverfest at Dublin Docklands Festival and Opera Theatre Company’s Rigoletto, directed by Selina Cartmell.

Ruth Lehane is an award winning actress, writer and theatre maker.
She trained at Ecole Jacques Lecoq, Paris and the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College, Dublin. Having worked for two years with Jacques Lecoq where she discovered the European approach to clown, she later studied Clown Through Mask, a Native American approach, developed by Richard Pochinko with Sue Morrison in Toronto.
She is the founder of Fourth Leaf Theatre Co. Ruth’s company, makes theatre that provokes, challenges and delights an audience.

Her vast range of experience as an actor and theatre maker has seen her work with makers of original work and practitioners of innovative practises. She has worked with a diverse range of companies both nationally and internationally some of which include; The Abbey, Dublin; The Lyric, Belfast; Barabbas; Blue Raincoat; The Ark; Big telly; The Belgrade Theatre; Cahoots NI; Tinderbox and Fabulous Beast.
She has toured with her work internationally to London, Edinburg, Glasgow, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, Bulgaria, Romania and new York.

Ruth is a highly skilled facilitator. Influenced by the methodology of Jacques Lecoq and the disciplines of Theatre of Clown, Neutral Mask, Gestural Language and The Architecture of the Space, her unique range of experience make her workshops exciting, inspirational and fun. This physical and creative approach draws on the imagination and offers a place to explore and be challenged.

Andy Crook trained at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris and has a degree in Drama from the University of Hull. He has worked as a teacher of physical theatre and acting for various schools and universities including Trinity College where he was Associate Co-ordinator and then Co-ordinator of the BA in Acting programme, UCC, Birmingham School of Acting, Rose Bruford College and the Accademia dell’Arte, Arrezzo.

He has directed shows for Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, Peacock Theatre, Dublin, Articulate Anatomy Theatre Company, Backstage Theatre, Longford and The Republic of Culture and The Corps Ensemble. He also has acted for various companies in Ireland, the UK and USA. He is a member of The Corps Ensemble, Dublin. He joined the Lir Academy in 2020 as an instructor in Movement and Physical Theatre. (P/T)

Roger Evans has been appointed as the new Head of Short Courses. Roger is an Actor and Director. He was brought up in the South Wales valleys and studied acting at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and has worked extensively in film, television and theatre across Europe and in America. He also has an MA in Actor Training and Coaching from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has taught in many Drama schools including The Lir.

David is originally from Australia and moved to Ireland in 2004. He has an uncompromising passion for the professional development of emerging artists and the highest quality of actor training. He has developed his own technical practice, has self-designed and directed actor training programs including The Applied Art of Acting, and written three textbooks on acting, theatre, and film practice.

David also founded Company D Theatre, specifically designed to provide opportunities and theatrical education for emerging actors. He has written, directed and produced many stage plays and has self-published thirteen complete plays. He continues to act professionally under the name David Michael Scott.

Dee Burke is an actor, theatre facilitator and director. She specialises in Youth Arts and has been facilitating and directing theatre with young people for over fifteen years.

Some highlights from this work includes directing several productions for the National Theatre: Connections programme, facilitating in schools across the country for the Artist in Schools scheme and facilitating on several young actor programmes in The Lir Academy since 2021. Dee is also a Resident Facilitator and Director with Griese Youth Theatre.

Dee began her acting career as a company member of award winning theatre company ANU Productions. This work with ANU at a formative stage in her acting career instilled the importance of collaborative arts practice, seeing how this way of playing can energise and inspire actors in a rehearsal room.

Dee believes we should consistently push the boundaries of what theatre can be in Ireland. She recently performed in Ballad of a Care Centre by acclaimed visual artist John Conway which combined virtual reality elements with live performance. Dee is continuing to collaborate on this project in several interpretations of the original piece.

Some of Dee’s previous theatre acting work includes Hedda Gabler (Abbey Theatre), The Fabulously True and Timeless Tales of Sergeant Virgil (Andy Crook), Glorious Madness, AngelMeadow, Vardo Corner, Thirteen, The Boys of Foley Street, Laundry, World’s End Lane, Memory Deleted and Down the Valley (Anu Productions), Beautiful Dreamers (Performance Corp and Anu) Meat by Gillian Greer (Smock Alley Theatre) and Black Wednesday by Gavin Kostick (Show in a Bag/Bewley’s Café Theatre).