Celebrating the Next Generation of Storytellers: Young Playwrights Mayo

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(L-R) Maya Ni Mhóráin, Aoíghín Nic Dhonnacha, Conor Galvin, Kai Mehifan, Blake Joyce, Eve Lally and Yvonne Heneghan Photo: Alison Loredo

Celebrating the Next Generation of Storytellers: Young Playwrights Mayo

Annual programme of developing young playwrights in partnership with the Linenhall Arts Centre and supported by Creative Ireland

In November, eight talented Mayo writers: Conor Galvin, Yvonne Henaghan, Blake Joyce, Eve Lally, Kai Mehighan, NJ McDonnell, Aoíbhín Nic Dhonnacha, and Maya Ní Mhóráin, brought their original works to life on stage. Developed through weeks of workshops with the team from Fighting Words Mayo, these plays are a testament to the power of creativity, collaboration, and courage.

 

Creating the Work

Young Playwrights Mayo is a dynamic creative writing and theatre programme that empowers young writers across Mayo to discover and develop their storytelling voice through playwriting and performance. The programme offers rare access to high-quality mentorship and professional theatre experience with the team of Paul Soye, Ernestine Duffy and Ken Armstrong as well as the actors and directors from the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar.. 

Over the course of ten sessions, the young playwrights explored the craft of playwriting through engaging workshops focused on character development, dialogue, scene work, improvisation, and stagecraft. They also had the opportunity to attend live theatre performances, gaining insight into the professional world of touring theatre.

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Author NJ McDonnell (Centre, with mother, Lisa, and grandmother) Photo: Alison Loredo

Performing the Work

Under the guidance of directors Bob Kelly and Fawad Khan, actors Gabriel Adewusi, Laura Brady, Evie May O’Brien, and David Rawle, and the technical expertise of Annabelle Comer-Halliwell, these young playwrights transformed their words into captivating performances. After a three-day collaborative rehearsal process, their work was then showcased on the Linenhall stage in a series of rehearsed readings, performed in front of a live audience of peers, family, and the wider community.

Paul Soye of Fighting Words Mayo described the process as “momentous” and “inspiring,” while Deirdre Melvin of Linenhall Arts Centre noted that the audience was “blown away” by the quality of their work.
 

The Young Playwrights Mayo programme is supported by Creative Ireland.

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The Young Playwrights with the Linenhall actors and directors, the Fighting Words mentors and Deidre Melville (Linenhall Access Officer)

The Young Playwrights Team:

(Kneeling L-R) Evie May O’Brien (Actor); Laura Brady (Actor); Deirdre Melvin (Access Officer, Linenhall). Maya Ní Mhóráin; Aoíbhín Nic Dhonnacha; Eve Lally; Yvonne Heneghan (participants)
(Standing L-R) Bob Kelly (director); Ken Armstrong (mentor); Ernistine Duffy (mentor) Conor Galvin; Kai Mehighan; Blake Joyce; Paul Soye (FW Coordinator) Gabriel Adewusi (actor); David Rawls (actor); Fawed Khan (director).

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