Episode 27: Andrea Ainsworth

Thursday 10 May 2012

An integral part of the Abbey Theatre machine for the past 16 years, Andrea Ainsworth is the leading voice coach in the country. Here she discusses her method training at The Actor’s Workshop in Canada, moving to the UK to attend drama school, then specialising in voice at London’s prestigious Central School, landing the job as voice coach at both The Abbey and Trinity’s renowned Acting programme, and memorable highlights from her tenure at our National Theatre. It’s episode 27 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 26: Frank Laverty

Thursday 3 May 2012

It’s the 6 month anniversary of the podcast, and we’re celebrating it with the brilliant Frank Laverty. We chat about discovering his love for the business in rural Donegal, his time training at the prestigious Gaiety School of Acting, being offered a year-long contract at the Abbey Theatre by Garry Hynes, his role in hit RTE drama “On Home Ground,” recent successes at the Old Vic in London, and the Abbey’s forthcoming production of Tom Murphy’s “The House.” It’s episode 26 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 25: Pat Kiernan

Thursday 26 April 2012

For over 20 years, Pat Kiernan’s Corcadorca have been at the cutting edge of Irish theatre. Here he chats about the initial spark that ignited his love for theatre, how the company came together, why they moved towards their trademark off site aesthetic, how audiences queued around the block for their groundbreaking production of “A Clockwork Orange,” the phenomenon that was “Disco Pigs,” the importance of maintaining their base in Cork, and their ongoing development work with the new generation of Cork theatremakers. It’s episode 25 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy! 

Episode 24: John Morton

Thursday 19 April 2012

Arguably the most exciting emerging theatre company outside the capital, John Morton’s Devious Theatre Co. are on an astonishing roll. Here the Kilkenny man discusses his time training as an actor, juggling the roles of writer/director/performer, his parallel work as a film maker, his passion for the physical storytelling of Pro-Wrestling, and their forthcoming epic production of Night of the Living Dead. It’s episode 24 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy! 

Episode 23: Bryan Burroughs

Thursday 12 April 2012

One of the hardest working men in the business, Bryan Burroughs is at the forefront of physical theatre in Ireland. Here he talks about his time training at Trinity’s Beckett centre, his intensive two-year stint with Loose Canon, juggling a career as actor, director, movement coach and teacher, his new position at The Lir, and his key role in the creation of Rise Productions’ Fight Night. It’s episode 23 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 22: Alan Stanford

Thursday 5 April 2012

A stalwart of Irish theatre since 1969, few figures loom as large over the theatrical landscape as actor, writer, and director Alan Stanford. Here he talks about what first brought him to Ireland, the explosion of new talent during his tenure as director of Project, his enduring friendship with the Gate’s Michael Colgan, those iconic productions of Salome and Waiting For Godot, the birth of Second Age, and his latest adventures in the United States. It’s episode 22 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy! 

Episode 21: Ronnie Masterson

Thursday 29 March 2012

With a career already spanning eight different decades, actress Ronnie Masterson isn’t planning on slowing down any time soon. Here she recalls joining the Abbey school on a scholarship, the infamous fire, leaving the security of the Abbey company to form her own company with her husband Ray McAnally, her work with John B Keane, and more recent movie successes, with Alan Parker’s Angela’s Ashes and Neil Jordan’s forthcoming Byzantium. It’s Episode 21 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 20: Judith Roddy

Thursday 22 March 2012

Since shooting to prominence at just 22 with her award-winning performance in The Wild Duck at the Abbey, Derry’s Judith Roddy has continued to light up the Irish stage. Here she talks about her formative years training at Trinity, her work with internationally renowned director Laszlo Marton, the birth of her creative partnerships with Conall Morrison and Annabelle Comyn, and her hugely successful recent collaborations with Pan Pan, including the world tour of Playing the Dane and the multi award winning All that Fall. It’s Episode 20 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 19: Tara Furlong

Thursday 15 March 2012

So often the backbone behind many of the Abbey Theatre’s best shows, stage manager Tara Furlong is one of the real unsung heroes of Irish Theatre. Here she talks about her early days working box office in the old Project, her evolution into the role of Stage manager, the perceived divide between between “Techies” and “Creatives,” the differences between The Gate and The Abbey, and her views on future plans for our National Theatre. It’s episode 19 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 18: Rory Keenan

Thursday 8 March 2012

With a staggering 20 years of professional theatre already under his belt, Rory Keenan is truly one of the finest actors of his generation. Here he talks to us about his early days as a child star, almost being booted out of his Trinity drama degree for his work on RTE’s flagship Sunday night TV drama, his continuing run of leading roles since his early 20’s and his recent successes, both on high profile Irish movies like The Guard, and on the London stage – hell, we even get a naked Tadhg Murphy story! It’s episode 18 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 17: Peter Crawley

Thursday 1 March 2012

An insightful, articulate and distinctive voice in the world of Irish theatre, Peter Crawley is that rarest of animals: a theatre critic that’s liked and respected by theatre people. Here he discusses his route to journalism from studying Drama at Trinity, the merits of constructive vs. destructive criticism, maintaining the delicate balance of insider knowledge with an outsider’s objectivity, and that infamous run in with Chris de Burgh. It’s Episode 17 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 16: John Olohan

Thursday 23 February 2012

With his boundless enthusiasm and infectious laughter, John Olohan is truly one of the most likeable characters in Irish theatre. Here, he chats about his early days playing in bands, his time with both the Abbey School and Company, touring with the ITC, juggling his stage work with his Glenroe schedule, the key to a successful marriage between two actors, and his recent acclaimed work with Druid. It’s Episode 16 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 15: Keith Hanna

Thursday 16 February 2012

A fine actor, and an accomplished singer and dancer, Keith Hana is a performer on the brink of a real breakthrough. Here he talks about his near 15 year relationship with the legendary Billie Barry Stage School, the many world tours with Jury’s Cabaret, his transition into acting and his extensive work on Shakespeare with Second Age, the challenges he faced as a local boy when filming “Stardust” for RTE, and his new role in the hotly anticipated “Alice in Funderland” at the Abbey Theatre. It’s Episode 15 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 14: Karl Shiels

Thursday 9 February 2012

A true rock star of Irish Theatre, Karl Shiels has done it all. Here he discusses leaving his job as a qualified sparks to follow his dream of being on stage, his journey from being almost kicked out of the Gaiety School of Acting to currently serving on its board, the huge successes of his own company Semper Fi, his extensive working relationship with Mark O’Rowe, and his recent world tour with the renowned Druid Theatre Company, not to mention all his upcoming screen roles for 2012. Hell, we even get in a naked Tadhg Murphy story! It’s Episode 14 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 13: Adam Fergus

Thursday 2 February 2012

A star who’s just about to go supernova, Adam Fergus has it all going for him. The star of hit TV show “Being Erica” flew in from London to chat to us about his life and career in a refreshingly honest interview. Here he talks about breaking into the business, leaving behind the offer of formal training to take up the leading roles being offered to him, the baptism of fire on his short-lived stint with Druid, working with a who’s who of Irish screen talent, and that big break into North American TV. It’s episode 13 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 12: Cian O'Brien

Thursday 26 January 2012

Three months to the day since taking up the job, we met up with new Artistic Director of Project Arts Centre Cian O’Brien. A producer, administrator, curator, and even performer, Cian’s appointment was met with unanimous approval from the Arts community, with Peter Crawley calling it “as welcome, encouraging and refreshing as it is entirely unsurprising.” Here he discusses his formative years with D.U. Players, his evolution from participant to curator of Rough Magic’s renowned Seeds programme, his early forays into freelance producing, plans and ambitions for his new role at Project, and his ongoing relationship with a certain Mangina Jones. It’s episode 12 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 11: Jo Mangan

Thursday 19 January 2012

The originator and innovator of site-specific work in Ireland, Jo Mangan is a director of unparalleled vision and ambition. Her company is truly one of Ireland’s most ground-breaking, and her commitment to bringing this work to audiences around the country has been their hallmark for the last decade. Here she discusses her early successes as a director, the birth of The Performance Corporation, her forays into other media, finding fresh responses to recent cuts in funding, and using her current phase of renewal and training as a springboard into what lies ahead. It’s episode 11 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 10: THEATREclub

Thursday 12 January 2012

Two thirds of the hottest young theatre company in the country, Grace Dyas and Shane Byrne of THEATREclub (uppercase THEATRE, lowercase club!), are a force of nature. Since their debut at the fringe just over two years ago, they have been insanely prolific, churning out more work than all of their peers combined, and picking up more awards than they can carry. Here they discuss just how influential their time with DYT was in shaping them as theatre makers, chart the evolution of the company from the intimate “Rough” to the epic “2010”, reveal the true extent of their “Manic Ambition,” and give us a sneak peak at their plans for total global domination. It’s episode 10 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 9: Cathy Belton

Thursday 5 January 2012

Truly one of our nation’s finest performers, there is only one word to describe Cathy Belton – stunning. Here she talks about the lasting impact of her early encounters with Druid Theatre Company while growing up in Galway, her experiences touring Ben Barnes’ production of The Crucible with the National Youth Theatre, taking on some of the most iconic female roles in the Irish canon, and sustaining such a successful career on both stage and screen. It’s episode 9 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Episode 8: Aidan Kelly

Thursday 8 December 2011

One of our most accomplished and charismatic actors, Aidan Kelly has had a truly enviable career path. Here he talks about his early years in youth theatre, his brief stint on Fair City, taking Eugene O’Brien’s iconic “Eden” from the stage to the screen, being put on contract as an “Abbey Player,” his ongoing relationship with writer Mark O’Rowe, and his recent nine month season with the RSC. It’s episode 8 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!