We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work so closly with Maisie over resent years. As well as mentoring our Young Curators, since the projects inception i 2019, Maisie is currently mentoring our brand new Junior Ambassador Panel which gives a voice to young people, enabling them to contribute ideas to ensure that all children feel welcome, heard and represented in Backstage.
We first engaged Maisie to direct BYT in a production of DNA. From there Maisie came on board as our Artist in Residence 2019 where she spearheaded our Playmaking project, the first of it’s kind in Ireland, which turned young people’s wirting into professional theatre productions. Such was the success of this project that Maisie joined us again in 2020 to run the project with teens.
During her residency with us Maisie also began work on Lúminaria with writer Fionnuala Gygax. Both artists ran workshops in local schools as part of their research for the project which culminated with a sharing in 2019. Plans to tour Lúminaria to venues across Ireland were delayed due to Covid but in May/June 2022 Lúminaria embarked on a national tour to nine venues across Ireland. In 2025 Lúminaria had a sold out run in Backstage for schools as well as in St John’s Hall as part of Longford Lights Festival and another sold out run in The Ark Theatre in Temple Bar Read more about Lúminaria
Bio: Maisie is a freelance director of theatre and radio. Recent work includes ‘In our Veins’ by Lee Coffey, an Abbey Theatre and Bitter Like a Lemon Co Production in Association with Dublin Port Company; ‘Normal’ by Caitríona Daly, Dublin Fringe and Bewley’s Café Theatre (nominated for 3 Fringe Judges Awards); ‘DNA’, Backstage Theatre, Longford; ‘A Christmas Carol’ adapted by Bryan Burroughs and Aaron Monaghan for The Ark; ‘Something Unspoken’ by Tennessee Williams for Bewley’s Café Theatre; Revolution Radio for RTE2FM (nominated for PPI award); ‘Our Island’ by Barry McStay (nominated for 5 Fringe Judges Awards) and ‘In Dog Years I’m Dead’ by Kate Heffernan (winner of Stewart Parker Trust Award). Maisie was Resident Assistant Director in the Abbey Theatre 2013-2014.
