We are super excited be opening our doors to schools and families this June as part of Cruinniú na nÓg
Take a peep behind the scenes with a tour back stage at Backstage AND take part in an exciting workshop with some amazing artists in anything from theatre, film, dance and music – whatever tickles your fancy!

Links to our FREE workshops on Sat 10th below

These workshops are free as part of Cruinniú na nÓg.  Workshops open to one class only on a first come first served basis – in the interest of fairness, schools can only book one workshop (if a school has a sensory plus another workshop)  We will take details of schools wishing to book extra and if workshops remain unbooked we will be in touch.
Each workshop will include a tour of the theatre giving students a unique chance to see behind the scenes at Backstage

|| Tues 6th June ||
Puppet Making – 10am
Puppet-making and bringing a puppet to life with Fionnuala Gygax in a fun, creative puppet-making workshop, where everyone will create their own personalized puppet from scratch and then learn how to bring it to life. Fionnuala will teach the principles of puppetry and how to give a puppet its own distinct personality through voice and movement. We will then play with creating small scenes with the puppets. The workshop will be playful and everyone will have their very own puppet to bring home with them!

Suitable for all classes

Filmmaking  – 11:30
Join IFTA nominated writer/directors Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney, creators of the recently released award winning film ‘Lakelands’ to learn the basics of filmmaking and screenwriting in a fun, practical and insightful look at the first steps needed to make a film.

3rd – 6th Class

|| Wed 7th June ||
Sensory Theatre & Dance Workshop  – 10am & 11:30am
Jess Rowell, inclusive dance artist and maker of multi-sensory dance theatre experiences will lead a sensory friendly dance and music workshop designed for children with additional needs. The interactive and responsive nature of this workshop encourages participants to engage and explore in their own unique way. The group will be introduced to a range of movements, rhythms and appropriate props to enhance the sensory experience. Prior to the workshop Jess will visit your school/class on Tuesday 6th June to introduce herself and get to know the specific needs of the workshop participants ahead of their visit to the theatre. Workshop

Notes: Age: 6-12 years and their carers. Duration: 45mins Capacity: 7 children per workshop

|| Thurs 8th June ||

Dance Workshop  with Orla McCarthy – 10am 
Orla Mc Carthy will be leading a creative dance workshop. Coming from a background with lots of dance improvisation, Orla is keen to share the beauty of creating dance in the moment. Orla believes that everybody can dance and she can’t wait to share some tools to do just that!  Using imagery to spark the imagination, she will guide the participants through different exercises that inspire them to move in new ways. The joy of dance is at the heart of this class and so everyone is bound to have fun!

Suitable for all classes

Music Production with Kofi & ND – 11:30am
Meet Rap Duo Kofi and ND, who recently came third in a bid to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest with their song ‘Down in the Rain’, a song that inspires its listeners to never give up on your aspirations no matter how tough the road may seem. Hear about the creative writing process. See the recording process in action. Find out how recording equipment such as the microphone, interface and speakers work. And maybe even get the chance to record a line or two of music. Be inspired to follow your dreams and never give up!

Suitable for 3rd-6th

|| Fri 9th June ||
Theatre Workshop   – 10am 
Engaged Theatre with Director Gea Gojak – Through creative tasks and diverse exercises, children will explore and share their thoughts and ideas about their surroundings and everyday lives and find themes that they are curious to talk about. They will learn how to create stories and theatre concepts inspired by these themes, how to establish the story for a theatre play and how to find the tools to evoke critical thinking in a young audience.

Explore the world of theatre – 11:30am
Maisie Lee delivers a fun workshop with games and exercises to explore character creation when performing and writing stories.  Maisie ran two amazing Playmaking programmes for kids at Backstage, working with children & teenagers on scriptwriting and then turning their plays into professional productions.  Learn all about character creation from the master herself – really helpful and fun exercise to help kids develop their story writing skills

Suitable for 3th/4th class