Making Waves Youth Theatre

“Character actors are on the way out…”

ith the Greystones Players going from strength to strength, it was only a matter of time before Greystones found a stage for its many talented young thespians too.

Going under the groovy moniker of Making Waves, the town’s latest cultural adventure for teenagers between 14 and 18 is now up and running.

Facilitated by Aideen Walton and Ciarán Coogan, those interested in stepping onto and into a new stage in their lives will be brought together every Sunday at Coolnagreina on Trafalgar Road, from 2pm to 4.30pm, and Mondays from 7pm to 9pm.

But, hey, enough of our yakking. Here’s de press release…

A community initiative, the Making Waves Youth Theatre Group is generously sponsored by Ross McParland of Greystones Studios and The Whale Theatre, and facilitated by Ciarán Coogan (actor/playwright) and Aideen Walton (Artistic Director Greystones Players) and administered by Joanne O’Shea (solicitor/community volunteer). We aim to provide teenagers in Greystones and its environs with the opportunity and space to learn about and make great theatre, through workshops, productions and attending other theatrical productions.
This creative space will be a safe and secure one, free of cameras, phones, or social media. Our workshops will take place in Greystones Studios every Sunday afternoon (within the school calendar) between 2pm and 4.30pm from Sunday, September 30th.

Ciarán Coogan (Facilitator) is an actor and playwright with 20 years of theatre experience commercially, on stage and on screen. He is an accomplished facilitator and has studied both Youth Arts Facilitation and Youth Studies at Maynooth University. Ciarán’s writing credits include One Man Many Voices, commissioned by St. John of Gods mental health services, which toured nationally. His Counter Culture won Best New Short Play at Boyle Arts Festival 2013.

Aideen Walton (Facilitator) has studied acting at The Lír, TCD and directing at DLI UL. In 2016, she founded Greystones Players, a community theatre group, and is currently its Artistic Director, running weekly workshops for members. Aideen’s directing credits with Greystones Players at the Whale Theatre include Dancing at Lughnasa (May 2017), Connections (four one-act plays, November 2017), The Playboy of the Western World (April 2018) and Summer Shorts (June 2018).

Joanne O’Shea (Administrator), a graduate of TCD, is a solicitor with over ten years’ in-house experience as legal consultant with a charitable organisation and five years as Head of Legal Function there. An active member of the Greystones community, Joanne is a member of Greystones Players and has acted in The Playboy of the Western World and Summer Shorts. She is also a qualified voluneteer coach with Greystones Athletics Club.

Whether your interest is in acting or in one of the various elements that go into production – sound, lighting, set design, costume, make-up – this group will have a place for you!

You can find out more about this exciting new drama group on Instagram here and Facebook here, or you can email Joanne O’Shea to on the stupidly long email  [email protected].