Maynooth University Part-time Certificate in Directing now Open for Applications

Does your organisation use creative engagement to work with people and communities? Have you used theatre to amplify voices, concerns and issues relevant to your members? If so, then perhaps this course is for you.

The Certificate in Directing for Theatre is currently accepting applications for the October 2024 to May 2025 programme. It is a very popular course, run part-time in Maynooth campus every second Saturday. It is a practical, on-the-floor training course, introducing students to a variety of tips and techniques to enhance their directing skills.

Students need to be 21.  During the course they are required to direct a play for their local drama group, or their youth theatre, or as part of a Fringe or Community Festival, or with the Drama Society in their college or university, or with professional actor(s) in their local arts centre. It can be with one actor or many, and it need not be publicly staged if producing the play is too difficult or if a student does not belong to a community theatre group – it can be done privately. The play is recorded (only for assessment purposes). This is the main assignment for the course.

The course is coordinated by Peter Hussey (Artistic Director of Crooked House). Additional Tutors are drawn from the professional theatre sector in Ireland and abroad. In recent years they have included Sebastian Harcombe (former Head of Acting at RADA, Drama Centre and Drama Studio London), Bairbre Ni Chaoimh (freelance director and actor), John O’ Hagan (Former Associate Professor of Theatre, Chair of Performing Arts Department at Lindenwood University and at Principia College, USA). Louise Lowe (Artistic Director of Anu Production) and Anna Galligan (Coordinator of Performing Arts in Carlow College of Further Education, and director of Carlow Youth Theatre).

Students attend from all over Ireland and quickly become friends and supporters of each other’s work. Numbers are capped at 23 for the course each year, and there needs to be a minimum of 16 people registered for it to run. The deadline for applications this year is Friday 6th September.

For information and instructions about how to apply please contact Kay Loughlin in the Department of Adult and Community Education, Maynooth University at kay.loughlin@mu.ie

For information about the course please email Peter Hussey at info@crookedhouse.ie