Blue Heart Theatre was established in 2014 to produce new Irish plays, and international plays not yet performed in Ireland. We are interested in finding the shared experience. The group emerged and has members from Ireland, the UK and the US.
Meet Geoff O'Keeffe, Director of our new show, 'Cock' by Mike Bartlett
Geoff’s recent credits as a director include: The Astonished Heart for Behind the Moon Productions, King Lear, God Of Carnage, Othello, Frank Pig Says Hello, Macbeth, Wilde about Williams: An Evening of short work; Sharon’s Grave and A Christmas Carol, all for Mill Productions at The Mill Theatre, Dundrum. At The Black Pig’s Dyke for Cavan Culture Theatre Project, Assistant Director and Set Designer, Tarry Flynn, Mill Productions; Lost Weekend at The Axis Theatre, Ballymun. He has written and directed four highly successful plays for young audiences, Stinky Mc Rinky Steals Christmas, Red Riding Hood’s Dangerous Christmas Adventure, Big, Big, Trouble With The Santa Claus Double, Santa’s Cracking Christmas Adventure and SaveUs MaveUs and The Santa Claus Rescue.
He has worked as an actor for stage, film, T.V. and radio. Personal highlights include, Paul in My Second Self for No Tears Productions; David/Divina in Aul’ Divina and Me/I for Biscuits for Breakfast Theatre Company; James in Dinner for One for Offaly Drama Project; Mikey in The Highest House on the Mountain for Tavistock Arts Theatre Company at Smock Alley Theatre; Ms. Kitty in Billy Redden for IYT at The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, 2010, where he received the Michael Mac Liammoir Award for Best Male Actor.
He has worked as an actor for stage, film, T.V. and radio. Personal highlights include, Paul in My Second Self for No Tears Productions; David/Divina in Aul’ Divina and Me/I for Biscuits for Breakfast Theatre Company; James in Dinner for One for Offaly Drama Project; Mikey in The Highest House on the Mountain for Tavistock Arts Theatre Company at Smock Alley Theatre; Ms. Kitty in Billy Redden for IYT at The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, 2010, where he received the Michael Mac Liammoir Award for Best Male Actor.
Brian Higgins (Actor/Producer/Writer)
Brian studied acting while living in Paris with the Bilingual Acting Workshop and with an international improvisation group called The Improfessionals. During this time, he played, ‘The Cherry Orchard’, ‘The Beauty Queen of Leenane’ and ‘ Doubt’. On his return to Ireland in 2007, he co-founded Over The Rainbow, a community drama group in Sligo and continued to work in community drama with Acting Out Theatre Group in Dublin, where he played the lead role of Oscar Wilde in Moises Kaufmann’s ‘Gross Indecency’, Jerry, in Neil LaBute’s, ‘Strange Fruit’ and appeared in the Outburst Festival in Belfast in a piece devised by the company called, ‘Gay: Dad’. He appeared as the Third Man and twelve other roles in Blue Heart’s production of, ‘The Baltimore Waltz’ and as Pauline in Emanuel Darley’s, ‘Tuesdays at Tescos’ for which he was awarded Best Actor at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival 2015. He will be appearing as Oscar Wilde in a new play, ‘Wretched Little Brat’ by Brian Merrimen at the Sean O’Casey Theatre in November 2015. He has written a short play for, and will be acting in, Blue Heart’s upcoming show, ‘Couples and Pairs’ at the Theatre Upstairs in Dublin in February 2016.
Brian studied acting while living in Paris with the Bilingual Acting Workshop and with an international improvisation group called The Improfessionals. During this time, he played, ‘The Cherry Orchard’, ‘The Beauty Queen of Leenane’ and ‘ Doubt’. On his return to Ireland in 2007, he co-founded Over The Rainbow, a community drama group in Sligo and continued to work in community drama with Acting Out Theatre Group in Dublin, where he played the lead role of Oscar Wilde in Moises Kaufmann’s ‘Gross Indecency’, Jerry, in Neil LaBute’s, ‘Strange Fruit’ and appeared in the Outburst Festival in Belfast in a piece devised by the company called, ‘Gay: Dad’. He appeared as the Third Man and twelve other roles in Blue Heart’s production of, ‘The Baltimore Waltz’ and as Pauline in Emanuel Darley’s, ‘Tuesdays at Tescos’ for which he was awarded Best Actor at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival 2015. He will be appearing as Oscar Wilde in a new play, ‘Wretched Little Brat’ by Brian Merrimen at the Sean O’Casey Theatre in November 2015. He has written a short play for, and will be acting in, Blue Heart’s upcoming show, ‘Couples and Pairs’ at the Theatre Upstairs in Dublin in February 2016.
Michael J. Kunze (Actor/Writer/Director)
Mike began acting at a young age in various community programs in the Bay Area of California, and has enjoyed being on stage ever since. In high school he was in numerous productions, and then went on to earn a BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Recent credits include, ‘ The Altruists’ with She Wolf Theatre Company, ‘Life Machine’ at Faultline Theatre, Henchmen by James Nelson, as well as ‘Attempts on Her Life’ and ‘Deviations’ at UC Berkeley. He played John in "A Peculiar Arrangement" by Paul Winters shown as part of Collaborations 2015 .He played the role of Carl in Blue Heart’s production of, The Baltimore Waltz and performed in Broken Talkers and Junk Ensemble's production of, 'It Folds" for the Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival 2015. He has written a short play for and will be acting in and directing in Blue Heart’s upcoming show, ‘Couples and Pairs’ at the Theatre Upstairs in Dublin in February 2016.
Mike began acting at a young age in various community programs in the Bay Area of California, and has enjoyed being on stage ever since. In high school he was in numerous productions, and then went on to earn a BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Recent credits include, ‘ The Altruists’ with She Wolf Theatre Company, ‘Life Machine’ at Faultline Theatre, Henchmen by James Nelson, as well as ‘Attempts on Her Life’ and ‘Deviations’ at UC Berkeley. He played John in "A Peculiar Arrangement" by Paul Winters shown as part of Collaborations 2015 .He played the role of Carl in Blue Heart’s production of, The Baltimore Waltz and performed in Broken Talkers and Junk Ensemble's production of, 'It Folds" for the Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival 2015. He has written a short play for and will be acting in and directing in Blue Heart’s upcoming show, ‘Couples and Pairs’ at the Theatre Upstairs in Dublin in February 2016.
Niamh Denyer (Actor/Director)
Niamh Denyer is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a degree in Drama and Theatre studies. She spent a year studying Theatre and Performance at the University of California, Berkeley. Her performance credits while there include: Attempts on her Life (Zellerbach Playhouse) and The Territory (Barestage Theatre). She co-founded Blue Heart Theatre in 2014. Her recent credits include It Folds (Peacock Theatre),Icarus (Teachers Club) and The Baltimore Waltz (The New Theatre). Niamh will appear next in Fray as part of Smock Alley's Seen + Heard Festival.
Niamh Denyer is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a degree in Drama and Theatre studies. She spent a year studying Theatre and Performance at the University of California, Berkeley. Her performance credits while there include: Attempts on her Life (Zellerbach Playhouse) and The Territory (Barestage Theatre). She co-founded Blue Heart Theatre in 2014. Her recent credits include It Folds (Peacock Theatre),Icarus (Teachers Club) and The Baltimore Waltz (The New Theatre). Niamh will appear next in Fray as part of Smock Alley's Seen + Heard Festival.
Sean Denyer (Creative Producer/Writer)
Sean co-founded Over the Rainbow, a Sligo based drama group for whom he wrote two plays. Since 2010 he has been a member of Acting Out, Dublin’s LGBT drama group performing as the Marquis of Queensbury in Moises Kaufman’s, ‘Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde’ amongst other roles, and taking on a producer role for many of their shows. He curated and edited Acting Out’s documentary drama, Gay: Dad at the Outhouse and the Outburst Arts Festival in Belfast, and wrote and directed, Tits Up! a comedy, which debuted at the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival in 2014. where it was nominated for the Doric Wilson Award. And ‘The Equals’ at the same festival in 2015 where it was nominated for Best Production. He is currently participating in Theatre Forum’s mentoring scheme for Producers and is writing on a new play for production in 2016 and has contributed one of the short plays for Blue Heart's upcoming show, Couples + Pairs.
Sean co-founded Over the Rainbow, a Sligo based drama group for whom he wrote two plays. Since 2010 he has been a member of Acting Out, Dublin’s LGBT drama group performing as the Marquis of Queensbury in Moises Kaufman’s, ‘Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde’ amongst other roles, and taking on a producer role for many of their shows. He curated and edited Acting Out’s documentary drama, Gay: Dad at the Outhouse and the Outburst Arts Festival in Belfast, and wrote and directed, Tits Up! a comedy, which debuted at the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival in 2014. where it was nominated for the Doric Wilson Award. And ‘The Equals’ at the same festival in 2015 where it was nominated for Best Production. He is currently participating in Theatre Forum’s mentoring scheme for Producers and is writing on a new play for production in 2016 and has contributed one of the short plays for Blue Heart's upcoming show, Couples + Pairs.
Associate Artists
Ayrton O'Brien (Associate Director) started acting with Dublin's LGBT community drama group Acting out in 2008. This started a love of theatre that encouraged him to pursue this passion professionally. He attended Bray Institute of Further Education's performing arts course, earning FETAC and HND qualifications, before graduating with an Honours BA degree in Performing Arts in Swansea at University of Wales, Trinity Saint David. This latter qualification also gave Ayrton the opportunity to perform a role as Assistant Director to former Artistic Director of Sherman Cymru, Phil Clark in a production of Skellig. Ayrton directed Blue Heart's production of The Baltimore Waltz in The Factory, Sligo and the New Theatre, Dublin and will direct two of the short plays in the upcoming, Couples + Pairs.
Howard Lodge (Associate Director) Howard graduated from the University of Northumbria with a First Class Honours degree in the Performing Arts. Since then he has worked s a freelance drama facilitator undertaking drama work with a whole spectrum of community groups, including projects with older people, children and youth groups, commissions from the Health Service Executive and local Health and Social Service groups. In 2008 he founded Acting Out, the resident LGBT drama group at the Outhouse in Dublin and has directed all their productions including The Equals at the IDGTF 2015 and Tits Up! at IDGTF 2014. In 2015 he also directed The Laramie Project at the Teacher's Club, Dublin. Howard will be making his debut with Blue Heart, directing two of the short plays in Couples + Pairs at the Theatre Upstairs. He is currently undertaking a Masters in Dramatherapy at Maynooth University
www.actingoutgroup.com
www.actingoutgroup.com
Colm Horan( Associate Lighting Designer)
Colm Horan studied in Cork, and has designed shows including Couples & Pairs, Fray a
wardwinning Tuesdays at Tesco’s for Blue Heart, and Aisling’s Seven for Tingo Underdogs Theatre. He has also worked with Dublin’s LGBT community drama group Acting Out, and works as a professional technician in various venues around Dublin.
Colm Horan studied in Cork, and has designed shows including Couples & Pairs, Fray a
wardwinning Tuesdays at Tesco’s for Blue Heart, and Aisling’s Seven for Tingo Underdogs Theatre. He has also worked with Dublin’s LGBT community drama group Acting Out, and works as a professional technician in various venues around Dublin.
