Mr. Sands Youth Theatre

JOIN BRAY’S YOUTH THEATRE!
FREE TRIAL SESSION 11 SEPTEMBER

It’s almost time for us to begin our next term with Mr Sands Youth Theatre. It’s a new chance to Make Theatre, Make Friends, and Make Memories.

Thanks to a very generous grant from As Darragh Did, we are expanding our capacity, too! There’s never been a better time to join up…
We meet every Wednesday from 7pm to 9pm at the Wolfe Tone Community Center, as always!
Our first session back on the 11th of September will be a free trial, too! Come along, bring a friend, and see what amazing things can happen when you

Youth Theatre Ireland As Darragh Did Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre Wicklow County Arts Office Activity Time Wicklow Bray People

Hey, look, there're our co-directors Zita and Casey in the Bray People! Thank you for the photos and the shout-out!

There are still places available for the FREE Taster Workshop at the Wolfe Tone Youth Club, from 2pm to 4pm on the 15th of June...
Hope to see you there!!!

Free Drama Workshop for Cruinniu na nÓg

Time for Wicklow's young artists to shine as Cruinniú na nÓg returns Cruinniú na nÓg, the National Day of Creativity for children and young people, returns to various locations in County Wicklow for a day which is bound to keep all the little ones happy, on Saturday, June 15.

Here's testimony from one of our members about how amazing youth theatre has been for them...

Want to see what it's like for yourself? Come to our FREE taster workshop on the 15th of June as part of Cruinniú na nÓg from 2pm to 4pm at the Wolfe Tone Youth Club. Open to all ages 12-17!

Wicklow County Arts Office Wicklow County Council Ireland CreativeIrl

Our Managing Director, Casey Hallahan, is facilitating some FREE workshops for Disabled and Neurodivergent young people on Friday the 7th and Monday the 10th at the Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre

On each day there will be three sessions for differing age groups:

11-13 years old: 11:30am - 12:30pm
14-16 years old: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
17-19 years old: 2:30pm - 3:30pm

All are welcome, regardless of drama experience, but booking is essential!

Plenty of places still available at https://www.mermaidartscentre.ie/whats-on/events/free-drama-workshops-for-disabled-young-people!

AIB has opened up their Community €1 Million Fund for 2024, supporting charities all over Ireland!

We could use your support... Please nominate us for the award to give us a fighting chance to be shortlisted!

https://aib.ie/personal-forms/community-fund

Our RCN is 20159603, and our region is Leinster. Thank you in advance! ♥️🧡💛

We're offering a FREE taster workshop as part of Cruinniú na nÓg!!

Mr. Sands Youth Theatre is a pioneering youth theatre led by theatremakers Zita Monahan McGowan and Casey Hallahan.

Since 2017, we have gone from strength to strength as an engaging and artistically visionary space in youth arts in Ireland. We have an open door policy and welcome new members throughout the year. The ensemble of young artists have explored many disciplines, having created original devised plays such as ‘A Life Unpacked’ which premiered at The Mermaid Arts Centre in April 2024. Mr. Sands have also created audio dramas, podcasts and short films, and we’ve even won awards in Youth Theatre Festivals!

At this FREE taster drama session you will get to play games, chat to our existing members, and find out just how amazing and life changing it can be to ! You’ll also get to see and hear of some of our previous work… and imagine yourself in our next big shows! You don’t need to bring anything other than yourself!
The workshop will take place at the Wolfe Tone & District Community Centre from 2pm to 4pm.

We will aim to welcome everyone on the day, but emailing [email protected] is the best way to secure a space. Suitable for ages 12 – 16.

Not long until we take to the stage with A Life Unpacked at The Moat Theatre Naas as part of Drama House Youth Theatre Festival... come see this acclaimed play about dementia, memory, and family

Tickets at eventbrite.ie
All tickets €12 / €6 for under 18s
Group bookings available, contact us at [email protected]

We had two INCREDIBLE shows at Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre ... And two amazing audiences to match! Our first time treading the Mermaid boards with a full scale play since 2020... And we smashed it!

Thank you to everyone who came, as well as everyone who supported us to get here, most of all Centra Vevay Road!

For now, we've boxed... Unboxed... Re-boxed???
We've done something with our set. But we're not done yet...

We've got one more show at The Moat Theatre in May for Drama House 's Youth Theatre Festival, alongside some other amazing youth theatre shows... Watch this space!

Youth Theatre Ireland

We're in the Bray People this week!!! Pick up a copy to read an interview with Managing Director Casey Hallahan about the play, its themes, and why you should come see it...

In the meantime, we've started unboxing 'A Life Unpacked' at the Mermaid...
Or re-boxing?
Some form of boxing.

Just two nights to the WORLD PREMIERE of this play exploring memory, family, and dementia. We hope you'll join us! Tickets still available at www.mermaidartscentre.ie

Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre YouthTheatre Ireland People

Don't worry, no April Fool's post from us...

(Aside from this one.)

We've been too hard at work on A Life Unpacked to put together a silly little joke post!

Just FIVE DAYS till our first performance at Mermaid Arts Centre, and tickets are still available... get in there while you can to see this funny, heartfelt piece exploring memory and family...

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre YouthTheatre Ireland

Tune in to Dublin City FM this morning to hear more about A Life Unpacked...

Happy !

It's a great day for us look back to our past accomplishments, like The Heights as part of National Theatre Connections last year...

And our future, too! Just 9 DAYS until A Life Unpacked opens at the Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre for just two performances... we're hard at work, heading into the home stretch, and we're so excited to show you what we've made!

Book tickets at www.mermaidartscentre.ie !

Dementia is one of the core themes of our play, 'A Life Unpacked'. We want to make sure we get it right...
Through The Alzheimer Society of Ireland some of our members got the opportunity to chat with Frank and Gerry, two representatives of the Irish Dementia Working Group, about their experiences, and about our play!
It was a beautiful experience for everyone involved...
And now we know, more than ever, that our play handles this theme with sensitivity and care.

Thank you so much to Saoirse from the Alzheimer Society of Ireland for helping us get this meeting going!

We're just THREE WEEKS away from our show!
A LIFE UNPACKED is coming to Arts Centre on Friday the 5th of April at 8pm and Saturday the 6th at 3pm. Tickets can be booked at www.mermaidartscentre.ie . We hope we'll see you there...

For more information about the Dementia Working Group, click here : https://alzheimer.ie/creating-change/ways-to-have-your-voice-heard/irish-dementia-working-group-3/

YouthTheatre Ireland Wicklow County Arts Office Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre Wolfe Tone & District Community Centre

We are pleased by your offering.
Thank you to everyone who came to our table quiz!! You've helped us raise some much needed scratch...

A huge thanks to MCs & Harveys for hosting us once again... yis are legends!

And we'd like to thank everyone who donated prizes, including:

Butler & Barry
Pink Salt
Tanseys of Bray
Lloyds Pharmacy Killarney Road
La Belle Bray
Molloys Coffee Shop
Craft Picture Framing Gallery
International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival LTD
Dublin Youth Theatre
Whale Theatre
Wicklow bees and Honey
T&T Nails & SPA
Glow Up Bray
Coyle & Co Candles
Kíla

See yis at A Life Unpacked at Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre in just a few scant weeks...!

Hard at work on A Life Unpacked... we're really excited to show you this gorgeous story!

Our table quiz is coming up in just 2 days at MCs & Harveys !!! Your support will be greatly appreciated, and you've got the chance to win incredible prizes from , Dublin Gay Theatre Festival , La Belle Bray , Wicklow bees and Honey , Glow Up Bray , T&t nails and spa , and many more...!

We're LIVE on the website! You can book your tickets for 'A Life Unpacked' right now!

We're really excited to show you this fantastic play, devised by our amazing ensemble of young artists...

“Who is it that can tell me who I am?” King Lear

An elderly man's possessions are packed into box after box. It's for the best. He can no longer stay in that big house by himself, can he? As his descendants slowly dismantle and squabble over his belongings, the old man walks through his home for the last time. Memories of his life are unearthed. Some he would rather forget forever and others he’ll do anything to keep. He tries to hold onto the fragmented pieces of his life, before they’re encased in cardboard and stuffed in some forgotten attic...

After their incredible performances of The Heights by Lisa McGee in National Theatre Connections 2023, Bray’s youth theatre returns to the stage with a dynamic and heartfelt play about memory; how it holds us together and at times pulls us to pieces.

This production is sponsored by Centra Vevay Road.

Mr Sands Youth Theatre is supported by the Arts Council, Wicklow Arts Office, and the KWETB, and is a proud affiliate of Youth Theatre Ireland.

https://www.mermaidartscentre.ie/whats-on/events/mr-sands-youth-theatre-presents-a-life-unpacked

Youth Theatre Ireland Wicklow County Arts Office Bray Events

So many prizes...

We've got Candles, Chocolate, Wine, Honey, Beauty Products, and so much more!

We'll be highlighting more of these in the lead-up to our quiz on the 8th of March, but we'd love to shout out everyone who's donated to us already, including
La Belle Bray
Pink Salt
Wicklow bees and Honey
T&T Nails & SPA
Coyle and Co Candles
Glow Up Bray

More to come, soon...

Two of our neighbouring Youth Theatres and fellow Youth Theatre Ireland affiliates are taking to their respective local stages this weekend... shout-outs to Making Waves Youth Theatre and Cabinteely Youth Theatre for their productions of Romeo & Juliet, and Spilled Ink, respectively!

Making Waves perform their take on the Shakespeare classic at the Whale Theatre from Friday the 23rd to Sunday the 25th! You can get tickets for the Saturday and Sunday shows here! https://whaletheatre.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873642138/events/128509599
(CONGRATS on selling out the opening night!)

Cabinteely Youth Theatre is performing at dlr LexIcon on Sunday the 25th at 4:30 ; fairy tale worlds collide when Sleeping Beauty sues the Prince for harassment, in this courtroom / prison comedy! Get your tickets for that here : https://eventix.shop/qsw658nk

Best of luck to both groups!!! We know you're gonna knock 'em dead...

Youth Theatre Ireland

It's almost that time again... time for our next big show, and along with that, it's time for our annual fundraiser!

On the 8th of March, we return to MCs & Harvey once again for another brain-tickling table quiz and raffle... it'll be a great chance to support Bray's local youth theatre as we prepare to mount our original play, 'A Life Unpacked', at the Mermaid Arts Centre!

Hope to see you there...

Book your table at https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/838531368897

Youth Theatre Ireland Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre