Irish Theatre Institute (ITI) held prime Platform 2019 on Tuesday 19th November, in partnership with Age & Opportunity. This is the second iteration of prime Platform which presented an opportunity for theatre artists to pitch ‘in development’ projects and ready to tour shows to programmers, arts centres, venues, directors and funding organisations in order to ignite conversations and opportunities for the future presentation of their work.
This year we had a group of wonderful lead artists pitching both new projects in development and ready to tour shows
Bairbre Ní Chaoimh is an award-winning actor, director, writer and collaborative artist with over 30 years’ experience working on stage, screen and radio. She was Artistic Director of Calypso, an Associate Artist at The Abbey and has toured nationally and internationally with all major Irish theatre companies. Bairbre is presenting with Joan Sheehy (Director) & Pat Ryan (Actor).
Ready to tour in 2020: Maura Laverty – This Was Your Life written by Yvonne Quinn & Bairbre Ní Chaoimh.
Eileen Gibbons is a Galway-based dramaturg, playwright, actor and director. Eileen was co-founder of the comedy duo Electric Bridget. Her plays include Waiting for Elvis (Galway Arts Festival, axis: Ballymun) and The Grippe Girls (Galway Arts Festival). Recently, Eileen has worked as an arts facilitator on arts and community-based projects in the west.
Idea/project in development: The Common Good
Little John Nee is a playwright, performer and musician based in the west of Ireland; he received an Irish Times Theatre Sound Design Award for Sparkplug and a Prix Italia Special Mention Award for the RTÉ radio version; recent work includes Radio Rosario (Druid FUEL, Mick Lally Theatre; Dublin Theatre Festival) and Tea Dance (Earagail Arts Festival).
Idea/project in development: Loveen
Seán Millar is a songwriter, composer and theatre maker. His many collaborations include Silver Stars and The Blue Boy with Brokentalkers (Irish and international tours), History with THEATREclub (Project Arts Centre), SHAME with Pom Boyd (Dublin Fringe Festival) and most recently Sometimes The Signal Jumps with the National Symphony Orchestra at the National Concert Hall. Seán has also released six critically acclaimed albums and toured internationally.
Idea/project in development: Love in the ‘80s
ITI’s prime in partnership with Age & Opportunity offers actors aged 50 years + opportunities to engage in professional development programmes to build their skills, develop their ideas and grow their networks towards a continued successful career. The inaugural prime Platform in 2018 ignited many conversations around co-producing partnerships, touring and presentations of readings and works in development.
More information on the prime Platform event or the prime programme is available from Leigh Hussey, Programme Coordinator at lhussey@irishtheatreinstitute.ie
Irish Theatre Institute is core funded by The Arts Council. prime Platform is supported by Age & Opportunity and Dublin City Arts Office.
