BIOS

George C. Heslin:Artistic Director

George has been an actor, director and producer for seventeen years. He is a graduate of the Samuel Beckett Centre Trinity College Dublin,The Abbey Theatre Dublin Directors Program and The HB Studio New York where he studied with the legendary Uta Hagen.

Prior to college he was resident stage manager at Dublin’s Gate Theatre where he worked on 11 productions. He spent time in the drama department in RTE Irelands national TV station.

As an actor he recently completed the Broadway national tour of the hit show Stones In His Pockets. In New York he has appeared in many off-Broadway productions including Juno and The Paycock at The Roundabout , The Blowin of Baile Gall Irish Arts Centre and The Colleen Bawn Irish Repertory Theatre (Drama Desk Nomination) and his one man show Misterman (short listed for best actorat the Dublin festival). Regionally he has played at The Kennedy Center, Old Globe San Diego, Pittsburgh Public, Studio Arena Buffalo,
Virginia Stage Company, Penguin Rep, The Caldwell Theatre Florida and Syracuse Stage, to name a few.

London stage appearances include The Kings Head, The Drill Hall and he has played twice on London’s West End with Philadelphia Here I Come and The British Premiere of Elegies.

In Ireland he has worked with almost every theatre company including The Abbey Theatre Ireland’s National Theatre, Druid Theatre Company, The Gate, The Olympia ,Passion Machine, and The Lyric Theatre Belfast.

Film and TV includes The Boxer, De ja Vu, Third Watch and As The World Turns for C.B.S. Feature films include Three Days In Dublin with Gretchen Moll.

James has been acting professionally for fifteen years. He is a graduate from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama having won the gold medal and went onto postgraduate studies at the London School of Contemporary Dance.

He has worked with some of the most prestigious companies in the UK and Ireland including The Royal National Theatre London and The Abbey Theatre Dublin. In recent years he has concentrated on the field of new writing with companies such as the Royal Court London and Out of Joint. He has directed many readings and devised workshops with young writers to enable the development of their work. Something About Us at the Lyric Hammersmith marked his debut as a producer and the Soldiers Tale at The Donmar Warehouse London as director and co-producer.

He is committed to the vision of presenting new European writing to American audiences and more importantly the development of the writer themselves.

Niall Toibin:Honorary Patron

Niall Toibin one of Irelands most famous sons he has appeared in over 30 Irish Movies spanning forty years. Working alongside some of the world’s finest directors his work ranges form Ryan’s Daughter to Far and Away. Toibin comfortable with comedy and drama has captivated audiences from London to New York picking up the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor along the way. A regular on the BBC hit show Ballykissangel, he continues to perform his legendary one-man show on five continents. In 2001 he was awarded the Sunday Independent Irish Life Award and the same year he collected the Distinguished Service to Theatre Award.