Community: Create a Story (2009-10)
Theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; children's theatre; performing arts; Barnstorm Outreach; schools outreach; writers in residence; writers in schools;
Barnstorm's objective of <em><strong>Create a Story</strong></em> was to engage with its children's audience and include their input in creating a piece of theatre, alongside Barnstorm’s creative team. <br /><br />The project is a partnership with <strong>Poetry Ireland</strong>’s <em>Writers-in-Schools Scheme</em>.<br /><br /> Writers Martina Murphy and Terry McDonagh explored the art of writing and developing pupils' writing skills, with 4th and 5th classes of four Kilkenny schools (St Canice's Co-Ed, Kilkenny; Marymount NS, The Rower; Scoil Naomh Bhríde, Ballyragget and Scoil Bhríde, Paulstown).<br /><br />The culmination of the writing and devising stages of this project was a <span style="float:none;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;">dramatic presentation called </span><i>Lost in the Forest</i>. I<span style="float:none;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;">t</span> was presented in The Barn in 2010.
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
Nuala Roche
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Still Image
The Messenger (2016) by Mike Kenny
Theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; Irish theatre; professional theatre; children's theatre; performing arts; Decade of Centenaries; Kilkenny County Council Centenary Programme
Christy (Bullet) Brady wants to be the fastest runner in his street. When the Easter Rising kicks off revolution is the last thing on his mind. <br /><br /><em>The Messenger</em> looks at the impact of the Rising on ordinary families like the Brady's. The play offers the opportunity to take a wider view of children's lives in conflict today. For children age 8+ <br /><br /><strong>A free drama workshop</strong> exploring the play's themes was provided to County Kilkenny schools, along with a <strong>Teachers' Resource Pack,</strong> created by local historian and teacher Ann Murtagh. This initiative was funded by <a href="https://www.kilkennycoco.ie/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kilkenny County Council</a> as part of its <em>2016 Centenary Programme.</em>
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
2015-2016
Nuala Roche
Protected by original copyright.
Photographs: Dylan Vaughan.
Please contact Barnstorm/ rights holder to enquire about usage.
English
Text, Still Image
BTC_2016_TM_P;
Kilkenny-1916-2016-Centenary-Programme.pdf
Kilkenny, Ireland - 2010s
Symposium (2013): The Role of Fairytale in Contemporary Theatre
Theatre research; theatre history; theatre for young audiences; children's theatre; performing arts; fairytales; Brothers Grimm; von Schonwerth;
A 2-day symposium in Trinity College Dublin, about the role of fairytale in contemporary theatre, bringing together speakers from the worlds of theatre, education, literature and psychology. <br /><br />A highlight was speaker Erica Eichenseer, cultural curator in Bavaria, who discovered 500 long-lost fairytales that had been gathered by Franz Xaver von Schonwerth, a contemporary of the Grimm brothers. <br /><br />Keynote speaker was Olivier-award winning playwright Mike Kenny, whose adaptation of the<em> Hansel and Gretel</em> story is produced by Barnstorm Theatre Company. <br /><br />This symposium was funded as part of Ireland's EU Presidency Culture Programme, with support from the Arts Council.
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
2013
Nuala Roche
Protected by original copyright.
Design: Alé Mercado
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Still Image
BTC_2013_TROFICT_P1
Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany- 2010s
StormFest at Kilkenny Arts Festival (2019)
Theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; Irish theatre; professional theatre; children's theatre; performing arts; festival; arts festival; Kilkenny Arts Festival;
<p>Barnstorm continues its successful partnership with Kilkenny Arts Festival in programming a season of family theatre, a significant storytelling programme.</p>
<p>Supported by Kilkenny County Council.<br /><br /><strong>Family Theatre Programme:</strong> <br /><em>Fly,</em> Teater Patrasket (Denmark); <br /><em>Little Gift,</em> M6 Theatre Company (UK)<br /><br /><strong>Pop-up Storytelling with Niall de Búrca:</strong> <br /><em>Storytelling for Children; </em><br /><em>Storytelling for Teens; </em><br /><em>Storytelling for Adults</em>; <br /><em>Storytelling Workshop for Adults</em>.<br /><br />Logo design by Alé Mercado</p>
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
2019
Nuala Roche
BTC_2019_
Kilkenny, Ireland, UK, Denmark, Europe - 2010s
Boy With A Suitcase (2019) by Mike Kenny
Children's theatre; theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; Irish theatre; professional theatre; performing arts;
Like his hero, Sinbad the Sailor, who undertook many perilous voyages in search of his fortune, Naz must travel half-way around the world to reach the safety of his brother in Dublin. <br /><br />Naz teams up with Krysia, a young girl in similar circumstances, who helps him dodge soldiers and find safe passage over mountains, across seas and through the mire of a city slum. <br /><br />A gripping tale of adventure and stories, Naz’s journey throws a spotlight on the real dangers faced by children in other parts of the world, and the lengths to which they must go to reach safety in the relative security of a country like Ireland. <br /><br />For children aged 8 to 12. <br /><br />County Kilkenny schools attending the play received two workshop sessions: one about <b>visual literacy</b> - before attending the play - and a 2nd on <b>critical analysis</b>, after seeing the play. <br /><br />Author, local historian and former teacher Ann Murtagh developed a Teacher Resource Pack for the play, with Barnstorm.
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
2019
Nuala Roche
Protected by original copyright.
Photographs: Dylan Vaughan.
Please contact Barnstorm/ rights holder to enquire about usage.
BTC_2019_BWAS_P
2019 - Kilkenny, Ireland
Outreach: Dancing at Lughnasa (2012) by Brian Friel
Theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; Irish theatre; performing arts; theatre training; community theatre;
In 2007 Barnstorm restored its theatre training for adults with the inception of its Adult Theatre Club; a two-year programme to explore and create theatre with a professional theatre company.
Weekly workshops provided specialist training in theatre-making skills: acting and performance skills, Stage Management, Design, and Directing. Members directed each other in monologues or script excerpts and presented a production to the public in The Barn Theatre.
The Adult Theatre Club members went on to join the Barn Owl Players, an innovative amateur theatre company. BOP has a full and varied annual programme of training and productions in The Barn, the Watergate Theatre and other local venues.
Dancing at Lughnasa was the first major play mounted by the BOPs
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
Nuala Roche
Protected by original copyright.
Photographs: Dylan Vaughan.
Please contact Barnstorm/ rights holder to enquire about usage.
Wild Harvest (1994) by Ken Bourke
Theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; Irish theatre; professional theatre; performing arts;
<em>"..a memorable milestone in the crusade to establish Kilkenny as a major player in contemporary theatre" -</em> <strong>Kilkenny People</strong><br /><br />Produced in 1994 by Barnstorm, Ken Bourke's <em>Wild Harvest</em> is a haunting tragedy of rural farm life set in County Cavan in 1991. The play was first produced in 1989 by Druid Theatre, and was mounted in 2011 by Watergate Productions.<br /><br />Barnstorm is best known for its children's theatre but from its founding in 1991, up to 1995, it mounted professional productions of plays for adults: <em>Agnes of God</em> (John Pielmeier), <em>Crimes of the Heart</em> (Beth Henley), <em>Separation</em> (Tom Kempinski), <em>Translations</em> <br />(Brian Friel).
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
1994
Nuala Roche
Protected by original copyright.
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Still Image
1990s - rural Ireland
Silly Bits of Sky (2007) by Maeve Ingoldsby
Children's theatre; theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; Irish theatre; professional theatre; performing arts;
<p><em>"Once again, Barnstorm Theatre Company have come up with a winning formula"</em> <strong>- Kilkenny People</strong> <br /><br />Deggsie is fiercely sensitive to being slagged about his family. When his boast of having a new sleeping bag is challenged by Spider, Deggsie realises he will have to produce the sleeping bag or be found out. But Deggsie’s plans go awry. The only solution to his problem means betraying the trust of the one person who understands him...</p>
<p><em><span style="text-align:left;color:#000000;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;float:none;background-color:transparent;">For children aged 7 to 11 years. </span></em></p>
<p><span style="float:none;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;"><strong>Running time:</strong> 80 minutes</span><span style="float:none;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;"><br /></span></p>
<p><span style="float:none;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;"><strong>National Tour: </strong><br />Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny; <br />Backstage Theatre, Longford; <br />Siamsa Tíre, Tralee;<br />Hawk's Well, Sligo; <br />Town Hall Theatre, Galway;<br />Town Hall, Dundalk;<br />Gaiety Theatre, Dublin; <br />Belltable, Limerick;<br />Cork Opera House.<br /><br /></span></p>
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
1998
Nuala Roche
Protected by original copyright.
Photographs: Dylan Vaughan.
Please contact Barnstorm/ rights holder to enquire about usage.
JEPG
Still Image
BTC_1998_SBOS
Kilkenny, Ireland - 1990s
Martha (2007) by Manley, Robertson & Wood
Children's theatre; theatre in Kilkenny; theatre history; Irish theatre; professional theatre; performing arts;
<span style="float:none;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;">Martha doesn’t like anyone. She’s a grumpy reclusive woman living in a hut on the beach. She scares people away with her sharp tongue and her “Keep Out” signs, but she doesn’t bank on meeting an endearingly cheeky goose who can’t read and understand “No”. </span><br style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;" /><br style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;" /><span style="float:none;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:left;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;">The battle that ensues is full of fun and pathos and leads to a friendship that re-kindles in Martha a warmth towards those around her. </span><br /><br />First produced by Barnstorm in 2004 featuring actors Roisin Gribbin & Johnny Hopkins, the play was revived in 2007 with actors Rita Hamill and Gus McDonagh.<br /><br /><strong>2007:</strong> The Barn Theatre, Kilkenny<br /><strong>Tour, 2004:</strong> The Barn Theatre Kilkenny; Dunamaise Portlaoise; Roolaboola Festival; Mullingar Arts Centre; Garter Lane, Waterford.
Barnstorm Theatre Company
Kilkenny County Library, Local Studies Department
2007
Nuala Roche
Protected by original copyright.
Photographs: Dylan Vaughan.
Please contact Barnstorm/ rights holder to enquire about usage.
Sill Image
BTC_2007_M_Ph1
Kilkenny, Ireland - 2000s
A Murder of Crows (2011) by Mike Kenny
<em>A Murder of Crows</em> is a dynamic and theatrically exciting work for children aged 8 and over, based on the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel. The play explores themes of famine, family loyalties and personal growth. <br /><br />Six actors weave a gothic story of two children’s journey from abandonment and fear to ultimate survival, seen from the quirky perspective of a chorus of raucous and garrulous crows, whose boisterous antics will delight children.<br /><br />For children aged 8 and older.
Barnstorm Theatre Company
2011
Nuala Roche
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Photographs: Dylan Vaughan.
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Ireland, Kilkenny - 2010s