Biographies
PAUL MEADE
Paul Meade is a writer, director, actor and artistic director of Gúna Nua theatre. From Limerick, Paul trained at the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College, and later received an M.A. in modern drama from U.C.D.
As a director Paul has directed the award winning Little Gem and Scenes From a Water Cooler (co-directed with David Parnell), Taste, The Real Thing and Trousers for Gúna Nua. He has also directed Translations for Hands Turn Theatre, Medea for Threshold, Death and the Maiden for Mirage and most recently David Mamet’s The Shawl for Bewley’s Café Theatre.
Work as a writer includes Scenes From a Water Cooler, Skin Deep, Thesis, Trousers all for Gúna Nua. In 2007 Paul wrote Mushroom for Storytellers Theatre Company. Also in 2007 Paul was awarded a play writing commission by the Irish Council for Bioethics.
As an actor Paul has worked with companies all over Ireland and toured to the U.K., U.S.A. and Austrailia. Plays include: Hamlet, Dinner with Friends and Four Storeys for Gúna Nua; Licking the Marmalade Spoon also by David Parnell; Juno and the Paycock at the Abbey; Silverlands for Druid; Petty Sessions with Red Kettle; The Ash Fire for Pigsback; Grapes of Wrath for 7:84 Scotland; Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me and more with Island; Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth with Second Age; Hard Times for Storytellers; God’s Gift with Barrabas; The Glass Menagerie for Galloglass and Alone it Stands with Yew Tree Theatre.
Film and Television include: Alarm by Gerry Stembridge, The Clinic and Whistleblower for RTE, The Tudors for BBC, Lassie for Classic Media Productions, Love is the Drug for RTE, Quando for Paradox Pictures, Making Ends Meet for Indie Films, Rebel Heart, BBC, On Home Ground for RTE.
JOHN O’BRIEN
John is the General Manager of Gúna Nua Theatre. He was formally Director of Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge, Artistic Director and founder of The Crypt Arts Centre, Dublin Castle and Íomhá Ildanách Theatre Company. He has taught drama at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, at the Gaiety School of Acting and at numerous other courses throughout the country.
As well as arts management and administration John has worked as a director and has over sixty shows to his credit. Productions include MACBETH for Kildare Youth Theatre, OVER THE TOP and THE LITTLE MERMAID for the Riverbank Arts Centre, HOW TO ACT AROUND COPS, SHOOTERS, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING and SOME VOICES for Purpleheart Theatre Company, VISIONS and LITTLE GREEN MEN for Gallileo Productions, VALPARAISO, THE DESIGNATED MOURNER, SCENES FROM A HAEMORRHAGE, SINGLE WHITE MALE, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, THE ALCHEMIST, HUNGRY FOR LOVE, MONDAY NIGHT IN A COUNTRY TOWN, DEIRDRE, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM and many more for íomhá Ildanách Theatre Company, THE SONS OF LIGHT and THE EUROPEANS for Lurking Truth, Wales. He is a fomer Script Editor at the Abbey Theatre.
He has also worked as a freelance writer/producer/director in the corporate video sector and has over 150 hours of special interest sell-through video programmes to his credit.
