Flying Turtle Productions

at the Abbey School of Drama, Dublin

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Performing This Week – Our Actor Training and Adult Scene Study Courses!

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We are so excited to share the work from our performance courses performing this week at The New Theatre, Temple Bar!
Our Advanced Actor Training production will be showing contemporary scenes and an adaptation of Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Tues & Wed 7:00pm June 22 & 22, 2022
Performers Sam Coll, Tony Cosgrave, Lauren Hyde, Kieran McCague, Eva McCartney, Maggie Murphy, Richard Sweetman and Laura Whelan. Directed by Kathleen Warner Yeates
Then on Thursday June 23rd, 7:00pm, our Adult Scene Study class performs contemporary scenes and improvisation:
Sofia Sabbatini, Sinead Comerford, Linda Kane, Robert Heffernan, Roisín Laffan, Deirdre Thompson, Sarah Ratliff and Kelly O’Neill. As directed by the brilliant Ann Russell!
They will be fantastic evenings of theatre!

FIRST LOOK SERIES OF NEW SCREENPLAYS! May 19th, 26th and June 2nd, 2022

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JOIN US FOR THIS FREE EVENT!

We will be sharing 26 new screenplay extracts over three Thursday nights in the heart of Dublin by some of the best new screenwriters from Ireland, England and the US. Written over the course of the Coronavirus pandemic.  This is the final part of our Experience Level Screenwriting courses with Barry McEvoy from Out Come the Knives. https://outcometheknives.com/

WHEN: Performed by top Irish actors on Thursday evenings  May 19/26 and June 2, 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm). Admission is FREE. All are welcome.
WHERE: Doyles Bar, 9 College Street, Dublin 2, Upstairs.

FIRST THURSDAY MAY 19th, 7:00pm
We present the work of writers Kevin O’Brien, Martin Wynn, Carlos Day Pomar, Yolanda Hellmanns Carvajal, Marian Ryan, Wendy Jacobs and Evan Byrne.

Delighted to announce the cast for this Thursday’s opening night May 19th of FIRSTLOOK: 
Sharon Coade, Georgina McKevitt, Carmel Stephens, Megan McDonnell, Brian Mallon, Steve Gunn, Vincent Patrick and Rory Dignam.

 

SECOND SHARING on May 26th featured writers: Amy Tierney, Billy Fitzgerald, Collette Dalgarno, Carlo Popplewell, Sian Brennan, Aisling Rice, Louise O’Toole, Susan O’Connell and Cassidy Harrison.

Cast for the May 26th First Look:  Sharon Coade, Lynette Callaghan, Gail Brady, Niamh McAllister, Liam Carney, Paul Ronan, Steve Gunn and Barry McKiernan.

 

FINAL SHARING on June 2nd writers: Gary Deasy, Steve Gunn, Saniel Serpico, Feaerghal Traynor, Liz Salisbury, Garrett Connelly, Helen Adams, Saoirse Griffen and Sinead Ralston.

Cast for the June 2nd First Look: Hazel Doupe, Penelope Aniuzu, Lynette Callaghan, Niamh McAllister, Johanna Thea, Brian Mallon, Rory Dignam, Barry McKiernan and Ross Gaynor

May be an image of 9 people

See info on our upcoming INTRO TO SCREENWRITING beginning June 14th and our EXPERIENCED SCREENWRITING beginning June 1st (Admission by writing sample.) on the website here: SCREENWRITING.  We hope to see you soon!

 

“They Dream” Our Original Devised Performance March 7th & 8th, 2022

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We hope that you will join us for our orginal devised theatre performance of “THEY DREAM” involving 5 actors playing 10 characters. Under the direction of Kathleen Warner Yeates, the performance is one of the productions created in the Advanced 6-Month Part-time Actor Training course with Flying Turtle Productions in 2022.

In this performance we will explore one day in the life of these varied and struggling characters as they pursue their hopes and dreams.

FEATURING: Sam Coll, Tony Cosgrave, Eva McCartney, Maggie Murphy and Joe Stalford.

Conceived and directed by Kathleen Warner Yeates

Lighting design and operation by Al Bellamy

Monday, March 7th 7:30pm

Tuesday, March 8th 7:30pm

Performance will have a running time approximately 70 minutes with no interval. Starts 7:30pm SHARP! SORRY NO LATE ENTRANCE DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE THEATRE BUILDING.

LOCATION: The Pearse Centre Theatre, 27 Pearse Street, Dublin D02K037.

ADMISSION:  €10
BOOKING HERE:  https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/they-dream-tickets-281983178277

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 0868244826 or email info@flyingturtleproductions.com

When It Rains… It Pours!

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As we prepare to come back to full speed with our live classes in 2022, I wanted to update you on some creative projects from 2021.

As well as running Flying Turtle Productions, I also work as an artist in theatre and film. Most recently I directed a live site specific cowboy western with 13 actors and musicians for Showdown at Hickory Gulch in September.  I am also working as an actor…

So purely by coincidence, I have three large scale performances that landed in October/November 2021 in theatre, film and TV!  Strangley enough,  The Letters (feature film), Dublin in a Rainstorm (theatre) and John Connors Acting Academy (TV) all happened at the same time.  More info below on each of these.

Click here to read recent press from October, 31st, 2021 written by Michael Moffett of the Irish Sunday Mail:    KathleenPress 

THE LETTERS, A Robbie Walsh independent feature film opened in Irish Cinemas October 29th for a limited run. I play one of the three female lead roles along with Mary Murray, Sarah Carroll, Ann Russell, John Connors and a brilliant supporting cast. We are getting fantastic reviews for this heartbreaking film about the cervical cancer screening scandal in Ireland. See more information, reviews and booking links for this film on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/The-Letters-Feature-Film-103340362090770/

DUBLIN IN A RAINSTORM: A world premiere of this new play by Tzarini Meyler of Lipzinc Theatre ran Nov 2-6th at Smock Alley Mainstage.  This is a really wildly humorous and moving new play featuring actors Martin Kelleher, Ana Canals, Janet Little, Martina McCormack, Joe Wright and myself!  It is a fantastic night of theatre that will take you on a journey into the “other world”, complete with music, laughter, dancing, a seance and loads of colourful characters. Trailer here: https://www.facebook.com/LipZinc/videos/568460167778902
Booking info here:
JOHN CONNORS ACTING ACADEMY on RTE2 (Click the link to watch!): A three-part TV series where John brings 6 young actors into the heart of the industry for training and professional insights from Jim Sheridan, Saoirse Ronan, Jessica Buckly, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor. I am an acting coach on this series, and so far I have a prominent role in the first episode (Watch it on RTE Player in the link above)! Great review on this in the Irish Times.  https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/there-s-no-drama-at-john-connors-acting-academy-1.4712113
I hope that you have a chance to see some of this work above, as I feel that the teams involved are just brilliant and a joy to work with.
All of this also means that I am “up to speed” with the industry latest and can pass it on to YOU!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see all the latest!
Hope to see you soon!
Kathleen

CULTURE NIGHT 2021: Showdown at Hickory Gulch!

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COMPLETELY SOLD OUT FOR ALL 10 PERFORMANCES!
THANK YOU FOR COMING!

Was performed as a CULTURE NIGHT AND WEEKEND EVENT 2021…. Some production images below and on Facebook here:  Flying Turtle Productions

FEATURED ACTORS: Michael Keegan, Simon Cunningham, Alan Buckley, Ciarán ó Murchú, Ella Mooney, Julie Dean, Kate O’Donnell, Rachel Walshe, Phoebe Moore, Louise O’Toole, Richard Sweetman, Deirdre Grant, Bill Paton, Gordon Delap and Simon Mombrun O’Neill. 

Conceived and directed by Kathleen Warner Yeates.

        

Was performed 2021… old info…

On Friday Sept 17th (Booking Starts 10:00am Sept 15th!)
+ SATURDAY OPTION  Saturday Sept 18th (Paid event reserveNOW!)

We hope you will join us for our CULTURE NIGHT event!
Our site-specific live 40-minute outdoor performance will take you back to the world of the wild, wild west! Welcome to the world of cowboys and cattlerustlers, Sheriffs and Deputies, outlaws and ladies of ill repute. If you think it could all end in a gunfight, you can be darn tootin’ sure it will! Please read full details below before booking.

LOCATION: Outdoors at Flying Turtle Productions, 27 Pearse Street, Dublin D02K037 in the Ireland Institute.

Building on our previous years of presenting genre styled performance (Culture Night Noir, Midsummer Night’s Dream Escapes!), we now celebrate the classic westerns. The audience will pass briefly through a building corrider then will view the performance from an outside atrium area which has an overhead shelter.  See you there, partner!

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED and must be booked in “Pods” of 2 to 6 people who must be arriving together an audience group, with social distancing between pods. COVID-19 health and safety procedures will be in place including mask wearing, sanitizing and contact tracing via booking system. There will be some limited folding chairs available for those unable to stand for the length of the performance. 

This is a “MOST WEATHER” performance, so we will go on if there is mild rain.

BOOKING for CULTURE NIGHT  FREE TICKETED EVENT on FRIDAY Evening September 17th – Bookings will begin on Wednesday Sept 15th at 10:00am at this link or through our website. (IN PREVIOUS YEARS OUR EVENTS HAVE BOOKED OUT IN ONE HOUR! Additional seats may be released after pods are assigned.)  Performance timesfor this FREE Culture Night event performing promptly at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 8:30, 9:30:

WE HAVE A BONUS PERFORMANCE night on SATURDAY Evening, September 18th for a small ticket price of €10 per person (plus transaction charge) and must be purchased in advance through the link. This can be purchased NOW and selling fast. Performances start promptly at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 8:30, 9:30. All proceeds go to the performers and creative team.

CLICK THE TICKET LINK BELOW, SELECT A PERFORMANCE DATE AND TIME, AND RESERVE FOR YOUR FREE (Friday) OR PAID (Saturday) PERFORMANCES TIMES:  

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/167632414063

NOTE: Performances will begin promptly as scheduled and this event is fills quickly. A place will be held for you in the performance time that you select, but YOU MUST BE IN LINE IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING 5 MINUTES BEFORE PERFORMANCE OR YOUR PLACE WILL BE GIVEN AWAY TO THE WAIT LIST PEOPLE. NO LATE ADMISSION.

IF you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or have had contact with anyone known to have COVID-19 please do not attend this performance. A reminder of this will be sent prior to the performance.

Ability to climb 5 steps is required, and it is recommended for adults or young people age 10 and older. There will be some limited folding chairs available for those who cannot stand for the performance length of approximately 40 minutes.

SEE OUR YOUTUBE TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bOjm9M0ZEM&t=6s

FEATURED ACTORS: Michael Keegan, Simon Cunningham, Alan Buckley, Ciarán ó Murchú, Ella Mooney, Julie Dean, Kate O’Donnell, Rachel Walshe, Phoebe Moore, Louise O’Toole, Richard Sweetman, Deirdre Grant, Bill Paton, Gordon Delap and Simon Mombrun O’Neill. 

Conceived and directed by Kathleen Warner Yeates.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE IRELAND INSTITUTE.

Flying Turtle Productions provides part-time evening courses in Drama, Screenwriting and Public Speaking, as well as film and theatre production and corporate training. Please see more details on our website for full details at www.flyingturtleproductions.com.

For any additional inquireys contact info@flyingturtleproductions.com or 086 824 4826

#CultureNight #LOVECulture @CultureNight @CulturenightDub

Alumni are Flying!

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It’s hard to track how many of our alumni are breaking through to the larger creative industry as award winning actors, writers, filmmakers and producers – but we have to start somewhere!

Currently trending on the Irish Netflix is feature film “Broken Law”  the gritty crime drama by filmmaker Paddy Slattery and starring two former students, Tristan Heanue and John Connors. (Both Tristan and John are also award winning filmmakers as well as actors!).  These independent films are made with blood and sweat, and it is a real testimony to the talent that they can make a mark in the international market.

Next up, here is the newly released feature film, The New Music by filmmaker Chiara Viale (from our screenwriting classes) and starring Cilléin McEvoy from our advanced actor training! After a Young Onset Parkinson’s diagnosis a classically trained pianist embarks on a path of self discovery leading him to a punk band. Their rebellious lifestyle and music provide a distraction to his troubles and a sharp contrast to his old life.

Then we have filmmaker, actor, director and producer Robbie Walsh !  Robbie has several feature films such as Split and Eden, which are currently winning one award after another and can be watched on various streaming networks.  It has been my pleasure to be an actor in the upcoming Robbie Walsh feature film The Letters, based on the cervical cancer scandle.

Listen to Robbie speak in detail about the independent film market, his films,  and The Letters in this recent interview:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?

We have a LOT more upcoming news about our working alumni!
It is my hope to begin a more regular posting here to celebrate the success of our former students, but in the meantime following on social media and our newsletter is the best way to hear the latest.
Click links this website to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube and Linked-in!

See our Alumni page to see a few more former students who are working!
See our Testimonials page to hear more about what people think of our classes.
If you are an alumi with news do email us at info@flyingturtleproductions.com!

 

 

Our Kind of ZOOM…

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Barry McEvoy and the Screenwriting class on ZOOM

This past year we have spent a LOT of time creating projects on ZOOM  working collaboratively with actors, directors and writers in locations all over the world to create new characters, plays and films for ZOOM along with one-to-one coaching for on-camera presentations.  That all said, I am a chronic techno-phobe and could not imagine how this could all work. But it did!
I personnally have been acting, directing and writing for ZOOM collaborations exploring new ways of telling stories for projects like TransAtlantic Tales with AboutFACE Theatre / Origin Theatre Festival / Bluefish feature film with Stacey Keech and about 30 other actors in 8 time zones/ original monologues and stories with LipZinc theatre … and more projects!  There is even a TV series on Netflix inspired by ZOOM called “Staged”.  Auditions and callbacks are now happening on ZOOM, with directors and producers based in other countries.
People are using ZOOM for corporate and artistic meetings, and while we may miss face-to-face connections, we are recognizing that we can work internationally, we can save on commuting time and resources, and we can discover NEW ways of working.  ZOOM is here to stay as an option in the creative and corporate industries, so this is a great opportunity to hone your skills!
Our ZOOM classes have been designed to keep you completely engaged. We have observed others around the world, explored new teaching practices and re-imagined the way that we facilitate so that each class will keep you challenged and inspired.
We miss the theatre and live performance, as there is nothing like it. But until we can gather safely, we will continue sharing stories and building connections on ZOOM.  We hope to see you soon!
Have a look at our home page for the latest options on course listings at www.flyingturtleproductions.com

 

Culture Night Sept 18th 2020: Midsummer Night’s Dream Escapes!

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This year Culture Night is on Friday September 18th, and in the year of COVID-19 restrictions, we have been pushed to “evolve” to a different kind of event!

Watch our performance event online, a one-hour version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with eight actors. Previously filmed live in St Anne’s Park. See options for home activities below!  Viewable here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8gzRG7nUiM&t=1s

Our advanced actor training course could not perform on stage due to COVID-19, so we re-imagined the performance. We escaped from the theatre to film the actors in the park, running through fields, over castle bridges and into the lush forest where fairy magic and madness takes over.  This edited version of Shakespeare’s classic focuses on the fairies and the mixed-up lovers.

Drama activities at home are suggested around the event for anyone at home who feels like getting  dressed in their Fairy Best and participating in their own gardens!

DOWLOAD the fairy home activities documents below. We strongly encourage you to share your discoveries with us as per the instructions!

Flying Turtle Fairy Activity Pack:   CultureNight2020FlyingTurtlesandFairies 

Flying Turtle Fairy Colour Page:   CultureNight2020FlyingTurtleFairyColorPage

VIDEO LINK TO WATCH Midsummer Night’s Dream Escapes on Youtube (will remain viewable any time):  

Genres: Literature / Performance / Theatre

Features: Family Friendly

No Booking Required. This video will remain viewable.

There are many options to engage in the arts throughout Ireland on Culture Night with more details here: https://culturenight.ie/

Performance of Creative Choices – March 9th & 10th, 2020

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“CREATIVE CHOICES” is an original devised theatre piece involving 8 actors playing over 16 characters. Under the direction of Kathleen Warner Yeates, the performance is one of the productions created in the Advanced 6-Month Part-time Actor Training course with Flying Turtle Productions (formerly the Abbey School of Drama)

In this performance we will explore 24 for hours in the lives of these characters as they make choices, takes chances and create their lives in an every changing world.

FEATURING: Gabriela de Anunciacao, Fiachra Corkery, Emmet Lindsay, Ciara McCollum, Phoebe Moore, Rory O’Connor, Carán ó Murchú, Jack Swift.

Performance will have a running time approximately 90 minutes with no interval. Starts 7:30pm
SHARP! SORRY NO LATE ENTRANCE DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE THEATRE BUILDING.

Monday, March 9th 7:30pm

Tuesday, March 10th 7:30pm

ADMISSION €10 purchased throught the Eventbrite link below or cash at the door prior to performance if seats are still available.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/creative-choices-an-original-theatre-production-tickets-97983779121

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 0868244826 or email info@flyingturtleproductions.com

 

FIRST LOOK! Presentation of New Screenwriting March 19th, 2020

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SORRY – CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 CORONA VIRUS

COME JOIN US at 7:00pm on Thursday, March 19th, 2020 at Doyles Pub, Upstairs.

No reservation needed, no charge to enter, just come and enjoy!

We will be sharing a reading of selected scenes from new screenplays from our Experienced Level Screenwriting course taught by Barry McEvoy. Professional actors will be performing the roles. Featured writers include: Yolanda Hellmanns Carvajal, Carlos Day Pomar, Evan Byrne, Marian Ryan, Wendy Jacobs, Martin Wynns, Sinead O’Riordan and Adam McGarry Byrne.

The writers for this “Screenwriting- Experienced Level” course were selected from submitted writing samples or from “Introduction to Screenwriting” course participants. Class size was limited to eight students maximum in order to provide the highest quality of tuition. Over the past 3 months, they have been writing under the inspired guidance of Barry. More than just a formulaic re-hashing of Hollywood writing advice, this course has creatively delved into the individual voices of these writers to bring original, dynamic and engaging scripts to fruition. 

Barry McEvoy has over 25 years professional experience in Theatre, Television and Film, collaborating with world renowned artists in the U.S., Ireland and U.K. He wrote and acted in the Barry Levinson, Dreamworks production An Everlasting Piece. As an actor or writer he has collaborated with renowned industry professionals including; Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad), Joel Schumacher (Veronica Guerin) Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon), Karel Reisz (The French Lieutenant’s Woman) and Oliver Hirschbiegel (Five Minutes of Heaven). He has written feature screenplays for Artisan/Summit and Dreamworks and, completed rewrites for Workhorse Films, Parallel Pictures and Touchstone. Variety Magazine awarded him Screenwriter to Watch (2000) and he carries an MFA in Playwriting from The LIR academy, Trinity College. His extensive theatre CV includes work by Harold Pinter, W.B. Yeats, John Osborne, Brian Friel, Wendy Wasserstein, Samuel Beckett, Conor McPherson and Vaclav Havel and, he is a founding member of Scena Theatre, Washington DC. His next film SHAM is being produced by Deadpan/Grand (Moone Boy) and Baby Cow (Philomena), to be directed by Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty).

NEXT Screenwriting beginner course option begins March 24th (only a few spaces left!). Next options for Experienced Level and Beginners are begin finalized soon! To express interest or receive additional information click here to “Contact Us”