JENNIFER KILLELEA is a co-founder
of Painted Filly Theatre. She holds an M.Phil. in Irish Theatre
and Film from Trinity College Dublin, and a B.A. in English and
Media Studies from Fordham University, New York. Over the past 14
years, she has served as a sound engineer, publicist, prop designer,
and stage manager for many shows and companies in the U.S. and Europe.
Jennifer produced Painted Filly's first production, Jeremiah,
as well as the Irish premiere of Noise for the Dublin
Fringe Festival 2006. She was a director, producer, and author for both
100 Minutes 2006 and 100 Minutes 2007, and produced the world premiere of Biography of Bernie Ward in 2007.
NICHOLAS JOHNSON has just submitted his PhD in Drama Studies at Trinity College, where he is a full-time lecturer. His acting career spans 20
years and includes work in Texas, Massachusetts, New York City,
Chicago, Washington D.C., Edinburgh, Avignon, Athens, and Istanbul.
In 2003 he adapted and performed On Going On, a one-person
show based on the writings of Samuel Beckett, at Northwestern University
in Chicago. He performed the title role in Jeremiah in
2005, as well as Clov in Endgame at the Samuel Beckett
Theatre. He was a 2004 DAAD Fellow researching Bertolt Brecht in
Berlin, Germany, and he received the 2005 George J. Mitchell Scholarship as well as the inaugural Samuel Beckett Studentship
in support of his work in Dublin. He was a director, producer, author,
and designer for 100 Minutes in 2006 and 2007, and was overall artistic director for 100 Minutes 2008. His
full-length play, Noise, premiered in the Dublin Fringe
Festival 2006, and he directed Biography of Bernie Ward with Painted Filly Theatre and Disjecta in the Samuel Beckett Theatre. He was selected for The Next Stage programme for emerging artists in the 2007 Dublin Theatre Festival. In 2008 he translated and directed Ernst Toller's Masse Mensch for the 2nd Year BA Production at Trinity College, as well as touring the production to Berlin's Volksbuehne theatre, where he led an international exchange and workshop between TCD and the P14 youth theatre.
PAINTED
FILLY THEATRE connects emerging writers from around the globe with theatre practitioners in Ireland, fostering an ensemble process in which artists of diverse skills and backgrounds are supported in collaboration. It strives for an innovative, "elemental" theatre, distilling text and technique to focus on the body and the story. The company was founded in 2005 by Jennifer Killelea and Ruth Pe Palileo. To date, the company has staged six full productions and numerous smaller events, including workshops for new writing, readings of poetry, and concerts of new music. In
September 2005, the company staged the world premiere of Jeremiah,
by Ruth Palileo, in the International Bar. In May 2006, the inaugural
production in the 100 Minutes format was a popular and
critical success in Filmbase, Temple Bar. Nicholas
Johnson's Noise, a new play incorporating live jazz performance,
enjoyed a sold-out run in the Bewley's Cafe Theatre in the Dublin
Fringe Festival 2006. The company presented another ten new plays in 100
Minutes 2007 and 100 Minutes 2008, both at the Project Arts Centre, and staged the world premiere of Jesse Weaver's Biography of Bernie Ward in August 2007. The 2008 season included workshops and free public readings of four new full-length plays, as well as an award-nominated world premiere production in the Dublin Fringe Festival, The Common Will by Phil Kingston.
For the cast and crew of past productions, please see our Archive.
ARTISTIC
ASSOCIATES
Painted Filly Theatre has created a designation of "artistic associate" to recognize its long-term commitment to ensemble process and talented emerging artists. To date, six Dublin-based collaborators have been added to this Painted Filly community: MARK GORDON, PHIL KINGSTON, BRENDA MEANEY, DUNCAN MOLLOY, SARAH-JAYNE QUIGLEY, and JESSE WEAVER. Their artist biographies are below. For current and upcoming projects with the company and beyond, see our "What's Coming Up" section here.
MARK GORDON holds an M.A and a B.A in archaeology from University College Dublin, where he also worked for a number of years as a research assistant and tutor in the UCD School of Archaeology. He has trained with Andy Hinds of Classic Stage Ireland and Sandra Austin of Comedy Improv Ireland, and as a drama facilitator with the National Association for Youth Drama. His first stage performance was in 2002 in Glengarry Glen Ross followed by The Blue Room in 2005. Mark was a member of Painted Filly’s ensemble cast for 100 Minutes 2007 (Project) and also performed that year in their production of Biography of Bernie Ward (Players). In December 2007 he played the role of ‘Belaqua’ in Nicholas Johnson’s adaptation of the Beckett short story Dante and the Lobster (Beckett Theatre) and was again an ensemble member of 100 Minutes 2008 (Project). He played multiple roles in the spoof sci-fi short film Day of the Menace (Ian O’Toole; 2006) and most recently featured in Fair City (2008) and Red Gorilla Productions’ comedy series Langerland TV for RTÉ (2007/8).
PHIL KINGSTON trained as an actor at Central School of Speech and Drama in London, where he was highly commended for his radio work by the Carlton Hobbs Award and by the William Pohl Award for a scene from The Duchess of Malfi at The National Theatre. His work in the UK includes Live Like Pigs (Royal Court, dir. Katie Mitchell), Anthony and Cleopatra (Red Flag International Tour, dir. Corin Redgrave), Hard Times, Grimm Tales (Stephen Joseph), Macbeth (Tabard), Bleat (Finborough) and Look Back In Anger (City Lit). He also appeared in the feature Judge Dredd, the short Manhunter and the TV shows The Bill, London’s Burning and Cone Zone. Radio work included Surfer’s Paradise and Bleat (BBC Radio 4). His first play Hungry Ghosts was staged at the Tabard Theatre. He subsequently wrote for The Bill as well as acting as a literary adviser on new writing for both the Finborough Theatre and Out Of Joint Theatre Company. From 1996 he took ten years out to train as a member of the Western Buddhist Order. During this time he supported himself as a storyteller in primary schools, running drama workshops for children and adults as well as door -to-door fundraisers. He moved to Ireland in 2006 and has appeared in Catastrophe (International Bar), 100 Minutes 2006 and 2007 (Painted Filly), Mandragola (Turning Worm), Biography of Bernie Ward (Players), The Maids and Phaedra's Love (Loose Canon). TV and film work in Dublin includes the short The Melon Hunter (Graham Cantwell), George Gently and The Tudors. He wrote and performed Dr Dillon and Ms Georgia (Teacher’s Club) for the Dublin Fringe Festival 06, and two of his short plays featured in 100 Minutes 2007 and 2008. He was a guest performer in the Fallen Angels cabaret.
He has recently managed, designed and delivered three workshop projects for schools from socially disadvantaged areas as part of the Abbey Theatre’s Outreach programme.
BRENDA MEANEY is a recent graduate of Trinity College, Dublin where she received a B.A. in History of Art. Before attending university in Ireland Brenda lived between New York City and Los Angeles, where she worked extensively on student theatre productions as a stage manager, technician, contributing writer and actor. She also appeared in several California Artists Radio Theatre (CART) productions. Her first appearance on the Irish stage was in Painted Filly's 100 Minutes 2006 (Filmbase). Other productions with Painted Filly include Noise (Dublin Fringe Festival 2006), Biography of Bernie Ward (Players Theatre) and 100 Minutes 2008 (Project).
DUNCAN MOLLOY is a director, writer and producer based in Dublin. He graduated from Drama and Theatre Studies at Trinity College in 2007. Duncan has directed for Painted Filly Theatre a number of times, including 100 Minutes 2006 (Filmbase) and 100 Minutes 2007 & 2008 (Project) as well as their sell-out show Noise at the Dublin Fringe Festival 2006. Other recent directing credits include In Brightest Day and Physical Emotion, both for Player's Theatre, and the upcoming Domain, with Instant Light Theatre Company.
SARAH-JAYNE QUIGLEY recently graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She also holds a degree in Drama and Sociology from Trinity College, Dublin. Sarah-Jayne has worked as an actress with Painted Filly on 100 Minutes 2007, 100 Minutes 2008 and Biography of Bernie Ward. Other theatre credits include Pippy in Bruscar the Tidy Giant (Garbo Productions), Elise in The Miser (Wonderland Productions) and Isabelle in Measure for Measure (Flagship Produtions). Sarah-Jayne is currently developing and acting in a one-woman show with Mirari Productions.
JESSE WEAVER is an actor, director, and playwright whose writing has been seen and heard in Chicago, Dublin, and London. A graduate of Boston University’s College of Fine Arts actor training program, Jesse has been seen onstage in Chicago with companies like Victory Gardens, Next Theatre Company, Famous Door Theatre, and the side project, among others. He’s had five of his short plays produced by Chicago’s Collaboraction Theatre Company’s annual Sketchbook festival, the most recent being R Unho Me Te Ddy. His play Selective Service and the Art of Acorn was performed by Breadline Theatre in 2005, and his play Sweet Pretty Love Jam premiered in November 2006 by the side project, where he was an ensemble member and resident writer. He’s had two plays, 46A and Do With You, produced by Chicago’s Estrogen Fest in 2005 and 2007, respectively. In 2005, Jesse graduated with a Masters in Drama and Performance Studies from University College Dublin. While a student at UCD, his play The Artist Needs a Wife won Best Director, Best Original Script, and Best Overall Production at the 2005 Irish Student Drama Association festival; the play was subsequently produced by Clean Canvas Theatre Company at the 2005 Dublin Fringe Festival. In 2007, Painted Filly produced the world premiere of his play Biography of Bernie Ward, directed by Nicholas Johnson. Jesse’s short plays Do With You, Bill and Fran, and Hydrophobia have also been seen as part of Painted Filly’s 100 Minutes in 2006, 2007, and 2008, respectively. He is currently a doctoral candidate at University College Cork.
JENNIFER KILLELEA is a co-founder
of Painted Filly Theatre. She holds an M.Phil. in Irish Theatre
and Film from Trinity College Dublin, and a B.A. in English and
Media Studies from Fordham University, New York. Over the past 14
years, she has served as a sound engineer, publicist, prop designer,
and stage manager for many shows and companies in the U.S. and Europe.
Jennifer produced Painted Filly's first production, Jeremiah,
as well as the Irish premiere of Noise for the Dublin
Fringe Festival 2006. She was a director, producer, and author for both
100 Minutes 2006 and 100 Minutes 2007, and produced the world premiere of Biography of Bernie Ward in 2007.
NICHOLAS JOHNSON has just submitted his PhD in Drama Studies at Trinity College, where he is a full-time lecturer. His acting career spans 20
years and includes work in Texas, Massachusetts, New York City,
Chicago, Washington D.C., Edinburgh, Avignon, Athens, and Istanbul.
In 2003 he adapted and performed On Going On, a one-person
show based on the writings of Samuel Beckett, at Northwestern University
in Chicago. He performed the title role in Jeremiah in
2005, as well as Clov in Endgame at the Samuel Beckett
Theatre. He was a 2004 DAAD Fellow researching Bertolt Brecht in
Berlin, Germany, and he received the 2005 George J. Mitchell Scholarship as well as the inaugural Samuel Beckett Studentship
in support of his work in Dublin. He was a director, producer, author,
and designer for 100 Minutes in 2006 and 2007, and was overall artistic director for 100 Minutes 2008. His
full-length play, Noise, premiered in the Dublin Fringe
Festival 2006, and he directed Biography of Bernie Ward with Painted Filly Theatre and Disjecta in the Samuel Beckett Theatre. He was selected for The Next Stage programme for emerging artists in the 2007 Dublin Theatre Festival. In 2008 he translated and directed Ernst Toller's Masse Mensch for the 2nd Year BA Production at Trinity College, as well as touring the production to Berlin's Volksbuehne theatre, where he led an international exchange and workshop between TCD and the P14 youth theatre.
MARK GORDON holds an M.A and a B.A in archaeology from University College Dublin, where he also worked for a number of years as a research assistant and tutor in the UCD School of Archaeology. He has trained with Andy Hinds of Classic Stage Ireland and Sandra Austin of Comedy Improv Ireland, and as a drama facilitator with the National Association for Youth Drama. His first stage performance was in 2002 in Glengarry Glen Ross followed by The Blue Room in 2005. Mark was a member of Painted Filly’s ensemble cast for 100 Minutes 2007 (Project) and also performed that year in their production of Biography of Bernie Ward (Players). In December 2007 he played the role of ‘Belaqua’ in Nicholas Johnson’s adaptation of the Beckett short story Dante and the Lobster (Beckett Theatre) and was again an ensemble member of 100 Minutes 2008 (Project). He played multiple roles in the spoof sci-fi short film Day of the Menace (Ian O’Toole; 2006) and most recently featured in Fair City (2008) and Red Gorilla Productions’ comedy series Langerland TV for RTÉ (2007/8).
PHIL KINGSTON trained as an actor at Central School of Speech and Drama in London, where he was highly commended for his radio work by the Carlton Hobbs Award and by the William Pohl Award for a scene from The Duchess of Malfi at The National Theatre. His work in the UK includes Live Like Pigs (Royal Court, dir. Katie Mitchell), Anthony and Cleopatra (Red Flag International Tour, dir. Corin Redgrave), Hard Times, Grimm Tales (Stephen Joseph), Macbeth (Tabard), Bleat (Finborough) and Look Back In Anger (City Lit). He also appeared in the feature Judge Dredd, the short Manhunter and the TV shows The Bill, London’s Burning and Cone Zone. Radio work included Surfer’s Paradise and Bleat (BBC Radio 4). His first play Hungry Ghosts was staged at the Tabard Theatre. He subsequently wrote for The Bill as well as acting as a literary adviser on new writing for both the Finborough Theatre and Out Of Joint Theatre Company. From 1996 he took ten years out to train as a member of the Western Buddhist Order. During this time he supported himself as a storyteller in primary schools, running drama workshops for children and adults as well as door -to-door fundraisers. He moved to Ireland in 2006 and has appeared in Catastrophe (International Bar), 100 Minutes 2006 and 2007 (Painted Filly), Mandragola (Turning Worm), Biography of Bernie Ward (Players), The Maids and Phaedra's Love (Loose Canon). TV and film work in Dublin includes the short The Melon Hunter (Graham Cantwell), George Gently and The Tudors. He wrote and performed Dr Dillon and Ms Georgia (Teacher’s Club) for the Dublin Fringe Festival 06, and two of his short plays featured in 100 Minutes 2007 and 2008. He was a guest performer in the Fallen Angels cabaret.
He has recently managed, designed and delivered three workshop projects for schools from socially disadvantaged areas as part of the Abbey Theatre’s Outreach programme.
BRENDA MEANEY is a recent graduate of Trinity College, Dublin where she received a B.A. in History of Art. Before attending university in Ireland Brenda lived between New York City and Los Angeles, where she worked extensively on student theatre productions as a stage manager, technician, contributing writer and actor. She also appeared in several California Artists Radio Theatre (CART) productions. Her first appearance on the Irish stage was in Painted Filly's 100 Minutes 2006 (Filmbase). Other productions with Painted Filly include Noise (Dublin Fringe Festival 2006), Biography of Bernie Ward (Players Theatre) and 100 Minutes 2008 (Project).
DUNCAN MOLLOY is a director, writer and producer based in Dublin. He graduated from Drama and Theatre Studies at Trinity College in 2007. Duncan has directed for Painted Filly Theatre a number of times, including 100 Minutes 2006 (Filmbase) and 100 Minutes 2007 & 2008 (Project) as well as their sell-out show Noise at the Dublin Fringe Festival 2006. Other recent directing credits include In Brightest Day and Physical Emotion, both for Player's Theatre, and the upcoming Domain, with Instant Light Theatre Company.
SARAH-JAYNE QUIGLEY recently graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She also holds a degree in Drama and Sociology from Trinity College, Dublin. Sarah-Jayne has worked as an actress with Painted Filly on 100 Minutes 2007, 100 Minutes 2008 and Biography of Bernie Ward. Other theatre credits include Pippy in Bruscar the Tidy Giant (Garbo Productions), Elise in The Miser (Wonderland Productions) and Isabelle in Measure for Measure (Flagship Produtions). Sarah-Jayne is currently developing and acting in a one-woman show with Mirari Productions.
JESSE WEAVER is an actor, director, and playwright whose writing has been seen and heard in Chicago, Dublin, and London. A graduate of Boston University’s College of Fine Arts actor training program, Jesse has been seen onstage in Chicago with companies like Victory Gardens, Next Theatre Company, Famous Door Theatre, and the side project, among others. He’s had five of his short plays produced by Chicago’s Collaboraction Theatre Company’s annual Sketchbook festival, the most recent being R Unho Me Te Ddy. His play Selective Service and the Art of Acorn was performed by Breadline Theatre in 2005, and his play Sweet Pretty Love Jam premiered in November 2006 by the side project, where he was an ensemble member and resident writer. He’s had two plays, 46A and Do With You, produced by Chicago’s Estrogen Fest in 2005 and 2007, respectively. In 2005, Jesse graduated with a Masters in Drama and Performance Studies from University College Dublin. While a student at UCD, his play The Artist Needs a Wife won Best Director, Best Original Script, and Best Overall Production at the 2005 Irish Student Drama Association festival; the play was subsequently produced by Clean Canvas Theatre Company at the 2005 Dublin Fringe Festival. In 2007, Painted Filly produced the world premiere of his play Biography of Bernie Ward, directed by Nicholas Johnson. Jesse’s short plays Do With You, Bill and Fran, and Hydrophobia have also been seen as part of Painted Filly’s 100 Minutes in 2006, 2007, and 2008, respectively. He is currently a doctoral candidate at University College Cork.