Leading On covers all areas of youth theatre practice including the artistic and organisational.
The programme presents a yearly residential event held over four days in the summer. The residential is a valuable opportunity for youth drama practitioners to explore new approaches, gather new material and develop their own artistic practice. The training is open to affiliated youth theatres as well as Organisational and Individual members.
"I have come away from "Leading On" with a well of valuable material to bring to and use with my own group in the coming year. "Leading On" is also about making connections and forming new relationships which may impact the ways in which we move forward collectively." Participant, "Leading On"
How Do I Get Involved?
LEADING ON: AN EXPLORATION OF PUPPETRY AND PUPPETERING Facilitated by Josephine (Jo) Dennehy
Step into the playful world of puppetry with Josephine (Jo) Dennehy for a weekend of hands-on exploration, imagination, and creativity. Designed for youth theatre facilitators, teachers, and anyone interested in puppetry, these immersive workshops invite you to discover how puppets can unlock new ways of storytelling and performance creation with young people.
Across the weekend, you’ll explore a variety of puppetry styles, learn techniques for bringing objects to life, and experiment with storytelling through puppets. Jo will share practical tools and ideas for introducing puppets into your youth theatre practice – whether you're brand new to puppetry or looking to deepen your skills.
Expect a weekend that’s playful, exploratory, and chilled – all you need is a willingness to play.
TIMETABLE
A more detailed timetable will be available closer to the event but here is a brief overview:
FRIDAY: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
SATURDAY: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
SUNDAY: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
TICKET PRICING
Non Youth Theatre Ireland Member ticket
Residential (Workshops, lunches, accommodation provided) = €180
Non-Residential (Workshop and lunches provided) = €150
Youth Theatre Ireland Member ticket
Residential (Workshops, lunches, accommodation provided) = €150
Non-Residential (Workshop and lunches provided) = €100
N.B. If you are a Youth Theatre Ireland Member, please email info@youththeatre.ie for a discount link
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Josephine (Jo) Dennehy is a puppeteer and theatre practitioner based in Cork. She joined Activate Youth Theatre in 2008 and has worked in theatre ever since in production, performance and youth theatre in Ireland and internationally. She mainly works in theatre for and with young people and has worked with Activate Youth Theatre and Graffiti Theatre since 2020. She holds a BA and MA in Drama & Theatre Studies and wrote her MA thesis on Puppetry, Politics and Scale. As a puppeteer she trained with the Curious School of Puppetry (UK), in marionette making in Prague, apprenticed with Bread and Puppet Theatre (Vermont, USA) and developed work at Puppet Showplace Theatre (Boston, USA). She loves visual art and making things out of recycled materials. She has puppeteered for film and stage and recently her puppet Rowan has become a local celebrity among the primary schools of Cork. She has facilitated puppetry workshops at the Nation Festival of Youth Theatre and worked as puppetry mentor with Activate Youth Theatre and MAD Youth Theatre. She really really likes puppetry.
You can learn more about Jo's work here - https://jdennehypuppetry.squarespace.com/
This weekend is also ideal if you have any new facilitators or assistant facilitators who would like the opportunity network and hone their skills.
Book your tickets here - https://buytickets.at/youththe...
Check our News Page regularly for announcements and sign up to our monthly e-Newsletter, Intermission. You must be a member of Youth Theatre Ireland to participate in our training. Find out how to join Youth Theatre Ireland here.
Previous Leading On Training
- Laying the Foundations with Dave Kelly (2024)
- Awaken Your Voice! With Regina Crowley (2023)
- Leading On...with Oonagh McLoughlin (2022)
- Making & Devising Theatre with Antoinette Duffy (2019)
- A Sense of Direction with Tom Creed (2018)
- Cracking Shakespeare with Liam Halligan (2017)
- Teaching Voice, Workshops for Young Performers with Max Hafler (2016)
- Playing the Game with Chrissie Poulter (2015)
- Playing with Text
- Where to Begin? Devising processes for making theatre
- Training in Welfare and Child Protection
- Training in inclusive youth theatre practice
- Laying the Foundations: The first 10 weeks of youth theatre.
- Shifting Gear: Using High Focus Exercises and Approaches in Youth Drama
- Training in Playback Theatre
- Creative Approaches to Voice
- Building the Arc: Looking at the elements of the youth drama workshop