OUR STORY
ASSOCIATE ARTIST
FRANK SHOULDICE
Frank is a writer/director with a strong track record in theatre, film, television and print. His stage plays include Marie Clare and Journeyman and he was delighted to bring The Mean Streets of Garradrimna (2018) to Delvin and Mullingar. He wrote/directed feature documentaries Once We Were Punks (2025) and the multi-award winning The Man Who Wanted To Fly (2019). He won Prix Europa (2016) for his investigative radio documentary The Case That Never Was and as producer/director with RTE Investigates his recent work includes Girls In Green (2024) and Milking It (2023). After publishing Grandpa the Sniper (2015) he wrote and performed Six Days (2022), which he toured nationally with cellist Freda Freytag. In September this year he published his first novel, Beneath the Cedar Tree.
STAGE DIRECTOR
GRÁINNE JOHNSTON
Gráinne made her directorial debut in November 2025 with a production of A Few White Lies (2003) by Frank Shouldice marking an exciting new chapter in her creative career.
She holds a Higher Diploma in Cultural Policy & Arts Management from University College Dublin, along with an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Arts & Humanities, specialising in Music, Film, and Drama. Her academic background underpins her structured, thoughtful, and collaborative approach to theatre-making.
Gráinne’s journey in the creative industries began in 2016, co-writing and performing in college productions before stepping into directing and producing roles. Each experience has deepened her understanding of storytelling and collaboration, shaping the considered and creative approach she now brings to every script she develops for the stage.
Recognised for her calm leadership and problem-solving ability, Gráinne approaches each production with clarity, adaptability, and a strong commitment to bringing stories from page to stage with care and creative insight.
ASSOCIATE ARTIST & ACTOR
Aoife Ní HAthaírne
ASSOCIATED ARTIST & ACTOR
Karima Essalhi
Karima has trained in Theatre and Film Studies at Dundalk Institute of Technology exploring a variety of roles and characters through the lens of many theatrical styles and took it upon herself to do a creative artefact as part of her Dissertation based on Performance Art. She has received commendations for her role in an ensemble production of Sarah Kane’s ‘4:48 Psychosis’.
Karima is pursuing a career in
script-writing and directing, with a dream of staging the works of Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Dolls House’.
She is also a professional musical theatre singer trained and has several examinations done with The Royal Irish Academy of Music, with several outstanding performances from musicals such as Grease,
Beauty and The Beast and Jack and the Beanstalk. She has been fascinated by musicals and theatre since she was a young girl.
She is thrilled to bring a new take on Frank Shouldice’s, Elaine in ‘A Few White
Lies’.
ASSOCIATE ARTIST & ACTOR
Emma Woulfe
Emma hails from Mullingar, and is an amateur actor making her acting debut in A Few White Lies. She has previously lent her talents to various charity performances, once portraying the ‘bunny boiler’ character of Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. She may even say she didn’t need to act too hard in that role.
Emma also played roles in a video production of love hate and competed in a dance competition to help raise funds for ‘Tanzanian Heavenly Homes’, a local charity that helps build homes for those in need in Tanzania. When not on stage she enjoys being outdoors walking or being walked by her dog “Junior”, who is anything but. Her claimed talent is her ability to ruin any song with her singing, with her signature song ‘What A Difference A Day Makes’.
This process so far has been far beyond her expectations with the play fitting right into her repertoire and where she mastered the fine art of pretending to know what she is doing! Emma is excited to be chasing she/their theatrical dreams with this amazing group and aspires to one day be capable of captivating an audience in profound emotion!
ASSOCIATE ARTIST & ACTOR
Luke Murphy
Luke is an actor/broadcaster/writer/editor who holds an Honours Bachelor's Arts & Humanities Degree in English, Film and Drama from University College Dublin.
Also holding a degree in Theatre Performance, Luke has a portfolio of work from his experience starring in Theatre and Film such as The Noble Call (2021) directed by Ronan O'Leary and Whispers (2024) directed by Tony Doyle.
He has also performed in Theatre's around Dublin and in various schools across the country for Pantomimes.
Even before his debut in the creative arts industry in 2019, Luke has always had a strong passion for storytelling, performance and collaboration be it in his YouTube video making hobbies or his professional career.
ASSOCIATE ARTIST & ACTOR
Johnny O Toole
Johnny is from the town of Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, O Toole has had a long interest and passion for acting and performance dating back as early as primary school.
Having starred in school productions with Castlepollard Community College from Oklahoma, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Oliver.
O Toole has also performed in extra roles including High School Musical on Stage, and in the 2024 production of Urinetown in Dean Crowe Theater, Athlone. He has also performed in short film productions including the Kino short film, the Live Wire.
O Toole has also studied in part time acting courses from the Gaiety School of Acting, Victorious Stage Combat, and even the Lir Academy. In 2025, O Toole landed the role of Barry in the production of ‘Few White Lies’ performed in St. Patrick’s Hall, Delvin, which he is excited to be reprising in the crew’s second performance of the show in Bailieborough in March 2026.
ASSOCIATE ARTIST & ACTOR
Eoghan Geoghegan
Eoghan is a 25 year old from Clontarf. He will be playing the role of Michael in our upcoming performance of "A Few White Lies" by Frank Shouldice.
Eoghan has a keen passion for anything creative, from photography to graphic design and now acting. He began by completing a 10-week "Fundamentals of Acting" course at The Lír Academy before trying some extra work - Fair City fans, see if you can spot him in Carrigstown's McCoy's pub. He followed this up with another course, "Get Into Acting," led by Gillian Reynolds. After completing these courses, he is very excited to hit the stage and use the skills he has learned to bring the character of Michael to life.