SkĒNOGRAPHIA

Biographies:

Mark Smith is a performer and theatre maker originally from Mulhussey in Co. Meath, based in Celbridge Co. Kildare. Recent credits include Outside History (St. Patrick's Festival 2021), Vulnerable (Dear Ireland 3, Abbey Theatre 2020, Official Selection Kerry International Film Festival),  and Quarantine (Culture Night, 2020) in collaboration with Arcade Film. In 2022 he will star in the upcoming short film Headspace by Aisling Byrne (Virgin Media Discovers Shortlist, 2021, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland). Mark is a leading artist in the Run of the Mill ensemble performing numerous roles including Singing for Survival (Draiocht, 2019) and Reason in Madness: A reworking of King Lear (Draiocht, 2016). He is part of a team of writers who are adapting Singing for Survival as a feature film screenplay in collaboration with Arcade Film. Mark first performed Making a Mark at Dublin Fringe 2019 where he was nominated for Best Performer at the Festival and the show won the Judges Choice award as well as amassing nominations for Best Production and the Wilde Courage Award. Mark was the recipient of the AXIS Ballymun & Arts and Disability Ireland's Playground Bursary in 2018 and participated in the Abbey Theatre's 5 x 5 scheme in 2019. Mark is a graduate of Maynooth University where he studied anthropology, and in recent years has returned as a guest lecturer. Mark also works part time at the University and has recently celebrated his 20 year work anniversary at Tesco Maynooth. Mark also attends The Hub Day Service, supported by St John of God Community Services. As one of Ireland's leading performers with Down Syndrome, Mark regularly advocates for greater representation for performers with disabilities, and recently appeared on Series 4 of The Tommy Tiernan Show to great acclaim.

Aisling Byrne is a theatre maker and facilitator with an emerging practice in film. She has worked extensively in the fields of socially engaged and inclusive arts and is the co-founder and Artistic Director of award-winning theatre companies Run of the Mill and Talking Shop Ensemble. Recent directing credits include- MORA (Acting Up Arts, 2022) Wunderground (Ceol Connected, 2022 National Tour) and Treehouse (Ceol Connected, National Tour 2021). Recent film credits include Headspace (Writer & Director, Virgin Media Discovers Shortlist, 2021), Vulnerable (Writer and Director, Dear Ireland 3, Abbey Theatre, Official Selection KIFF 2021), Outside History (St. Patrick's Festival, 2021) and Quarantine (Culture Night, 2020). She collaborates regularly with Arcade Film and in 2020 was awarded a Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland to complete a residency with the film production company. Other theatre co-creator credits include Making a Mark (Dublin Fringe, 2019), Singing for Survival (Draiocht, 2019), Rapids by Shaun Dunne (Dublin Theatre Festival, 2017, National Tour 2019), Split Ends by Lauren Larkin (Dublin Fringe, 2018) and Reason in Madness (Draiocht, 2016). Aisling holds a B.A. in Drama and Theatre Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Drama-in-Education and a Masters in Education Studies, all from Trinity College Dublin. She is currently Vice-Chair of the ADEI (Association of Drama in Education in Ireland) and lectures part time at Marino Institute of Education on the subject of Drama in Education. She also works on behalf of the Arts Council of Ireland's Creative Schools initiative as a Creative Associate. She is passionate about making the landscape of the arts in Ireland a more inclusive one...and that's how she hopes to make her mark!