Meet the Company
Anne-Marie O’Sullivan
Founder and Artistic Director
Twenty two years ago, I embarked on my creative journey when I began intensive training in Theatre Acting at Bretton Hall College in England. There, I studied extensively the craft of theatre-making and all the intricate skills needed to become an actor. Bretton Hall provided me not just with vocational training, but also with academic honors and a chance to explore the theory behind the practice. It is upon this foundation that I gratefully stand today as a theatre-maker, having founded my own theatre company in the Midlands of Ireland.
Whilst at theatre school, I trained with the Creative Arts Team in New York. Through practice of Boalian techniques in community workshops, and later working with the West Yorkshire Police in the UK using theatre in innovative ways to address issues of racism in schools, I graduated as a specialist in Theatre in Education. I have toured as an actress for over fifteen years, including with various Theatre in Education companies in Sicily, Italy and Greece. I have become particularly experienced in devised theatre, and have written my own work, performed in television and film, and have engaged in a fair amount of commercial work, as well as creating self directed educational videos.
As an actor, I have experienced many adventures along the way. One memorable self-directed performance was “First Blush of Spring,” a one-woman show performed in an original costume dress of 8ft by 8ft, made of parachute material. Performing at the Rafi Peer Theatre Festival in Pakistan was deeply inspiring. I then toured on board the Amara Zee, a 90-ft tall theatre ship. With The Caravan Stage I toured an experimental opera and sailed the Aegean, and it was there that I discovered a keen interest in working in costuming and stage design.
Following these tours I focused on film work, being cast in protagonist roles in two award-winning movies, “O Xenagos” by Zakarius Mavroidis, and the compelling Cypriot film “Fish and Chips” by Elias Demetriou. This professional practice inspired me to create The Athenian Players, which performed with Horos Technis Asomaton in the centre of Athens.
Energized by this vibrant set of global experiences as a theatre-maker, I returned to my Irish roots in 2019 to found Enchanted Croí Theatre, which has allowed me to explore my keen interests in puppetry, stage craft, film, video art, music in theatre, and dynamic storytelling. Through Enchanted Croí, I work in theatre in education in schools, produce theatre pieces of all sizes, and continue to explore my love of history through the work I do with the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park.
Amy Day
International Collaborator
Amy Day (playwright, composer, lyricist) is a San Diego-based musician, writer, professor, and mother of three. She has written for and performed with a number of Americana and indie-folk bands, including the 2020 San Diego Music Awards-nominated duo The Spiritual Motels.
Amy has studied playwrighting with Aleta Barthell (Window of Shame, finalist for National Playwrights Conference 2020-2021 and 2016 HUMANITAS/CTG Playwriting Prize) and musical theatre songwriting with Mark Hollmann (Urinetown, winner of 2002 Tony Award and 2001 Obie Award for best music and lyrics). Amy has served on the board of directors for and taught at Rock and Roll Camp for Girls San Diego, has been an active member of the Lady Brain Collective, and participates in writing groups for songwriters, playwrights, and musical theatre composers.
An academic, Amy teaches Legal Writing at California Western School of Law. During the summer of 2019, Amy taught a course in human rights at the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway. While there, she visited the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park; it was this visit that inspired Amy to bring the Strokestown story to life through music. Enchanted Croí is currently collaborating with Amy, and is busy working together on their new production.