Richie Ryan BA, ALCM

Founding Principal & Artistic Director

Richie Ryan is from Limerick City and has been involved in Drama and Musical Theatre for many years. He is artistic director of CentreStage Theatre School for adults, teenagers and children based at LIT, Limerick. His is also founder and director/producer of the highly successful Limerick’s CentreStage Summer Programme at UCH and CentreStage Summer Schools for Adults which run in the University of Limerick and LIT each June, July and August. Richie is also founder and artistic director of the award winning Limerick Musical Society, based in UL, CentreStage Youth Theatre, based at LIT, Limerick, CentreStage Productions and CentreStage Talent - Casting Agency.

Productions as director include Juno and the Paycock, Stepping Out, Noises Off, The Communication Cord, Lone Star, Adrian Mole, The Factory Girls, Moonshine, King Lear, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Mort, The Only Jealousy of Emer, Crabbed Youth and Age, Magical Musical Moments, Godspell, Me and My Girl, Singing in the Rain, Brigadoon, Oliver, Grease, The Pirates, Guys and Dolls, Carrie, Fiddler on the Roof, Fame, Oklahoma, Joseph, Cats, Jesus Christ SuperStar, Chess, Copacobana , West Side Story, Les Miserables, Hot Mikado, Honk, The Hired Man, It’s Broadway, Anything Goes., Bugsy Molone, Annie, South Pacific and many plays with his CentreStage Theatre School.

Pantomine productions include Down to the Woods, NeverEverland, Cinderella, Snowwhite.com, Aladdin, Beauty and The Beast and Jack and The Beanstalk.

Richie has directed many school and benefit concerts and the highly successful Children’s Opera Noyes Fludde by Benjamin Britton plus Hansel and Gretal and The Happy Prince at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick.

Richie has appeared in many roles with The College Players, The Granary Players, The Torch Players, East and West Players and many musical societies. He has directed for The College Players, MIDAS, The Granary Players, The East & West Players, The Cecilian Musical Society, Shannon Musical Society, Tipperary Musical Society , Killarney Musical Society and Limerick Musical Society.

As an actor he played many characters in Island Theatre Companies production of Mike Finn’s award winning Pigtown and has appeared in Pat Shorts video Live- and a Bit Dangerous and Mattie with Pat Shortt.

Richie has many acting and awards for direction to his credit. He was awarded the Limerick and subsequently the National Junior Chamber of Ireland Outstanding Young Person of the Year Award in 1998 for his contribution to cultural achievement in Limerick City. In 2001 he was awarded the Mary Immaculate College-University of Limerick Outstanding Achievement Award for his contribution to theater.

Richie has studied Drama and Musical Theatre at the Central School of Speech and Drama, London, Mountview Conservatorie, London, The Patsy Rodenburg Speech and Drama Centre, London. He holds an ALCM from the London College of Music and a BA (Hons) in Media and Music from Mary Immaculate College-University of Limerick. Richie is currently studying on a MA programme in Theatre Education at Middlesex University, London and is in the process of writing a DRAMA TRAINING HANDBOOK for Educators of Drama.

Richie has written three specialist Plays ‘Cash is King, FireFighting and Bah Humbug.

Richie has tought Media and Communication Studies in the Crescent College Comprehensive, Limerick, and Lecturered in Creative Studies at Limerick Institute of Technology, Limerick.

Richie is in constant demand as a tutor of communication and presentation skills with The Paul Parnership and many local companies in the Mid-West region.

Richie has been a contributor to the monthly publication ‘Limerick Events Guide’ with his regular column ART ATTACK.

Richie has been engaged for Voice Over work with IBM, DELL and Plassey Campus Management.