Mike Ryan is an experimental theatre maker based in Cork. He is the founder and artistic director of Ferocious Composure, established in 2016, with a focus on storytelling and innovative performance. In 2016 he was selected for Fishamble’s director mentorship programme through Belltable:Connect. During this time, he also oversaw Ferocious Compusure’s tenure as Theatre Company in Residence at the Granary Theatre.
Photo by Barry Stanley
In 2017 he was assistant director on Corcadorca’s Irish Times Theatre Award winning production of “Far Away” by Caryl Churchill, which took place in the old prison on Spike Island off the coast of Cobh.
Photo by Enrique Carnicero
His most recent work with Ferocious Composure, “Clowns on Fire”, was a data based, and partially autobiographical look at the world of online dating and modern-day romantic relationships in Ireland.
In 2018, Mike was one of two participants selected for Tessellate, a two year mentorship and development programme for Cork based theatre makers, jointly supported by Cork Midsummer Festival, Corcadorca theatre company, and the Everyman theatre. His mentors on the programme include Lorraine Mae (Cork Midsummer Festival) and Julie Kelleher (The Everyman Theatre).
In 2019, Mike was shortlisted for Abbey Works, the Abbey Theatre’s competitive emerging playwrights programme.
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