Artistic Director | Theatre Maker | Composer | Writer
Theatre, visual art, writing, producing, composition, arts advocacy. One source, transmitting across multiple frequencies.
I make things, and hope that people are glad that I made them. Plays, sound, puzzles, zines, jokes, chaos with a running order. I also produce and direct other people’s work, write about art and artists, host and moderate literary events, teach and run workshops, and for one very intense stretch, planned, staffed, opened, and programmed a multi-million euro arts centre.
I move between disciplines because interesting things interest me, and the idea of doing just one thing bores me.
My work is multidisciplinary and rooted in story, often blending existing texts, interviews, and data into compelling theatrical experiences. My directing credits include Heel/Turn (work-in-progress at the Everyman Theatre), Clowns on Fire (Granary Theatre), and The Nun’s Wood (Granary Theatre). As a playwright, I was shortlisted for the Abbey’s Emerging Playwrights programme and have participated in prestigious development initiatives like MAKE and Tessellate.
As a neurodivergent creative, my interests cross multiple disciplines. I pride myself on my adaptability; thriving on problem-solving in high-pressure environments, especially as a collaborator in fast-moving creative projects. Whether directing, writing, composing, or producing, I like to think I bring an innovative, detail-oriented, and deeply intuitive approach to any ambitious, collaborative artistic endeavor.
I have experience a moderator, event programmer, music journalist, artist liaison, and artistic mentor, having worked closely with University College Cork, The Thin Air Magazine, the Web Summit, the Abbey Theatre, Cork Midsummer Festival, and The Everyman.
To collaborate with Mike, get in touch at 90mikeryan[at]gmail.com or via the contact page.
