Who Would Do Something Like This?

Aoibheann McCann
Co-Creator, Actor, Producer
Aoibheann is originally from Donegal. She now lives in Galway where she writes fiction, non-fiction and the occasional poem. Her work has been published in literary journals in Ireland, UK, Italy and USA. Her work has been anthologised by Pankhurst Press (UK), New Binary Press, Arlen House, Doire and Prospero (Italy). Her short stories have been longlisted for Colm Toibin 2019, shortlisted for Words on Waves 2015, Sunday Business Post/ Penguin Ireland 2018, Cúirt New Writing 2019 and second in the Maria Edgeworth and Dalkey Creates 2019. She was awarded the Tyrone Guthrie Residency by Galway City Council for 2018. In December 2022, she learned that a staged, spin-off of Retreat was shortlisted for the 2023 Hammond House Publishing Prize for comedy in the (UK). Aoibheann is currently working on her first collection of short fiction and a comedy series.

Andi Watson Ipaktchi
Co-Creator, Actor, Producer
Andi is a multi-disciplinary American artist with Irish heritage who lives in Paris. She holds a fine arts degree from the Parsons School of Design. Andi writes, draws, and performs. In December 2022, she learned that a staged, spin-off of Retreat was shortlisted for the 2023 Hammond House Publishing Prize for comedy in the (UK). In 2015, she won the Undiscovered Voices (UK) anthology shortlist. Her work has been exhibited in the US and France. In 2019 and 2020, she traveled to Ireland to attend a Tyrone Guthrie Artist Residency for printmaking and met her writing partner Aiobheann McCann. She is currently writing a graphic novel for kids and continues working in the printmaking studio.

Helen Gregg
Actor
Helen is a Galway-based multidisciplinary artist who acts, sings, writes and improvises. She is originally from Northern Ireland and trained in theatre in France and Ireland. She tours nationally with the theatre company Brana Téatar do Phaisti and Macna theatre. She is also a member of Clowns Without Borders. Helen played the French sculptor: Agnés, Teresa: the Irish housemaid, and the formidable Skye Jetjetski: the heiress.

Actor
Fred Paul McCloskey
Fred is an Irish actor and musician. He is known for his role in many films including the 2020 movie Death of a Ladies' Man. He has had a leading role in the Irish TV continuing drama Ros na Rún, for over 20 years. In Season One of Retreat Comedy, Fred played the characters: Damien: the radio show host & Malachy: the groundskeeper and Olivoff Smirnoff, the famous, Russian dissident artist. We hope to see and hear Fred again in Season 2.

Gavin Morgan
Actor
Gavin is an actor, set builder, and prop maker from Whitehaven who lives in Galway. In Season One of Retreat, Gavin played Brigit Smith: the Druidic healer and poet; Barney: the administrative director and Gunter Hermelin an eco-warrior sound artist.

Yasaman Sarhangi
Audio Engineering
Yasaman Sarhangi is an audio engineer from Iran.

Funding
Our sponsors
Paying industry rates is very important to us, as actors and related professionals have been hit particularly hard by the impact of Covid. The co-creators funded the initial €1000 for software, microphones, rehearsal, sound production and website costs. Friends and family contributed 3000 euros to our GoFundme campaign to pay the actors proper industry rates and our various production costs. Also, there's the mounting cost of snacks for the writers (Viscount and Oreos are our favourites, if you must know).
We have also been lucky to get funding from Galway County Council.

Who would support something like this?
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