MARIA CONNOLLY
Maria Connolly trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in
London 1991-1994, where she received The Kenneth Branagh Renaissance
Award for most promising actor from Northern Ireland. She was awarded an
Irish Times Best Actress nomination for her performance in PROBLEM
CHILD for Prime Cut Productions.
Maria began acting when she was 15 with the Ulster Youth Theatre under the
leadership of David Grant. She performed in The National Theatre of London
when she was 16, starting a career that has lasted over 30 years. Maria has
worked extensively in Northern Irish theatre, particularly focusing on new writing
creating roles in productions that have been revived and returned to audiences
in Northern Ireland and further afield.
After an extensive Irish tour and selling out the Lyric Theatre Belfast and then
The Grand Opera House, Maria performed internationally the solo show TWO
SORE LEGS by Brenda Murphy for Green Shoot Productions. She performed
Two Sore Legs in New York at the Cuala Festival and was chosen to perform in
Brussels by The Arts Council representing NI’s best of the arts in the EU. She
performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 where she was Lorna Diamond’s
(The Scotsman) pick of the festival.
Maria performed the role of ‘Alice’ in Patrick J O’Reilly’s critically acclaimed
THE MAN WHO FELL TO PIECES, for Tinderbox, which hopes to have it’s
third revival in the near future.
Maria has collaborated with many theatre companies and writers in Belfast.
She works extensively with Paula McFetridge from Kabosh Theatre Company,
most recently on Vincent Higgins’ ‘A Bellaghy Tale,’ celebrating the work and
‘Homeplace' of Seamus Heaney. With Paula, Maria also created the role of
‘Lady Annie’ at Hillsborough Castle, developing collaborations and connections
and strengthening her passion for site specific theatre.
Maria played Arlene Foster in Rosemary Jenkinson’s ‘Michelle and Arlene’ series
of satirical comedies. Maria is delighted to be performing in Rosemary’s
new play this year ‘Dream, Sleep, Connect’ with C21 theatre company.
Maria has worked extensively with and continues to collaborate and create roles
by playwright Martin Lynch performing in ‘Dancing Shoes,’ History of The
Peace,’ ‘We’ll walk Hand in Hand’ and ‘Meeting at Menin Gate.’
Maria has just completed recording a 6 part sitcom for BBC Radio Ulster written
by up and coming Northern Irish writer Ciaran Bartlett. Maria recently
filmed a new Sitcom ‘Familiar,’ for Hare and Tortoise, directed by Simon Delaney.
Maria attended script writing for the theatre, training under the direction of
Jackie Doyle, formally of Prime Cut Productions. There she trained in script
development with Graham Whybrow, formally from the Royal Court Theatre in
London and Patrick Marber, the award winning writer of ‘Closer.’ She participated
in a series of workshops organised by Replay Theatre Company designed
to train emerging writers from Northern Ireland to write for children/ young
adults. Maria’s participation on the course led to the commission of 2 plays
from Replay Theatre Company.
Maria since went on to write for Tinderbox Theatre Company, Kabosh Theatre
Company, BBC Radio 4 and Radio Ulster.
MARIA CONNOLLY
Maria Connolly trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in
London 1991-1994, where she received The Kenneth Branagh Renaissance
Award for most promising actor from Northern Ireland. She was awarded an
Irish Times Best Actress nomination for her performance in PROBLEM
CHILD for Prime Cut Productions.
Maria began acting when she was 15 with the Ulster Youth Theatre under the
leadership of David Grant. She performed in The National Theatre of London
when she was 16, starting a career that has lasted over 30 years. Maria has
worked extensively in Northern Irish theatre, particularly focusing on new writing
creating roles in productions that have been revived and returned to audiences
in Northern Ireland and further afield.
After an extensive Irish tour and selling out the Lyric Theatre Belfast and then
The Grand Opera House, Maria performed internationally the solo show TWO
SORE LEGS by Brenda Murphy for Green Shoot Productions. She performed
Two Sore Legs in New York at the Cuala Festival and was chosen to perform in
Brussels by The Arts Council representing NI’s best of the arts in the EU. She
performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 where she was Lorna Diamond’s
(The Scotsman) pick of the festival.
Maria performed the role of ‘Alice’ in Patrick J O’Reilly’s critically acclaimed
THE MAN WHO FELL TO PIECES, for Tinderbox, which hopes to have it’s
third revival in the near future.
Maria has collaborated with many theatre companies and writers in Belfast.
She works extensively with Paula McFetridge from Kabosh Theatre Company,
most recently on Vincent Higgins’ ‘A Bellaghy Tale,’ celebrating the work and
‘Homeplace' of Seamus Heaney. With Paula, Maria also created the role of
‘Lady Annie’ at Hillsborough Castle, developing collaborations and connections
and strengthening her passion for site specific theatre.
Maria played Arlene Foster in Rosemary Jenkinson’s ‘Michelle and Arlene’ series
of satirical comedies. Maria is delighted to be performing in Rosemary’s
new play this year ‘Dream, Sleep, Connect’ with C21 theatre company.
Maria has worked extensively with and continues to collaborate and create roles
by playwright Martin Lynch performing in ‘Dancing Shoes,’ History of The
Peace,’ ‘We’ll walk Hand in Hand’ and ‘Meeting at Menin Gate.’
Maria has just completed recording a 6 part sitcom for BBC Radio Ulster written
by up and coming Northern Irish writer Ciaran Bartlett. Maria recently
filmed a new Sitcom ‘Familiar,’ for Hare and Tortoise, directed by Simon Delaney.
Maria attended script writing for the theatre, training under the direction of
Jackie Doyle, formally of Prime Cut Productions. There she trained in script
development with Graham Whybrow, formally from the Royal Court Theatre in
London and Patrick Marber, the award winning writer of ‘Closer.’ She participated
in a series of workshops organised by Replay Theatre Company designed
to train emerging writers from Northern Ireland to write for children/ young
adults. Maria’s participation on the course led to the commission of 2 plays
from Replay Theatre Company.
Maria since went on to write for Tinderbox Theatre Company, Kabosh Theatre
Company, BBC Radio 4 and Radio Ulster.