Kwaku Fortune is an Actor and Playwright. As a writer, he recently completed theThe Baptiste Programme with Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin and has had a reading of his first play: It’s Cool In The Shade in the Dublin Theatre Festival. The Black Wolftone, Kwaku’s second play, was performed in New York, LA, and San Francisco as part of the Transatlantic Commision with Irish Repertory Theatre in New York and Fishamble: The New Play Company, in Dublin. Kwaku is also a member of the Screen Writers Guild (WGI) and is working on his first feature film, Title Unknown.
Kwaku’s acting credits includes a recent appearance as Josh Ola alongside Angeline Ball, Peter Coonan and Simone Kirby in HIDDEN ASSETS directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan; REDEMPTION directed by John Hayes for ITV; and BURN IT ALL opposite Toni O’Rourke, directed by Jack Hickey. He has most recently played the role of Gary in YOU BELONG TO ME, written by Rory Nolan and directed by Lynne Parker for Smock Alley Theatre; Ray in THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE directed by Rachel O’Riordan for the Lyric Hammersmith & Chichester Festival Theatre, and as the voice of Gael in the Skydance/Apple+ animated feature LUCK.
Further screen credits include LINE OF DUTY for the BBC; NORMAL PEOPLE directed by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald for BBC 1, BBC 3 and HULU; and ANIMALS alongside Holliday Grainger and Alia Shawkat, directed by Sophie Hyde.
Stage credits include the role of Eli in ASKING FOR IT at Birmingham Repertory Theatre; PEAT directed by Tim Crouch; and the role of Dara Mood Caitríona McLaughlin’s acclaimed production of Marina Carr’s RAFTERY’S HILL directed for the main stage at the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre. Kwaku trained at the Lír Academy, Dublin (in association with RADA).
Jade Jordan is a mixed race Irish actor, writer & author of “Nanny, Ma & Me”. She studied screen acting at Dublin’s bow Street Academy. Jade’s television credits include roles in TG4’s/Lionsgate’s – Northern Lights, Channels 4’s drama– The Catch, Acorn/RTE’s – Harry Wild, ITV- No Return, Channel 5 drama- Witness No 3, ITV/Virgin Media drama– Redemption, RTE/BBC -Kin, Channel 4’s– The Virtues, BBC’s- Doctors, RTE/BBC- Blackshore and Louise Lives Large for RTE 2.
Upcoming projects to be released- Leading Feature Film -Crazy Love. TV series– Video Nasty for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC3. Feature Film – Amongst the Wolves.
Jade’s film credits include roles in Roddy Doyle’s Rosie, Kate Dolan’s You are not my Mother, Shaun Dunne’s How to tell a Secret & as a writer her IFTA NOMINATED The Colour Between which she starred in produced and wrote funded by Screen Ireland.
Her theatrical appearances include Citysong & Dear Ireland for the Abbey Theatre, Coole Park Poetry & Four Days in July for Druid Theatre Company. A Stop to Her Gallop workshop with Breadline Theatre Company.
Upcoming writing projects- Commissioned by Fishamble & Irish Repertory to develop her play “89” which had its first development and reading in The Project Arts Theatre in March 23 and then travelled to the Irish Repertory New York. This year 2024 will see Jade commissioned to further this development with a writing residency here in Dublin & New York. Commissioned by The Ark Theatre to develop a new play 2024/2025.
FELISPEAKS is a Nigerian-Irish Poet, Performer, Playwright from Co. Longford; currently based in Dublin City. FELISPEAKS has been nominated ‘Best Performer’ by Dublin Fringe Festival September 2018 and went on to win ‘Best Performer’ in 2022. As well as being a Member of the Poetry Ireland Board of Directors appointed June 2020, Felicia is a member of the Poetry Collective, WeAreGriot. FELISPEAKS is an Artist-in-Residence with Axis Ballymun and Visual Carlow, in addition to being an Associate Artist with THISISPOPBABY. FELISPEAKS’ poem: ‘For Our Mothers’ is in the English Ordinary Level Leaving Cert Curriculum for examination year 2023 and 2025, as is their poem “Rainbow Blood” for 2025. In 2020, FELISPEAKS was commissioned a new piece for RTÉ’s The Big Picture on the theme of ‘the New Normal’ – this poem, entitled Still captured the minds of the nation and has been performed to audiences all over the country. Of late, FELISPEAKS has been commissioned by the Irish Repertory Theatre and Fishamble: The New Play Company for the Transatlantic Commission for Black Irish Artists. FELISPEAKS ended 2021 as an Irish Tatler Woman of the Year with a win in the Catalyst Category – which recognises a woman who has affected change in Irish society in a pivotal way. FELISPEAKS became an ambassador for Laya Health Care’s Beats TV and Media Campaign.
In 2022, FELISPEAKS performed “ALIVE” in accompaniment with Tolü Makay’s “AYE” with Music Generation Ireland choir and the RTE Concert Orchestra live from Lough Boora , hosted by RTE ONE for Culture Night. Most recently, FELISPEAKS performed in THISISPOPBABY’s production of “WAKE” for the Dublin Fringe Festival and performed in “It’s Cool in the Shade” by Kwaku Fortune in Project Arts Centre as a part of Dublin Theatre Festival. FELISPEAKS recently collaborated with Crosscare in The Big Tree Project as a poetry and creative workshop officer.
FELISPEAKS is currently enjoying creating poetry and performance pieces that always promise to introduce their audience to the journey of emotion in every tory. Honored to share their thought processes about life’s experiences and their passions on stage; FELISPEAKS hopes to inspire thought, excitement and perspective. FELISPEAKS has released their single “TOUGH MEAT” and is eagerly awaiting the release of the accompanying EP – that they’ve been working on with Purgatory Studios, they are so excited to show you a new side to themselves, poetry and music like never before!
CN Smith is a playwright and director from County Louth. He holds an MFA in Playwriting from The Lír Academy and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin. He was a recipient of The Lír Academy’s Patricia Leggett Playwriting Scholarship for 2020. His play Spear was a Dublin Fringe Festival Commission in 2022 and received its North American Premiere in Portland, Oregon in February 2024.