Tutors and Staff
Staff
- Mary McCluskey – Artistic Director and Chief Executive
- Caroline Cosgrove – Administrative Director
- Karen McGrady Parker – Associate Director
- Fraser MacLeod – Associate Director
- Carol Rooney - Finance and Office Manager
- Emma Dunipace - Senior Marketing Officer
- Iain Findlay-Walsh - Senior Marketing Officer
- James Rooney - Building Supervisor
- Projects Coordinator – Pippa Dale
- Receptionist - Stephanie Hunter
- Receptionist - Kim Watson
- Claire Anderson - Administrator/Receptionist
- Julia Dzikowska - Cleaner
Artistic Director & Chief Executive
Mary McCluskey (FRSA)
Mary McCluskey, Artistic Director of Scottish Youth Theatre since 1992. Educated in Scotland and the USA, Mary graduated from Hamilton College of Education and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama. She has worked for Dundee Rep, Wildcat Theatre, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, Annexe Theatre, Irresistible Flood, Face to Face, Ibsen Festival (Skien, Norway), Royal Shakespeare Company & Citizens Theatre. Mary has adapted 'Wee Macgreegor', 'Wee Macgreegor Enlists', 'Medea', 'Hamlet', 'Macbeth', 'The Glory' and 'The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie'. In 2002, Mary won the Jury's Prize for Direction & Pedagogy at the Rainbow Theatre Festival in St. Petersburg for her production of 'Born Bad' - a play exploring the 'nature vs nurture' debate - are children who murder born evil or does their environment make them evil? Most recently Mary has directed ‘Sweeney Todd', ‘Dying For It', ‘Geordie', ‘His Dark Materials Part One' and ‘When A Star Falls' for Scottish Youth Theatre. In June, 2008, Mary adapted Shakespeare's ‘Anthony & Cleopatra' for Oran Mor's Classics Season.
Her international work includes leading workshops and masterclasses in Antwerp (Belgium), Dublin (Ireland), Oslo & Skien (Norway), Perth (Australia), Prishtina (Kosovo). New York (USA) and Toronto (Canada). Many of Mary's productions have toured internationally.
Since the mid '70's, Mary has been involved with the theatre community in Scotland as a youth theatre tutor and theatre director. Mary first worked for Scottish Youth Theatre in 1979 as a member of residential staff. In 1989, she joined the company as Associate Director. After spending time with the Royal Shakespeare Company in their Education Department, Mary took up the post of Artistic Director of the youth theatre in 1992. Mary has committed her working life to enabling young people to engage with theatre and the creative process.
In October 2006, Mary was awarded an Unsung Hero Award at the Sunday Mail Great Scot Awards. March '07, saw Mary being named as NCH Woman Of Influence 2007 at a ceremony in Glasgow. In December, 2007, Mary became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Karen McGrady-Parker - Associate Director
Karen has been Associate Director with Scottish Youth Theatre since 2001. Karen graduated with BA Hons Community Arts from Strathclyde University. Karen has worked throughout Scotland as a freelance Drama specialist with pre 5 groups, children, young people and adults. Whether it is leading workshops, directing or planning projects she is passionate about all aspects of creating theatre with young people. Karen feels driven to ensure that a high standard of theatre experience is delivered to young people. With this in mind, she devises, develops and provides specialist training to fellow theatre practitioners. Karen has worked extensively with young people with mild to complex support for learning needs. Her sessions bring stories to life through a sensory theatre experience.
Fraser MacLeod - Associate Director
Fraser trained at Queen Margaret University College and since graduating with a BA Acting Degree has worked for East End Community Arts Project, Licketyspit Theatre Company and the Citizen Theatre Education Department before becoming a core drama worker with Scottish Youth Theatre. Fraser is now full-time Assistant Director and as an ex-participant himself thoroughly enjoys still being involved in all of Scottish Youth Theatre's activities.
Associate Artists
Sharon Miller
Kieran McLoughlin
Kieran gained his BA from Dartington College of Arts in 2002. He has also studied at the School for New Dance Development in Amsterdam.
He is a co-founder and co-director of Edinburgh-based award-winning theatre company Highway Diner. He is also a freelance director and workshop leader.
Kieran has been involved in youth theatre as a participant since he was 6 years old and has worked for Scottish Youth Theatre since 2004.
Mary Gapinski
Mary Gapinski studied at Strathclyde University and graduated in 1998 with a BA in Community Arts. After graduating she worked full-time with West Lothian Youth Theatre, where she had been a youth theatre participant, first as a workshop tutor and then as Assistant Director.
She left in 2001 to work as an actor and freelance drama worker/director. Since then she has worked with various arts organisations and theatre companies which include; the Citizens Theatre, TAG Theatre, Traverse Theatre, Arches Theatre, 7:84 and Tron Theatre as well as various local authorities and youth theatres throughout Scotland.
Mary has worked as a Workshop Director with Scottish Youth Theatre for the past 8 years and is now an Associate Artist with the Company.
Francesca Adair
Francesca has been involved with SYT for 18 years as a participant, workshop leader, director and now as an associate for the Aberdeen classes. Francesca trained at Fife College and then went on to Glasgow University and gained M.A.
Following her degree she trained as a drama teacher in Aberdeen and has taught in schools in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. More recently Francesca has been working at Aberdeen University with student primary teachers on a project "ATLAC" (Arts as a Tool for Learning across the Curriculum).
Francesca has worked with people from aged 3- 83 on lots of different projects to name a few The Arts Carnival, SYT Road show ( special needs), The lemon Tree Youth Theatre, Stage Coach, the Open University and many others. Francesca is married with 2 children and lives in Aberdeen.
