About

Lisa May is the Artistic Director and Founder of Bruiser Theatre Company. In 1997, Lisa believed there was an opportunity in the market for a new, innovative touring company in Northern Ireland. The aim was to produce consistently high quality theatre, with the flexibility to specialise in engagement and education where applicable.

Lara has a Masters in Cultural Policy & Arts Management from UCD and BA in Culture & Languages from the University of Naples. As the newest member of the Bruiser team she is looking forward to facilitating the next steps in their journey in her new role as Development Manager. Previously Lara was Finance Officer in the charity sector and worked in two language schools. Lara has a passionate interest in the performing arts and has made many appearances on festival and venue stages with Analog On and the Inishowen Gospel Choir.

Kirsty has recently graduated with a BA in Film and Theatre Production from Queen’s University Belfast. She has always been interested in creating theatre and enjoyed acting as well as working backstage on theatre productions growing up. She is excited to take this passion further as Bruiser’s development officer and is particularly excited to work with a company that creates innovative and accessible theatre.

Toni is Bruisers recently appointed Education officer, leading on the Vital Connect programme and supporting the company to expand their delivery of creative workshops and theatre in education across Northern Ireland (and beyond).

After graduating with a BA (Hons) in community practice and theatre studies from Northumbria University, Toni spent the following decade as a theatre maker/ director for leading regional theatres /companies. She has particular skills in co-creating new writing with communities and managing creative workshops and culturally responsive projects.  Toni is an alumni of the National Theatres Step Change programme and now joins us here as a Bruiser after her relocation home to Ireland.

Rob is an Actor, Director and Facilitator who has been working with Bruiser since 2016. He is an alumnus of Queen’s University’s Drama BA, and Belfast Met’s Performing Arts HND. Rob collaborates with local artists to devise fresh, issue-based theatre and has worked with hundreds of young people over the years to support the development of new skills and nurture fresh perspectives.

Diana joined the Bruiser Board in 2021 through the Young Professionals on Arts Board programme with Arts and Business NI. Diana is a graduate of the University of Ulster where she gained Undergraduate and Masters degrees in Psychology. Diana has experience working in the health and social care sector previously working for charities supporting community engagement programmes in NI. After starting her career in health and social care Diana moved to a career in IT joining PwC UK in 2016. Diana is now an IT manager at PwC and has joined the Board to share her skills in technology transformation projects. With experience implementing change on a large scale this will support Bruiser with their digital journey going forward.

Colin has been with Invest Northern Ireland since 2009, working in International Operations before taking up his current role of Risk Manager. He previously worked in retail management and HR and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. 

Adam fell in love with Northern Ireland more than a decade ago and has steadfastly refused to leave!

He is currently Director of The Grand Theatre, Blackpool. His career includes senior roles at Grand Opera House Belfast, ICC Belfast Waterfront & Ulster Hall; Sherman Theatre, Cardiff; and, for the Ambassador Theatre Group, at Edinburgh Playhouse, Trafalgar Studios and Savoy Theatre, winning the London Theatre Manager of the Year Award.

He began his career at the Connaught Theatre, Worthing and Chichester Festival Theatre before training as an actor with the National Youth Music Theatre, National Youth Theatre and at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He is a graduate of Ulster University.

He is co-chair of Theatre & Dance NI (having previously been chair of Dance Resource Base NI), a Trustee of the Evelyn Norris Trust (one of the Combined Theatrical Charities) and of Waverley Care, Scotland’s HIV and Hepatitis C charity.

Marie O’Donoghue is an arts education specialist who has over 30 years’ experience working within schools across all sectors. She is employed by the Education Authority and is currently working on a new collaborative initiative, the Creative Schools Programme, a partnership between the Arts Council, the Urban Villages and the Education Authority, which is focusing on promoting creativity within Post-primary schools in the Urban Village areas in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry.

Laura Johnston graduated from the University of Ulster with a First Class Honours Degree in Drama. She has been a secondary school teacher for over 11 years and is currently Head of Drama at Rathmore Grammar School. Laura is an examiner with CCEA and travels to schools across Northern Ireland to examine GCSE and Alevel performances. Laura is a drama tutor for Youth Lyric and is on the Education Panel at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. 

Ella began her Bruiser journey at 16 years old when she first took part in The Bruiser Summer School, and went on to complete all Arts Academy courses and intern with the company. All of this, along with working at The Lyric Theatre Belfast, helped her achieve her HND in Performing Arts (Acting) and develop a greater understanding and appreciation of theatre. While working at The Lyric Theatre, Ella worked her way up from a Customer Service Agent to Customer Service Manager. Now Ella is the Front of House Manager focusing on food and beverage at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre - one of the only fully producing houses in London. Having been involved in Bruiser since such a young age, Ella is excited for what is to come and how the company will progress.

Stephen is an actor, writer, theatre director and producer. He was a Board member of Tinderbox Theatre Company from 2018 to 2023, four of those years as Chair. Stephen was Manager of Bruiser Theatre Company from 2002 to 2013 and is joining the Board of the Company in 2024. He facilitates theatre and drama workshops for a wide range of schools and community groups.  He was a founding member of comedy writing and performing team Those Who Can’t and is also the MC for “Pigeon & Plum” Vaudeville Circus Cabaret.  Stephen also develops and performs walkabout characters for a variety of public and private events.

Paula McKernan is a Barrister at the Bar of Northern Ireland, specialising in Children and Family Law.  Paula was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2005 and to the Bar of Ireland in 2012. Paula is an examiner in Speech & Drama for the London College of Music, University of West London.

Duke Special (aka Peter Wilson) is a musician from Belfast. He has released many records and toured all over the world and has been involved in a diverse array of other projects, including writing the music for Deborah Warner’s critically acclaimed 2009 production of ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ at London’s National Theatre, being commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to write a series of original songs based on photographs for their exhibition of the photographers Stieglitz, Steichen and Strand, and collaborating with writer Bob Kelly on a new musical adaptation of the Patrick McCabe novel ‘Breakfast on Pluto'.

Dan Gordon is an actor, writer and director from Belfast. He is probably best known for his portrayal of Red Hand Luke in the long running BBC comedy series 'Give My Head Peace' and the Marie Jones one man show 'A Night in November' playing in Belfast, London, Australia and off-Broadway New York and for which he was nominated for a Broadway Outer Critics Circle Award for outstanding solo performance. Alongside mainstream theatre, television and film work he has a long history of engaging with many mainstream and marginalised groups including Prison Arts, Youth Justice, Probation Board NI, NIACRO and the Integrated Education Fund.

“Bruiser not only consistently produces delightful award winning theatre, but I believe the contribution of the bespoke education and engagement programme is a vital strand of their work, hugely significant to the wellbeing and cultural life of the City of Belfast and beyond.”