Mill Youth Theatre Company

About

Since 2016 the Mill Youth Theatre Company has performed works by Shakespeare, Sophocles & Thornton Wilder.

The Youth Theatre meets every Saturday from 4-6pm and culminates in an end of year performance.

Terms are as follows:
September – December
January – May

For ages 15-18yrs

If you wish to express an interest in joining the Mill Youth Theatre Company in the future, please email info@milltheatre.ie

Our Company underpins the values of Respect, Equality and Creativity

Our Youth Theatre Facilitator

Eftychia Spyridaki is a theatre-maker; director, performer(acting & singing)drama educator, and playwrightfrom.Greece ,based in Meath. Eftychia has worked with ANU Productions, Deadcentre, Landmark,  Sofft Productions, , Anseo|Anois and Sightless Cinema and she is the Youth Theatre Facilitator for the dlr Mill Theatre since 2023.

In 2021, she completed the Lir’s Theatre Directing MFA and co-founded the theatre company Common Crow Theatre.
In 2022,she was  Dead Centre’s Associate Artist and she directed Paler, Still, a new play by Oonagh Wall for Anseo,Anois theatre company.(Smock Alley Theatre). Her play for young audiences,Krabat and the Magic of Disobedience was part of Sofft Nights Festival (2022). In 2023 she co-directed the collaborative project, Passports;a conversation with Ayesha Seyddah and friends (co-director with Ayesha Syeddah)as part of 2023’s Dublin Fringe Festival.
Her artistic interests lie in new approaches to staging ancient Greek texts. As a playwright,she believes in the power of words but only as one of multiple tools used in collaborative, multidisciplinary storytelling that she incorporates in the process of creating plays. Her artistic research focuses on the global diaspora as the result of war throughout history and real cases of social injustice in the global community.Her creative process is also informed by my volunteer work with the elderly and the refugee community.

She is a Drama Teacher and a theatre facilitator for children and young adults with 10 years of experience and has devised and directed numerous Youth Theatre shows (Independent Theatre Workshop, YMCA) in Greece and Ireland.Her research and artistic interests are focused in creating socially engaged theatre, offering awareness and visibility for understated and underrepresented social and political issues; she is particularly interested in creating work that is informed by her volunteer work with refugees in Greece and in Ireland. She is constantly exploring new approaches to adapting and staging ancient Greek tragedy internationally.

Quotes from Our Youth Theatre Members:
Daniel Fox:
I am excited about working with new people and the show cases
I like being able to express myself in a safe environment and meet people with similar interests

Louisa McKenna
Other plays I have been in we didn’t have to run anything, only knowing our lines so i’m excited to be a part of the bigger picture behind the scenes.

Mia Creamer:
I think it will be really fun to promote the youth group and let everyone know how talented the people in the group are. I love drama because is allows me to play really fun people, my favourite moment is when you get into your costume on the first night and you realize how all this hard work finally has an outcome that you get to enjoy.

Lexie Drury:
Im excited to chat with new people and make friends with people who share similar interests.
I also am excited to improve my acting skills, and learn to build a story behind my characters that I play.
I do theatre because i like being able to transform into another person and tell a story that isn’t my own. I also like being able to comfort people with the characters that I play and show people that they are not alone.

Youth Theatre Ireland Symposium

A major highlight was our participation in this year’s Youth Theatre Ireland Symposium on November 9th  where we performed an excerpt from Aftertaste by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth to great acclaim.

Beyond performing, we explored  what it is like to be running our Youth Theatre as if it were a professional company—learning about funding, producing, poster design, and exploring creative roles like sound design and movement direction. These experiences have given our members valuable insights into the multifaceted world of theatre-making and the skills to shape their artistic visions.

DLR Mill Theatre Youth Group at the National Festival of Youth Theatres

This summer, the DLR Mill Theatre Youth Group had the exciting opportunity to attend the National Festival of Youth Theatres in Kilkenny, proudly representing their home base and sharing their creativity on a national stage.

Accompanied by their dedicated leaders Eftychia Spyridaki and Aoife Cassidy, the group immersed themselves in four days of workshops, performances, and collaborative experiences with young artists from all over Ireland.

Throughout the festival, our participants engaged in a variety of dynamic workshops led by experienced facilitators. They explored different genres of theatre including Musical Theatre, Physical Theatre, and Improvisation — gaining new skills, broadening their artistic vocabulary, and discovering fresh ways to express themselves on stage.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the Talent Show, where our young people truly shone. They showcased their talents in singing, dancing, and even collaborated with peers from other youth theatres for spontaneous, joy-filled performances. Their energy and willingness to step outside their comfort zone reflected their growth and enthusiasm.

The group also took part in the Treasure Hunt organised by Youth Theatre Ireland — and emerged as the winners! Their teamwork, creativity, and determination were on full display, and this achievement added a fun and memorable touch to the weekend.
Beyond the workshops and activities, the festival created a space for connection, friendship, and artistic exchange. Our members returned home inspired, more confident, and full of stories and laughter, having made meaningful bonds with other young theatre-makers from across the country.

We are immensely proud of how our group represented the DLR Mill Theatre Youth Theatre community — with curiosity, kindness, and creativity. A huge thank you to Youth Theatre Ireland for organising such an enriching and empowering festival, and to our leaders