Today we’d like to introduce you to Ciara Ni Chuirc.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My first professionally produced play was with Fishamble Theatre Company in Dublin, Ireland. In 2011, Fishamble invited the citizens of Ireland to submit tiny plays capturing the challenges and joys of contemporary life. Over 1,700 plays were submitted to the company, and mine was one of the 50 selected for production. I moved to New York in 2013 and continued to write and produce plays while working a day job at the New York Philharmonic, but didn’t get really serious about it until 2018 when I decided to go to grad school. I was accepted into Columbia’s School of the Arts and graduated in 2021. My play Made By God was produced Off-Broadway in early 2022, and I moved out to LA that summer to write for TV. I’m currently developing a pilot with a production company.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s definitely been a bumpy road! I think the biggest struggles were when I was deciding whether or not to attend grad school, but I definitely don’t regret going. Grad school forced me to be more disciplined about my writing and to take myself more seriously.
What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a playwright and TV writer. I’m most proud of my play MADE BY GOD, which was produced at the Irish Repertory Theatre in NYC. I think what sets me apart from others are my roots in Ireland and newfound culture in the US – I immigrated in 2013 and became a US citizen in 2020. I think I have a unique perspective on the US as an outsider who has become an American.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Most of my mentors are people I met through grad school. Grad school is a great way to find mentors and a network of like-minded peers. When I moved to LA, I reconnected with several people I had met through grad school who moved out here and was able to build my network that way. Generally, I try to seek out people I like to spend time with socially as well as professionally.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://newplayexchange.org/users/19566/ciara-ni-chuirc
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichuirc
