About Us
Our Purpose
Through our theatrical magic, we inspire a sense of wonder, unlock imagination and nurture a love of the arts in children. In doing so, we create lifelong memories and joint family experiences that make a difference to their lives.
Our Mission
To protect and promote the right of all children to have access to high quality artistic experiences.
Our Vision
We seek to become a world leader in theatre for young audiences with our brand recognised for delivering innovative, exciting and high quality experiences whilst always reaching more children and young people.
Our People
- Artistic Director - Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney
- Fundraising And Development Manager (Maternity Cover) - Greta Kelly
- Creative Engagement Manager - Hannah Fullerton
- Finance Manager - Jenny Cowan
- Communications Consultant - Sarah Bell, ElseWhere PR
Cahoots Board
George Bleeks, Emma Burdett, Paula Cairns, Rory Cowan, Marianne Crosslé, Lynne Fleming, Gillian McColgan, Aidan McGrath.
Our History
Cahoots NI (Cahoots) was founded by Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney and Zoe Seaton in November 2001. At this time, it was evident that the perception of theatre for children was far behind the times in post-conflict Northern Ireland. Funding and programming for children simply was not being prioritised and Cahoots was determined to change this!
In the years since, the company has developed a unique and distinctive performance style concentrating on combining the visual potential of theatre with the age-old popularity of magic and illusion.
Cahoots’ work spans a range of genres, from scripted theatre to non-verbal work, dance pieces, immersive experiences, musicals, circus and more.
We have written and produced our own original stories (Nivelli’s War, The Vanishing Elephant, When We Were Wild, The Grimm Hotel) and have adapted some of our favourite books for the stage (Under the Hawthorn Tree, Shh! We have a Plan, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, The Snail and the Whale).
Some of our productions were even inspired by our favourite (or least favourite!) subjects in school (Lights! Camera! Maths!; Danny Carmo’s Mathematical Mysteries; Secrets of Space; The University of Wonder & Imagination).
Outside of our work in theatres, we have performed in tents, in shop windows, in supermarkets, online, in hospitals, outdoors, Government buildings, in homes, in schools and in lots of other unexpected places!
Cahoots Around The World
Cahoots’ core audience is at home in Northern Ireland. Alongside this, the company continues to build a distinguished international reputation.
Cahoots showcases Northern Ireland as a region with a thriving arts industry and a skilled creative workforce and has performed by invitation in North America, South Korea, Malta, Japan, Germany, Norway and China.
In 2014, Cahoots presented its production Egg at the International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY) Showcase in Pittsburgh, which was subsequently picked up by one of North America’s most sought after booking agents, Holden and Arts Associates and an extended tour followed.
In response to the positive reception, Michael and Theresa Holden quickly expressed interest in developing the relationship and visited Belfast to discuss further opportunities for the international market. Holden and Arts Associates has been led by Spring Karlo, Stacy Meshbane and Sarah Saltwick since 2017 and we are very proud that international touring is now an established part of our annual programme.
Cahoots productions that have toured North America include The Vanishing Elephant (off-Broadway), Danny Carmo’s Mathematical Mysteries, Secrets of Space, The University of Wonder & Imagination, Nivelli’s War (off-Broadway), Egg, Lights! Camera! Math, Shh! We have a Plan (which has also toured China) and Penguins.
Volunteer With Us
We are building a team of Volunteers to work alongside us on upcoming exciting projects and we need YOU!
We are looking for people with a wide range of skills, whether you are a performer, an administrator or have amazing people skills, we want to hear from you! What’s important to us is that you are excited by creating world class, theatrical magic for young audiences and their families.
This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone that might want to dedicate some spare time to a registered charity, want a sneak peak behind the scenes of an international theatre company, learn some new skills or make some new friends and have a bit of fun!
If you would like to be contacted by us next time we are taking on Volunteers for an upcoming project, get in touch here and tell us a little about yourself!
“Take a child to the theatre so they can see, hear, feel, think and imagine”
