Our Team

Willie White

Artistic Director and Chief Executive

Willie White was appointed Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Dublin Theatre Festival in 2011. Previously, he worked at RTÉ, Ireland’s public service broadcaster, from 1998-2002 and was Artistic Director of Project Arts Centre, Dublin from 2002 to 2011.

Willie has been a member of the Culture, Recreation and Amenity SPC of Dublin City Council since 2010 and a Council member of Dublin Chamber of Commerce since 2015. He was a board member of IETM, an international performing arts network based in Brussels, for 7 years and its President from 2013-2017. In 2008 Willie was awarded the Jerome Hynes Clore Leadership Fellowship.

Originally from Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Willie now lives in Phibsboro with his family. He is an enthusiast for cycling, yoga and sea swimming. Is breá leis Gaeilge. Il parle français assez bien.

Maria Fleming

General Manager

Maria joined Dublin Theatre Festival in 2018 as General Manager. As Theatre Programmer at The Ark Maria curated the Family Season at Dublin Theatre Festival from 2012 to 2017. She was Special Events Co-ordinator in 2010 and 2011 where she particularly enjoyed hosting post show discussions. Maria has over 20 years' experience working as a general manager, producer, programmer and arts consultant with Ireland’s leading companies and theatre artists, including Barabbas, Druid Theatre Company, Hot For Theatre, Donal O’Kelly Productions and Irish Modern Dance Theatre. Maria is passionate about social justice and in 2017 travelled twice to the island of Chios in Greece to volunteer with refugee support group CESRT (Chios Eastern Shore Response Team).

Stephen McManus

Director of Programme and Production

Stephen spent the early part of his career as a freelance Lighting Designer working in Ireland and the UK. In 1998, he joined Riverdance’s Liffey Company, and as Stage Director and Company Manager, toured throughout Europe, Asia and Australasia. He has worked as a freelance Company Manager and Consultant Producer. He has been Director of Programme and Production at Dublin Theatre Festival since 2007. As Stage Director of the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics World Summer Games, Stephen gave the cue to light the Olympic Flame.

Richie O'Sullivan

Festival Administrator

Richie joined Dublin Theatre Festival in 2019 as Festival Administrator. He previously worked for the festival as Marketing and Development Assistant in 2017. Richie is also a freelance Producer. In 2018, Richie toured the world as Company Manager with Druid and has worked as a freelance Stage Manager since 2010 with many companies including Druid, The Abbey, The Gate, Rough Magic, and Fishamble. He graduated from UCD in 2017 with a Masters in Cultural Policy and Arts Management and, in his spare time, is a keen photographer.

Fiona Garvan

Development Executive

Fiona joined Dublin Theatre Festival in 2015 and currently works as Development Executive. As part of her role she completed the Business to Arts Fundraising Fellowship programme in 2019. Fiona holds a B.A.in Anthropology and Film and her professional experience includes various production roles in film festivals and freelance event planning positions in New York and Ireland. Fiona loves film, nature, yoga and cooking.

Derval Mellett

Marketing and Development Manager

Derval joined Dublin Theatre Festival in 2019 as Marketing & Development Manager. She was based in London for ten years after training as an actress in Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. In that decade she was Production Manager with Giudecca Productions, a founding member and casting director with The Faction as well as being part of their rep ensemble for many years. Since returning to Dublin five years ago, she established an award winning food business, Delish Melish. She is currently working her way through Irish Times ‘100 Best Places to Eat in Ireland’. Only forty four more to go.

Katie O'Byrne

Marketing Assistant

Katie joined Dublin Theatre Festival in 2020 as Marketing Assistant. She previously worked as Office Assistant for the festival and is a Next Stage alum. Katie is also a freelance theatre maker and performer. She graduated with an MA in Acting from the Institute of the Arts Barcelona in 2018. She is a founding member of international theatre company Rule of Three Collective. She previously worked as a development scientist in biopharmaceuticals and worked intermittently with the Serious Fun Network for a number of years. She is passionate about the intersection of science and art, has a degree in Neuroscience and really loves brains.

Sharon White

Audience Development and Sales Manager

Since graduating with a degree in Visual Arts Practice from IADT in 2008, Sharon has developed a professional arts practice with a particular emphasis on sculpture. She has exhibited her work throughout Ireland and internationally. More recently, Sharon has held a variety of roles for arts festivals and organisations including International Literature Festival Dublin, Dublin Chinese New Year Festival, Dublin International Film Festival and Project Arts Centre. She has been part of Dublin Theatre Festival’s seasonal box office team since 2017. In her spare time, Sharon enjoys cookery, reading and has a passion for yarn, enjoying crafts such as knitting and crochet.