ITW Team & Teachers

Meet our Team & Teachers at ITW

Our team at ITW brings together experienced teachers across dance, drama, singing and musical theatre. Each member of the team plays an important role in helping students develop their skills, confidence and love of the performing arts.

Heads of Department

Gillian Oman

Director & Founder

Gillian originally trained at Redroofs Theatre School in the UK and went on to work extensively as an actress before starting the school in 1993. Gillian’s credits include Starting Out-Channel 4, The Clinic -RTE, Collision Course – BBC, Crimewatch UK – BBC, and the feature films An Awfully Big Adventure and Michael Collins but she is probably best known here for her role in Fair City as Caroline Clancy,on RTE.
Gillianteaches Speech & Drama in ITW preparing students for their Leinster School of Music & Drama Exams and Certificates, both privately and in small groups. Her students continually achieve excellent results and she is very proud that the overall LSM&D Excellence Award Winner 2008 Maurice Wright, 2009 winner Alan Kavanagh (now better known as comedian Al Porter) and 2014 winner Martha Breen were all students of hers.
Many of her students have been accepted into the top Drama Colleges including LAMDA, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Trinity LIR (ITW have the highest success rate of graduates being accepted to the LIR), New York Film Academy, Central School of Speech & Drama, DIT and Arts Ed (London). Gillian’s Film Production students have won top awards in Film Festivals at home and abroad.
Gillian has directed, written and produced over100 shows including the ITW Musical Theatre end of year shows and productions for primary and secondarySchools She also directs the ITW Junior Shakespeare Company productions each year for the Schools Shakespeare Festival in Belfast. Having founded the Independent Youth Theatre in 1995 and Young Dramatic Arts Theatre Company in 2011 and directed several productions for them she is now happy (and very proud) to pass the baton on to ITW graduates. These graduates, having beentrained by Gillian and who are now working professionally as directors, writers and producers in turnbring their experience to the current members. Gillian’s career in Film and Television spans the last 25 years and includes extensive experience acting, casting, crewing, directing, producing and editing. She is also one of the foremost talent agents in Ireland, providing young actors for TV, stage and screen, resulting in her students having appeared in almost every major theatre production & film made in Ireland in the past 23 years.
Her main role however is to shape and nurture the talent of the fantastic young performers entrusted to her care. As well as teaching, she enjoys running the Independent Theatre Workshop on a day to day basis – continuously coming up with new and exciting challenges for the students and always striving to give them the best experience possible.

Jordan

ITW Head of Dance

Jordan is a graduate of ITW and Trinity College Dublin (BA Drama & Theatre Studies) with extensive training in dance (PBT) and theatre, including summers at Walnut Hill School for the Arts.
She has performed on stage, on television (Dani’s Castle, BBC), and in Hallmark films, and continues to work internationally through dance workshops and creative projects.

Cian

Office Manager

Cian Hoyne is an Actor, Voice Actor and Musician who has worked in the industry for nearly 10 years across film, TV and Theatre including Vikings: Valhalla, King Lear, AMC’s Sanctuary, Murder in C Sharp and Eight. Having trained in both The Gaeity School of Acting and The Conservatoire of Music & Drama in TUD, Cian has a passion for performance and creativity and nurturing that same passion in every student he meets & works with.

Gerald The Fish

Robot Fish / Office Mascot

…Blub blurble, blub blub blub. Splish splash TUD, bloop bloop blub. RADA splash bloop splish. Swish swash splish splash - bloop bloop bloop..!!

Dance Teachers at ITW

Jordan

ITW Head of Dance

Jordan is a graduate of ITW and Trinity College Dublin (BA Drama & Theatre Studies) with extensive training in dance (PBT) and theatre, including summers at Walnut Hill School for the Arts.
She has performed on stage, on television (Dani’s Castle, BBC), and in Hallmark films, and continues to work internationally through dance workshops and creative projects.

Abbie

and was a Miss Abby Lee Miller ambassador during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Abbie began her dance journey at age 10 with lyrical competitions at WLDF and trained at the College of Dance, earning a foundation level qualification. She holds a Grade 6 in Acting (London College of Music) and completed Levels 5 and 6 in dance with distinction at Inchicore College, trained in RAD ballet and ISTD modern.

Aidan

He has performed internationally, including at the WHO 75th Anniversary in Geneva, with Scottish Ballet Youth Exchange, and in collaborative works with Move [NYC]. Recently, Aidan danced at the UEFA Europa League Final Opening Ceremony and in Synthetic Pleasure. He brings his extensive performance experience to inspire and guide students in every class.

Sarah

attended a scholarship program at Vienna’s Impulstanz Festival. Sarah holds distinctions in RAD and ISTD dance teaching and is a qualified fitness instructor. She also works professionally as a make-up artist for stage and performance. Passionate about inclusivity, Sarah creates fun, supportive classes where students of all ages can explore and enjoy dance.

Jade

ballroom champion, and tours Asia with famous artists. She has also performed in the Gaiety pantos. Passionate about dance as a form of self-expression, Jade creates a fun, safe space for everyone to learn.

Sacha

in Choreography, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Cape Town. A specialist in Dance and Choreography for Further Education, Sacha is registered with The Teaching Council of Ireland and trained in Dullard’s Creative Classroom. She has served as Head of Dance at ITW, worked as an entertainment production manager, and is a performing arts consultant. Sacha’s accolades include Best Female Dancer at South Africa’s Dance Umbrella, and she has performed as an aerialist in major productions, while also serving as Honorary Patron for Silverleaf Performing Arts Association.

Alex

RTÉ’s Supercrew, Bollywood’s Ek Tha Tiger, Mrs. Brown’s Boys D’Movie, Vikings, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, Disney’s Disenchanted, and The Watchers. He has toured as a soloist in The Nutcracker and Michael Jackson: Man in the Mirror, appeared on Ireland’s Got Talent, and worked on campaigns for Red Bull, Apple, Heineken, Google, and Vodafone. Alex’s theatre and dance collaborations include CoisCéim (Orfeo ed Euridice, Palimpsest), ANU Productions (The Hardest of Women, Mosh), and festival performances in Dublin and Edinburgh. His short dance films have reached audiences in over 190 countries, and he previously served as Head of Dance at Phoenix.

Charley

a degree in Musical Theatre and has been teaching since 16, working in schools, stage schools, workshops, and summer programs across Ireland and the UK.
Her stage credits include Elsa in Frozen, Imelda Quirke in The Commitments, Electric Skate in SpongeBob the Musical, and numerous pantomimes at Olympia Theatre, Mourne Road, and Causeway Productions. On screen, she has appeared in Damo & Ivor, The Late Late Show, X Factor (as part of girlband FAE), Winx Fate Saga (Netflix), and was a finalist on RTÉ’s Last Singer Standing.
Charley has also worked behind the scenes in directing, choreography, musical direction, costuming, and casting, and has experience as a music practical examiner for Junior and Leaving Certificate exams.

Drama Teachers at ITW

Gillian

ITW Head of Drama

prepares students for top drama colleges, with a 100% success rate for auditions and interviews.
Gillian Oman founded ITW over 33 years ago, growing it into one of Ireland’s most respected theatre schools. Through ITW Management, her students have gone on to star in film, television, and theatre productions.
Gillian originally trained at Redroofs Theatre School in the UK and went on to work extensively as an actress before starting the school in 1993. Gillian’s credits include Starting Out-Channel 4, The Clinic -RTE, Collision Course – BBC, Crimewatch UK – BBC, and the feature films An Awfully Big Adventure and Michael Collins but she is probably best known here for her role in Fair City as Caroline Clancy,on RTE.
Gillianteaches Speech & Drama in ITW preparing students for their Leinster School of Music & Drama Exams and Certificates, both privately and in small groups. Her students continually achieve excellent results and she is very proud that the overall LSM&D Excellence Award Winner 2008 Maurice Wright, 2009 winner Alan Kavanagh (now better known as comedian Al Porter) and 2014 winner Martha Breen were all students of hers.
Many of her students have been accepted into the top Drama Colleges including LAMDA, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Trinity LIR (ITW have the highest success rate of graduates being accepted to the LIR), New York Film Academy, Central School of Speech & Drama, DIT and Arts Ed (London). Gillian’s Film Production students have won top awards in Film Festivals at home and abroad.
Gillian has directed, written and produced over100 shows including the ITW Musical Theatre end of year shows and productions for primary and secondarySchools She also directs the ITW Junior Shakespeare Company productions each year for the Schools Shakespeare Festival in Belfast. Having founded the Independent Youth Theatre in 1995 and Young Dramatic Arts Theatre Company in 2011 and directed several productions for them she is now happy (and very proud) to pass the baton on to ITW graduates. These graduates, having beentrained by Gillian and who are now working professionally as directors, writers and producers in turnbring their experience to the current members. Gillian’s career in Film and Television spans the last 25 years and includes extensive experience acting, casting, crewing, directing, producing and editing. She is also one of the foremost talent agents in Ireland, providing young actors for TV, stage and screen, resulting in her students having appeared in almost every major theatre production & film made in Ireland in the past 23 years.
Her main role however is to shape and nurture the talent of the fantastic young performers entrusted to her care. As well as teaching, she enjoys running the Independent Theatre Workshop on a day to day basis – continuously coming up with new and exciting challenges for the students and always striving to give them the best experience possible.

Joshua

productions including Cabaret and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He holds a BA in Animation and runs Turtle Street Films, creating children’s TV. As a teacher, he encourages creativity in storytelling, scriptwriting, and direction while making classes engaging and fun.

Sabrina Rose

She has performed in venues including the Samuel Beckett Theatre, The Civic, and The Pavilion. Currently studying Drama and Theatre at Trinity College Dublin, she is passionate about acting and writing. Sabrina-Rose is a fun and supportive teacher with a passion for confidence development.

Steven

roles include Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet and Van Helsing in Dracula. He has directed Talisman Theatre productions since 2011 and leads the educational show Bin It, promoting environmental awareness in schools.

Cian

and Emerald Language Schools. His work has been staged in venues such as Smock Alley and the New Theatre. Cian brings creativity and enthusiasm to his classes—and is known for his ever-growing collection of bow-ties.

Alicky

and appeared in film and TV, including Vikings. Alicky is also a qualified Special Effects Makeup Artist and trained in stage combat. She creates fun, collaborative classes focused on raw creativity through film projects and play writing.

Lily

their unique creative voice. Lily has experience leading youth workshops and working on new theatre development in Ireland and Australia. Their teaching is rooted in creative empathy and curiosity, and building creative courage.

Bláthnid

Irish-language voiceover on TG4. She brings current industry experience into her teaching, creating a fun, supportive space for creativity. Bláthnaid especially enjoys mime, improvisation, and teamwork-focused activities.

Laura Jane

productions including The Tudors and Amber. She teaches Creative Drama and Speech & Drama, helping students build confidence, creativity, and strong communication skills, drawing on her extensive stage and screen experience to make learning fun and inspiring.

Katie

Creative Drama and Speech & Drama, nurturing creativity, confidence, and instinct through improvisation, character work, and movement. Katie has extensive stage experience, including Merchant of Venice at the Mill Theatre Dundrum, and screen credits such as Going Dutch (HULU/Fox Comedy). She is also a keen writer and qualified Yoga teacher, bringing energy and versatility to her classes.

Kailey

theatre, and is a graduate of The Lir Academy (2024). Now based in Dublin, she continues to work in theatre, including new work at Dublin Fringe. Kailey creates energetic, inclusive classes where students feel safe to take creative risks.

Singing Teachers at ITW

Carla

South Pacific, performing on stage since age 12. Carla now teaches private singing lessons, inspiring young performers to explore music as a tool for creativity, self-expression, and joy. She offers inclusive and supportive classes with a focus on spreading her love of music with every student.

Cita

with a BA (Hons) in Drama (Performance) from D.I.T, she brings expert knowledge of voice, technique, and performance to every class. Over the years, her students have taken leading roles in productions like Annie, The Sound of Music, and the Gaiety Pantomime, with many going on to professional careers in acting, directing, producing, and songwriting.

Andrew

to find their voice and love for Musical Theatre. His experience includes productions at the Gate Theatre, Gaiety, and Olympia, working with talents like Killian Donnelly and Barry Keoghan, and performing in Sing Street, Handsome Devils, and international show choir competitions. Andrew is also developing his own original musical, showcased in the Scene + Heard Festival and workshopped in 2024. He brings energy and expertise, helping students grow in a fun-filled and supportive environment.