Patchwork Productions

Friend of Dorothy: Rehearsed Reading
Saturday 30th May at 2.30pm
Upstairs at the MAC
Ticket link in bio

Seón Simpson is an award winning writer and director for theatre and one half of internationally acclaimed creative partnership SkelpieLimmer. She was the recipient of the Brian Friel Medal (2017) and the James Ellis Bursary for Directing (2018), and was a MAC Hatch artist (2020) within creative partnership SkelpieLimmer.

She was selected as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival, Irish Theatre Institute and Fishamble Duets programme (2021) under which she Co-wrote and directed Heave, a theatre/film hybrid. Two Fingers Up, won the Lustrum award (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022), the Abbey Theatre and Dublin Fringe Festival’s Creative Thinking Award (2019), Melbourne Tour Ready award (2022), and was shortlisted for Fishamble New Writing Award (2019).

Recent directing credits include SHAME SHOW and Scaredy Fat which integrated interactive AV with live theatre (SHAME SHOW-winner of First Fortnight award and Gothenburg Fringe’s Best in Fest, Scaredy Fat- winner of LET award).

Friend of Dorothy: Rehearsed Reading
Saturday 30th May 2026 at 2.30pm
Upstairs at the MAC
Ticket link in bio

Born and raised in Armagh, David Murphy is an actor, musician and director trained at The Musical Theatre Academy London.

Theatre credits include Snow White (Brassneck Theatre Company), The Pillowman (Lyric Theatre Belfast/Prime Cut) and Living Together (Boardwalk Theatre). He previously worked for five years as a lead vocalist on cruise ships and across Europe.

David recently directed Bingo by Anna McGrath as part of Page 2 Stage at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh.

Friend of Dorothy: Rehearsed Reading
Saturday 30th May at 2.30pm
Upstairs at the MAC
Ticket link in bio

Jack Watson is an Armagh born actor, trained at the Guildford School of Acting. Recent Stage Credits include: The Velveteen Rabbit & Mirrorball (Lyric Theatre Belfast), The Boy who kicked Pigs (Bruiser Theatre) The Night before Christmas, The Adventures of Red Riding Hood and Jack Frost (MAC theatre Belfast), Who Broke the moon (Smock Alley Dublin), Punk Rock (Granary Theatre Cork), One Saturday before the war (Sanctuary theatre Belfast) and Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment (The Scoop London) for which he was nominated for a Broadwayworld award (UK/West End).

TV and Film credits include: KNEECAP (BFI/Curzon), Game of Thrones (HBO), Torvill and Dean (ITV).

Gillian has written a beautiful story of a passionate collector, talented costumer and visionary - Kent Warner. An complex, imperfect, whirlwind of a man who was both loved and hated - often deservedly and simultaneously. This piece revolves around his chaotic life, tragic young death and a search for grace, self-acceptance and peace. Things that I believe Kent, and most of us, could do with every so often.

Friend of Dorothy: Rehearsed Reading
Saturday 30th May 2026 at 2.30pm
Upstairs at the MAC
Ticket link in bio

Conor is an actor and theatre maker based in Belfast. Conor’s previous work includes the role of Bud in Rose+Bud at the Edinburgh Fringe (2025) with The Edinburgh National Partnership, Belfast Boy (2026) at the Lyric Theatre and he is also a 2025 INVEST artist with Theatre and Dance NI. Conor is currently developing a new Theatre/Cabaret hybrid piece.

Q***r history holds countless untold stories lost to the AIDS crisis. Through Friend of Dorothy, Conor is proud to help share Kent’s story with new audiences.

Friend of Dorothy: Rehearsed Reading
Saturday 30th May at 2.30pm
Upstairs at the MAC
Ticket link in bio

Susan has recently played the roles of squealer and others in Animal Farm with Tinderbox at the MAC.

When asked what excited Susan about Friend of Dorothy, she said:

"The fact that people will get to know who Kent Warner was. I'm always here for a q***r story. What I love about Gillian's take is we get to follow him on an adventure in death to figure who he was."

Friend of Dorothy: Rehearsed Reading
Saturday 30th May 2026 at 2.30pm
Upstairs at the MAC
Ticket link in bio

Lucy Mcilwaine is an Actress and Singer born in Scotland and raised in Belfast. Lucy trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Musical Theatre, Since then she has worked professionally in TV and Theatre. These credits include Wee Geraldine in Derry Girls (Hat Trick Productions), Ella in Wastebusters (Lyric Theatre), Fairy Petal in Beauty & the Beast (GBL Productions), Female 1 in I Love You Mum, I Promise I Won’t Die (Ever Unique Productions), Patricia & Others in Mr Christmas: A New Musical (The Collaborative Creatives), Ensemble in Erainn: A New Irish Musical (Accidental Theatre), Featured Vocalist in Christmas at the Cathedral with Peter Corry & Rachel Tucker (Peter Corry Productions).

Lucy is excited to be involved in the creation of a new and expansive piece of work and exploring and learning about old Hollywood and the life of the fabulous Kent Warner.