Creative Kildare teens jet off to Boston
Dante Sanchez and Addie pictured with Christy in Boston
Twelve students from Co Kildare were chosen to take part in the YouthINK Creative Mentorship Programme across the Atlantic in early August. It’s the second time the Irish-American non-profit has hosted a creative workshop for deserving teenagers in the United States.
Local teenagers Aaron Brownlee, Adelicia (Addie) Boakye Yiadom, Alfie Hendy, Caitlyn McGannon, Cate Rose Dunne, Clodagh Hendy, Emily Weadick, Eve Corrigan, Joe Moran, Killian Boakye Yiadom, Lee Healy Edmonds, Rory Moore and Sarah Cusack were flown to Boston.
Twenty-nine teens in total, aged between 13 and 19, met in the historic city from 6 to 8 August for an immersive theatre programme with a Salem Witch Trial/Puritan theme.
YouthINK founder Christy Cashman, an award-winning author and veteran actress, producer and director who owns Kilkea Castle in south Kildare, assembled an esteemed group from the entertainment industry to act as mentors and fuel the teens’ creativity.
Among those leading the workshops were star Alan Devine, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Academy Director Steve Maler, Producer Georgia Lyman and her team, Epiphany School Artistic Director A.B. Deleveaux, and Boston Casting founder Angela Peri.
The workshop began with a visit to historic Salem and the Peabody Essex Museum, followed by a private tour of the world-famous Boston Public Library’s Special Collections.
The following days revolved around mentored instruction on script writing, filmmaking, acting, casting, costume, hair, and set design. The YouthINK workshop culminated with a final performance at The Newbury Boston on 8 August.
Christy said one of the most fulfilling parts is to see the bonding and the friendships that happen.
“You know that some of them will be friends for life, it's not just in this moment. That's very rewarding and fulfilling,” she said. “And it's also kinda where the magic happens is in the relationships, because then that great feeling comes out in their performance in the end and you see it in its own way come through in the performance, their relationships, their bonds, their friendship.”
YouthINK ambassador Addie (19) was on the trip last year and returned in 2024 as one of the facilitators. She’s a student of the National Film School at Institute of Art Design + Technology Dún Laoghaire and has her eye on multi-cam live directing.
Addie, who lives between Maganey and Sallins, was joined this time by her brother Killian who she said is still talking about it “non-stop”.
Speaking about the highlights, she said the group trip they took to Salem was “really, really cool... for me it was just seeing everybody outside of their element enjoying something really, really cool and something new.”
Students were nominated to be a part of the sponsored programme by Christy and an esteemed group of supporters, including YouthINK Ireland’s creative directors Pàdraig J Dunne and Dr Mary O’Connor, The Epiphany School, Harvard Medical School’s MEDscience Programme, and Boston Casting.
Generous donors that made the event possible include The Newbury Boston, Boston Arts Academy, The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, The Irish Cultural Council, Liars & Believers, Boston City Cruises, Fabiana Marangon, and Law Offices of Sonja Selami.
