About Us - Our Team
Pamela Hughes
M.A. F.I.B.S.D. L.I.B.S.D. (First Hons) L.L.S.M.D. (First Hons) A.L.C.M.
I.A.C.A.T. (Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists)
Pamela Hughes runs a highly successful Performing Arts School which was established in Foxrock, Co Dublin in 1988. Pamela has been involved in performing arts all her life, she attended drama classes from the tender age of 3 and thus the story began! Pamela was a member of Irish Actors Equity for many years and tread the boards both on stage and screen.
Pamela studied in the Royal Irish Academy of Music & Drama with the well-known Irish actress Aileen Harte and then went on to secure her diploma with the London College of Music in 1988. She attended the Gaiety School of Acting in their inaugural year under the tuition of the renowned Director Joe Dowling & Actor Pat Laffan. She then attended the Leinster School of Music & Drama and was awarded her Licentiate Teaching Diploma. Pamela also has a First Hons Licentiate Teaching Diploma & Fellowship from the Irish Board of Speech & Drama. She worked in the ‘Acting Academy’ Dublin teaching adult acting classes and directing numerous productions for them, she also worked as a make-up artist in the Olympia, Gaiety and Abbey theatre.
Pamela started working as a casting agent in the early 1990s and the ‘Take2 Agency’ is well respected & received within the industry. The agency specialises in young artists, from babies to 25 years approx. The Agency is now run as a commercial Acting Agency by her daughter Shauna Griffith.
Pamela is a long-time member of the ‘Speech & Drama Teachers of Ireland Association’ having served on the board for 5 years. She was the inaugural Chairperson for the PAEI, Performing Arts Educators of Ireland which is an advocacy and support group supporting all those working in Performing Arts including Stage, Music, Dance, Singing schools etc.
Pamela went on to do a Masters in Dramatherapy in NUI Maynooth & qualified with a 1.1 in 2018 and is a member of I.A.C.A.T (Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists). “As a trained Dramatherapist, I see my students through a renewed lens which gives me further insight to each child as well as a heightened sense of empathy and understanding”.
Pamela adjudicates at various Drama & Musical Theatre Festivals throughout Ireland, is a senior examiner for the Irish Board of Speech & Drama, and is a Creative Arts Therapist in private practice specialising in children, teenagers & young adults.
Shauna Griffith
BSc., L.I.B.S.D.,(Teaching Dip, Hons) A.I.B.S.D. (Teaching Dip, Hons,) A.I.B.S.D. (Acting Diploma, Hons).
Shauna landed her first film role at the age of 5 playing a leading role in short film ‘Pluck’ directed by Nessa Hardiman. She also played ‘Jenny’ in the RTE Drama ‘Amber’ directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan, Chloe in ‘Dreamhouse’ project directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Saoirse Ronan, as well as being cast in the feature Film ‘Life’s a Breeze’, directed by Lance Daly, and various TV commercials.
Having grown up in a ‘Dramatic’ family Shauna has been involved in Drama, Acting & Musical Theatre from a very young age. She attended Drama classes for 15 years in Take2 & has a Distinction/Medal awards in her Proficiency Grades in both Speech & Drama & Public Speaking.
Some of Shauna’s students have landed roles in Game of Thrones, Esso Campaigns, the new Aldi TV and radio commercial, Valhalla, Riverdance, the Animated Short; among many others!
Shauna is very experienced in the audition circuit and understands how to prepare young people to feel confident going into auditions. She has worked with clients in the US, Canada, the UK & Ireland to improve their acting for camera skills.
Some of Shauna’s students have landed roles in Game of Thrones, Esso Campaigns, the new Aldi TV and radio commercial, Valhalla, Riverdance, the Animated Short; among many others!
Shauna is currently a casting Director, SG Casting is known for casting numerous TV commercials, short films, TV shows and Feature Films.
Sophie Griffith
B Ed (Bachelor in Education, Primary School Teacher) A.I.B.S.D. (Teaching Dip, Hons) L.I.B.S.D Teaching Diploma (First Class Honours)
Having grown up surrounded by ‘Drama’ Sophie has been involved in Dance, Drama & Musical Theatre from a very young age. Sophie entered her first Feis aged just 3 years and was awarded a Gold Medal, she went on to win many awards over the years in Drama & Musical Theatre. Sophie took Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary & Aerial classes for many years & continues to attend Aerial Silk classes.
Sophie appeared in a number of TV Commercials from a young age, featuring in commercials for ‘Suzuki Cars, Douglas Newman Good, SuperValu and many more. Sophie teaches Dance & Drama in our ‘Little Stars’ classes on Saturday mornings for our junior Musical Theatre students as well as teaching Drama & ‘Show Class’ to our Musical Theatre students.
Sophie is a Primary school teacher currently working in a local school.
Eimear McKenna
Eimear has grown up in the dramatic sphere, as she has been involved in Speech and Drama and Musical Theatre from the tender age of three. Eimear is also a past student of Take2, has partaken in various Speech and Drama classes, as well as Senior Musical Theatre. Within Take2, she was awarded many acclamations in her drama exams as she achieved distinctions throughout the years and first-class honours in her final stage examinations. Eimear also showcased her talent and love of theatre by partaking in the Annual Speech and Drama Feis and by landing lead roles in the Take2 musicals.
With a passion for teaching at her core, Eimear decided to continue her journey with the dramatic arts by completing a Diploma of Teaching in Speech and Drama. This has enabled Eimear to teach in various schools in Drama and Musical Theatre for the past five years. Eimear’s students have consistently attained honours in their Speech and Drama examinations, whilst recent students have also been awarded first place positions in the Annual Speech and Drama Feis.
Eimear is also a Secondary school teacher and teaches English, History and Classical Studies. Not only have these subjects heightened her passion and understanding of the performing arts but have also enhanced her teaching methodologies within the Drama classroom, as Drama compliments the above subject matter.
Alan McGrath
We are thrilled to welcome Alan to our Take2 team, he comes with a wealth of experience, energy & enthusiasm!
Alan has appeared in numerous films & TV shows including Disney’s Disenchanted (Dance Captain) directed by Adam Shankman, Disney’s Epic Pilot, EMA’s MTV Awards, Gone music video by James Vincent McMorrow (Choreographer), Eurovision 2018, Eurovision 2013, ITV This Morning with Jedward, The Voice of Ireland, Ireland’s Got Talent, Penny Dreadful, The Tudors, Vikings, Little Women, My Super Sweet 16 MTV, Ireland Am Guest Choreographer, Don’t Tell The Bride (Choreographer). Window Pain Music Video starring Gemma Leah Devereaux (Choreographer) High & Low Music Video Gemma Hayes (Choreographer)
Alan’s Theatre credits include Singin’ in the Rain – Cork Opera House, Grease – Gaiety Theatre, Pirates of Penzance – Helix Theatre, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty – The Irish Ballet School (Helix Theatre), Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin (Dance Captain & Assistant Choreographer), Late Late Toy Show, Hairspray, Back To The 80s, Grease (Director/Choreographer) Sutton Park, 2FM Promo Shoot – RTE (Choreographer), The Golden Era – Mansion House, Tribute to Earl Gill – Gaiety Theatre, IFTA Awards
Alan has performed with artists as varied as Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Jessie J, Selena Gomez, Tao Cruiz and Florida at Odyssey Arena, London Beat, Ace of Base at 3 Arena and was part of the support act for the Westlife Farewell Tour.
Music Video Credits; Window Pain starring Gemma Lee Deveraux , James Vincent McMorrow – Gone, Jedward – Bad Behaviour
Tours/Production; Celtic Woman Voice of Angels, Celtic Woman Homecoming (PBS and Fox News), Dublin’s Irish Cabaret, Westlife Farewell Tour, Jedward (Bad Behaviour and Carnival Tours). Irish Dreams Germany, Assistant to Heather Morris (Glee) & Kobi Rozenfeld at international dance Workshops. Wicked Adventures at Tayto Park Director/Choreographer, Santa’s Grotto RDS Choreographer.
Aifric O’Donnell
A.I.B.S.D. (Teaching Diploma, Hons). Diploma in Acting & Theatre Studies (The Lir Academy, Trinity College Dublin). Identity School of Acting (London).
Aifric is no stranger to Take2 having attended Drama & Musical Theatre classes with us for many years. Aifric was awarded first honours & distinctions in all her grade exams as well as many medals and awards at the Annual Speech & Drama Feis. She had multiple lead acting, singing & dancing roles in our end of year Take2 musicals.
Aifric landed her first screen role aged 13 in ‘Game of Thrones’ playing ‘Aya’ in season 5. Other roles include; The Granddaughter in a series of Vodafone commercials, ‘Eva’ in Miss Mogul (children’s mini-series, RTE) ‘Moth’ Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Lir Academy 2021. ‘Róisin’ in Frustrated and Uneducated, Smock Alley Theatre 2022 – written by herself.
Aifric is also an Acting Coach at Take2 Online Acting School & enjoys writing.
Aifric is back with us after completing her acting course in London. She is delighted to return to the students at Take2 and pass on everything she has learned. Aifric values and includes spontaneity, naturalism and of course fun in her teaching.
Caoimhe O'Toole
At college Caoimhe has performed many times at Live & Lyrical gigs as well as original music at The Grand Social, The Soundhouse and Workmans Cellar.
Caoimhe hopes to provide a welcoming and nurturing environment to learn each week, and a safe place for the students to develop their technique through Dance Crew and all other lessons.
Zoe Hammond
Zoe has enjoyed Drama and Musical Theatre from a young age, from her first role in an Electric Ireland Advert in 2014 and many years in Stage Coach to then being a part of Take2. Despite joining Take2 relatively late aged 13, she felt immediately welcomed into the Take2 family and has participated in Drama and Musical Theatre Classes throughout her time here, having performed well in all her Drama exams with The Irish Board of Speech & Drama as well as numerous Feis competitions. She was awarded a distinction in her proficiency grade last year and is now planning to sit her Acting Diploma exam in the coming weeks. Zoe has also achieved her Senior Certificate in Musical Theatre and Popular Singing with the Royal Irish Academy of Music after completing her grade VIII exam and performed ‘Shallow’ with the Kingston Academy of Music on the Main Stage at PERFORM Ireland 2019.
She is currently in her first year at Trinity College Dublin where she is an active member of the Trinity Players, having had the pleasure of performing two main roles in their Players Introductory Programme earlier this year. She has also cultivated her love of musical theatre here at Take2 having performed in our Take 2 shows, most recently last year’s Glee Whiz’ with the Senior Drama Class as well as Holy Child Killiney’s ‘The Show Must Go On’ in 2022 as Corny Collins and other various performances.
After creating many memories through the years at Take2, Zoe has loved continuing her journey here as an Assistant Drama Teacher. She hopes to create a welcoming and fun environment for her students to explore their passion for Drama while supporting them in building confidence in their performance skills.
Anna Kearney
Anna was a student for many years in Take2. She played nemerous roles over the years, her most memorable being Elphaba in Wicked. In Take2 Anna developed a deep love for musical theatre and was lucky to have been cast in several productions over the years. her most recent role was playing Rapunzel in the Liberty Panto during Christmas 2023.
Some of her other roles include Sandy in Grease, Aladdin, Cosette in Les Misérables, and Scaramouche in We Will Rock You. She also portrayed Mrs. Lovett in the Blackrock College production of Sweeney Todd in October 2023.
Anna has performed on some incredible stages, including the National Concert Hall in Dublin as Annie in Annie (2017), in the Christmas production of The Wizard of Oz (2018) as part of Festival Productions, and alongside Rebecca Storm as the young ‘Evita’ in July 2022.
One of the most memorable moments in her career was representing Ireland at the Junior Eurovision in Gliwice, Poland, on November 24, 2019.
A few days later, on November 29, 2019, she performed as Elsa from Frozen in the opening scene of The Late Late Toy Show.
Caroline O'Boyle
B.A. L.I.B.S.D. (Teaching, Hons) A.I.B.S.D. (Teaching Diploma, Hons)
Caroline teaches Drama & Theatre Skills to our Musical Theatre students on Saturdays.
Caroline began Speech and Drama at the age of 7 at the Betty Ann Norton Theatre School. During her years there she completed her grades with the Guildhall School of Speech and Drama and won numerous medals at Feis Mathew. She also appeared from a young age on stage and screen with a major part in a play at the Peacock Theatre, The Duty Master, and in two Irish films The Snapper by Roddy Doyle and Conor McPherson’s Saltwater. Caroline then went on to study at Colaiste Dhulaigh and she completed a 3-year course in Theatre Studies gaining a BTEC Diploma. During her time there, as well as performance, she gained much experience in all aspects of Theatre, including production, directing, lighting, makeup, and costume design. She went on to study for another 3 years at Manchester Metropolitan University where she was awarded a BA Honours degree in Acting.
Caroline has a keen interest in teaching all aspects of speech and drama and lately, in particular, the use of masks as a teaching tool which was the subject of her Licentiate dissertation.
Caroline works in a Day Centre which supports young adults with intellectual disabilities. Performing Arts is a popular activity within the centre.