About Us

City Theatre Dublin (formally The Machine Theatre Company) was founded in 1984 in Dublin.

In 2024 we celebrate 40 years of production and activity...

The Company tours nationally and internationally and  develops projects across a number of media, including Theatre, Film, Radio, Digital Media

and Live Music.

The Company has been involved in the development of a number of live performance venues in Dublin since its inception, including bringing live performances back to the Ambassador Theatre Dublin (formally the Rotunda Rooms), creating The RHA Downstairs at the RHA Gallery Dublin and SFX CITY THEATRE at the old St. Francis's Xavier Hall in Dublin.

In 1985 the company began to tour some of its productions nationally and internationally to Festivals, Avignon, Edinburgh most notably, and has performed in London, Wales, Scotland, USA and "off Broadway" on several occasions.

The Company performs in every county on the island of Ireland, in a variety of venues depending on production size,  suitability and technical needs.

We are your local professional theatre company on your doorstep...

Productions include Sisters(Dublin, Edinburgh, Colorado , Off Broadway) , The Hostage (Dublin) , The Matchmaker (Dublin, Scotland, UK, Off Broadway), The Field (Dublin & National Tour) , The Vagina Monologues( Dublin & National Tour), and The Cuchulain Cycle, (Dublin & London)

From 2004 the company created a number of productions for young audiences,  including THE SNOWMAN (with a 12 piece live orchestra) and ten  highly acclaimed Christmas Shows for children, written by Eurovision Song Contest winner Shay Healy and Theatre Director Michael Scott.

Since it began touring John B. Keane's The Matchmaker in 2001, City Theatre Dublin has grown into one of the the largest providers of touring theatre productions in Ireland. In 2023 we collaborated with Mercier Press to create an audio book of Author John B. Keane reading his own Christmas Stories - rescued by Michael Scott from an old tape.

City Theatre continues to develop and investigate new models of touring.and production in all media, providing work, ranging from mainstream audience pullers to boundary pushing community arts participatory theatre.

A number of international performers have worked with us from time to time including:

Anna Manahan, Cyril Cusack, David Soul,  Michael Praed,

Rebecca Storm, Mick Lally, John Barroman, Mary McEvoy, David Kernan,

Alex Sharpe, Niall Tobin, Dolores Keane, Amanda Byrom, Ann Charleston, Fenella Fielding, Gerry Hall, David Kelly, Dillie Keane, Lorna Luft, Mary Miller, Sally Lndsay, Millicent Martin, Mary Miller, Mary McEvoy, Milo O'Shea,  Gabriel Reidy, Nicholas Folwell, Clelia Murphy, Dave Willets, Cathy Tyson.