Greetings Members new and old! This is a brief reminder here of what is happening in the world of acting, improvisation, drawing, creative writing, public speaking, meditation and vision board making over the next few months in Dublin’s fair city.

Get out of your comfort zone and learn great acting skills

Beginners Acting – 6 weeks – Thursday nights – kicks off Sept 5, 2019 More info

Develop your acting skills from Monologue work to Scenes Study and work with an acting partner

Acting Level 3 – 7 weeks – Thursday nights – kicks off Sept 5, 2019 More info

Hone those improvisation skills you’ve picked up

Friday Night Improv – resumes Friday, Sept 6, 2019 – every two weeks only More info

Up your game in group settings. Be your own advocate, build confidence and put yourself out there

Public Speaking – 6 weeks – Tuesday nights – kicks off Sept 24, 2019 More info

Dust off those daydreams and get them on the page

Creative Writing – 6 weeks – Tuesday nights – kicks off Sept 24, 2019 More info

Take yourself back to childhood creativity and learn to draw all over again

Pencil Drawing – 6 weeks – Tuesday nights – kicks off Sept 24, 2019 More info

Turn your wish-list into visuals and make it happen. Manifestation works!

The Power of Me – Make a Vision Board Workshop – Sunday, Sept, 29, 2019 – More info

We will also be hosting some fun showcases in The International Bar on Wicklow Street
DRAMATIC SCENES from Level 3 class: Thursday, October 17th at 7pm
MONOLOGUE SHOWCASE from Level 2 class: Thursday, December 5th at 7pm

Please, please contact us via email if you are interested to know more about any of our events or courses. actthemaggot@gmail.com

In association with the International Bar
You are cordially invited
ACT THE MAGGOT PRESENTS
a comedy performance
PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Starring: Marijke Auwers, Daniela Celani, Joanne Haugh, Peter Stone and Aaron Sullivan.
Writing team
Katie Daffy, Alan Drennan, Joanne Haugh, Shane Lynam, Heather Morgan, Peter Stone and Ronan Treanor.

Wednesday, June 26
– 7pm SHARP

Upstairs, The International Bar,
Wicklow Street, Dublin
– please arrive at 6.50pm to be seated.
Limited seats. (€7 suggested donation)

What is Mindfulness?

There is a lot of talk these days about mindfulness. Firstly, what is mindfulness and how do we practice mindfulness? Mindfulness is two words broken down into one – Mindful Awareness becomes mindfulness. Being mindfully aware of what is happening in the present moment without getting caught up in it. It is believed that practicing mindfulness means you have to spend your time being in the ‘now’. Being in the ‘now’ is an abstract term and in reality it is impossible to be in the ‘now’. As soon as you are in the ‘now’ it is gone. You cannot grasp and hold on to the ‘now’. It is easier to practice being present during the day rather than spending too much time thinking about the past or planning the future. Obviously we need to think about the past so that we can learn from it and we need to plan the future. We are not monks sitting on the top of hill allowing events to unfold with no input into them. We are human beings and as such we need to learn from our past so that we can change our future.

What happens when we practise Mindfulness?

Practicing mindfulness allows us to respond to events as they unfold rather than react mindlessly. Our brains are muscles and as such they are pliable which means that with practice we can become more mindful of our days. There are a lot of different ways to practice mindfulness. Becoming aware of the breath in your body is one way.

How to get started with Mindfulness?

7/11 breathing is particularly effective and easy for starters. You breathe in for the count of 7 and out for the count of 11. You breathe deep into your diaphram, your belly should rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out. This practice is particularly beneficial to lower emotional arousal because the out breathe sends a signal to the brain that it is time to relax which switches on the parasympathetic nervous system. By practicing this technique we can allow the thoughts running through our head to come and go without getting caught up in them, as we count in for 7 and out for 11. It is not possible to stop our thoughts, even when we have been practicing mindfulness for a long time, as we have something like 60,000 thoughts a day. Mindfulness allows us to acknowledge these thoughts but not get caught up in them. We become more aware of the thoughts that are benefitting our wellbeing and the ones that are needlessly stressing us out. Mindfulness takes us out of the fight or flight mode that we so easily end up in when we are not mindfully aware of what is going on around us. When we practice mindfulness we can take back control of our lives in a relaxed, non-judgemental way so that we can live in full awareness of the life we are living.

If you’d like to join Anne Marie and Amy `at The Power Of Me and learn to meditate or reconnect with a fallen practise, email us at thepowerofmeweekend@gmail.com

Creative Writing Weekend Intensive – Dublin

Kick-start your writing habit with this fun, immersive and inspiring weekend with award-winning writer and tutor, Niall McArdle. Not everyone can make or get into our Tuesday night top-selling flaghship course –Beginners Creative Writing – consider joining us for this stimulating creative writing weekend where we will explore the many facets of writing. This Creative Writing Weekend course is perfect for curious beginners or those who would love to get back on their creativity saddle! Act The Maggot knows creativity – we’ve been at it nearly 10 years!

Who can take this Creative Writing Weekend Intensive?

People who ARE NOT based in Dublin and cannot attend our evening classes.
People who ARE based in Dublin and cannot attend our evening classes.
People who did Act The Maggot before and want a refresher.
Peiople who want to get out of their comfort zone.
People who like to write but haven’t in a while.
People who have NO experience in writing.
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ACT THE MAGGOT!!!

What are the dates for the creative writing weekend intensive?

Friday, March 27th, 2020 to Sunday, March 29th, 2020

What are the workshop hours for the creative writing weekend intensive?

Friday
7.30pm to 9.30pm followed by welcome drinks nearby.
Saturday
10.30am to 1pm – Lunch Break – 2pm to 4.30pm
Sunday
11am to 1.30pm

Where does it take place?

All sessions will take place in Chapterhouse Education, 73 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

I don’t know Dublin, where will I stay?

Get in touch with us and we can advise on neighbourhoods, transport, restaurants etc.

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the creative writing weekend intensive?

You must be over 18 or over 12 if accompanied by an adult.

How much does the creative writing weekend intensive cost?

€240.00 (or get your early bird ticket for just €180.00 if you book before Dec 15, 2019 (concessions available upon request)

What does this fee cover?

Entrance into all four sessions, Friday night, Sat morn & afternoon and Sunday morning.

How do I pay?

Contact us via email – actthemaggot@gmail.com – put Drawing Weekend in the subject line.

“For anyone giving a speech, a presentation, or talking in public, I would really recommend ‘Act The Maggot.’ Amy made it much much easier than I could ever have imagined. This course certainly made me feel a whole lot better and no longer do I have that sense of dread or fear.”

Is Public Speaking a necessity?

How many people do you know who fear Public Speaking? I know at least ten who are absolutely petrified at the thought of speaking in public. And they are good friends who have confided in me. A lot of people orchestrate their personal lives and especially their work lives to avoid having to speak in public but nowadays this is becoming more and more difficult. Many jobs require some element of Public Speaking. It does not always mean literally getting up and giving a speech. It can be presenting the quarterly accounts, chairing a discussion, speaking up at meetings.

Is it time to tackle your Glossophobia?

Glossophobia is speech anxiety or fear of speaking in public. Did you know that it has been estimated that 75% of all people experience some degree of anxiety/nervousness when it comes to public speaking. If untreated, public speaking anxiety can lead to serious detrimental effects on one’s quality of life, career goals and other areas. For example, educational goals requiring public speaking might be left unaccomplished. However, not all persons with public speaking anxiety are necessarily unable to achieve work goals, though this disorder becomes problematic when it prevents an individual from attaining or pursuing a goal they might otherwise have – were it not for their anxiety. Read this Forbes magazine article about Public Speaking.

What can you do if you are afraid of Public Speaking?

Face your fear and do it anyway! It feels wonderful to set yourself a challenge and see it through. It gets easier with time and the right preparation. The right preparation being key. Take a course. it doesn’t have to be a Masters. It doesn’t have to happen over months and months. And it does not have to be all serious. Take a short evening class. There are lots of options. With us, after six two-hour sessions with others in a group you will improve hugely and be in a much stronger position. And we take a light approach to learning. We are serious about the learning but we like it to be fun and interesting. Our Public Speaking course runs twice a year only. The next one runs from 7.30pm to 9.30pm on Tuesday nights from May 21 to June 25, 2019. Price €240. Please email us for more details or to secure your place. actthemaggot@gmail.com To read more about our class take a look at our Effective Public Speaking page. We look forward to seeing you in class!