Emily DeDakis was born in the USA, completed an M.A. in English and a PhD in Creative Writing in Queen's University Belfast, and was awarded a BBC Performing Art Fund Fellowship to work and train full-time as a dramaturg with Accidental Theatre.
Her first full production this year see's the work of debut playwright Donal O'Hagan in theatre venues across Northern Ireland. O'Hagan's The Kitchen, the Bedroom and the Grave, which is a multimedia exploration of homecoming, brings brings candid insight to issues of family and identity in Northern Ireland. The play, which asks how far a person can author their own life cuts to the heart of core questions we face as individuals: nationality, sexuality, and responsibility for family.
Emily says “I’m bowled over that the BBC Performing Arts Fund has given me such a generous and thoughtful chance to develop new work. It's fantastic to be involved in work that is capable of bringing national issues to the local stage and engaging local people through the powerful medium of drama, especially given the concerns expressed about everyone accessing the arts.”
Here is Emily recounting her experiences of the fellowship so far...
