This is a paid mentorship programme funded by The Arts Council Arts Grant Funding 2024 presented by ISPD in partnership with The Everyman.

ISPD and The Everyman are delighted to announce that Jenny Whyte has been appointed Assistant Costume Designer for The Everyman’s upcoming production of GATMAN! a new play by Tadhg Hickey, directed by Sophie Motley. She will assist Catherine Fay in the creation of the Costume Design for this exciting production.

The team also includes composition and sound design by Brian Lane, lighting and set design by Stephen Dodd, and video design by Conan McIvor, plus the cast and the wider production team at The Everyman.

Our Open Call saw 21 applications of a really high standard, which made the final decision very difficult. We shortlisted five candidates for interview and, after thorough consideration, it was decided that Jenny would benefit the most from the programme. Thanks to all that put the time and effort into their applications.

About Jenny Whyte

"I am thrilled to have received this incredible opportunity from the Irish Society of Performance Designers.Catherine Fay is a brilliant costume designer whose body of work I truly admire. I am excited to assist Catherine and I am very grateful for her mentorship throughout the costume design process for The Everyman's production of GATMAN! Theatre can be a very fast-paced and intense working environment. As a consequence of this, we often forget that having space and time to be curious, to try something new, and to create without the fear of failing, is fundamental to an artist's development. Thank you to ISPD for not only recognising this but nurturing it through this mentorship programme."

Jenny Whyte is a performance designer and visual artist. She specialises in costume, set, prop and theatrical makeup design. She is also a theatre design lecturer at MTU Cork School of Music.

She is originally from Wicklow, where she studied Art, Craft and Design before moving to Cork to earn a BA Honours in Theatre and Drama Studies from MTU.

Jenny’s most recent productions include; Set Design for LIGHT FALLS (MTU Cork School of Music), Set & Costume Design for THE HARE (Once Off Productions. Originally developed with support from the Abbey Theatre and Cairde Sligo Arts Festival). Set, Costume & Prop design for BUILT ON BRIDGES (Helga Deasy Dance / Firkin Crane), Costume Design for CURA (Helga Deasy Dance / Firkin Crane), Prop Maker for MORRIGAN (Cork Opera House / Everyman), Scenic artist for THE WAKEFIRES (ANU Productions), Art Director/Set Designer for MEADOWLANDS (Netflix / Sandpaper Films), Costume Design for HUMANS: A ROBOT MUSICAL (Graffiti Theatre / Everyman) and Design Assistant for THE HEART OF A DOG (Everyman / Dublin Theatre Festival) which was nominated for an Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Costume Design in 2022.

Other credits include; Costume Design for EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON (MTU Cork School of Music), BLÁTHANNA (ScareFlowers) and TALL TAIL (ALSA Productions).

You can see Jenny’s portfolio here.