Since graduating from The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Acting for Stage & Screen course, Connor Dorrian has developed a varied career as an actor, playwright and theatre facilitator, combining professional performance with creating new work and supporting young people through the arts.
Playwriting has become an important part of Connor’s developing practice. His play A Moving Still, a North East coming-of-age story following a young man drawn into drug dealing after his brother’s arrest, was originally written, directed and performed by Connor as part of his MA final major project, before being staged at Newcastle’s John Marley Centre. Following further development and redrafting, the play won Live Theatre’s Under-26 North East Playwriting Award in 2024, which came with a commission fee and the intention of a full staging at Live Theatre.
“Winning the Under 26 North East playwright award was a giant step in my career, opening many new doors while also giving me confidence to pursue my creative passion,” Connor has said.
Alongside developing A Moving Still, Connor has continued to create and collaborate on new projects, including BrainSoup Collective, a theatre company developed with fellow artists.
Connor’s career also extends into creative education and participation. He has worked as a theatre facilitator with Live Theatre’s Creative Young People’s Programme and Live Tales, and has continued this work with Sunderland Culture, using his experience as a performer and theatre-maker to engage young people through creative activity.
As an actor and facilitator, Connor has also toured professionally with Night-Light Theatre and the NSPCC’s It’s Not OK, performing and facilitating workshops for young audiences across the North East and North Yorkshire.
Connor’s writing has also extended beyond theatre, with his poetry selected for publication as part of New Writing North’s Scraps, a collection bringing together writing from young northern voices.
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