Re-Staging

Re-Staging is introducing sustainability to the world of Set Construction within Theatre and the Arts in Ireland. We will be providing the Irish Theatre and Entertainment Industry with an environmentally responsible circular alternative in place of its current use of landfill for unwanted Sets and Scenery which is fundamental to the current challenge of making Theatres sustainable. Stephen Bourke has been involved in Theatre and Events for the past 30 years in Dublin, in the UK and on many local and international tours. Having been a Performer, Stage Crew, Stage Manager, Production Manager, Audio Visual Technician, Lighting and Sound Technician and Set builder, Stephen realised the impact Theatre and Events were having on the environment. He was aghast and disheartened every time he saw a Set end up in a skip or that was rotting in a storage facility so he came up with the plan to try to eradicate such waste within the Industry through the sharing of knowledge and introducing sustainability. The benefits of this are that the carbon footprint of the company is reduced, by means of the reduction of waste, and also the reduction of virgin material in the construction of the Set. Theatre Sets and Staging have traditionally not been favourable to the environment or been sustainable. Sets are designed, constructed, brought to life by artistry, used for a production and are then either put into storage at a recurring cost to the theatre company (and historically not used again) or put in a skip generally ending up in landfill sites. This is where Re-Staging comes in. Our mission is to use sustainable, recyclable materials to construct Sets for Theatre companies. But it doesn’t stop there. We will also be responsible for (dismantling and) collection of the Set, returning it to our premises where the Set will be broken down and reused for other Sets and Productions where practical. This circular economy is imperative for the future of sustainability within Theatre.