Gemma Whelan
Gemma Whelan is a founding member of Cerimon House, and serves on the Board [2009-2013]. She is a theatre director, author and professor, having appeared in the Cerimon House Salons James Agee: An American Son and Persuasion as well as creating and directing the annual poetry event Lifelines, which brings attention to the issue of hunger. Ms. Whelan’s most recent novel Fiona: Stolen Child has enjoyed an extensive book tour, and she is a guide for Literary Arts’ Delve program on the topic of Irish Theatre. Gemma has taught at numerous colleges and conservatories, and lives in the vibrant Hawthorne District within the beautiful city of Portland. Born in Ireland, she leads tours to Ireland and England.
Gemma was the founding Artistic Director of Wilde Irish Productions in the Bay Area where she directed The Importance Of Being Oscar (Dean Goodman Award for Direction), the U.S. Premiere of Ariel by Marina Carr, Eclipsed, and Beckett’s Endgame. Other favorites include: Last Summer at Bluefish Cove (Cable Car Nomination for Outstanding Achievement) and Vita and Virginia (both at Theatre Rhinoceros). She has served on the Portland Drammy Awards committee, and will be directing a new play Ithaka by Andrea Stolowitz at Artists Rep this May.
More on Gemma’s work at: www.fionastolenchild.com and www.gemmawhelan.com
The members of our Board of Directors and Creative & Resource Councils are citizens who, working collaboratively with Founder & Director Randall Stuart, help to create Cerimon House: A Sanctuary for the Humanities within our community. A 501(c)3 non profit public benefit organization, the annual programming, ceremonies and symposia are focused on the mission of exalting the Humanities. Based in Portland, Oregon we are community leaders, teachers, designers, business leaders, citizen activists, authors, philosophers, clergy, lawyers, architects, woodworkers, movement specialists, healers, puppeteers, poets, social workers and so much more.
