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Our Tutors

Susan Goodwillie – Creative Director

Susan Goodwillie is an accomplished creative leader with a diverse international career spanning arts management, theatre, community engagement, and advocacy. Currently serving as Creative Director at West End House School of Arts (since September 2025), she brings strong artistic vision and interactive creative direction to the school’s programming.

Previously, she was General Manager at Teac Damsa (Mar 2024 – Sep 2025), where she oversaw operations and helped shape strategic direction. Before that, she spent nearly five years with Houses on the Moon Theater Company in New York City — first as Community Outreach Liaison & Development Associate (2020‑2023), then as Managing Director (2023‑2024) — roles in which she honed her skills in leadership, fundraising, community arts partnerships, and organizational growth.

Susan has also worked on strategic consulting and campaign roles in both the U.S. and Tanzania, with planned projects for social justice and public health, bringing an interdisciplinary perspective to her work in the arts. She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Hunter College (Community Organization & Mental Health) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Musical Theatre from Carnegie Mellon University, blending creative, social, and managerial expertise to lead with both heart and impact.

Jessica Leen

Jessica Leen is the Creative Director of West End House School of Arts, Killarney. She is a screenwriter, actor and award winning filmmaker. Jessica has a background in theatre and film having trained at The Gaiety School of Acting. She has an MA in Screenwriting for Film and Television from IADT National Film School. Her second short film Not My Sister recently won Best in Kerry in its category for ‘Kerry Connection’ at the Kerry International Film Festival (2022), it won Best In Cork at the prestigious Fastnet Film Festival, and Jessica also won an award with this film for Best Actor at the Kino London Film Festival. Not My Sister premiered at Galway International Film Fleadh 2022, as well as screening at Cork International Film Festival and the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival in LA.

In theatre, Jessica’s plays have featured at Listowel Writers week as well as in theatres around the country including Smock Alley Theatre, Theatre Upstairs Dublin, and Cork Arts Theatre. She has been producing her own work, as well as teaching and running drama workshops, since 2017. In education Jessica has also facilitated Shakespeare workshops in Irish Secondary schools for Junior and Leaving Cert Programmes, as well as Drama classes. She has also facilitated playwriting and Filmmaking workshops. Jessica began her role as Creative Director at West End House School of Arts in January 2023. Having being mentored by her late uncle Donie Courtney for nearly eight years, Jessica’s vision for the school is to continue that of her uncle’s; to build the self-confidence and well- being of young people, and to grow a supportive artistic community in Kerry for everyone to explore the Arts.

Jessica is well versed in the corporate and communications world having graduated with a BA in Journalism & New Media from University of Limerick in 2015. She worked as a freelance journalist and has had her work published in The Irish Times and Irish Independent. Jessica worked as a Radio News Broadcaster for Corks 96fm & C103fm for almost 3 years. Her passion for the arts and media is ever present and intertwined in her working life as Creative Director of West End House.

Charlie Hughes

Our Head Tutor Charlie Hughes has been an actor and a facilitator for the past 25 years. He admits to having lived three lives so far: first as an electrician, then a soccer player and presently an actor. Charlie is a graduate of the full-time course at The Gaiety School of Acting. To date some of his stage credits include – the world premiere of “The Shawshank Redemption” followed by “Borstal Boy” both at the Gaiety Theatre. “Pygmalion” at the Abbey Theatre, “Who by Fire” at the Olympia, “Waiting for Godot” at Smock Alley Theatre with an international performance in Brazil, national and international tours with “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man”. His one man show “Iscariot”, has toured globally, and was awarded a Distinction at the Moldovan International Theatre Festival.

Charlie’s TV/Film credits include – “Fair city”, “RedRock”, “Three Wise Women” and “Bad Days”.

As a facilitator, Charlie has worked with the youth of the Irish Stammers Association, creating and devising performance pieces based on their unique experience and perception of the world around them.

He has also worked with:- The Law Society of Ireland, Irish Water, U.C.D, Accenture, A.I.B, Bank of Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin Bus etc.

Through the Gaiety School of Acting, Charlie has performed in almost all of their “Shakespeare for Schools” program, with the lead roles in “King Lear”, “Hamlet”, “ Macbeth”, “Merchant of Venice” and “Romeo and Juliet”. Through this program he has facilitated workshops in schools all over the country, both junior and leaving cert level.

Christiane Reicke

Christiane Reicke is an actor and filmmaker from Cork with over 20 years of training. She began her training in speech and drama at CSM, Cork. After her training she joined CSM and Activate Youth Theatres. Her theatre credits include the role of Mary in ‘Last First’ at Stockwell Playhouse Theatre in London, and the Role of Isabella in ‘Cosy’ directed by Phillip Zarilli at the Cork Midsummer Festival.

Following her theatre training, Christiane went on to train in screen acting at Bow Street Academy’s Full Time Programme where she trained with industry professionals including Shimmy Marcus, Maureen Hughes, Gerry Grennell, John Carney and Jim Sheridan. While training at Bow Street she was cast in Jim Sheridan’s ‘The Secret Scripture.’ Since leaving Bow Street she has acted in feature films, short films, commercials, and music videos. In 2023 she was cast in a commercial for Keogh’s, she played a leading role as a boxer in the indie feature ‘Swing Bout’ as well as lead role in ‘Conveyance’ by Gemma Creagh, all due for release this year released this year.

She also trained in Filmmaking at the Met Film School, London and has worked on on production’s such as ‘Maxine’ ,’The Wonder’ ‘Disenchanted’, as we’ll as series for RTE and many commercials.

Although Christiane would say her most challenging yet rewarding teaching job to date was teaching her Granny to text, she’s enjoyed working with actors, teaching screen acting at workshops and University College Cork.

Christiane Reicke teaches on our school curriculum classes, as well as being our Screen Acting Tutor for both Adults and Teens. Christiane also delivers film & screen workshops to our international students.

Jessica Plunkett

Jessica studied Theatre Studies & Acting Practises with Colàiste Dhulaigh Dublin, An Advanced Theatre course with the Gaiety School of Acting and also Acting for Camera in Bow Street. She has also studied Commedia dell’ arte. and done numerous Shakesperian workshops. Jessica has performed a one woman show “Exposure” in The Ireland Institute, Dublin, Scartaglen Heritage Centre in Kerry, and at West End House School of Arts. She loves experimental theatre and has studied/performed with The “Double Edge Theatre company” in Massachusetts. Her Theatre credits include Jane Austin’s “Emma”, “Trassie Conlee” in Sharon’s Grave and “Slippery Helen” in “The Cripple of Inishmaan. Jessica also has a Diploma in Speech and Diploma with The London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts. Jessica has taken part in numerous commercials for RTE kids junior and only recently for Cara Credit Union.

Jessica’s most recent collaboration was with New York Theatre Company, Houses on the Moon.

Jessica Plunkett teaches on our school curriculum classes, as well as ‘Introduction to Acting – for Primary School ages’ and ‘Youth Theatre Workshop’ for juniors and for teens!