History

"Have imagination, will travel".

In 1974 the Young Abbey was disbanded chiefly because of finance;Dr Anne-Marie Quigg and Barbara MacNamara went on the following year to create TEAM. The name TEAM show’s the company’s roots: Theatre-in-Education Amharclann na Ministreach (the Irish language name for Abbey Theatre).

Under the direction of John Lynch this new phenomenon Theatre-in-Education (TIE) appeared on the theatre scene in Ireland. The company arrived into schools bearing a message for students: "Have imagination, will travel". By this the people behind the newly formed TEAM Educational Theatre Company - a group of actors and directors who had come together in the Young Abbey - meant not merely that they would physically bring shows to schools in whatever part of the country they were wanted, but that creatively they would use theatre as a vehicle for transporting the students to wherever their imaginations should lead them. This determination to explore the world from a child's point of view not only set a standard for the children's arts organisations that came after, it was also a precursor and a significant influence on the development of a child-centred approach to education that has become the norm in Ireland ever since.

Now thirty-three years on TEAM still holds to the same principles of developing and producing inclusive dynamic theatre that challenges its audience to set their own agenda in life, and always with the conviction that an education without art is not an education.

Over the years Team has worked in all areas of first and second level education - Primary and Post-Primary, mainstream and special needs, urban and rural, inner city and outer suburb.