Introduced in 2000, Druid Debuts is a series of rehearsed readings of new plays submitted through an open call and from which we develop new work for the stage.

A core part of Druid's new writing programme, many previous Druid Debuts have become full Druid productions such as Furniture by Sonya Kelly, Shelter by Cristín Kehoe, Helen and I by Meadhbh McHugh and Be Infants in Evil by Brian Martin.

The world premiere of Marina Carr’s dark masterpiece opens at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway before runs at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Gate Theatre in Dublin, and the Royal Court Theatre in London.

Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast includes Mary Murray, Michael Tierney, Cara Kelly, Valerie Lilley, Tom Hickey, Kieran Ahern and Keith McErlean.

Following a long relationship with the writer since the 1980s, Druid produces the world premiere of Geraldine Aron’s latest comedy.

My Brilliant Divorce opens in Galway’s Town Hall Theatre with American actor Glenne Headly in the lead role in late 2001.

In spring 2003, the show is revived for a West End run at the Apollo Theatre in London starring Dawn French.

Later in the decade, it tours Ireland between 2007 and 2009, performed by Deirdre O'Kane.

Performed by Derbhle Crotty and Aidan Kelly, the world premiere of Christian O'Reilly's comedy about an unusual couple and an unexpected pregnancy takes place on Druid Lane and runs for over a month.

Directed by Garry Hynes, the production returns the following year for a national tour including a month-long run in Dublin.

Druid begins to explore the works of John B. Keane with a major new production of Sive.

In the following years, Druid will return to Keane with productions of Sharon’s Grave (2003), The Year of the Hiker (2006), Big Maggie (2011, 2012, 2016) and a second production of Sive (2018).

Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast of Sive includes Ruth Bradley, Derbhle Crotty, Peter Halpind, Gary Lydon, Anna Manahan, Eamon Morrissey, Noel O’Donovan, Frank O’Sullivan and Barry Ward.

Druid continues its exploration of the John B. Keane playography with Sharon's Grave.

Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast includes Tom Hickey, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Catherine Walsh.

Having made his Druid debut in the summer of 1999 in John Murphy's The Country Boy, Cillian Murphy returns to Druid in the lead role of Christy Mahon for a major new production of Synge's masterpiece, The Playboy of the Western World.

Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast also includes Anne-Marie Duff, Sonya Kelly, Simone Kirby, Gillian McCarthy, Gary Lydon, Eamon Morrissey, Chris O’Dowd, Frank O’Sullivan, Aisling O’Sullivan and David Pearse.

Following sell-out runs in Galway and Dublin, Druid takes Playboy on a unique tour along the Irish western seaboard, retracing (in reverse) the journey undertaken by the bold Christy Mahon after ‘murdering’ his father. The company visits venues and locations in many of the small communities that are at the heart of Synge’s vision – Geesala, Co Mayo (where the play is set), Castlebar, each of the three Aran Islands, Tralee and Dún Chaoin in Kerry.

The tour reflects Druid’s unique relationship with both Synge and his extraordinary play.

Early the following year, the production tours to Perth Festival in Australia for a month-long run. The Australian cast includes Aaron Monaghan, Marie Mullen and Ruth Negga.

In the summer of 2005, Druid presents the first ever staging of John Millington Synge’s entire theatrical canon: Riders to the Sea, The Tinker’s Wedding, The Well of the Saints, In the Shadow of the Glen, The Playboy of the Western World and Deirdre of the Sorrows.

This ambitious collective presentation of all six plays in the same day fulfils a long-term artistic commitment by Druid’s artistic director Garry Hynes to re-evaluate and re-engage with one of Ireland’s dramatic giants.

In its first year, DruidSynge plays Galway, Dublin, the Aran Islands and Edinburgh International Festival. In subsequent years, the production tours in whole or in part across the US including the Lincoln Center in New York and the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, around the UK, and to Tokyo.

Commissioned by Druid as part of its New Writing programme, The Walworth Farce by Enda Walsh receives its world premiere in Galway at the Town Hall Theatre.

Directed by Mikel Murfi, the original cast includes Denis Conway, Garrett Lombard, Aaron Monaghan and Syan Blake.

Over a number of years, the play tours around the world, reaching audiences in Ireland, the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

A second world premiere for Druid in 2006, commissioned again as part of the company's New Writing programme, Empress of India by Stuart Carolan (Love/Hate) opens at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway and then transfers to the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast includes Séan McGinley, Aaron Monaghan, Tadhg Murphy, Sarah Greene, Catherine Walsh and Sarah Jane Drummey.

Lucy Caldwell's Leaves receives its world premiere in Galway before transferring to London's Royal Court Theatre.

Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast includes Fiona Bell, Conor Lovett and Kathy Rose O'Brien.

Druid presents a major new production of Eugene O'Neill's masterpiece in Galway before a transfer to the Gaiety Theatre as part of the 50th Dublin Theatre Festival.

Garry Hynes directs a cast of Marie Mullen, Aidan Kelly, Michael Esper, Maude Fahy and Academy Award nominee James Cromwell.

Druid produces the Irish premiere of Enda Walsh’s The New Electric Ballroom, a tender portrait of three sisters.

Directed by Walsh, the 2008 cast includes Mikel Murfi, Catherine Walsh, Rosaleen Linehan and Valerie Lilley.

Across 2008 and 2009, the play wows audiences in Ireland, London, Edinburgh, New York, Los Angeles and Perth.

The Cripple of Inishmaan reunites Druid with Martin McDonagh. Opening in Galway, the show then tours around Ireland and the UK followed by a 2009 run at the Atlantic Theater in New York.

Cripple wins 9 prestigious awards in Ireland, the UK and America including a Joe A. Callaway Award, an Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Circle Critics Award, and two Lucille Lortel Awards.

It returns in 2011 for a 9-venue tour of America as well as runs in Galway, Dublin and on Inis Meáin.

Following a major refurbishment, Druid's home on Druid Lane is reopened with a new production of The Gigli Concert by Tom Murphy, starring Peter Sullivan, Denis Conway and Eileen Walsh.