Join us in the Abbey Centre at 8pm on Thursday May 19th for a reading/audition of ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder. The play has over twenty cast members, so we need a lot of actors for this production! It’s the ideal opportunity for anyone with an interest in local drama to get involved. No materials or preparation necessary – just turn up on the night! We’re looking forward to seeing you.
Bridge Drama win Overall with ‘Lost in Yonkers’, Rachel receives Nomination for Best Actress, ‘Old Times’ nominated for Best Set
Overall Winner – Perpetual Trophy: Bridge Drama, ‘Lost in Yonkers’
Second: Dalkey
Third: Prosperous
Best Director: Bridge: Lost in Yonkers
Nominations: Bridge, Prosperous, Dalkey, Palace
Best Actor: Brendan Dunlea, Palace
Nominations: Prosperous, Bunclody, Dundalk, Palace
Best Actress: Maria Donnelly Bruce, Dalkey
Nominations: Ennis, Bridge, Rachel O’Connor Ballyshannon, Dalkey
Best Supporting Actor: Colm Malone, Prosperous
Nominations: Bridge, Prosperous x 2, Dalkey
Best Supporting Actress: Rita Brady, Ennis
Nominations: Ennis, Bridge, Prosperous, Moonshine
Best Stage Setting: Bridge
Nominations: Ennis, Bridge, Ballyshannon, Palace
Best Stage Lighting: Barry Donnelly, Dalkey
Nominations: Bridge, Prosperous, Dalkey, Palace
Best Stage Management: Liam Farrell, Bunclody
Nominations: Kilmeen, Prosperous, Bunclody, Dalkey
DLI Summer School Scholarship: Claire O’Neill, Prosperous
ADCI DLI Scholarship: Tim Connaughton
Gormanston Scholarship: Mike Crowley, Kilmeen
Abbey Theatre Award: Dundalk, ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’
All Ireland Final Day!
The day has finally arrived, and Ballyshannon Drama Society are once again on the road to the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, to perform in the All Ireland Drama Finals. The show is at 8pm and the 400-seat theatre is completely sold out. Tension and excitement are high, but cast and crew are mostly feeling a great deal of pride on having it made it to the finals again, for the third year in a row, and to be representing not only Ballyshannon but all of Donegal on stage tonight. Win, lose or draw, it’s a fantastic achievement for a small local amateur drama group. Cast and crew would like to extend their thanks to all who have supported them over the last six months.
Last Chance! ‘Old Times’, Sat. 30th – All Welcome
Join us this Saturday night (April 30th) for our final local performance before the All Ireland. All Welcome! Bring your Bank Holiday weekend visitors along with you to see one of the top 9 amateur drama productions in the country. There will be music, wine and food before the show, a bargain at €15. Tickets available from www.abbeycentre.ie.
‘Old Times’ Gala Night – Sat. 30th April
Join us for a special Gala Night in the Abbey Arts Centre on Saturday the 30th of April for the final performance of ‘Old Times’ in Ballyshannon just before we head off to Athlone for the All Ireland. On the night there will be some light entertainment provided by John Mc Neill and Lorraine Walls performing a selection of the songs which feature in the play, and a wine & finger food reception in the foyer.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see this award winning production before the performance in the RTÉ All Ireland Final two nights later on Monday May 2nd.
Tickets for the Gala Night in the Abbey are €15 and are available from the Abbey Centre box office. The show will begin at 8.15pm.
Our Autumn Production: ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder
Ballyshannon Drama Society is pleased to announce its forthcoming Autumn Production, ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder.
This well-loved American classic tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover’s Corners between 1901 and 1913 through the lives of its citizens.
Our Town won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1938 following its debut at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey.
The play, as in any small town, is full of characters of all ages. There are a number of main parts with smaller/chorus parts also available. In total there are 20 named characters.
We very much look forward to welcoming new members to the stage or to help in any way with the production, which will be staged mid October 2016.
Readings will be held shortly.
Here’s a link to a 1970s TV movie version on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wBPPcHZLcA
‘Old Times’ All Ireland Finals Date: May 2nd
Ballyshannon Drama Society will perform ‘Old Times’ on Monday the 2nd of May in the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, as part of the All Ireland Drama Finals. The draw for the final took place on Sunday April 10th, with John Travers representing Ballyshannon. A small number of priority tickets are being held by the group. The box office opens to the general public on Thursday morning through the Dean Crowe Theatre via their website: www.deancrowetheatre.com.
If you are interested in attending the show, or any other show that week, contact us asap, as demand for tickets is usually quite high.
Keith Duggan article on Drama Circuit in Irish Times
Keith Duggan has written an excellent article for today’s Irish Times on the importance of the drama circuit in rural Ireland, with the focus on Corofin Drama Society. Ballyshannon Drama’s John Travers was consulted for commentary, naturally! This is a great article which is well worth reading for all fans of the local drama festival, as it captures the fun, the fanaticism, the community spirit, and the madness at the heart of the Irish amateur drama scene! Keith is a native of Ballyshannon and both his parents, Carl and Mary Duggan, have been heavily involved in Ballyshannon Drama Society’s journeys round the circuit over the past number of years. You can read the article here: