Ballymena Cultural Directory

In September this year, we placed an advertisement in two local newspapers and were extremely pleased at the number of people who turned up at the auditions. As a result, we now have many talented people of all ages on our books and were able to put on a production on 15th and 16th November, 2013. Our production took the form of 2 one-act (45 min) farcical plays entitled "You Never Know Your Luck" by Ruddick Millar and "The Doctor and Mrs Macauley" by Margaret E. Dobbs. They were two very successful evenings. However, in order to strengthen the Players, we are now on the look-out for budding talent, not just to tread the boards, but also to work behind the scenes in areas such as set design, costumes, props and make-up. It is our intention to identify and develop local talent and eventually set up workshops. We are looking for people of lower and upper sixth age who may be studying drama at University, right up to adults who may have an interest in Drama and Theatre.

Anyone interested in joining us should contact Mrs Lorraine Clarke on 07449217349 or email lorry.clarke@googlemail.com

Ballymena has a fairly rich history in terms of theatre companies, much of it on the back of the success of our own Liam Neeson. We have seen even from pantomimes in the Braid and the old Town Hall, which played to packed audiences, that there is a niche not only for that, but also for comedies and straight acting.

Theatre has taken on added popularity in Northern Ireland in recent years with the opening of the MAC and re-opening of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast and we are trying to tap into that interest in Ballymena.