Ballina One Act Drama Festival returns for an 11th year

BALLINA One Act Drama Festival returns for the 11th year at Ballina Arts Centre, taking place from November 6 to 8. A feast of drama awaits, with three one-act plays being performed each night.

This festival is run under the auspices of the Joint Amateur Drama Council of Ireland and The Drama League of Ireland. It is one of 23 festivals on the preliminary circuit.

Groups will be aiming to achieve 36 points to attend the All-Ireland finals this year, which will be taking place in An Grianán, Letterkenny.

Patrons can expect an excellent mix of drama, mystery, comedy and dark comedy performed by five open and four confined groups from Donegal, Dublin, Kildare, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo.

Also included in the mix are three newly scripted plays. Standards will be high, as performing groups include three recent All-Ireland final winners – Letterkenny Musical and Drama Group, Upstage Players, and Butt Drama Circle. Attending Ballina One Act for the first time are Charlestown Drama Group, meanwhile.

The following is the full list of groups competing: Butt Drama Circle, Charlestown Drama Group, Upstage Players, The Moat Club-Naas, Insight Theatre, Letterkenny Musical and Drama Group, Roscommon Drama Group, Clann Machua and Castleconnor Drama Group.

Imelda McDonagh returns to adjudicate the festival this year. Imelda officiated in Ballina in 2017 and brings a wealth of experience to the stage as a highly regarded adjudicator, actor and director.

This is a competitive festival and entry during performance is not permitted. Curtain-up is 7.30 p.m. sharp on Friday, November 6, and 7 p.m. sharp on both Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8.

Tickets on sale at ballinaartscentre.com or via telephone on (096) 73593. Nightly tickets cost €15 while a season ticket costs €35 (for all three nights).