Ballina families are rushing to buy their seats for the new state-of-the-art theatre in Ballina Arts Centre of which building is due to start in August of this year. Except they are not buying seats for one show, but for all time. For €500 a seat will be named in honour of your family and for €1,000 you can also be named as a founding member, with your name added to a brass plaque in the foyer of the new building.
The scheme was launched this week by John Breen, world-renowned playwright and artistic director of local-based professional theatre company Yew Tree Theatre. John’s wife, the TV producer Aideen Kane, is a Ballina native and he says: “This town has been waiting for a proper arts venue for a long time, and we have to raise local funding by July — this may be our last our chance to build the theatre Ballina so badly needs.” In advance of the scheme being officially launched, seats are quickly being snapped up by some of Ballina’s most established names.
Ballina author Kate Kerrigan, whose grandfather Hugh Nolan was founding headmaster of Moyne College says: “My grandfather loved the theatre and took my mother to see Anew McMaster’s travelling theatre. He would be so proud to see a proper theatre here at last — he was a cultured man and this is the perfect way to honour his memory and our family name.” Local councillor Annie May Reape has also put her money where her mouth is; “Times are tight, but as far as I am concerned this is an investment that will last forever and the opportunity to have your name put to an important public building in this way does not come along very often.” For more information contact Ballina Arts Centre, phone: 096 73593, e-mail: [email protected]. www.ballinaartscentre.com/rede
