Broadway set to return to south Mayo town

Broadway will be returning to Ballinrobe in 2023 when Ballinrobe Musical Society stage the much-loved comedy ‘Me and My Girl’.

The show will run from February 12 to 18 next year and will once again be staged in Ballinrobe Community School.

Set in the 1930s, ‘Me and My Girl’ tells the tale of Bill Snibson, a Cockney who is thrust from the working-class streets of Lambeth to the upper echelons of British society after receiving an unexpected inheritance.

Hilarity ensues as Bill tries to navigate his new-found social circles, all while trying to retain the affections of his girlfriend, Sally Smith.

Featuring classics like ‘The Lambeth Walk’, ‘The Sun Has Got His Hat On’ and ‘Leaning on a Lamp-post’, this show is guaranteed to put a smile back on the faces of Ballinrobe audiences.

This will be Ballinrobe Musical Society’s 47th production since re-forming in 1974 and their first since 2020’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’, which took place a month prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ballinrobe Musical Society’s Stage Manager and Acting Chairperson Kenneth McCarthy said that cast and crew are hugely excited about returning to the stage for the first time in three years.

“We feel there is a big appetite out there for comedy, so ‘Me and My Girl’ was the perfect choice for us,” McCarthy said.

“This is a show with plenty of singing, plenty of dancing and lots of laughter, and one we feel Ballinrobe audiences are going to absolutely love.

“Many associated with our society still have fond memories from our last staging of this show in 2002, and we can guarantee that audiences won’t be disappointed when we return to the stage in 2023.

“We have all really missed putting on our annual spring show, so we simply cannot wait to get back rehearsing for our next production,” McCarthy added.

Returning for 2023 are director Peter Kennedy, musical director and choral mistress Finola Higgins, and choreographer Aoife McClafferty.

‘Me And My Girl’ was last staged by Ballinrobe Musical Society back in 2002, for which the society won the Best Stage Manager and Best Overall Show with Limited Resources at the annual AIMS awards.

The society also received nominations for Best Comedian and the Spirit of AIMS award.

Auditions will take place on Sunday, October 9.

For more information, keep an eye on all Ballinrobe Musical Society’s social media platforms.