US actors to bring show to Mayo in unique collaboration
An exciting collaboration between the Scranton Fringe in Pennsylvania and Ballina Arts Centre will see a unique production of Ulysses come to the county next October.
Ticket sales opened in Pennsylvania this week for the Scranton Fringe Festival which includes a production of Ulysses which will travel to Mayo, in October. ‘Ulysses of Scranton’ is a loose, loving, adaptation of James Joyce’s classic novel and it comes to Ballina as part of a new cultural exchange programme between Ballina Arts Centre and The Scranton Fringe Festival, one of Northeast Pennsylvania's most vibrant cultural events.
Ballina has been twinned with Scranton since 1990. There are many connections and family ties between both towns, including the fact that former US president Joe Biden’s great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, left Ballina for Scranton in the 1850s. The collaboration between the Scranton Fringe and Ballina Arts Centre brings the arts communities of the twin towns together for the first time, to explore how cultural heritage can inform and enrich their relationship.
In March 2026, Ballina will send a musical group to Scranton to showcase Mayo’s musical tradition and artistry, while in October this year the Scranton Fringe Festival troupe will visit Ballina with this original theatrical production.
The Scranton Fringe is dedicated to creating a bold, engaging platform for thought-provoking art, and the festival is an incubator of unique creative work. ‘Ulysses of Scranton’ offers a creative, humorous, and contemporary interpretation of James Joyce’s literary masterpiece, reimagined in the context of the 21st century. It takes Joyce’s epic core narrative and infuses it with contemporary voices, humour, and lived experience.
At its centre are a group of actors attempting to stage the “impossible” novel only to find that, as they dive deeper into the text, fiction and reality begin to blur. Characters morph, timelines collapse, and the stage becomes a liminal space where Scranton meets Dublin in surprising and poignant ways. With a fast-paced blend of wit, heart, and homage, ‘Ulysses of Scranton’ explores identity, memory, and what it means to adapt – on the page, on the stage, and in life. This new work is both an accessible gateway to Joyce, and a celebration of regional storytelling, which proves the classics can still speak – loudly and locally.
Conor Kelly O’Brien, co-founder and executive director of the Scranton Fringe Festival said, “We are thrilled to embark on this international cultural exchange with our new friends at the Ballina Arts Centre.”
The initiative has also been welcomed by Minister Dara Calleary who said: “I am delighted that the long-standing link between Scranton and Ballina is being further enhanced. I wish to compliment everyone involved in organising this exchange – it will culturally enrich both towns.”
Paul Cunningham, Director of Ballina Arts Centre added: ‘‘Using traditional art forms, such as theatre and music, to explore contemporary themes, strengthens the ties between our two communities, and ensures our cultural heritage remains dynamic and relevant to modern audiences in both towns.”
