Talking Shop Ensemble and Run Of The Mill Tour MAKING A MARK Next Month

Following a sell out premiere production at the Dublin Fringe Festival 2019, Making A Mark returns for a National Tour throughout Ireland in 2022.

Making A Mark is a documentary style, autobiographical piece that places the voice and lived experience of an artist with an intellectual disability front and centre stage.

Mark Smith, a 40 year old performer with Down Syndrome, first began to develop the piece across a 6 month residency at Axis Ballymun in 2018. Here, he worked alongside leading documentary artist Shaun Dunne and long time collaborator Aisling Byrne.The production was further developed with the support of the Abbey Theatre's 5 x 5 programme and premiered with support from Project Arts Centre in 2019 to a sold out run and several award nominations including Best Performer and Best Production at that year's Dublin Fringe Festival.

Mark comes from a community that has placed him on a pedestal - somewhat blind to the battles he also faces behind closed doors. Having achieved at a high level all his life (Special Olympics '99), Mark was always told that he was "special", and due to this constant reiteration, he has often felt obliged to keep the darker, more troubled aspects of his experience a secret from those around him who would prefer to focus on his far-reaching achievements.

Making a Mark aspires to articulate Mark's incredible journey to date alongside the more complicated facets of his lived experience.

Mark has competed in the World Games, played King Lear before packed houses and packed bags for 20 years in Tesco's... But that's not even half the story.

Part live interview, part self-led confessional, this is Mark's life and he's ready to take a seat at the table. Ambition, disruption, grief and frustration.

He hopes this show will be the making of him. Are you ready for what he has to say?

This production is funded by the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Kildare County Council with support from Project Arts Centre, Draíocht Blanchardstown and field:arts. Developed in conjunction with Axis Ballymun Playground Residency,The Abbey Theatre 5X5 initiative, and at FRINGE LAB with the support of Dublin Fringe Festival and Arts & Disability Ireland. Shaun Dunne is a resident artist of Project Arts Centre. Killian Coyle is an independent producer at field:arts.

Tour Dates

1. DRAÍOCHT, BLANCHARDSTOWN

Preview - Friday 25th of March 2022 at 8pm
Opening Night - Saturday 26th of March 2022 at 8pm Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.draiocht.ie / 01 885 2622

2. RIVERBANK ARTS CENTRE, NEWBRIDGE

Performances - Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd of April 2022 at 8pm Matinée - Saturday 2nd of April 2022 at 2pm
Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.riverbank.ie / 045 448 327

3. VISUAL, CARLOW

Matinée - Wednesday 6th of April 2022 at 12:30pm Tickets €14/€10
www.visualcarlow.ie / 059 917 2400

4. BELLTABLE, LIMERICK

Performance - Saturday 9th of April 2022 at 8pm Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.limetreetheatre.ie / 061 953 400

5. DROICHEAD ARTS CENTRE, DROGHEDA

Performance - Thursday 14th of April 2022 at 8pm Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.droichead.com / 041 983 3946

6. TOWN HALL THEATRE, GALWAY

Performance - Thursday 21st of April 2022 at 8pm Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.tht.ie / 091 569 777

7. HAWK'S WELL THEATRE, SLIGO

Performance - Tuesday 26th of April 2022 at 8pm Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.hawkswell.com / 071 916 1518

8. AXIS, BALLYMUN, DUBLIN

Performance - Friday 29th of April 2022 at 8pm Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.axisballymun.ie / 01 883 2100

9. PROJECT ARTS CENTRE, TEMPLEBAR, DUBLIN

Performances - Monday 2nd to Saturday 7th of May 2022 at 7:30pm Matinée - Saturday 7th of May 2022 at 2:30pm
Tickets €18/€16/€14
www.projectartscentre.ie / 01 881 9613

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