by Rob Salerno

Two best friends learn what it takes to be a man as they confront testicular cancer.

Production History:

Rob was inspired to write Balls when he lost a good friend to testicular cancer. The show was workshopped on the Canadian Fringe Circuit in 2007-08 in productions starring Rob Salerno and Adam Goldhamer, and assistant directed by Laurel Green. It played at the Ottawa, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Vancouver Fringe Festivals.

In May 2009, Ten Foot Pole mouinted a full production of the show at the Lower Ossington Theatre in Toronto, starring Rob Salerno and Garett Watson, and co-directed by Cole J. Alvis. It ran for two weeks as the anchor of Ten Foot Pole’s Show Us Yours Series, an experimental festival that featured hits from the Fringe Circuit.

Ten Foot Pole Theatre is very proud to say that Balls has raised more than $2000 for partner organizations that work to help people living with and affected by cancer.

In 2012, Halifax’s Plutonium Playhouse produced its own run of Balls, directed by Thom Fitzgerald, and starring Ryan Doucette and Zach Faye.

In 2018, Sarnia, Ontario’s Theatre Forty-Two produced an independent run of Balls, directed by John Leverre and starring Darius Brooks and Josh Gibson.

Rights:

If you are interested in staging your own production of Balls contact rob@tenfootpole.ca for rights information.

Awards for Balls:

Best New Play — Hamilton Fringe
Best Original Production — London Fringe
Patron’s Pick — Ottawa Fringe
Brickenden Award for Best Touring Production
Fringe Hit! Award — Atlantic Fringe (Plutonium Playhouse Production)

The Critics Say:

5 Stars — “This is theatre at its best” — Planet S (Saskatoon)
4.5 Stars — “An honest and sincere tale of friendship” — Winnipeg Sun
4.5 Stars — “Very serious, seriously hilarious” — See Magazine (Edmonton)
4 Stars — “Funny and surprisingly affecting” — Vue Weekly (Edmonton)
4 Stars — “Clever and expertly staged… Salerno shines” — Ottawa Sun
“You’d be nuts to miss this one!” — Saskatoon Star Phoenix
“The Full Package” — Hamilton View
“Must See” — Ottawa Citizen