


Bright-eyed Dan O’Malley takes the reins as coach of the Central Leopards in 2008. But the club is bottoming out financially and on-field – so administrators call for shady tactics to win future draft picks. O’Malley wants to do the best by the club – and the young men he leads – so the club’s demands tear at his soul.
When the truth comes out – and the future of the game is threatened – there’s only one scapegoat in The League’s sights. The League can’t afford to lose its gambling revenue or broadcast deals, but it can afford to lose Dan O’Malley, a man whose love for football is eclipsed only by his passion for mentoring young men. The Ballad of Dan O’Malley shows the damage done to the things we love when greed and power take over. It measures the cost of putting the heart of football in the hands of people who are willing to kick to the kerb anyone or anything but the mighty dollar. And, finally, it asks whether the pressure put upon Dan led to the tragedy of his untimely death.
1hr 20min.
12th August, 2026
22nd August, 2026

Explosives Factory is accessed via a flight of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible.
GETTING TO THE VENUE
BY TRAM: Tram: 3/3a and 67
BY BUS: Buses: 600, 246, 922 and 923
WRITER / CO-PRODUCER: Paul Mitchell
PRODUCER: Anton Berezin
DIRECTOR: Theresa Borg
CAST
Justin Bell
Ryland Mitchell
Emma Choy
Phillip Hayden
Miles Paras
Paul Mitchell
The Ballad of Dan O'Malley: A Football Tragedy runs for 1hr 20min.
The Ballad of Dan O'Malley: A Football Tragedy is at St Kilda's Explosives Factory | Theatre Works, which is located at 67 Inkerman Street, St Kilda, 3182.
The Ballad of Dan O'Malley: A Football Tragedy tickets start at $25.
Check the top of this page for current availability on The Ballad of Dan O'Malley: A Football Tragedy tickets on TodayTix.