Community projects to benefit from charity event.
Birmingham Repertory Theatre has announced it raised over £20,000 at its first fundraising gala, held on Saturday 20th June, 2015.
As a registered charity, proceeds from the evening will enable The REP to create more exciting new productions and sustain its far reaching community projects which engage over 4500 young people each year. The aim of the event was also designed to raise the profile of The REP amongst businesses in Birmingham.
The fundraising gala dinner was held at The REP in Centenary Square with the theatre’s vast set construction workshop dramatically transformed into a 1920’s jazz club and a three-course dinner served on the theatre’s main stage – one of the biggest in Europe. Guests also enjoyed a theatrical murder mystery written especially for the occasion and The REP’s highly-skilled wardrobe department made bespoke 1920s evening gowns for some of the ladies. It was attended by over 200 people from the local business community, trusts and long-term supporters of the theatre.
Angela Maxwell, Chair of the Board of Directors of Birmingham Repertory Theatre said: “Our first fundraising gala gave us the opportunity to celebrate Birmingham Repertory Theatre as a leading and thriving producing theatre in the heart of the UK. Proceeds from the evening will enable us to sustain our role as the only professional producing theatre in Birmingham, helping us to create shows from scratch which tour nationally and internationally, showcasing Birmingham as a hive of talent. It will also help to support the theatre’s work with over 4500 young people every year.”
The evening also featured an auction with prizes generously donated by national and local businesses including luxury weekend breaks plus some ‘money-can’t-buy’ experiences such as a chance to work behind the scenes on The REP’s biggest show of the year – The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe.