New Production Company, Scala Theatre, have launched a crowd-funding campaign to get their show "My Fair Ladies" up and running.
By connecting with future audiences, Creative Producers Chris Wheeler and Niall Bailey hope to raise money for the initial"workshop" stage of the show's development. The funding will allow the pair - who have been developing the show for a number of years - to work on the material with a talented cast and director.
In exchange for donations - which start at £2 but have no upper limit - the pair are offering quirky "perks" which include having a West End diva record a song dedicate it to the donor, or Pizza and Prosecco with the cast and creative team.
The show will feature three of West End's finest leading ladies who will sing songs made famous by stars like Ethel Merman, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli and Julie Andrews. Niall Bailey, who has also written all the brand new arrangements of the iconic songs says:
"Most of us grew up watching the classic movie-musicals and so our show is a tribute to those great leading ladies and those great songs, but with a contemporary twist."
Following the workshop, the team will be looking to secure a coveted London theatre for a short run before embarking on a UK-wide tour.
Chris Wheeler, who was recently Associate Producer on the West End run of West End Men starring Lee Mead, says:
"It's hard for new producers to gain access to traditional forms of investment. So we've got creative. As well as raising cash, we're getting valuable feedback from our audience. They must believe in the show too, because money the is coming in...slowly but steadily."
The campaign, hosted on popular crowd-funding site Indiegogo.com, runs until 31st August.
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