Live Screening Added at the Prince Edward Theatre For Sondheim's OLD FRIENDS Gala

Tickets for a live screening at the Prince Edward Theatre of the sold-out Sondheim's OLD FRIENDS Gala are to be released today, 30 March 2022. Priority will be given to the thousands of people who signed up in the hope of securing tickets but couldn't be accommodated for the performance at the Sondheim Theatre. Booking opens at 12noon for those on the Priority sign up list and Delfont Mackintosh Theatre+ members and 2pm for the general public.

Cameron Mackintosh has invited many of Stephen Sondheim's old friends to join him in celebrating his extraordinary talents and legacy at the Sondheim Theatre which was recently gloriously rebuilt in Sondheim's honour and thanks the cast and company and everyone involved for agreeing to this special screening which will now allow over 2,500 to see the performance.

The all-star cast for OLD FRIENDS so far includes Michael Ball, Rob Brydon, Anna-Jane Casey, Rosalie Craig, Petula Clark, Janie Dee, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Rob Houchen, Bonnie Langford, Damian Lewis, Julia McKenzie, Julian Ovenden, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, Clive Rowe, Imelda Staunton, Hannah Waddingham and Gary Wilmot.

The evening, which takes place for one night only on 3 May 2022 at 8pm, sold out within a couple of hours when tickets went on sale leaving thousands of disappointed fans unable to get tickets. As the Sondheim Theatre only holds 1,100 seats, Mackintosh wanted to extend this experience to a wider audience and will transform the Prince Edward Theatre into a unique theatrical event powered by The Luna Cinema and transmitted live from the Sondheim Theatre. The event will start from 7pm with a live broadcast from the Sondheim Theatre leading up to the Gala commencing at 8pm.

The Gala will be staged by Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman with choreography by Stephen Mear and a 25-piece orchestra conducted by Alfonso Casado Trigo. Musical supervision is by Stephen Brooker, musical arrangements are by Stephen Metcalfe, set design by Matt Kinley, projection designs by George Reeve, lighting by Warren Letton and sound by Mick Potter.

All profits from the evening at both the Sondheim and Prince Edward Theatres will go to the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, which the legendary composer and lyricist established under his Will to receive future income from his copyrights and intellectual property, with the proceeds to be used principally for the support of playwrights, composers and lyricists in the early stages of their careers to assist in the development and advancement of their work, as well as for sustaining other aspects of the musical theatre craft and arts education.

Until the Stephen Sondheim Foundation has completed the process of its formation, the proceeds derived from this event will be held in trust by The Mackintosh Foundation (registered charity number: 327751) on its behalf.

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