Luke Evans Returns To West End For YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gala, Mar 2

Further names are announced today for the special one-night-only concert You'll Never Walk Alone at the Queen's Theatre on Sunday 2 March 2014 at 7.30pm in aid of the Philippines Typhoon Appeal. Tickets are now on sale from £32.50, with all proceeds going directly to the Disasters Emergency Committee.

Brit Award-winning vocal group Blake will appear for a special performance. Mixing eclectic classical and pop songs with rich harmony vocals, Blake launched their first album in 2007, going straight to number One in the UK Classical Album Chart with over 100,000 copies being sold in just three weeks, and winning the prestigious Album of the Year Brit-Award . With over a million albums sold, Blake continue to build their reputation as one of the most eclectic and exciting pop-harmony groups in the world.

Stage and screen star Luke Evans will make his first appearance on the West End stage since 2008 during a section of the gala celebrating Boublil and Schönberg's Miss Saigon. Luke is best known to theatre audiences for his roles in productions including Piaf, Rent, Avenue Q and Miss Saigon. He has since gone on to star in Hollywood films including Clash of the Titans, Tamara Drewe, The Three Musketeers and in Peter Jackson's Hobbit Trilogy.

Multi award-winning actress Juliet Stevenson will also appear to speak about the Philippines Typhoon Appeal, and how the proceeds from the concert will reach those in need. Juliet's many notable theatre roles include Hedda Gabler and Death and the Maiden, for which she won the Best Actress Olivier Award in 1992. Her many screen credits include Anthony Minghella's film Truly, Madly, Deeply, A Doll's House, The Politician's Wife and the recent BBC series Accused. Juliet is currently starring in Samuel Beckett's Happy Days at the Young Vic Theatre.

Other speakers confirmed for the concert include broadcaster Adrian Chiles and Emmerdale's Fiona Wade.

A special prize draw is also launched today, with prizes including a return flight to Manilla, a Gucci handbag, a private screening of Liam Neeson thriller Non-Stop, goods donated by Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen and dinner at Jamie Oliver's 15 restaurant. To enter text HOPE to 70000* to donate £5 to the DEC's Philippines Typhoon Appeal. All winners will be notified by text by Friday 7 March 2014. Details of all prizes on offer can be found at www.westendunites.com**.

Several special and unique performances are also announced for the concert including:

· Michael Xavier and Joanna Riding performing a specially arranged duet version of Hey There from the forthcoming West End revival of The Pajama Game

· The UK Premiere of the new Broadway version of Magic To Do from Stephen Schwartz'sPippin

· A rarely performed song by Irving Berlin called Heaven Watch The Philippines, recently unearthed by Rodgers & Hammerstein Theatricals Europe

· A brand new translation of You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel created in Filipino dialects Tagalog and Cebuano

· Musical moments from Miss Saigon, The Witches of Eastwick, Just So, Disney's Frozen, Mary Poppins and Avenue Q.

Names already confirmed include host Gok Wan, Danielle Hope, Strictly's Pasha and Katya, Cynthia Erivo, Cassidy Janson, Britain's Got Talent's Francine Lewis, Joanna Riding, Hannah Waddingham,Joseph Apostol, Hugh Maynard, Michael Xavier, Emmanuel Vass and Avenue Q original London cast members Julie Atherton, Jon Robyns, Simon Lipkin and Giles Terera.

On 7 November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most intense tropical storms ever to make landfall anywhere in the world, struck the Philippines. Millions were affected by torrential rain, winds of over 140mph and flooding of up to 15 feet, devastating coastal areas. Over 14 million people have had their lives torn apart, with approximately 590,000 homes completely destroyed and well over 4 million people forcibly displaced due to the destruction.

You'll Never Walk Alone - The West End Unites for the Philippines is a one-night-only gala concert in support of the Philippines Typhoon Appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which brings together 14 of the UK's leading aid charities to raise money in order to quickly reach those in need. The money raised will contribute to the ongoing need for emergency shelter, clean water and food as well as helping survivors rebuild their lives.

Promising an unforgettable evening of music and comedy and lead by a cast of Britain's brightest stars of the West End and beyond, You'll Never Walk Alone will be an uplifting reminder of the importance of collaboration and the fact that theatre really can make a difference. The concert will also featuring an ensemble of Filipino performers and a magnificent on stage band.

The event has been instigated by the UK based theatre Filipino community, many of whom moved to the United Kingdom in the 1990's to take part in the original production of Miss Saigon, the worldwide smash-hit musical produced by British theatre impresario, Cameron Mackintosh.

You'll Never Walk Alone is directed by Jacqui Sanchez and choreographed by Grant Murphy, with musical direction by Alan Berry. It is produced by Paul Spicer and Matt Firth for Stage Acts Productionswith the kind support of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres. Avenue Q puppets are by Paul Jomain - www.Qpuppets.co.uk.

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