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Community focus for big night at Playhouse - Video
THE red carpet will be rolled out this weekend when the curtain goes up on the official VIP opening of the Playhouse, Whitley Bay.
And the new look theatre, having undergone an 8.5m refurbishment, is shunning big names for its gala opening, in favour of community groups.
The event will celebrate the best of local talent in North Tyneside at the concert on Saturday, September 26.
Co-ordinated by Whitley Bay's arts and culture organisation, Culture Quarter, the concert will showcase the very best of community groups that have used the theatre in the past.
More than 100 artists of all ages from organisations including Tynemouth Operatic Society, Whitley Bay Operatic Society and Imperiya 84 are fine tuning their performances ahead of the show.
Supported by a live nine-piece band, the programme will celebrate the rebirth of the theatre and the dawn of a new era for community groups.
The evening performance will be a high profile event complete with red carpet, local dignitaries and VIPs from the entertainment world.
Playhouse marketing executive manager Nichola McKenna said it was important to support community groups, and said it was a concious decision to make the VIP night a focus on local performers.
"One of the big things when SMG came on board, was working with North Tyneside Council to ensure that community groups can use the Playhouse, so having them on board for the gala night is fantastic.
"I think it identifes with the focus of the theatre and where we want to go, and the programme shows we are bringing both professional and local community groups into the Playhouse.
"It reflects our commitment to offering a theatre for everyone."
Chairman of Tynemouth Operatic Society, Hilary Reynolds, said: "We used the old Playhouse for many years. We came here for the first time in 1976 and always felt we had a great affinity with it, but this new theatre is something different and very exciting and we are delighted to be taking part."
Secretary of Tynemouth Operatic Society, Stuart Davidson, added: "We were born and bred in the old Playhouse. We could virtually go in blindfolded in the darkness and know where everything was.
"So this is a bit of a culture shock for us in a sense, but a very pleasant one."
As part of the celebration, CQ in association with East Coast Taxis and Picasso's restaurant, Whitley Bay, are offering one lucky reader the chance to be treated like a VIP for the day.
The winner's prize will be a chauffeur driven ride to Picasso's restaurant with a meal for four, complete with complementary bottle of champagne.
They will then be taken in style to The Playhouse where they will receive the red carpet treatment and be shown round the back stage area. They will assist in the opening proceedings. At the end of the performance there will be the opportunity to meet the cast back stage and receive a signed souvenir programme.
This fantastic offer is open to all News Guardian readers who buy a ticket for the matinee performance on Saturday, September 26, at 2.30pm.
The winner will be drawn and notified by the Playhouse directly on Friday, September 25.
The Gala Concert is on for one day only on Saturday, September 26, with performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Tickets are priced at matinee 12 (9 for under 16s), evening gala performance 14.
Tickets are on sale now and are available by calling into the Playhouse box office, or by telephoning the ticket hotline on 0844 277 2771.____________________________________________________________________
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Weather for Whitley Bay
Sunday 05 February 2012
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