Sparkling
Stars go Over The Rainbow to raise a pot of cash for charity!
On
a damp and drizzly lunchtime in Jesmond, the cast and crew of a hit musical
gathered at a local restaurant and invited fifty guests to join them for an
afternoon of fund-raising, food and fabulous entertainment in a place ‘where
troubles melt like lemon drops’.
To
coincide with the seventh sensational UK tour of the award-winning and
compelling musical, Over The Rainbow: The
Eva Cassidy Story, which journeys through Eva’s tragically short life, Franco’s
Terrace Bar & Restaurant in association with Theatre
Productions Limited held an exclusive VIP Charity Lunch to raise funds for
Macmillan Cancer Support.
The
event took place on Wednesday 12th October from 12 noon until 2.30pm.
Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a complimentary glass of bubbly. In
addition to enjoying a two course Italian meal of the finest quality, followed
by coffee and mints, in the resplendent surroundings of Franco’s
- with its glamorous chandeliers, canddlelit tables, Italian baroque
furniture, and Swarovski crystal studded seating - guests were also treated to
an afternoon of fantastic entertainment, presented by the North East’s very
own Steve Walls, an entertainer who
has made a huge impact in his native region, and much further afield, and is now
widely regarded as one of the UK’s top compères.
Contrary
to the popular legend, there was no leprechaun sitting at the end of this
particular rainbow, but Irish eyes were certainly smiling on the face of the
gorgeous Maureen Nolan (The Naked
Truth, Blood Brothers and The Nolans)
who plays the role of Barbara Cassidy in Over
The Rainbow: The Eva Cassidy Story. And, Sarah Jane Buckley (Hollyoaks),
who heads the cast as Eva, proved to be the perfect ‘songbird’ with a
hauntingly beautiful performance of ‘Over The Rainbow’ – the title song of
the musical and the track that triggered Eva Cassidy’s posthumous success.
Strictly
Come Dancing sensation Brian
Fortuna, who makes his eagerly-anticipated acting debut as Danny Cassidy in
the show, and other members of the company also met and mingled with guests and
took time to pose for snapshots and sign autographs.
Also
in attendance were two of the North East’s most familiar and favourite faces. Pam
Royle and Ian Payne, from ITV
Tyne Tees, took time out from the hustle and bustle of the North
East Tonight newsroom to lend their support to this worthy cause.
A
charity raffle was drawn during the event and several lucky guests won fabulous
prizes from a selection of luxury goods which were kindly donated by a number of
companies including Clay’s Garden Centre, Villeroy
& Boch, Nexus, Tyneside
Cinema & Coffee Rooms, Blue Genie
Entertainment, Franco’s Terrace Bar
& Restaurant and Theatre
Productions Limited.
Judith
Graziani of Franco’s Terrace Bar & Restaurant said: “Few of us go
through life without being touched by cancer in some way and it is vital that we
support charities such as Macmillan Cancer Care. This fantastic Over
The Rainbow VIP Charity Lunch was a hugely successful event and a very
worthwhile way of continuing our ongoing commitment to holding charity events
here at Franco’s.”
Stephen
Leatherland, the producer and director of Over
The Rainbow: The Eva Cassidy Story, added: “The show is intended to be a
truthful, heartfelt tribute to Eva’s life and talents and this VIP Charity
Lunch was a wonderful way of raising money for such a worthy cause.”
The
Over The Rainbow VIP Charity Lunch raised
a grand total of £455.00.
RELEASE DATE:
Wednesday 19 October 2011
PUBLIC INFORMATION:
0845 880 2427 or www.theatre-productions.com
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION /
INTERVIEWS / IMAGES: Steve Burbridge, Press & Marketing Officer, steveburbridge@blueyonder.co.uk
or 07986 142281