Press release.

To Gillie, With Love

Gillian Lynne DBE –A Celebration

A SPECIAL EVENING ‘TO GILLIE, WITH LOVE’ TO CELEBRATE GILLIAN LYNNE DBE AND LAUNCH THE LYNNE AND LAND FOUNDATION WILL TAKE PLACE ON 2 JULY AT THE GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE, DRURY LANE.

THE EVENING WILL FEATURE STARS FROM THE WORLD OF THEATRE AND DANCE INCLUDING BEVERLEY KNIGHT, SERGEI POLUNIN, TAMARA ROJO, RICHARD O’BRIEN, SIERRA BOGGESS AND RAMIN KARIMLOO

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE - [CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK] WITH ALL PROCEEDS GOING TO THE LYNNE AND LAND FOUNDATION

An unforgettable eveningof stellar performances in celebration of the prolific and dearly-loved director choreographer, Gillian Lynne DBE will take place on Tuesday 2nd July 2019 at 7.30pm at The Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane in London.

A year and a day after Gilliansadly passed away, ‘To Gillie,With Love’ will see stars of the world of dance, theatre, film and TV come together to show their admiration and thanks to this unique and remarkable individual who helped, guided and inspired so many.

Celebrating iconic moments from her lifelong and extensive career, the evening will feature Anthony Barclay; Christopher Biggins; Sierra Boggess; Greg Castiglioni; Lorna Dallas; Ben Forster; Anna Francolini; Jason Gardiner; Nickolas Grace; Linzi Hateley; Michael Howe; Ramin Karimloo; Hannah Kenna Thomas; Jeremy Kerridge; Beverley Knight; Peter Land; Emily Langham; Annabel Leventon; Iain Mackay; Robert Meadmore; New Adventures Company; Caroline O’Connor; Jonjo O’Neil; Richard O’Brien; Sergei Polunin; Stuart Matthew Price; Hugh Quarshie; Jack Rebaldi; Liz Robertson; Sir Ken Robinson; Tamara Rojo; Jamie Safir; Wayne Sleep; Scarlett Strallen; Una Stubbs and Hannah Waddingham.
The evening will also feature achoir with students from Arts Ed and the Royal Academy of Music.

As well as honouring Gillian, the evening will launch the Lynne and Land Foundation, which Gillian and her husband Peter Land established to enable talented young performers to achieve their dreams by providing scholarships and grants to reach their full potential in the choreographic arts, drama and musical theatre.Peter Land said:“Two years before my wife passed away we discussed the Foundation and she insisted on having it in both of our names. We both benefitted hugely in our careers from the kindness of others and thatis what we want to do with the Foundation -to be the helpthat Gillian Lynne was to so many performers throughout her career. I remember the actor George Baker being wonderfully generous to me and Gillian always said that the support she got from Noël Coward, personally and professionally kept her going when times were tough.”

The evening will be curated and produced by Peter Land and Lean Two Productions and directed and staged by Chrissie Cartwright, Gillian’s long-time collaborator on Cats, musical direction by Peter McCarthy, scenic design by Matthew Kinley, lighting design by Michael Robertson, sound design by Adam Fisher.

The evening is supported by LW Theatres and Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.

Gillian’s direction, staging and choreography broke records across the globe with her collaboration on two of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous musicals: Cats and The Phantom of the Opera which can still be seen nightly throughout the world.The New London Theatre, where Gillian pioneered her ground-breaking choreography on Cats in 1981, was lovingly renamed in her honour by Andrew Lloyd Webber in June 2018 making Lynne the first non-royal woman to have a West End Theatre named after her. As a producer, director, choreographer and performer, throughout the course of her life Gillian was involved in more than 60 productions in the West End, 11 feature films and hundreds of TV productions. Tickets will go on sale on Friday 26th April 2019 with all proceeds going to the Lynne and Land Foundation.

Website www.lynneandlandfoundation.co.uk.

Further details about the Foundation will be announced in due course.