News

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help raise £2,000 for its much-loved Community Musical Our House. The appeal has raised £150 so far - anyone interested in donating to this wonderful cause and helping to make this important event a reality can visit http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/our-house-community-musical. Crowdfunding, an innovative and increasingly popular method of fundraising, aims to appeal to a wide and diverse range of people, primarily using the internet and social media. The Queen’s Community Musical, held every two years, works hard to involve residents in the life of their local theatre. Playing from 27 – 31 July, Our House has an enormous cast of 50 as well as a backstage crew, which includes residents from all over Havering as well as across East London and Essex – aged between 7 and 80 -  selected after an open audition process. The project aims to offer people the chance to work with a variety of theatre professionals – right on their doorstep. Interim Chief Executive Thom Stanbury explains: “The Queen’s is incredibly proud of its Community Musical, which gathers together residents of all ages from all walks of life to produce a fantastic show with superb production qualities that fills the stage. Our Community Company is made up of passionate local people with real enthusiasm for making great productions. We aim for an inclusive company from all areas of the community, showcasing the very best of local talent. “But as a registered charity which has experienced recent cuts to funding, the Queen’s finds it harder to maintain these wonderfully popular traditions – which are crucial to promoting community cohesion and well-being. We now ask for our audiences and community to support us and help this show be the best yet. We are so very grateful for anything we receive.” Donations would go towards:

• Building an inspiring set
• Creating, hiring and adapting over 250 costumes
• Sourcing props to recreate a wide variety of scenes (from Camden to Las Vegas)

The Queen’s is eager to thank donors in a number of ways: ranging from name-checks on the website or the show programme to gifts of production photos or backstage tours and show tickets. About the show: A London love story celebrating the iconic pop and ska songs of the hugely popular band Madness, Our House is a raucous tale of heartbreak, hope and hilarity, set in Camden Town in the ‘80s. Tickets are just £10 - £15. More details about the production and the Queen’s crowdfunding appeal are available by calling the Box Office on 01708 443333 or online