An unforgettable evening of 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 Gillian sadly 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 a choir 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 that is what we want to do with the Foundation – to be the help that 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.”
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 Catsin 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.
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.
