For theatre... online, non-professional, amateur
MTI’s All Together Now! Raises Over £4.6 Million for Theatrical Organisations Across the Globe

MTI’s All Together Now! Raises Over £4.6 Million for Theatrical Organisations Across the Globe

Over 2,000 theatres in over 31 countries performed the exclusive musical revue designed as a fundraiser during the weekend of 12 – 15 November 2021

Theatrical licensor, Music Theatre International (MTI), has announced the total revenue collectively raised by theatres across the globe from MTI’s All Together Now! – A Global Event Celebrating Local Theatre. MTI provided schools and theatre organisations with an exclusive musical revue featuring songs from MTI’s beloved shows…all free-of-charge, thanks to the generosity of the authors who created the incredible hit songs in the revue.


Image request:

If your society took part in All Together Now! please send us a few hi-res images to news@sardinesmagazine.co.uk – and we’ll publish the best ones in our next issue.


All Together Now! was designed as a fundraiser for local theatres to perform live, over the same four-days from 12 – 15 November 2021. The past year-and-a-half has been extremely challenging for theatrical organisations and MTI offered this exclusive musical revue as a way both to welcome audiences back to in-person theatre and to support the thousands of theatres who are persevering under trying circumstances.

Over 2,000 organisations from 31 countries participated in the event over the November weekend. Nearly 5,000 individual performances were seen by approximately 500,000 audience members and raised over £4.6 million (adjusted for local currencies) used in support of the producing organisations*.   

A stellar group of authors, estates and rights-holders contributed their songs including: Abe Burrows, Alain Boublil, Alan Jay Lerner, Alan Menken, Allan Knee, Anthony Drewe, Anthony Newley, Benj Pasek, Benny Andersson, Bill Steinkellner, Billie Joe Armstrong, Björn Ulvaeus, Catherine Johnson, Charles Strouse, Cheri Steinkellner, Clarke Peters, Claude-Michel Schönberg, David Greig, David Hein, David Simpatico, Dennis Kelly, Dick Scanlan, Disney Theatrical Group, Douglas Carter Beane, DreamWorks Theatricals, Frank Loesser, Frank Wildhorn, Frederick Loewe, George Furth,  George Stiles,  Glenn Slater,  Harvey Fierstein, Herbert Kretzmer,  Howard Ashman, Irene Sankoff, Jack Feldman, James Lapine, Jason Howland, Jason Robert Brown, Jeanine Tesori, Jennifer Lee, Jerry Bock, Jessie Nelson, Jimmy Van Heusen, Jo Swerling, John Michael Tebelak, Johnny Burke, Jonathan Larson, Joseph Stein, Julian Fellowes, Justin Paul, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Leslie Bricusse, Linda Woolverton, Lionel Bart, Lynn Ahrens, Marc Shaiman, Marcy Heisler, Mark O’Donnell,  Martin Charnin, Matthew Gerard, Michael Mayer, Mindi Dickstein, Richard M. Sherman,  Richard Morris, Robbie Nevil, Robert B. Sherman, Robert Lopez, Sara Bareilles, Scott Wittman, Sheldon Harnick, Stephen Flaherty, Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Sondheim,  Terrence McNally, Thomas Meehan, Tim McDonald, Tim Minchin, Tim Rice and Zina Goldrich.

Drew Cohen, President and CEO of MTI Worldwide remarked, “The response from around the world has been an overwhelming affirmation of the importance of live theatre and the strong connection the members of the theatre community have with each other. Moreover, the incredible support of audiences in returning to live theatre has been incredible to witness. I attended a small production of All Together Now! at a youth theatre in California and the sense of belonging expressed by everyone in attendance – whether on stage or in the audience – was truly inspiring.”

“Theatre people have an indomitable spirit.  We were so happy to offer the UK and Europe this opportunity to celebrate returning to the stage. Even if we aren’t yet finished with this pandemic (or it with us), a weekend in which performers, musicians and all those backstage and front of house had a chance to share their talents with their communities once again will have given everyone a real theatrical ‘booster shot’. Thanks to everyone who participated,” said Seán Gray, Managing Director of MTI’s London office.

“Whether through a live, in-person performance, or through streaming, I am thrilled that so many theatres were able to reach their audiences in meaningful ways through All Together Now! By our estimation, nearly 100,000 people participated in these events as performers, musicians and crew members. The resilience and passion of the theatre community was on full display during that November weekend, and we are grateful to help make a difference for all of the various theatres across the globe,” said John Prignano MTI’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of Education & Development.

*The majority of these data were provided to MTI by organisations after their All Together Now! performances. Where organisations did not submit information, highly conservative estimates were used, and MTI believes that the actual metrics (e.g., revenue, number of productions) are higher than what is presented above).

 www.mtishows.co.uk

 

THE NARRATOR with the X FACTOR

THE NARRATOR with the X FACTOR

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are delighted to announce today that Alexandra Burke will return to the West End this summer in the new production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s legendary musical gets ready for a strictly limited season at the iconic London Palladium.

The production will begin performances on Thursday 1 July (Gala Night: Thursday 15 July) and will be one of the highlights in the return of theatre to the UK cultural landscape.

Alexandra Burke will play The Narrator in the celebrated musical. Her many West End credits include the lead roles in The BodyguardSister Act, Chess and Chicago. Alexandra first rose to fame winning The X-Factor in 2008, and has since gone on to sell over 5 million records.

Jason Donovan will return in the role of Pharaoh. He was originally in the show when he made his defining stage performance as the title character of Joseph in the 1990s, in a sold-out 18-month run which produced a No.1 single and best-selling soundtrack album. Jason raised the roof of the London Palladium in 2019 as Pharaoh, who rocks ‘Song of the King’ in the iconic musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Jac Yarrow caused a sensation when he made his professional stage debut playing Joseph, following in the footsteps of a line of stars who have previously played the title character. His portrayal of Joseph won him unanimous acclaim and an Olivier Award nomination, with his rendition of ‘Close Every Door To Me’ regularly stopping the show with standing ovations.

The production will begin live performances on Thursday 1 July, after the proposed “Step Four” in the Government’s roadmap to easing restrictions, and therefore is planning to accommodate full-capacity audiences in accordance with the intended lifting of all limits on social contact.

Michael Harrison said: The legendary song says “Any Dream Will Do”, but my dream for the past 12 months has been to bring our smash hit production of JOSEPH back to its spiritual home, The London Palladium. I’m thrilled that dream will soon become a reality.

There is no better show than JOSEPH to unite audiences and bring joy and happiness to the West End this summer. The London Palladium is a very special theatre and JOSEPH is a very special musical. We have a brilliant cast ready to get back on stage and an army of theatre makers ready to return to the jobs they miss so much. GO! GO! GO! JOSEPH!”

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat enjoyed a completely sold out season in 2019. Audiences and critics were unanimous in their acclaim for the legendary musical – the first major collaboration by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber – as it returned to the London Palladium.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be directed by Laurence Connor. Laurence’s credits include the acclaimed London production of School of Rock and the Tony-Award nominated production on Broadway, the recent London productions of Miss Saigon and Chess, the international arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and he is also the Co-Director of the new version of Les Misérables which has enjoyed worldwide success including Broadway, UK and US tours. He is the director of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of Cinderella, which also opens this July at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

Laurence will be joined on the creative team by Choreographer JoAnn M Hunter (who has 20 Broadway shows to her credit, including School of Rock and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever), the award-winning Morgan Large who will design the set and costumes, Lighting Designer Ben Cracknell and Sound Designer Gareth Owen.

Released as a concept album in 1969, the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the world’s most beloved family musicals. The multi-award-winning show, which began life as a small-scale school concert, has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international number one tours, and productions in over 80 countries as far afield as Austria and Zimbabwe and from Israel to Peru! The show features songs that have gone on to become pop and musical theatre standards, including Any Dream Will DoClose Every Door To MeJacob and Sons, There’s One More Angel In Heaven and Go Go Go Joseph.

Told entirely through song with the help of the NarratorJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat follows the story of Jacob’s favourite son Joseph and his eleven brothers. After being sold into hardship by the brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled showman, the Pharaoh. As Joseph strives to resolve Egypt’s famine, he becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually reunites with his family.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is produced by Michael Harrison. Michael Harrison and the production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat continue to call for a government-backed insurance scheme to properly support the re-opening of the theatre industry.

-