The Mercury Rising Gala Dinner was deemed a fundraising success after one-hundred guests attended the event, hosted in the grand Moot Hall, Colchester, on Friday 11th May. The purpose of the evening was to raise funds for the forthcoming redevelopment of the Mercury Theatre with the aim to create an accessible and community-centred venue with the construction of a variety of new and improved facilities.
The Mercury Theatre and guests were given exclusive use of the Town Hall for the event, beginning with a drinks reception in the Mayor’s Parlour, during which guests were greeted with an acoustic set from musician Tahir Burhan. The guests were then called to the Moot Hall where dinner was served, accompanied by music from Jade Spivey who performed a set of popular lounge songs. The venue provided a wonderful backdrop to the evening, made even more spectacular with the help of the theatre’s technical team and lighting equipment generously donated by Hawthorn. The tables themselves were decorated to represent different Made In Colchester productions with each centrepiece constructed of props from shows such as Spamalot, Much Ado About Nothing, and our recent pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The fundraising activities for the evening consisted of a prize draw, the crowd game ‘Heads and Tails’ and an auction, all with amazing prizes to be won. In addition to these activities, the evening was also host to the presence of actor Richard Wilson OBE, who delivered a speech in his ever-comical, ever dry, manner. The guests were then treated to an after-dinner band, Barney & The Rubbles to finish off the evening.
The income for the event has reached an incredible £10,000 which will greatly benefit our Mercury Rising Campaign and we owe a great thank you to those who supported us on the evening; Hawthorn, who provided us with technical equipment for the evening, the staff at Colchester Town Hall, the performers, the raffle and auction prize suppliers and everyone who donated during the event.
Photos from the evening can be viewed in the gallery below. If you wish to have the high resolution version sent, please consider a small donation and contact Rebekah on 01206 245470 or [email protected]
A great way to continue your support for Mercury Rising and the Mercury Theatre is to adopt a seat. Please follow the link for more; https://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/event/adopt-a-seat/
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