More than 1200 older people had the magic of the stage transported to their living rooms earlier this month after the Ambassador Theatre Group and older people’s charity Independent Age joined forces.
The show’s producers and ATG provided streaming tickets to That’ll Be The Day Christmas Show 2020 – a rock and roll Christmas show with pop and traditional music – as a festive treat to more than 1000 older people from the Independent Age network and more than 200 from the charity’s partners, who may have been experiencing loneliness this year.
Members of the public helped make the partnership possible, by buying an extra ticket for the people in later life who have had a difficult year due to COVID-19.
That’ll Be The Day was also streamed into the living rooms of a number of care homes around the country.
Deborah Alsina, Chief Executive of Independent Age, said the show had been a boost for the spirits of older people connected with the charity.
“2020 has been a challenging year for people for everyone in the UK, and the additional restrictions placed on people in later life have made it especially difficult for them.
“We were thrilled that the partnership with ATG and Independent Age meant that more than 1200 older people could have a fun, festive night.
“We’ve learnt this year how vital it is to stay socially connected while being physically distanced, and theatre is a fantastic way to do that.”
Christopher Edgington, Chief Customer Officer at Ambassador Theatre Group, said:
“In a year where it hasn’t been possible to bring live entertainment into people’s lives in our theatres, it meant more than ever that we were able to partner with Independent Age to reach an audience who have faced additional challenges.
“To see some of the wonderful feedback we’ve had from people who enjoyed the stream has been truly heart-warming.”
Jemma Gray, Team Leader at Anchor Hanover’s Dawson Lodge care home, said:
“The show had a good choice of songs and the singers were brilliant. All of our residents really enjoyed the show. Thank you so much Independent Age for this special holiday treat."
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Notes to Editor:
For media enquiries please contact:
Gen Kennedy, Media and PR Manager, on 020 7605 4215 or gen.kennedy@independentage.org
About Independent Age
Independent Age is an older people's charity that wants to make the UK a place where we can all live happy, connected, and purposeful later lives. During the coronavirus crisis, we have prioritised our efforts to ensure we continue to provide support to the 3000+ older people with whom we currently work. We are developing a programme of support for local organisations who are providing critical services for older people; we want to ensure these organisations can get through this crisis as well and continue their work long into the future.
We understand the issues faced in later life, campaign for change, and provide support people can rely on – from clear and straightforward information guides to a network of volunteers helping to reduce loneliness and isolation across the UK.
For more information, visit our website www.independentage.org
Arrange to speak to one of our advisers for free and confidential advice and information. Call our Freephone number on 0800 319 6789 or email advice@independentage.org
About Ambassador Theatre Group
Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) is the global leader in live theatre, operating 50 venues across Britain, the US and Germany. We produce shows across the entertainment spectrum and are proud to have won many Olivier and Tony awards. Recent ATG productions in the UK include Jamie Lloyd’s Cyrano de Bergerac, the critically-acclaimed Pinter at the Pinter Season; Tony Kushner’s Caroline Or Change and 9 to 5, the musicalscored by Dolly Parton. To celebrate Sir Ian McKellen’s 80th birthday, we produced his 80-date UK tour in support of British theatre. ATG’s most recent producing credits in the U.S. include Dear Evan Hansen, Pretty Woman: The Musical, Sunday in the Park with George, and Lincoln Center Theater’s The King and I.ATG has a clear mission to bring the very best in live entertainment to the largest possible number of people.