A unique new interpretation of ‘Beauty and The Beast’ is helping the West Midlands’ leading theatre’s attempts to raise over £1 million to create an impressive new stage.
Birmingham-based digital print, signs and graphics giant Hollywood Monster has become a supporter of Leading Ladies – the Birmingham Hippodrome’s networking group for women – and is sponsoring its next event.
Passers-by could be forgiven for thinking that a production of Beauty and the Beast had arrived at the theatre when Hollywood Monster’s huge, purple monster mascot turned up with two trustees of Birmingham Hippodrome Development Trust to officially announce the company’s support for the cause.
Leading Ladies combines showbiz glamour with quarterly networking events at the UK’s busiest theatre and aims to raise over £5,000 for the Hippodrome’s Stage Appeal.
The networking group brings professional women together from various sectors across the city. Leading Ladies founders are Fiona Alexander, of University Hospitals Birmingham, Jayne Herritty of Calthorpe Estates and Ruth Pipkin of Rewired PR. It has raised more than £2,000 towards the £1.2million appeal to replace the 30-year-old stage.
Tim Andrews, managing director of Hollywood Monster, said: “Hollywood Monster is a Birmingham-based company and we are therefore delighted and proud to be able to support the city’s top theatre. Leading Ladies is an excellent initiative which offers women the opportunity to enjoy business networking with a theatrical twist and we wish everyone well in achieving their fundraising target.”
Leading Ladies founder Jayne Herritty said: “We are delighted that Leading Ladies is going from strength to strength. With over 50 participating companies, it is rapidly becoming one of the city’s ‘hot tickets’ at the UK’s most popular theatre.”
The next Leading Ladies event coincides with the 20th anniversary performance of Matthew Bourne’s acclaimed and award-winning production of Nutcracker! at Birmingham Hippodrome on Tuesday 7 February 2012. There are still a small number of tickets available for the event which comprises pre-show and interval network receptions with guest speakers from the theatre world.
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company is the name behind some of the most successful dance productions of the last two decades including Swan Lake, The Car Man, Edward Scissorhands and Cinderella.
Hollywood Monster, based in Birmingham, employs around 65 people and works with major companies including Next, Virgin Media, LilyWhites, Debenhams, Ann Summers, Coach, Whistles, HMV, Westfield, Carillion, Morgan Sindall, Lovell Homes, Redrow and Bovis Homes. Sectors it is active in include commercial and residential property, construction, retail, corporate, exhibition, outdoor media, event, stadium, museum and theatrical.