Ripon Amateur Operatic Society, is determined that its show will go on.

The society, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, was due to stage ‘Oliver’ at Harrogate Theatre – a major production that would have brought much-needed revenue to support other activities.

Committee member Hannah Ruddy, told The Stray Ferret:

“We were due to have a four-day run at Harrogate Theatre in April and eight weeks beforehand had sold 40 percent of the tickets for our performances – a very healthy position to be in two months ahead of the opening curtain, but then COVID-19 meant that we had to postpone.”

Harrogate Theatre, itself in lockdown, announced last week that it had raised £40,000 in an emergency fundraising campaign and has agreed alternative dates next April, when the society, will be able to come back once more with its ‘Oliver’ production.

The society, which moved to its new base in Allhallowgate, Ripon in 2015, where there is a maximum seating capacity of 120, has been staging its major productions at Harrogate Theatre for many years. It had other fundraising activities cancelled, including an 80th anniversary dinner scheduled for next month, so the search is on for other funding sources.

The fingers of members are tightly crossed in the hope that the lockdown will have eased sufficiently later this year, for the musical ‘Chicago’ be staged between 23rd and 29th November at the Allhallowgate venue.

To off-set the cost of holding eight performances over seven days, a fundraising  page has been set up at www.gofundme.com/f/ripon-operatic-society for anybody wishing to make a donation.

In addition to looking forward to the re-start of rehearsals and future performances, the society is in the process of making its Allhallowgate base a community arts hub, providing a rare space in the city that other performing and artistic groups can use.

Hannah pointed out:

“Though we have been temporarily held up in our plans, I think about Oliver and the first line of the musical, which asks: ‘Is it worth the waiting for?’  and I know that the answer from all of our members is a resounding yes!”

Harrogate Theatre has announced that it has raised £40,000 in its emergency appeal.

The theatre, which has always been widely supported,  has faced a funding crisis as it was forced to lower its curtains in March, due to coronavirus.

Alex Monk, a spokesperson from the Theatre told the Stray Ferret:

We rely on a very small amount of public funding, most of our earnings are from ticket sales, so our income has been stripped away, It’s been a worrying time… To raise £40,000 ( and still rising) is just phenomenal… a lot of that has been from audience members that have donated their ticket money from a cancelled show to our emergency fund.

We need £4,000 a week to keep the theatre going…Things are all moving and changing very quickly.. Our current closure notice is up until July at the earliest.

We are exploring models for social distancing in the theatre for when it is safe and possible to open our doors. This does reduce the capacity to around a third which would have severe financial implications.

Members of the community are pulling together to help raise money to try and keep the theatre-going.

Dance Matt,  a children’s entertainment business in Harrogate is doing a virtual 12-hour dance-a-thon children’s mini disco starting at 8 am tomorrow. All money raised will go to the theatre’s emergency appeal. Matt Pullan, who runs the company, has raised £410 so far, with a £500 target.

It’s a very special place to me, I used to go to the panto every New Years Eve with my gran. I’m sure the theatre has touched us all at some point, so I wanted to do something to raise money to contribute… It will be a long 12 hours, but it will absolutely be worth it.

Alex Monk thanked Matt Pullan for his gesture:

This is just one of many of the kind offers we have received. It shows the real strength and place that Harrogate theatre holds.

A Harrogate theatre has launched an emergency appeal and invited people to sponsor its seats.

With coronavirus forcing Harrogate Theatre to cancel its shows for the foreseeable future, the 120-year-old venue now faces “a very uncertain future.”

The theatre has asked people to make a donation, buy tickets for the autumn and winter shows, join its membership scheme and now to sponsor a seat.

It costs £600 to sponsor a seat or £1000 a pair for a five-year term.

That money gets an engraved gold plate featuring the sponsor’s name, with a certificate and invitation to a thank you event a the theatre.

“And now we’re levelling with you – we have never needed your support more than we do today. None of us are entirely sure what the next few weeks and months hold, but the one thing we know is that when all the dust has settled, we want to still be here to bring that joy that everyone will so desperately need.”