Old Vic stages starry gala night for Kevin Spacey

Annie Lennox and Sting will perform at a fundraising gala in honour of outgoing Old Vic artistic director Kevin Spacey.

The gala, on 19 April, will be hosted by Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville and marks Spacey's 11 years as artistic director of the historic venue.

Bonneville said: "I'm delighted to be hosting this special event in honour of a man whose dedication to the entertainment industry and to the Old Vic in particular has been second to none."

Choreographer Rob Ashford, well known for his work choreographing the Academy Awards and productions both on Broadway and in the West End, will direct the evening.

Tickets for the evening, which will raise money for The Old Vic Endowment Fund, are available now priced between £100 and £2,000. There will also be a live screening of the event at the BFI Southbank.

Sally Greene, chief executive of The Old Vic, said: "We are hugely thankful for Kevin's dedication and passion for The Old Vic – from the first time I spoke with him about the theatre and learned that he had visited The Old Vic as a child, to his inspiring
performance as Clarence Darrow. This Gala will pay tribute to these incredible eleven years and what he has achieved here."

Spacey returns to the Old Vic in the one-man play Clarence Darrow from 3 March to 11 April.