TTG Launches WOS Awards Xmas Tree Contest

The Theatrical Guild, the adopted charity for the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards, have devised a festive thespian treat to tie in with this year’s Awards Launch Party, when shortlists are announced, on Friday 3 December 2010.

The “Great Theatreland Christmas Tree Competition”, launched this week, is an inter-theatre contest. Companies at all interested venues are invited to “exercise their creativity” and design, build and decorate either a full size or miniature table-top Christmas tree in their chosen style. Everyone working in the theatre – front of house, backstage, onstage and anywhere else – are encourage to take part.

In the Whatsonstage.com offices, we’re already reeling at the show-themed possibilities that the companies of the likes of Priscilla, Legally Blonde and Dirty Dancing may come up with? There won’t be a pink bauble left in London…

Theatregoers can look out for competing trees displayed in venue bars and foyers over the Christmas period. The week of 29 November 2010, the competition panel – including Christopher Biggins, who co-hosted the 2010 Whatsonstage.com Awards Concert at the Prince of Wales this past February, and designers Tomasz Starzewski (fashion), Michael Howells and Bob Crowley – will judge the trees.

Winners will then be announced, and presented with a trophy and a crate of Ruinart champagne, by Simon Russell Beale, speaking on behalf of The Theatrical Guild at the Awards Launch Party. The invitation-only event, at which the full set of nominations for the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards will be announced and voting launched, will be held for 500+ industry guests at Cafe de Paris at lunchtime on Friday 3 December 2010.

Established in 1891, under the title of The Theatrical Ladies’ Guild, the charity was founded by a group of distinguished actresses, led by Mrs Charles L Carson, “Kittie”, who set out to help those in the profession who had fallen on bad times. To dispel the mistaken notion that it was for women only, the charity changed its name to The Theatrical Guild (TTG) in 2001.

Uniquely, TTG makes no distinction between the nature of employment – backstage, front of house, technical, catering, sales and administration, management – if you have worked in the theatre and are facing hardship then The Theatrical Guild can work for you through regular and one-off grants and other forms financial aid and assistance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE “GREAT THEATRELAND CHRISTMAS TREE COMPETITION”, TO ENTER & TO DONATE TO THE THEATRICAL GUILD, CLICK HERE.