Theatre News

WOS Awards Charity Stage One Launches Theatre Auction

| London | London's West End |

4 November 2011

Stage One, the adopted charity of the 2012 Whatsonstage.com Awards – which opened for nominations this week – has launched an online fund-raising theatre auction called West End Lots, featuring a range of fantastic prizes.

Among the lots on offer is the chance to tread the boards alongside Mackenzie Crook and Mark Rylance in Jerusalem, an opportunity to meet the cast of Wicked, and a range of theatrical memorabilia including programmes signed by the likes of Cameron Mackintosh and David Tennant.

The auction will be held online at auction.stageone.uk.com until 24 February 2012 – five days after the results are announced at the glittering Whatsonstage.com Awards concert at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

Bidding for these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and highly original items will help Stage One to continue to identify and nurture the next generation of theatrical entrepreneurs through its apprentice schemes, workshops, bursaries and the practical support its gives to new theatre producers.

Terri Paddock, managing and editorial director of Whatsonstage.com, commented: “The experiences and memorabilia pulled together by Stage One are truly thrilling, and we are delighted to be able to promote them and the West End Lots auction via Whatsonstage.com. I know I won’t be the only one bidding daily for my own little piece of theatre history.”

Current confirmed auction lots of theatrical experiences include:

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to play a walk on part in the triumphant Jerusalem with Mark Rylance and Mackenzie Crook

Two VIP tickets to the glamorous 2012 Olivier Awards at the Royal Opera House, an invitation to the exclusive after show party and a night in a top London Hotel

Two tickets to the Press Night and Party of Long Day’s Journey Into Night with David Suchet

Two Tickets to the Press Night and Party of La Soirée, the internationally successful cabaret spectacular, and dinner

Four family tickets and a chance to meet the cast of Wicked

A pair of tickets to Rock of Ages, and a backstage meet and greet with the cast, plus dinner and a stay in a 4 star hotel

An exclusive dance class with Dirty Dancing’s Johnny Castle and a pair of tickets to the show in Manchester, plus a stay at the Radisson Edwardian

VIP tickets in the Royal Box to West End legend, The Mousetrap, with complimentary champagne

Tickets to Stomp, the RSC hit show Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical and Potted Panto

Matilda – tickets and VIP experience for a group of four plus a private tour of the Roald Dahl Museum.

Wicked – a three course meal before the show, tickets and VIP experience for a group of four and a meet and greet with the cast on stage after the show

Theatrical memorabilia on offer so far includes:

The TS Eliot poem quoted in Butley, signed by Dominic West together with a signed photo

The Armani tie worn by Christian Slater in Swimming with Sharks

Two original signed illustrations by Mackenzie Crook, and inspired by Jerusalem

The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary programme and My Fair Lady artwork signed by Sir Cameron Mackintosh

The poster and playtext of Much Ado About Nothing, signed by David Tennant and Catherine Tate

Signed script of Driving Miss Daisy with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones

An original drawing of Leonard Rossiter by Clive Francis

Christian Slater’s Armani tie from Swimming with Sharks, plus a portrait of him and a theatre programme

Framed front cover of Theatre World magazine from 1939 with a picture of Bernard Shaw

Rain Man poster signed by Josh Hartnett, Adam Godley and cast

The site goes live at 10.00am on Friday 4 November when the silent auction begins. The website
auction.stageone.uk.com has details on how to place bids and all the latest updates on new auction lots as they become available.

Follow the auction on twitter.com @westendlots