Hope Mill Theatre will host an online evening on Saturday 18th July, celebrating the many works of the well-loved writer Jonathan Harvey (Gimme,Gimme,Gimme/ Coronation Street).
An Evening With Jonathan Harvey will include an interview with Harvey, hosted by Hope Mill Patron Denise Welch and will feature scenes from his past plays including Beautiful Thing, Hushabye Mountain and The Cherry Blossom Tree as well as songs from musicals that Harvey has written the book for including Dusty: The Dusty Springfield Musical and the Pet Shop Boys musical Musik.
The cast performing includes; Katherine Kingsley, Frances Barber, Emma Clarke, Gemma Brodrick, Claire-Louise Cordwell, Joshua Asare, Rose Keegan and Danny Lee Wynter.
The evening will also include guest hosts who have starred and worked alongside Harvey, including Oscar winning actress Olivia Colman, who starred in BBC comedy series Beautiful People, as well as co stars, Meera Syal and Layton Williams. Further guest hosts include, Catherine Tyldesley (Coronation Street), Tameka Empson (Beautiful People/ Beautiful Thing) and Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman (the director of Dusty).
The evening coincides with the launch of the Manchester venue’s first ever prize for playwrighting which includes the opportunity of mentorship with Jonathan Harvey for the chosen finalists.
The prize, which has been named Through the Mill, is open to UK based writers over 16 and as of today is now open for submissions. The winner will receive a cash prize of £5,000 as well as having their play produced by and at Hope Mill Theatre.
For more information on submissions and criteria please visit www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk
Tickets, costing £10, are now on sale for An Evening with Jonathan Harvey and can be purchased online through Hope Mill Theatre’s website. Customers will be sent a link to view the concert on July 18th when a ticket has been purchased. Proceeds raised from ticket money and additional donations will go towards the prize fund for the winning writer.
