In person events in 2020 were few and far between which is why we were even happier to deliver this event in January of that year that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Palace Theatre Newark.
The Palace is amongst a small number of theatres in this country built between the wars. The fact that this Midlands venue was also built by a woman makes it even more special.
The brief
The team there wanted to kick start a year of celebrations with a party that would bring together stakeholders, supporters, staff and audience members as well as launching their new centenary fund that would support local young people looking to pursue a career in the arts.
The Delivery
We developed a concept that would take guests back to 1920, when the theatre was built. Guests being discreetly ushered to the ‘secret’ entrance at the back of the building and into the auditorium for brief welcome speeches before the curtain was pulled back to reveal a speakeasy on the stage.
There as the party got underway, they were greeted with 1920s cocktails, a glorious jazz and swing band, costumed hosts and wonderful food. Guests embraced the spirit of the event and came dressed in all their 1920s finest.
Sadly most of the remaining plans for the centenary year had to be shelved or postponed into 2021 thanks to the onset of covid, but that only saw this event increasing in importance as it became a reminder of how important the venue and the productions it hosts are to the town through the period it couldn’t operate.
