West End singer Emma Dears
One of Liverpool’s most historic churches will take centre stage when the West End comes to the Georgian Quarter for a night of musical theatre magic.
A Night At The Musicals on Friday 23rd June at 8pm will raise much-needed funds to support St Bride’s Church.
The event is the first in a series of fund-raisers planned by the new Save Our St Bride’s (#SOSBrides) campaign.
It will see West End stars Emma Dears and Craig Price join forces to perform memorable numbers from some of the best-loved stage musicals, including Les Miserables, Sunset Boulevard, and Liverpool’s own Blood Brothers, in which Craig recently played the Narrator in the West End.
The performers first met when they appeared together in Jesus Christ Superstar, which spent five weeks at the Liverpool Empire, and they will sing key songs from the hit Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber show at St Bride’s.
Emma and Craig will also be joined at the one-off, must-see concert by some special guests.
The Georgian landmark church current has a shortfall of around £9000 a year in running costs, but is also in urgent need of repairs, and is on the English Heritage ‘at risk’ register. Church leaders have recently launched a Re-Imagining St Bride’s initiative to completely refurbish the 188-year-old place of worship.
June’s A Night at the Musicals will be followed by a fund-raising Choir Festival, taking place at the church on Saturday 22nd July, which will feature singers performing both inside the Grade II* listed classical building and on its steps, as well as a communal warm-up and a big finish involving all the choirs taking part.
Liverpool-based singer Emma Dears, who launched the Save Our St Bride’s campaign, said:
“The church does a lot for the surrounding area. It hosts a foodbank and numerous local charities, and there is a lot going on.
Historically, it has been a small arts venue, and it’s such a great space for that, particularly with its acoustics.
It’s a very special place and that’s why we feel so passionately about supporting it in any way we can.”