Macmillan Cancer Support received an early Christmas present this week, when it was given a cheque for £500,000 from the hit high school musical Grease. The half a million pounds had been raised through a specially staged gala performance, an appearance by the leads on Celebrity The Weakest Link and by donating £1 for every ticket sold in the production’s first year.
The cheque was presented to actress, model and high profile Macmillan supporter Elizabeth Hurley on Wednesday night, at a special performance attended by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.
Hurley commented: “I am thrilled to accept this cheque for Macmillan Cancer Support, and on behalf of Macmillan I would like to thank everyone involved in Grease for this incredible donation. This money will be put to immediate use to enable Macmillan to continue to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.”
Following its much publicised search for actors to play Danny and Sandy through television talent show Grease Is The Word, Grease opened at the Piccadilly in July with newcomers Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden playing the high school sweethearts.
For producer David Ian, who was one of the Grease Is The Word judges, the charitable donation is a more personal matter. Speaking about Macmillan, he said: “I lost my Mum to cancer 10 years ago this Christmas Eve, so for Grease to be making this incredible donation to Macmillan is very personal to me. Macmillan do such wonderful work supporting those living with cancer and I am very proud to be doing all I can to support them.”
Grease is currently booking until 14 June 2008. em>MA