Astravaganza Entertainment's production of Annie Supports the Southport Dance Emergency Fund.

On July 29th, 2024, a violent incident took place at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class for young children, killing three and injuring several others. In response, dance organisations across the UK came together to launch a GoFundMe campaign called the Southport Dance Emergency Fund to support the victims and their families.

As a company that promotes the power of the arts, Astravaganza Entertainment was devastated by this attack against the dance community. “The dance world is a wonderful community of people who gain such joy from dancing. It’s impossible to comprehend what has happened,” said Liam Glendinning, Director of Astravaganza Entertainment.

To show their support, Astravaganza will be holding bucket collections and raffle ticket sales during performances from August 28th to 31st at the Playhouse Whitley Bay to raise as much money as possible for the families impacted.

“Theatre is a place where people can express themselves freely without fear. Now more than ever, we need to come together and spread love, not hate,” said Liam. “We hope our community will join us in helping the Southport dance families through the power of art and generosity.”

Tickets for Annie are available now at bit.ly/Astra-Annie. Donations can also be made directly at gofundme.com/f/SouthportDanceEmergencyFund.

• Astravaganza Entertainment is a local nonprofit theatre company that produces musicals promoting inclusion, community and the arts.

• Astravaganza Entertainment is a leading producer of musical theatre in the Northeast, known for productions like Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Producers, Shrek and Oliver! And Disney's Beauty & The Beast.