Today, theatrical charity Acting for Others announces initial participants in its 14th annual bucket collection. For two weeks, beginning 16 October, bucket collections will be held at the end of performances in almost every theatre across London and throughout the whole of the UK. Last year over £225,000 was raised. The cast of Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre won the ‘Golden Bucket’ Award, for most money raised, at the inaugural Acting for Others presidential awards earlier in the year, hosted by Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith. They raised over £40,000. Initial cast and theatres taking part this year include Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre, Flashdance at Liverpool Empire and The Lie at Menier Chocolate Factory.
All donations go to Acting for Others, an umbrella organisation for 15 theatrical charities which use the funds raised to offer emotional and financial support to any theatre workers who have fallen on hard times through illness, injury or circumstance. These are the only theatre collections endorsed in London by Society of London Theatre and nationally by UK Theatre, and supported by all the leading theatre groups including Ambassadors Theatre Group, Delfont Mackintosh Theatre, Nimax, Really Useful Group, Bill Kenwright Ltd as well as virtually every major grant-aided company and commercial producers.
The Acting for Others charities are Actor’s Children’s Trust, Dancers’ Career Development, Denville Hall, Drury Lane Theatrical Fund, Equity Charitable Trust, Evelyn Norris Trust, Grand Order of Water Rats, International Performers’ Aid Trust, King George V Fund for Actors and Actresses, Ralph and, Meriel Richardson Foundation, Dancer Professional Fund, The Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund, The Royal Theatrical Fund, Theatre Chaplaincy UK and The Theatrical Guild.