Theatre fans, get your popcorn (and wine!) ready! Giles Terera and the Shaftesbury Theatre will be hosting a free online concert on Official London Theatre’s YouTube channel at 7.30pm on 15 July in honour of Harry Gabriel who will be celebrating his 40th anniversary as a Stage Door Keeper this year. With songs and stories and performances from some of your fave West End stars, it’s going to be truly epic!
For anyone who hasn’t met Harry, let’s just say he’s a true West End legend. So much so that in 2017, he was awarded an inaugural Be Inspired Award at the Olivier Awards after being nominated by his family and friends for his commitment to inspiring others through his love of theatre in his personal and professional life.
His journey into the world of theatre began in 1980 when he started working at the Shaftesbury Theatre as part of the Front of House team. A few years later, he became a Stage Door Keeper and today, he is the first face seen by every performer and staff member entering the building in the evenings.
Harry Gabriel, winner of the Be Inspired Olivier Award, 2017
Hello Harry! – A Celebration of 40 Years at Stage Door Online Concert will see performers from across the West End and beyond coming together to celebrate his incredible career and the thousands of lives he has touched over the years. It is also a celebration of the history of Shaftesbury Theatre and the important role it has played in the West End.
The online concert will feature songs and stories from shows that have been staged at the Shaftesbury Theatre over the last 40 years, starting off with Hello Dolly!, the first show of 1980, all the way to the present day with & Juliet.
Working with the Shaftesbury Theatre, Giles Terera has put together an eclectic and exciting guest list of performers, who are all connected to Harry and to the Shaftesbury Theatre. Some of these include Dame Judi Dench, Anthony Hopkins, Amanda Holden, Chita Rivera, Eddie Izzard, Imelda Staunton and Beverley Knight.
Join us in celebrating Harry and the amazing history of the Shaftesbury Theatre by tuning into our YouTube channel at 7.30 pm on 15 July. The concert itself will be free of charge and will remain online. If you are able to donate, there will be a link to Cancer Research UK, Black Lives Matter and The Black Curriculum, charities which have been chosen by Harry and Giles.
Harry has been a familiar and friendly face to performers and audience members and we hope that this concert will help bring people together in what is a very difficult time for our industry.
If you’d like to share a story about Harry or if you’d like to get involved in the concert celebration, please get in touch at feedback@shaftesburytheatre.com or call 02073951301. You can also share your love for Harry by sending a selfie of yourselves holding up a sign that says HELLO HARRY or THANK YOU HARRY. These images will be featured in the concert.
We can’t wait to tune in and hope you join us too!