Hackney Empire Announces Plans For 2021; Leona Lewis Becomes A Patron

The Hackney Empire team has announced plans for reopening; looking ahead to the iconic East London venue's 120th Anniversary in the autumn, continuing to focus on its commitment to community and championing of young people, alongside an exciting programme of work for audiences to enjoy in the autumn.

World-renowned Hackney born singer Leona Lewis will cement a long-standing relationship with Hackney Empire by officially becoming a Patron of the venue. With a focus on the Creative Futures Programme she will continue to offer mentorship and support to the young people supported by the venue. Since December 2020, Leona has been working closely with a group of 25 young artists and musicians aged 15-25 years old from across East and North London. Kicking off with an intimate Q&A session for the group on Zoom, she shared her own experience and advice, from growing up in Hackney, to winning X-Factor and recording her next release in LA, her song-writing inspiration and how she deals with nerves. Since then Leona has hosted a series of workshops for the group offering personal mentoring and advice to each of the young artists, as well as bringing in guests from the music industry, including vocal coaching and song writing masterclasses with Yvie Burnett and Autumn Rowe to support their artistic development. These sessions are available for the public to view on YouTube .

By becoming a Patron Leona will join Clive Rowe, Olivier Award-winning actor whose name is synonymous with Hackney Empire having starred in over 14 of its acclaimed Pantomimes.

Leona Lewis said, "I am honoured to become a Patron of Hackney Empire, one of the London's most loved and magical venues. For me this feels like homecoming - it was on Hackney Empire's legendary stage I won the first competition which started me on my journey as a professional artist, it's the place I launched my album Echo, and is home to amazing memories of generations of my friends and family. More recently during the pandemic it's been a huge pleasure and inspiration to work with young people from Hackney Empire's Creative Futures programme. I'm looking forward to continuing that work as a Patron - getting involved creatively and helping to amplify the voices of some of our amazing young artists."

In May, Alter Ego 2021 marked a decade of nurturing, championing and platforming the exceptional young talent that exists in East London. Presented in partnership with Discover Young Hackney; Alter Ego has, over 10 years, established itself as the leading annual showcase for young artists from East and North London, consistently selling out over 1,200 tickets; often upwards of 85% of which are purchased by 15-19 years old. In 2021, Hackney Empire continues to build on the success of previous years, celebrating the aspirations, talent and creativity of young Londoners. The filmed performance - to be released publicly on 23 July - will feature performances by some of the talented young artists that have been finalists over the years.

In August, Hackney Empire will present ADP 2021: Romeo & Juliet (Title TBC); The Artist Development Programme (ADP) is a two-week summer programme giving a company of 40 young artists, aged 13-19, the opportunity to create an original piece of musical theatre. Selected through an audition process and guided by some of the industry's leading professionals; young actors, writers, musicians, dancers, designers, singers and rappers develop their practice to compose, write, choreograph, design and perform their own piece of original musical theatre created in just twelve days. This year's performance will be directed by Hackney Empire Artistic Director Yamin Choudury and Kane Husbands, with Ty Lowe as Musical Director. Kane is the founder and Artistic Director of The Pappy Show, as well as a facilitator, director, performer and maker specialising in movement, dance, ensemble and physical theatre, and a lecturer at Central Saint Martins. The script will be written by Sumah Ebelé, a 21-year-old emerging actor and writer from East London who has previously worked theatres including Hackney Empire, Bush Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and Omnibus Theatre.

ADP will run from 31 July - 14 August, performed on the main stage on 14 August. Auditions will be held on 26 & 27 June.

The 2021 BEAM Showcase visits Hackney Empire in September, bringing together presentations of new musicals in development, masterclasses, networking opportunities and panel discussions.

September at Hackney Empire will also feature the smash hit podcast The Socially Distant Sports Bar: Live! for the very first time. Join Elis, Mike and Steff and be in the away end as the team discuss big sporting stories such as wooing an optician with a camping stove in Bath; having lunch with Joe Frazier and Nigel Havers in a hotel near Maesteg; the social history of Carmarthenshire 1895-1915; and X-Rated trips to Wimbledon in the 1980s (to not watch the tennis). They may even get around to talking about some actual sport. Followed by Sindhu Vee's brand-new show about the hair we want, the friends we have, and living the vast difference between virus and viral. Expect 'outspoken, frank and funny stand-up' (Evening Standard) from this Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer nominee.

October begins with the Autumn season repertoire by Olivier Award winning English Touring Opera; since 1979, English Touring Opera has toured outstanding live productions, education and community projects to more towns and cities than any other UK opera company. Reaching over 50,000 people per year with five mainstage productions and two specially commissioned operas for children and young people with special educational needs. In mid-October the Caribbean King of Comedy Oliver Samuels launches his brand new block play Crazy But True, written by Oliver Samuels and Dennis Titus and directed by Samuels himself, co-starring his classic sparring partner Volier "Maffy" Johnson, alongside Dennis Titus, Lakeisha Ellison and Malessa Vassell. October will also see the premiere of new musical Vanara, a revolutionary show set in a futuristic prehistory. Vanara combines a lush, original score with fluid, cinematic storytelling and weaves together musical theatre, contemporary dance, circus and multimedia innovation. The two-week opening at Hackney Empire will be followed by a UK tour planned for 2022.

2021 ends with Jack and the Beanstalk, running from November 20th 2021 to January 2nd 2022 - "the doyen of dames" (The Times) Clive Rowe returns to Hackney Empire this year for a sparkling new panto adventure! When happy-go-lucky Jack is tempted into selling his family's beloved cow for a bag full of magic beans, he finds himself tangled in an adventure of GIANT proportions. Join Jack on his journey up an enchanted beanstalk as he tries to outwit a rampaging giant, all with the help of his larger-than-life mum - Dame Trot. This year's production of Jack and the Beanstalk will welcome a fantastic new team to join Olivier Award-winning Clive Rowe, as well as many of the familiar faces that make Hackney Empire's panto one of the best in the land. Full creative team and casting will be announced in due course.

Artistic Director Yamin Choudury says: "The last sixteen months have been some of the most challenging we have experienced in recent memory, and what has kept many of us going is the idea of what those first nights back are going to feel like for us all. Jo and I couldn't be more thankful to all of those who have supported us over this time and to our incredible team that have worked tirelessly to make sure that Hackney Empire was always open, accessible and there for young people in every way over the last year, and that we are now in the best possible position to welcome our incredible audiences back after the summer.

Art and Culture as a tool to entertain, inform, respond and share has never felt more vital, more urgent, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our communities are able to access excellent people and stories - however they are told.

We've missed you and we can't wait to see you very soon"

Website: www.hackneyempire.co.uk