YANK - UK Premiere of the American Musical

We want to tell the stories that the history books tried to forget by bringing the hit musical YANK to Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre. 

Want to know where our money is going and meet our producers? Watch the video below :)

Synopsis

The musical begins with a young man in present-day San Francisco who finds an old diary in a junk shop…

Through the journal we learn the story of Stu, a scared Midwestern kid who gets drafted in 1943, and who – like most guys – spends Basic Training wrestling with fears of whether he “has what it takes” to make it in the Army. But unlike most guys, Stu also falls in love with a fellow Private, a handsome All-American guy named Mitch..

YANK…tells Stu’s, Mitch’s, and Artie’s stories, as well as the stories of the other men in Charlie Company. It explores what it means to be a man, and what it is to fall in love and struggle to survive in a time and place where the odds are stacked against you.

With it's subjects of LGBT, fighting for what you believe and the politics of war the musical is highly relevant to the world we live in today. 

The Venue

Hope Mill Theatre is Manchester's lateast fringe theatre. At around 120 seats this small venue is having a big impact with the venue winning the Hospital Club 10 Award for Theatre & Performance 2016 as well as being shortlisted by The Stage for Fringe Venue of the Year. Recent in-house productions of Hair & Parade have also been showered with praise and nominated for prestigious awards.

The Team

Katy Lipson (Aria Entertainment) - Producer

Aria Entertainment was found in 2012 and regularly produces musicals, both revivals and brand new shows, on the UK's fringe scene. Each year the company supports and showcases brand new musicals through its festival From Page To Stage which this year will move to Andrew Lloyd Webber's recently Acquired venue The Other Palace. Recent credits include: Parade (Hope Mill Theatre), Promises Promises (Southwark Playhouse), Vanities (Trafalgar Studios) and Hair (Hope Mill Theatre)

Ben Millerman (Mr Millerman Presents) - Producer

Brand new company, Mr Millerman Presents, is excited to be producing a line up of shows in 2017 including: YANK (Hope Mill Theatre) and NOISE (Birmingham Old Rep). The company was founded by Ben Millerman who's previously worked professionaly as an actor in musicals such as Bonnie & Clyde, Cabaret, in pantomimes across the UK and for the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Hope Mill Theatre - Producer

Hope Mill Theatre was founded by couple Joseph Houston and William Whelton who, after a career performing in Musical Theatre in London, became inspired by the high-quality fringe scene and established the Hope Mill Theatre in a former cotton mill in Manchester. The venue is proud to have recently announced Musical Theatre legend, Tracie Bennett, as their patron.

James Baker - Director

James returns to the Hope Mill Theatre having previously directed Parade at the venue in 2016. Recent credits include: Parallel (Harrogate Theatre & UK Tour); The Rise & Fall of Little Voice; The Last Five Years; Little Shop of Horrors; Spring Awakening – The Musical and Organised Chaos’s production of All Because of Molly by Paul Ferguson (Regional Tour).

Where is the money going?

- Rehearsal Space

- Paying artist fees. So many fringe productions rely on low pay/no pay, we try to provide high quality productions and therefore pay higher wages than other fringe productions in order to be fair to the artists and deliver high level performances from up and coming UK performers and artists.

- Set Construction

- Purchasing Props

Pledges

Not only will you be supporting this fantastic production and it's team but you can also benefit from all of this!

£10 - A huge and heartfelt thank you on YANK's social media platforms

£25 - You will receive a thank on YANK's social media platforms.

£50 - Not only will you receive a thank on YANK's social media platforms but you'll also get a signed poster from the team.

£75 - A signed programme, a signed poster and a huge thank on YANK's social media platforms.

£100 - A personalised thank you video from our team, a signed programme, a signed poster, a huge thank you on YANK's social media platforms.

£200 - Two complimentary tickets to the production in Manchester, a personalised thank you video, a signed programme, a signed poster, a huge thank you on YANK's social media platforms.

£350 - The opportunity to meet the cast and creatives for your own Q&A session, Two complimentary tickets to the production in Manchester,  a personalised thank you video, a signed programme, a signed poster, a huge thank you on YANK's social media platforms.

£500 - Two tickets to press night of YANK, passes to the press night party with your opportunity to mingle with the stars of the show,  a personalised thank you video, a signed programme, a signed poster, a huge thank you on YANK's social media platforms.

£750 - Dinner with the producer(s), Two tickets to press night of YANK, passes to the press night party with your opportunity to mingle with the stars of the show,  a personalised thank you video, a signed programme, a signed poster, a huge thank you on YANK's social media platforms.

This project has been approved for funding through the Artists + The Crowd match funding. It will receive a top up of 50% towards its fundraising target from Arts Council England.