National Lottery: Edinburgh Playhouse joins Love Your Local Theatre campaign to offer 2 for 1 tickets for smash hit musical, Hairspray

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The Edinburgh Playhouse has joined more than 100 theatres across the country to take part in Love Your Local Theatre, a campaign by UK Theatres for which The National Lottery has provided up to £2 million to subsidise 150,000 plus tickets.

Supported by Girls Aloud singer and star of stage Kimberley Walsh, the campaign ​aims to encourage ​theatre-goers back into their local venues to help aid their recover​y​ from the pandemic​.

The campaign will allow ​National Lottery players to buy one ticket and get another free for participating shows as a thank you for the £30 million they raise every week for Good Causes, including support for the performing arts and theatres during the pandemic.

​Walsh​, says, “We are privileged to have so many incredible theatres across the UK. I have been lucky enough to perform in many of them. Without our local theatres, the face of UK entertainment would look very different. The entertainment industry was particularly impacted by the pandemic, and that’s why the Love Your Local Theatre campaign is so important in supporting their recovery.”

​​At the Playhouse, the campaign means National Lottery players can get 2-for-1 tickets to see Hairspray, ​which tours to the venue ​from March​ 14​ to 19​, starring Brenda Edwards as Motormouth Maybelle and Norman Pace as Wilbur Turnblad.

Based on John Waters' 1988 film of the same name, Hairspray is set in the Baltimore of the Sixties, a time when everyone’s grooving to a brand-new sound​.​ Enter ​the ​vivacious Tracy Turnblad, ​a girl with big hair, a big heart and big dreams of dancing her way onto national TV and into the heart of teen idol, Link Larkin.

When Tracy becomes a local star, she is able to use her newfound fame to fight for liberation, tolerance, and interracial unity, but can she win equality​,​ and Link’s heart​, ​without denting her ’do?

Stephanie Sirr, President of UK Theatre, ​says​,​ “We are delighted to be working with The National Lottery on Love Your Local Theatre. ​We should be hugely proud in this country to have such an extensive, vibrant and diverse range of regional theatres, all of which play a vital role in the theatre landscape of the UK and beyond.

“After such a turbulent two years, we want to shout about the fact that theatres are open and ready to reward audiences for their patience and loyalty - please visit your local theatre and help them continue to make brilliant creative work.”

​The Love Your Local Theatre promotion is open to anyone who is a National Lottery player and possesses a National Lottery ticket.​ P​layers can ​purchase tickets for available performances via www.loveyourlocaltheatre.com or directly here.Nigel Railton, CEO of National Lottery operator Camelot, ​says,​ “The UK’s entertainment industry is world-class thanks to the huge variety of venues and projects across the four nations.​ ​The National Lottery is proud to have teamed up with UK Theatre... saying thank you to National Lottery players who have helped support many theatres during the last two years.”

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