A Moray stage school has launched an urgent appeal to raise £10,000 after a sponsorship deal for shows in Edinburgh fell through.
Young performers at the Rock Academy performing arts centre in Lossiemouth have been rehearsing ahead of a scheduled eight appearances at the Fringe festival next month.
The school’s co-owner, Tish Tindall, had arranged for the cast of Robert Burns The Musical to perform during the one-woman piece she has penned about the show’s creation.
But the producers have now been forced into a desperate funding crusade to ensure the cast can make the trip to the capital to take part, after a private backer withdrew funding.
Rock Academy performer Rachel Bradley said she was facing a “race against time” as she battles to amass the thousands of pounds required to cover travel and accommodation for the 17 performers.
Ms Bradley added: “We had hoped the Edinburgh shows would offer us a platform to promote Robert Burns The Musical.
“The idea behind Tish Tindall’s show had always been to highlight Rock Academy, and specifically that musical.
“But the sponsor has been forced to pull out, due to unforeseen circumstances, and now we don’t even know if we can get the cast members there.”
The stage school will host a fundraising day early next month in an effort to raise enough money to cover the expenses of the journey to Edinburgh, and Ms Bradley has created an internet page where people can make donations.
On Thursday, August 4, Rock Academy will hold a fundraising day of activities from 2pm to 8pm – featuring a Disney disco and singing and dancing classes.
She added: “Travel and accommodation for 17 people is quite a lot of money, and we had been planning for them to take part in all eight shows across four days.
“Crowdfunding isn’t something we’ve tried before, but we have been left with two weeks to raise the money and need to do everything that we can.
“We want to promote the talent we have in Moray, and for us to get the support of the local community would be incredible.”
Tish Tindall’s show, “Robert Burns, David Gest, Michael Jackson and Me”, is a comedy about the creation of the musical about Scotland’s bard.
It will be staged twice daily between Thursday, August 11, and Sunday, August 14.
