Tonight’s the night for the Christmas extravaganza at Swansea Arena in support of MAGGIE’S. This very special event will help to create awareness of the incredible work that Maggie’s do with cancer patients and the people close to them, as well as helping to raise valuable funds, with all profits from the show being used by Maggie’s to help continue their important work in Swansea.
Swansea Arena has chosen Maggie’s as one of its 2023 Charity Partners, and is proud and excited to be able to host this spectacular event, the likes of which is rarely seen in the city.
In addition to the already announced Steve Balsamo, Ria Jones, Mal Pope, Rob Marshall, and operatic talent Ros Evans the event will be hosted by Swansea’s own Kev Johns, with additional performances by Dunvant Male Choir, Côr Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr and stage and screen actor, Adrian Metcalfe.
This stellar lineup promises to be a Swansea night to remember! Kev told us…..
“I’m very excited about being part of a great Christmas Celebration for Maggie’s at the Swansea Arena. What a great way to celebrate the Christmas season and the incredible support that Maggie’s gives to our community.”
Lucia Osmond is the Centre Fundraising Manager at Maggie’s….
“ We are delighted our friend Kev Johns is hosting this very special night for Maggie’s at Swansea Arena. Kev has supported many events for Maggie’s over the years and we are hugely grateful for his support at our first Maggie’s Christmas Extravaganza. We have such an amazing line up of talent on the evening and all monies raised will help us support more people affected by cancer in Swansea and the South Wales area.”
Maggie’s offers the best possible free support to anyone with cancer. You’ll find their Swansea centre alongside Singleton Hospital and they also provide online support.
Maggie’s is there for anyone with cancer and their family and friends, whatever kind of cancer, and whatever stage they’re at. There’s no time limit on the support they offer, they’ll be there for as long as they’re needed.
Maggie’s isn’t part of the NHS, it is an independent charity who has excellent relationships with its partner hospitals. Many of Maggie’s staff are NHS-trained and all its Cancer Support Specialists have expert knowledge about cancer and treatment.
The Christmas show will also feature the very best local Swansea talent, including, STEVE BALSAMO, the Welsh singer and songwriter, best known for playing the lead role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s London production of Jesus Christ Superstar during the mid-1990s. Taking the stage will also be RIA JONES, the internationally renowned West End star who has performed leading roles in numerous West End musicals, and sung in Theatres and Concert halls worldwide, including The Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall. Ria has performed solo on three Royal Variety Shows, has sung by royal request at Buckingham Palace, and alongside Bryn Terfel, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey for the opening of the Welsh Assembly at Cardiff Bay.
Also performing on Swansea’s biggest stage will be Pianist ROB MARSHALL, who studied at both the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Royal College of Music in London. Whilst a student, Rob won many prizes including the RWCMD Concerto competition, which led to a highly acclaimed performance of Liszt’s first concerto with the College Symphony Orchestra at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.
Along with Rob and the others will be legendary Welsh composer and musician MAL POPE. Following his discovery by Radio 1’s iconic broadcaster John Peel in the 1970s, he was asked to perform for the BBC and as a result was signed to The Rocket Record Company. He graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge in 1981 and went to work for BBC Radio Wales in 1982. He has since presented numerous television and radio shows. His musical ‘Amazing Grace’, which is based on the 1904 Welsh Revival, received enormous praise for its performances at the Grand Theatre in Swansea, theatres in Cardiff and Theatr Clwyd. In 2006, the show was performed at the Millennium Centre – the first original Welsh musical to be performed there.
Completing the line-up (for now!) is Swansea-born ROS EVANS. Educated at King’s College, London and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Ros made her operatic debut with the Welsh National opera and in 2004 she performed at the iconic Sydney opera House.
Lisa Mart is Venue Director at Swansea Arena……
“Proudly hosting the 2023 Maggie’s Christmas Extravaganza is a real pleasure for the whole team here at Swansea Arena. As one of our recently announced Charity Partners, Maggie’s provides a vital service for those living with cancer, and many of our team, as well as I am sure our audiences, will have been personally impacted by their work.
This exciting event will showcase some of the exceptional talent that shouts from this region, and will help to further Maggie’s important work. We are all looking forward to it immensely.”
Maggie’s Christmas Extravaganza gets to Swansea Arena this evening – Sunday 3rd December. Tickets start at £24.15 and you can get yours HERE.
