Chickenshed, a charitable theatre group chaired by City investment star Tony Gibbon and led by a board of leading real estate, business and entertainment figures, narrowly missed out on the final of Britain's Got Talent last night.
The theatre company has been going for 50 years and aims to bring together people from all walks of lives, social and economic backgrounds, cultures, and abilities to study creatively alongside each other. Over 200 students join its BTEC, Foundation Degree and BA courses every year, where they then collaborate to create productions to perform in the Rayne Theatre in London.
Its mission through its productions,performance training, education courses, and outreach projects is to "create wonder out of chaos and change out of challenge".
The Chickenshed Theatre Trust is chaired by Tony Gibbon, founding partner of the real estate advisory practice BH2, now part of Newmark Group. He took up the post of chair in January 2019 having been a trustee since 2008.
Other Board members include James Lock, managing director of Blackstone's real estate group in London, famed actor Dame Judi Dench, Martin Gafsen, the Royal Mail's property and facilities director, Ashley Muldoon, chief operating officer of data centres group Global Switch, Nick Millican, commercial director at London real estate developer Greycoat, Aref Laham, CEO and co-founder of pan European real estate investor Orion Capital Managers, and Richard Croft, the outgoing executive chairman of European real estate investor M7.
The Southgate-based theatre group became an internet sensation after being put through to the semi-final by judge Alesha Dixon, who hit her "golden buzzer" after she was moved to tears by their performance.
At last night's semi-final the group impressed the judges with their performance of John Legend’s song If You’re Out There, but lost out in the public vote to 13-year-old singer Malakai Bayoh and acrobatic dance pair Duo Odyssey.
Chair Tony Gibbon said: “I first became a trustee in 2008, at the request of Leonard Lewis, and took over as chair in 2019. Having refreshed the board, filled it with friends with good intentions and promoted Louise Perry to run things, we have been able to make a real difference; we are immensely proud of the transformation achieved and of the young people that represent Chickenshed and its ethos.
"Having an ability to showcase that work on BGT was fabulous. The company has been promoting issues which have become recognised as being crucially important in recent times for almost 50 years. It is a very special place, created by extraordinary kind and far-sighted people and led by inspirational individuals."
Donations to the theatre's DareTo Fund can be made here.