……BY BILLY SUTER……
A SPECIAL concert celebrating the life of the late, Cape-based entertainer Alvon Collison will be presented live online on the afternoon of Sunday, April 25, a day which would have marked Collison’s 80th birthday.
The event, to be aired from the private theatre at Collison’s Cape Town home, will run from 3pm to 5pm. It has been arranged by Collison’s partner of 28 years, Faried Swartz, who first met Collison at a singing competition and who has performed often with him all over the country.
A generous star who helped countless young performers break into showbusiness, Collison died on January 22 this year. Swartz said his partner loved life and had been looking forward to celebrating his 80th birthday by staging a show for his friends and family.
Consequently, adds Swartz, the tribute show has been arranged with a cast including himself, Mark Banks, Rory Rootenberg, ballroom dancers Blaine and Rogaya, Renee Osborne, Shannon Lewis-Johns, Janine Pick, Edward Atherton, Sadia Hartle, Janine Cornelius, Tersia Harley, Lana English and Victor Siljeur.
“It will be a labour of love celebrating Alvon, his larger-than-life persona and his love for making people happy. He loved the good songs, many of which will feature in the show – among them What a Wonderful World, What I Did for Love, A Piece of Sky, I’ll Never Love This way again, Pie Jesu and Never, Never, Never.”
Collison established his personal theatre in 2014, for shows, New Year’s Eve parties and CD launches. The first production there teamed the star with his longtime friend and colleague, Richard Loring.
Collison and Loring became household names in the 1970s with the huge success of the first South African touring production of the hit musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Collison played the Elvis-like Pharoah, Loring played The Narrator and Bruce Millar filled the title character.
The April 25 tribute show will be on the same day as the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, an annual event that always excited Collison – so much so, that he bought an Oscars promotional display at auction. Coincidentally, the display was created to honour the 80th Academy Awards, and will now take pride of place in Collison’s theatre to honour what would have been his 80th birthday.
“He bought the Oscars backdrop more than 10 years ago, and it has been standing in our bathroom for the last few years, so I love that it will be used in the show – especially as Alvon’s birthday falls on the same day as this year’s Oscars,” said Swartz.
Tickets cost R80 at Quicket which will send a viewing link once payment has been made.
“Come celebrate this wonderful occasion with us. Tickets cost R80. We miss Alvon so much and this show is a love letter to him. Please share with your friends. We need your support,” added Swartz.
This is the link for booking and further details: https://www.quicket.co.za/…/135919-alvon-collison…/…
.....SoSuterBill..... 