Suzy Burnett as Mary in the 2016 Fringe production, alongside Ben Storey as John. Pic: Neil McCoubrey
A Dunfermline woman performing in the Andrew Carnegie musical at the town’s Carnegie Hall this month will also be helping it raise money for the ovarian cancer charity created in memory of her late sister.
Carnegie – The Star Spangled Scotchman, written by Dunfermline resident Ian Hammond Brown and starring Joe Whiteman, Carnegie’s great-great-great-grandson, in the lead role, will take place at Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, on May 17 and 18 as part of Fife Cultural Trust’s ‘Carnegie at Carnegie’ season to mark the centenary of Dunfermline-born legend’s death.
The Saturday night performance will have a bucket collection and information stand for Fife-based ovarian cancer research charity Nicola Murray Foundation, created in memory of the Dunfermline speech and language therapist who died of a rare and very aggressive form of the disease in 2010 aged just 34 only four months after being diagnosed.
It’s also hoped proceeds from the show will allow a donation to be made to the charity, which helps fund The Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research within the Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre at the University of Edinburgh. It investigates the differences between the types of ovarian cancer and how they affect patients’ responses to treatments – so each patient can be offered the most effective treatment.
One of Nicola’s two sisters, Suzy Burnett, who lives and runs her own business in Dunfermline, will play the role of Mary, the wife of the steelworker killed in an infamous and controversial strike, in the show.
Encouraged
A keen musical theatre performer from an early age, she was encouraged by Nicola to pursue her passion and completed a Diploma in Musical Theatre at Adam Smith College in 2009. Suzy has her own cabaret group and became involved in Carnegie – The Star Spangled Scotchman after meeting Ian Hammond Brown in another show in 2011. She’s performed in the musical since its launch in 2013 and took on the role of Mary when it was created in 2014.
Speaking about the fundraising performance, Suzy said: “It’s brilliant the show will help support the research being funded by the foundation. When Ian said each night would support a specific charity, I suggested the foundation and he immediately agreed. Any support which highlights ovarian cancer is great!
“This will be a fitting way to help the charity as Nicola was a huge supporter of my thespian pursuits – encouraging me to go and train formally in musical theatre. She was very musical herself and her husband, George, who helps runs the foundation with my other sister, Caroline, is a musician and music promoter. He also sits on the Board of Trustees for the Carnegie Dunfermline And Hero Fund Trustees.”
Ian Hammond Brown added: “I’m delighted the show can help the great work on ovarian cancer being funded by the Nicola Murray Foundation. The charity for the Friday show will be Alzheimer Scotland.”
For more information about Nicola Murray Foundation and Carnegie – The Star Spangled Scotchman go to their pages on Facebook. Tickets can be bought from the ONFife Cultural Trust website onfife.com and box offices.
The Nicola Murray Foundation website is at https://www.nicola-murray-foundation.org.uk
The show’s website is at www.carnegiemusical.com