Helped by a stall at Kingston's Carnival, fundraising for the Rose of Kingston theatre is creeping closer to its £600,000 target.
Corporate sponsors already on board include restaurants Frère Jacques and Riverside Vegetaria, and solicitors Russell-Cooke and Carter-Bell.
To celebrate the building of the Rose, a time capsule will be buried underneath the building and opened in 2058 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first performance at the theatre in January.
The capsule will not only contain stories written by three children about what they think life will be like in the borough in 50 years time, but also information about the construction of the theatre, programmes from the first community play Don Juan in Kingston in 2003 and the 2004 In the Raw season, and copies of the Surrey Comet.
If you are aged between six and 16 and would like to have your story buried underneath the Rose, send your entry to The Time Capsule Competition, Kingston Theatre Trust, 26-27 Market Place, Kingston KT1 1JH. The closing date for entries is September 14.
Sir Peter Hall, artistic director of the Rose and distinguished theatre director, opened the Kingston Carnival on Sunday and spoke of the spirit of culture in the borough.
He told the crowds of carnival-goers that next year the Rose theatre will be an integral part of the cultural life of Kingston.
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