More Than 10,000 Audition For Games Ceremony
More than 10,000 people have auditioned to take part in the opening and closing ceremonies for next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
LOCOG has also confirmed that the four ceremonies will feature a cast of around 20,000 performers from across the UK.
The ceremonies could be viewed by a worldwide TV audience of as many as 4 billion people in over 200 countries.
A leading advertising industry figure has confirmed that the equivalent airtime value of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Opening and Closing ceremonies will be worth between approximately £2billion and £5billion.
Sir Martin Sorrell said: ‘The London 2012 Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be four of the biggest moments in TV history, broadcast in over 200 countries to an audience of 4 billion people. The equivalent advertising value that will deliver for the UK could be up to £5billion, however with regards to perception of London and the UK and a tourism legacy you could say that they will be priceless.’
Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media & Sport, said: ‘I am incredibly excited about Danny Boyle’s amazing plans for London’s Opening Ceremony. Four billion people around the world will be absolutely wowed by what they will see by the Olympic and Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The ceremonies will be the most fantastic advert for everything that is great about our country.’
Seb Coe, LOCOG Chair, added: ‘I would like to thank the thousands of people who have come to the auditions. The enthusiasm, energy and talent has been amazing and the team are looking forward to restarting auditions in January. So if you have huge amounts of energy and a willingness to perform in front of a stadium audience and billions of people around the world, then sign up to be part of the cast that will deliver great ceremonies to make the country proud and wow the world next summer.’
Over the last year, LOCOG has been creating a team of leading British creatives to lead the direction of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies.
In May 2010 Stephen Daldry, Mark Fisher, Hamish Hamilton, and Catherine Ugwu, were appointed as Executive Producers across all four Ceremonies, and Danny Boyle, was appointed as Artistic Director for the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
In February 2011 Take That’s creative director Kim Gavin was appointed Artistic Director for the Closing Ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He was joined by multi-award-winning stage and costume designer Es Devlin and Bond film composer and record producer David Arnold as part of the Closing Ceremonies team.
In June 2011 Jenny Sealey MBE and Bradley Hemmings were appointed as Artistic Directors of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
LOCOG will announce the Music Directors for the Olympic Opening Ceremony shortly.
In January next year the London 2012 Ceremonies Team will be auditioning for more people and are still particularly looking out for men.
