Curating exclusive musical events that empower emerging artists and fund vital charities.
Who we are
Strike Up The Band is a new performing arts initiative that provides a creative home where singers, actors, dancers, and musicians rehearse, collaborate, and perform together. By bringing together highly experienced industry professionals and exceptional recent graduates from the country’s leading conservatoires and theatre schools (often providing them with their professional debuts), we bridge the gap between training and industry, building an unparalleled mentorship network while bringing world-class live performance to our audiences.
A cornerstone of our company is prioritising new work and presenting world premieres. By championing new writing, we provide a vital stage for creative voices and offer our audiences ‘first-edition’ performances.
Operating on a strictly not-for-profit basis, we ensure that all revenue from ticket sales and supporter contributions is reinvested directly into our creative development. Furthermore, to extend our public impact beyond the stage, at least one event per year will benefit vital charities. When you support Strike Up The Band, you are directly investing in the next generation of creative talent and the cultural life of our community.
Welcome from our Artistic Director Fenton Gray
Welcome to Strike Up the Band. As we embark on our inaugural season in 2027, we are thrilled to introduce a brand-new initiative dedicated to curating exclusive musical events that empower emerging artists and fund vital charities.
To launch this journey, we are proud to present the world premiere of Now We Are Six, a wonderful new piece featuring the timeless words of A.A. Milne set to music by British composer Charles Miller.
This musical entertainment is drawn from Milne’s two cherished collections of verse, When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are Six (1927), beautifully capturing the magic of early childhood and the bittersweet journey of growing up. To complement Milne's words, Charles Miller has crafted a multi-faceted score that draws rich inspiration from traditional British folk music and the English choral tradition, woven together with subtle hints of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gilbert & Sullivan, and 1920s jazz.
In keeping with our ethos of encouraging new talent, our principal cast of twelve brings together seasoned professional performers with leading West End credits alongside exciting emerging artists, some of whom are making their professional debuts. They are supported by a twenty-four-strong choir of graduates from the London School of Musical Theatre, an institution with which we are proudly affiliated.
We believe that great art should serve a greater purpose, and there is no better cause to benefit from this premiere than Great Ormond Street Hospital. This world-class institution provides extraordinary care to thousands of children every year, pioneering groundbreaking research and innovative treatments that give seriously ill children the best possible chance and the brightest childhood. Thank you for joining us for an evening of beautiful music that makes a real-world difference.
* venue and date to be announced 1st October 2026*
Your Support Promotes the Arts
Join us in our mission to bridge culture and charity. Your contribution supports worthy charitable causes through the power of the arts.
FRIENDS OF STRIKE UP THE BAND
FENTON GRAY (Artistic Director)
Fenton’s 40-year career in theatre has spanned many disciplines. He is equally at home as Producer, Director, & Leading Man, hence his multi-faceted career. He brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise and boundless energy to everything he does, and Strike Up The Band acknowledge gratefully his commitment to us in our inaugural year.
As Producer
Fenton’s first venture as lead producer was at the age of only 19 when he staged his own production of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers at the Theatre Royal Brighton and King’s Theatre Southsea; 4 years later he would make his West End debut in the Original Cast of Blood Brothers at the Albery Theatre (now the Noel Coward). Other productions in the early years included a Summer Season at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, with concert performances of The Mikado, The Pirates Of Penzance and Jesus Christ Superstar. He was a co-producer for Regency Opera, producing many touring operas that started life at the Theatre Royal Brighton, including Madama Butterfly, Il Trovatore and Turandot. Later productions as lead/co- producer included the premieres of When Midnight Strikes (Finborough Theatre), Brenda Bly: Teen Detective (Bridewell Theatre) and Hope (Cochrane Theatre), and a star-studded Chaity Gala of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at The Dome, Brighton. From 2000-2007 he was the Course Director of London School Of Musical Theatre, before resuming his career as a Performer & Director.
As Director
For Regency Opera and English Festival Opera: Carmen, La Traviata, The Mikado, Madama Butterfly (Theatre Royal, Brighton), Tosca, La Boheme (Holland Park). Fenton’s productions include many large scale pantomimes, including Cinderella with Julian Clary (Brighton/Richmond), Cinderella with Mickey Rooney (Sunderland), Peter Pan with Simon Callow & Bonnie Langford and Sleeping Beauty with Anita Dobson & Tim Vine (Richmond), in which he also made his debut as pantomime dame playing Nurse Penny Cillin. Other productions include the World Premieres of The Pleasure Garden (Above The Stag - winner Best Musical Award in the OFFIE’s), When Midnight Strikes (Chelsea Theatre), Feels Like Home (VoiceSteps Zug).
As Performer
Fenton’s most recent West End appearance was as Herr Schultz in the highly-acclaimed production of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Previous West End appearances include Rabbi in Trevor Nunn’s production of Fiddler On The Roof, Manfred in Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close at the London Coliseum, and Gus The Theatre Cat in Cats at the New London Theatre. He has played a number of Gilbert & Sullivan roles for the renowned D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, notably Ko-Ko in The Mikado (Sadlers Wells/USA Tour/BBC) and Jack Point in The Yeomen Of The Guard (Sadlers Wells & Tour). In cabaret, he has performed one-man show Fenton Gray Presents in London, New York & Darjeeling.
“The arts are the heartbeat of our community. We are so proud to support Strike Up The Band and their incredible work.”
— Nicholas Bell, Volunteer & Artist