A Dunfermline woman who is performing in an Andrew Carnegie musical in the town this month will be raising money for the cancer charity created in memory of her late sister.
Suzy Burnett, who has a starring role in Carnegie – The Star Spangled Scotchman, suggested the cast show their support for the Nicola Murray Foundation, which raises money for ovarian cancer research.
Her sister Nicola was a speech and language therapist who died from a rare form of the disease in 2010 aged 34.
The Saturday night performance of the show, written by fellow Dunfermline resident Ian Hammond Brown and starring Joe Whiteman, Carnegie’s great-great-great-grandson, in the lead role, will have a bucket collection and information stand for the foundation.
Suzy will be on stage in the role of Mary, the wife of a steelworker killed in an infamous and controversial strike.
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 said she was excited about the forthcoming production, which is on at at Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, on May 17 and 18.
“When Ian said each night would support a specific charity, I suggested the foundation and he immediately agreed,” she said.
“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.”
George also sits on the board of the Carnegie Dunfermline And Hero Fund trustees.
Nicola died less than four months after her diagnosis, but her friends and family continue to support the charity set up in her honour which has now raised almost £500,000.
The Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research is part of 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.
The charity for the Friday show will be Alzheimer Scotland.
The production is part of Fife Cultural Trust’s Carnegie at Carnegie season to mark the centenary of Dunfermline-born legend’s death.
Tickets can be bought from the ONFife Cultural Trust website onfife.com and box offices.
