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For the past 2 years, the Johannesburg Honorary Rangers have been able to sell a night at the Barnyard Theatre in Broadacres. The profit from these entertaining nights goes towards valuable conservation projects in SANParks.

The Broadacres Barnyard Theatre sells evening rights to various charities on a regular basis at a set price and all additional funds raised from the evening go to that charity.

This year’s show was Harvest Moon, one of the threatre’s recent offerings.

This show is a tribute to the acoustic rock sounds of the 70’s and 80’s with even a few numbers from the 1990s and had the audience clapping and singing along with great enthusiasm. The stage featured a 6 member band plus 3 solo singers. Instruments included drums, keyboard, bass, electric and acoustic guitar, violin, mandolin, banjo, tambourine and mouth organ. The singers showed an outstanding vocal ability and repertoire as the audience rocked to the sounds of Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Don McLean, Jim Croce, The Eagles, Cat Stevens and many more, as well as the best of the Unplugged series, which features music from Eric Clapton, Sting, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, REM and loads more great music. Of special mention were a Deliverance-esque duel between banjo, violin and acoustic guitar, a goose-bump rendition of Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven, a show closing performance of Lynard Skinyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama and an encore to Fleetwood Mac’s Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow.

The audience of approximately 340 was a combination of corporate tables, honorary rangers and their family and friends. There were also a couple of SANParks employees, including one director, lending their support to this admirable way to raise funds for park HR projects. However the most esteemed guest had to be an 84 year old lady who rocked up a storm from her seat in the balcony.

The engine behind the evening were Johannesburg Honorary Rangers Richard and Bernadette Will who spearheaded all the arrangements and they must be highly praised for their efforts. Thanks must also go everyone else involved in the night, especially to all the HRs who bought and sold tables. Much fun was had by everyone and around R10000.00 was raised.