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Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life

Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life

Wednesday 17 March 2027

Music Theatre

Everyone has a story. Your stories matter. Keith Alessi was neither a performer nor a musician before taking to the stage. He was an accountant and corporate CEO! He now shares his unconventional true story of overcoming great obstacles including cancer and how the healing power of music brought him back home to himself. The grassroots sound of the banjo lures you in and brings you back to a simpler time in life, as Keith takes you on the journey of his story.

This show has been highly awarded and reviewed while touring internationally and has profoundly affected audiences everywhere. Themes of forgiveness and the importance of pursuing your passions resonate throughout. The variety of banjos that join him on stage are all characters and played important roles in his journey.

This is more than a show, it's a cause. Keith has never accepted any form of remuneration for his performances, instead choosing to donate it to local charities and to Theatres in support of Artist development. As of January 2026 we have raised over $1.2 Million Dollars (CAD) for these causes.

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Planning Your Visit

Getting Here

Located in the heart of Chelmsford's West End, we are only a 10-minute walk from Chelmsford train station and a short distance from many of the city's car parks.

By Train

Chelmsford Train Station is a short walk from the Theatre. You can look at Greater Anglia to check which trains stop at Chelmsford Station.

By Bus

Chelmsford Bus Station is just around the corner from the Theatre. You can look at First Essex to check which buses stop at the Chelmsford Bus Station.

By Car

The closest parking to the Theatre can be found at Townfield Street car park (open till 11pm Mon to Sat but closes at 6pm on Sun), Coval Lane car park (entrance via Rainsford Lane, open all hours) and Fairfield Road car park, (entrance via Coval Lane, open all hours but there are restrictions in place Mon to Fri before 5pm, Fairfield Road car park is also used extensively by people visiting the city in general and travelling to London on the train so can be very busy at all times).

Visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/car-parks for information on all carparks before your visit. Charges apply at all times.

All Chelmsford City Council car parks are now cashless. You can still pay by card, contactless payment or the MiPermit app.