The Stage newspaper’s annual power list, the Stage 100, has today placed the heads of the National Theatre and commercial theatre operator Ambassador Theatre Group at their top of their list of theatre’s most influential practitioners.
ATG’s joint Chief Executives Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire sit at the top of the powerful pile for the fourth year in a row, joined this year by the National Theatre’s Artistic Director Nicholas Hytner (pictured) and Executive Director Nick Starr.
While Panter and Squire’s persistent number one position reflects the importance of ATG as the UK’s largest commercial venue operator, Hytner and Starr’s elevation from last year’s number two position is keenly linked to the success of National Theatre productions at its South Bank home, in the West End and across the world, with One Man, Two Guvnors and War Horse cementing the theatre’s reputation as a world leader.
The Olympic team of Cultural Olympiad Director Ruth Mackenzie, who was recently given the CBE, and director of the memorable opening ceremony Danny Boyle sit in the bronze medal position, with the Les Mis team of Cameron Mackintosh and Nick Allott in fourth and former Royal Shakespeare Company colleagues Michael Boyd and Vikki Heywood in fifth.
The top ten is completed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Grandage and James Bierman of the Michael Grandage Company, Chichester Festival Theatre’s Jonathan Church and Alan Finch, Nimax Theatres’ Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer and outgoing Royal Court Artistic Director Dominic Cooke.
Our own Julian Bird, the Chief Executive of both Society of London Theatre and Theatrical Management Association makes it onto the list at number 17 for his reinvigoration of the Olivier Awards with MasterCard and Theatre Awards UK.
Commenting on the list, Alistair Smith, Deputy Editor of The Stage and editor of The Stage 100, said: “The most significant feature of this year’s Stage 100 is the placing of the National Theatre in joint first place with the Ambassador Theatre Group. The influence of the subsidised sector has grown considerably over the lifetime of The Stage 100 and the National’s listing alongside the commercial sector’s super-power, ATG, reflects not only the NT’s stature but also the stature of subsidised theatre itself, which now stands shoulder to shoulder with the commercial sector. Indeed, it is noticeable that around half the top 20 work in the subsidised sector.”
There was double the celebration for Shakespeare’s Globe when today’s list was published as, in addition to supremos Dominic Dromgoole and Neil Constable making it to number 14 in the list, the venue was named London Theatre of the Year in the Stage 100 Awards, while Waterloo’s 50-seat theatre with a reputation for stunning musicals, the Union theatre, won Fringe Theatre of the Year.
Anna McNulty, the former Casting Director for the Donmar Warehouse, and the recently retired Duchess theatre Manager Chris Isherman were named the Stage 100’s Unsung Heroes of 2013.
The full list of 100 movers and shakers can be found in today’s copy of industry newspaper The Stage or on its website.
Top 20:
1= Howard Panter/Rosemary Squire (Ambassador Theatre Group)
1= Nicholas Hytner / Nick Starr (National Theatre)
3. Ruth Mackenzie (Cultural Olympiad) / Danny Boyle (Olympic Opening Ceremony)
4. Cameron Mackintosh / Nick Allott (Cameron Mackintosh Ltd)
5. Michael Boyd / Vikki Heywood (Royal Shakespeare Company)
6. Andrew Lloyd Webber (Really Useful Group)
7. Michael Grandage / James Bierman (Michael Grandage Company)
8. Nica Burns / Max Weitzenhoffer (Nimax Theatres)
9. Jonathan Church / Alan Finch (Chichester Festival Theatre)
10. Dominic Cooke (Royal Court)
11. Sonia Friedman (Sonia Friedman Productions)
12. Bill Kenwright (Bill Kenwright Ltd)
13. Nick Thomas (Qdos Entertainment)
14. Dominic Dromgoole / Neil Constable (Shakespeare’s Globe)
15. David Lan (Young Vic)
16. Tony Hall (Royal Opera House)
17. Julian Bird (SOLT /TMA)
18. Daniel Evans / Dan Bates (Sheffield Theatres)
19. Josie Rourke (Donmar Warehouse)
20. Mark Rylance (actor)