Shakespeare’s Globe and Sadler’s Wells both have something to celebrate this morning after making the shortlist for the Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre at the this year’s UK Theatre Awards.
The London venues face opposition from Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre in the category for which they both received nominations in 2013 before losing out to Scottish Opera.
The Globe’s nomination comes in a momentous year that marks the 450th anniversary of the influential playwright. The iconic venue’s recent touring productions include Much Ado About Nothing, which visited venues throughout the UK and Europe, and the epic two-year world tour of Hamlet, which was launched in April to mark the Bard’s significant milestone.
Sadler’s Wells’ nomination is equally well-deserved. The Islington dance venue, which prides itself on bringing innovative and inspiring shows to audiences in London and beyond, has presented 140 performances of 12 productions in 51 cities worldwide in the past year alone.
Shakespeare’s Globe and Sadler’s Wells aren’t the only venues in the capital to be recognised in the UK Theatre Awards’ management categories, which champion the successful business initiatives of performing arts organisations. Hackney Empire has also been shortlisted for this year’s Promotion of Diversity Award alongside the Watford Palace Theatre, and the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse.
The winners of these awards and those recognising the best performances, productions and behind-the-scenes achievements seen in theatres around the UK in the past year will be announced in a ceremony at London’s historic Guildhall on 19 October.
Full list of nominees:
My Theatre Matters! UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award
Clwyd Theatr Cymru
Newcastle Theatre Royal
The Watermill Theatre
Theatre Royal Plymouth
Wales Millennium Centre
The Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Sadler’s Wells Theatre
Shakespeare’s Globe
Achievement in Marketing
Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
mac Birmingham
Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch
Theatre Employee/Manager of the Year
Hedda Beeby – Watermill Theatre, Newbury
Mary Elliott – Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
Henny Finch – Headlong Theatre
Alice Saunders – The Courtyard, Hereford
Promotion of Diversity
Hackney Empire
Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
Watford Palace