The nominations for this year’s UK Theatre Awards have been announced.
Sheffield Theatre’s acclaimed production of Show Boat, which transferred to the New London Theatre in April 2016, has received nominations for Best Musical Production and Best Supporting Performance for Emmanuel Kojo and Rebecca Trehearn. Lez Brotherston is nominated for Best Set Design for Show Boat as well as Flowers For Mrs Harris which opened at the Crucible Theatre in May 2016.
Half A Sixpence, which opens at the Noël Coward Theatre on 17 November, picked up nominations for Best Musical Production and Best Performance In A Musical for Charlie Stemp. The musical features music and lyrics by David Heneker, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.
James McArdle and Olivia Vinall, who can currently be seen at The National in the Young Chekhov trilogy, are nominated for Best Performance In A Play and Best Supporting Performance respectively for their performances during the production’s original run at Chichester Festival Theatre.
It has also been announced that Sir Ian McKellen will be receiving the special award for Outstanding Contribution To British Theatre. Sir Ian, a 6 time Olivier Award winner, has performed extensively throughout the UK during his illustrious career and recently completed a UK tour of No Man’s Land. The acclaimed production, which also stars Sir Patrick Stewart, will open on 20 September at Wyndham’s Theatre. Find out how to download our Theatreland Audio Tour, voiced by Sir Ian, here
The winners will be announced at the ceremony on Sunday 9 October at London’s Guildhall. This year’s compère will be Olivier Award-winning actor Lesley Manville.
Lesley said: “It is hugely important that we recognise the incredible work that is performed onstage and backstage at theatres across the country and so I am honoured to be hosting the UK Theatre Awards 2016. Theatre is one of our country’s most vibrant industries and I look forward to celebrating a year of artistic achievement.”
Julian Bird, Chief Executive of UK Theatre, added: “This year’s nominations demonstrate that theatres in the UK are continuing to thrive artistically. Night after night, incredible work can be seen on stages up and down the country. From thought-provoking drama to musical revivals, our industry is a world-leader. We also recognise the hard work of the dedicated teams backstage and front of house, without which there would be no theatre”.
The public vote for UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre in association with Smooth Radio will close at 12 noon on Monday 19 September. You can cast your vote for your favourite London venue at uktheatre.org/vote
Full list of nominees:
Best New Play
FOLK by Tom Wells, a Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Hull Truck Theatre and Watford Palace Theatre production
CUTTIN’ IT by Charlene James, a Young Vic/Royal Court Theatre co-production with Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Sheffield Theatre and The Yard Theatre
THIS RESTLESS HOUSE by Zinnie Harris, a Citizens Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland production
Best Musical Production
FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS directed by Daniel Evans, a Sheffield Theatres Production
HALF A SIXPENCE directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, a Chichester Festival Theatre and Cameron Mackintosh production
SHOW BOAT directed by Daniel Evans, a Sheffield Theatres production
Best Touring Production
A RAISIN IN THE SUN directed by Dawn Walton an Eclipse Theatre Company, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Sheffield Theatres production
THE HERBAL BED directed by James Dacre, an English Touring Theatre, Royal & Derngate Northampton and Rose Theatre Kingston production
TOAST directed by Eleanor Rhode, a Snapdragon Production
Best Show For Children And Young People
GANGSTA GRANNY, a Birmingham Stage Company production
THE HOBBIT, a The Dukes production
LITTLE RED AND THE WOLF, a Dundee Rep Ensemble production
Best Director
Robert Hastie for CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, a Theatr Clwyd production
Samuel Hodges for THE GLASS MENAGERIE, a Nuffield Theatre production
Raz Shaw for WIT, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
Best Performance In A Play
Paapa Essiedu for HAMLET, a Royal Shakespeare Company production
Julie Hesmondhalgh for WIT, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
James McArdle for YOUNG CHEKHOV: PLATONOV and IVANOV, a Chichester Festival Theatre production
Best Performance In A Musical
Clare Burt for FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS, a Sheffield Theatres Production
Charlie Stemp for HALF A SIXPENCE, a Chichester Festival Theatre and Cameron Mackintosh production
Allyson Ava-Brown, Jennifer Saayeng and Nina Toussaint-White for THE ETIENNE SISTERS, a Theatre Royal Stratford East production
Best Supporting Performance
Emmanuel Kojo for SHOW BOAT, a Sheffield Theatres production
Rebecca Trehearn for SHOW BOAT, a Sheffield Theatres production
Olivia Vinall for YOUNG CHEKHOV: THE SEAGULL, a Chichester Festival Theatre production
Best Design
Lez Brotherston for FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS and SHOW BOAT, a Sheffield Theatres productions
Max Dorey and Sally Ferguson for AND THEN COME THE NIGHTJARS, a Theatre503 and Bristol Old Vic production in association with Tara Finney Productions
Robert Jones for STRIFE, a Chichester Festival Theatre production
Achievement In Opera
The Royal Opera and Guildhall School Of Music and Drama for 4.48 Psychosis in association with the Lyric Hammersmith
Scottish Opera and Music Theatre Wales for The Devil Inside
Welsh National Opera for Figaro Gets A Divorce and In Parenthesis
Achievement In Dance
Dance Consortium for bringing back the exceptional dancers of Nederlands Dans Theater 2 for a UK tour
Gary Clarke for his vital, heartfelt and socially relevant dance-theatre production Coal
Northern Ballet for commissioning two striking new contemporary ballets: Jonathan Watkins’ 1984 and Cathy Marston’s Jane Eyre
Promotion Of Diversity
Belgrade Theatre
Eclipse Theatre Company
Oldham Coliseum
UK Theatre Insurance Award For Theatre Employee Or Manager Of The Year
Kevin Shaw, Oldham Coliseum
Diane Belding, Liverpool Empire Theatre
Neil Chandler, New Wimbledon Theatre
Achievement In Marketing
Birmingham Hippodrome
York Theatre Royal
Northern Ballet
The Renee Stepham Award For Best Presentation Of Touring Theatre
Curve On Tour
Northern Stage
Northern Ballet