Industry body UK Theatre has announced the nominations for the annual UK Theatre Awards, which celebrate creative excellence and the outstanding work seen on stages throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Notably, for the first time in the Awards history, all nominations for Best New Play are written by female playwrights. The nominees are: Half Breed by Tash Marshall, Narvik by Lizzie Nunnery and Wish List by Katherine Soper.
In the UK Theatre Awards 2017, the nominees for Best Performance in a Play are: Joseph Millson for The Rover, Nicholas Woodeson for Death Of A Salesman and Tanya Moodie for Trouble In Mind, transferring later this month to London’s The Print Room.
Two of the productions nominated for Best Musical – Sheffield Theatres’ premiere of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Chichester Festival Theatre’s revival of Caroline, Or Change – are also both transferring to London shortly, to the West End’s Apollo Theatre and Hampstead Theatre respectively. Manchester Royal Exchange’s revival of Sweet Charity is also nominated.
Those three shows’ stars – John McCrea (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Sharon D Clarke (Caroline, Or Change) and Kaisa Hammarlund (Sweet Charity) – are also all nominated for Best Performance in a Musical, along with Louis Maskell for The Grinning Man.
The nominees for Best Director are: Emma Jordan for Red, Gemma Bodinetz for the repertory season at Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and Robert Hastie for Julius Caesar.
The Awards will be presented on Sunday 15 October 2017 at a ceremony at London’s Guildhall. This year’s nominee and Olivier Award-winning actress Sharon D Clarke will host this year’s event.
As well as awards for both performance and management, which are decided by expert panels, in 2013 the Clothworkers’ Foundation launched its five-year Theatre Award programme worth £750,000. A single award of up to £150,000 will be presented each year to a regional producing theatre in England as part of a broader £1.25 million programme to support the dramatic arts. A different region in England is selected each year; this year’s recipient will be a venue in the East Midlands and West Midlands.
Julian Bird, Chief Executive of UK Theatre, said:
“This year’s nominations demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of work being written, directed and performed across the United Kingdom. The performing arts are one of the country’s most dynamic and progressive industries, shaped by incredibly talented individuals and companies, on and off stage.”
The public vote for The UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award with Smooth Radio will close at 12 noon on Tuesday 19 September 2017.
UK Theatre Awards 2017 Nominations
Best New Play
- HALF BREED by Tash Marshall, a Talawa Theatre Company and Soho Theatre co-production
- NARVIK by Lizzie Nunnery, a Box of Tricks production
- WISH LIST by Katherine Soper, a Royal Court Theatre and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production
Best Musical Production
- EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE directed by Jonathan Butterell, a Sheffield Theatres production
- CAROLINE, OR CHANGE directed by Michael Longhurst, a Chichester Festival Theatre production
- SWEET CHARITY directed by Derek Bond, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
Best Touring Production
- THE SUPPLIANT WOMEN directed by Ramin Gray, an Actors Touring Company and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh co-production
- The Who’s TOMMY directed by Kerry Michael, a New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich and Ramps on the Moon co-production
- WHEN WE ARE MARRIED directed by Barrie Rutter, a Northern Broadsides production in partnership with York Theatre Royal
Best Show for Children and Young People
- AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, a New Vic Theatre production in partnership with Kenny Wax Family Entertainment and Simon Friend in association with Royal Exchange Theatre
- Roald Dahl’s FANTASTIC MR FOX, a Nuffield Southampton Theatres and Curve co-production in association with Lyric Hammersmith
- THE SNOW QUEEN, a New Vic Theatre production
Best Director
- Emma Jordan for RED, a Prime Cut Productions and Lyric Theatre co-production
- Gemma Bodinetz for the repertory season at Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
- Robert Hastie for JULIUS CAESAR, a Sheffield Theatres production
Best Performance in a Play
- Joseph Millson for THE ROVER, a Royal Shakespeare Company production
- Nicholas Woodeson for DEATH OF A SALESMAN, a Royal & Derngate, Northampton production in association with Cambridge Arts Theatre
- Tanya Moodie for TROUBLE IN MIND, a Theatre Royal Bath (Ustinov Studio) production
Best Performance in a Musical
- Kaisa Hammarlund for SWEET CHARITY, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
- John McCrea for EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, a Sheffield Theatres production
- Louis Maskell for THE GRINNING MAN, a Bristol Old Vic production
- Sharon D Clarke for CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, a Chichester Festival Theatre productionBest
Best Supporting Performance
- Lucy Briggs-Owen for THE RIVALS, a Bristol Old Vic, Citizens Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse co-production
- Robert Mountford for HOUSE and GARDEN, a Watermill Theatre production
- Sharon Duncan-Brewster for A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
Best Design
- Anna Fleischle for EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, a Sheffield Theatres production
- Jon Bausor for THE GRINNING MAN, a Bristol Old Vic production
- 59 Productions, Jenny Melville and Lysander Ashton for CITY OF GLASS, a 59 Productions, Lyric Hammersmith, HOME and Karl Sydow production
Achievement in Dance
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for a rich and full programme performed with distinctive personality, presented by Dance Consortium
- Dickson Mbi for his standout performance in Boy Blue Entertainment’s excellent ensemble production BLAK WHYTE GRAY
- Scottish Ballet for the European premiere of Crystal Pite’s striking one-act ballet EMERGENCE
Achievement in Opera
- Opera North for TURANDOT
- Scottish Opera for PELLÉAS AND MÉLISANDE
- Welsh National Opera for LE VIN HERBÉ
Achievement in Marketing/Audience Development
- Hull Truck Theatre
- Sadler’s Wells
- Scottish Ballet
Promotion of Diversity
- Arcola Theatre
- Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
- New Wolsey Theatre & Ramps on the Moon
- Sherman Theatre
The Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre
- Curve On Tour
- Northern Ballet
- Nuffield Southampton Theatres
Theatre Employee of the Year
- Jane Claire – English Touring Theatre
- Liz Leck – Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust
