Sheridan Smith and Danny Mac were among the winners at the Manchester Theatre Awards – which were announced at The Lowry Theatre in Salford, while HOME led the way with five awards for its productions and performers. The annual awards – regarded as the most important theatrical prize-giving outside London – honour productions seen in Greater Manchester during 2017.
Janet Suzman was named Best Actress for Rose at HOME while Kenneth Alan Taylor won Best Actor for The Father at Oldham Coliseum – which also won the Best Production prize.
Best New Play was won by Rosie Fleeshman for Narcissist in the Mirror, part of Greater Manchester Fringe.
Get social media feeds for Ria Jones and all the Sunset Boulevard cast on www.stagefaves.com
The big shows on the touring circuit visiting Manchester in 2017 were also honoured, with Michael Harrison, David Ian and Curve’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard winning Best Musical, and its star Danny Mac scooping Best Actor in a Visiting Production for his role as Joe Gillis. Sheridan Smith was named Best Actress in a Visiting Production for her star turn as Fanny Brice in the West End-turned touring production of Funny Girl.
The star-studded pantomime Dick Whittington, produced by Qdos and which featured John Barrowman and The Krankies, scooped the Best Special Entertainment prize.
The Robert Robson Award for Dance was taken by English National Ballet for their Double Bill at the Palace Theatre while Opera North’s The Snow Maiden at The Lowry won the opera prize, renamed this year The Philip Radcliffe Award for Best Opera, in memory of the late arts journalist and one of the founders of the awards
Scott Hunter won Best Newcomer for his performance in Yank! at Hope Mill Theatre, a role he also reprised in the West End when the show transferred there last year.
The MTA judging panel includes a group of enthusiastic young critics who contribute to deliberations and reviews and have their own dedicated award for youth performances. This prize was won by Singin’ in the Rain by the Royal Northern College of Music Young Company.
Also presented on the day was the Stage Door Foundation award that was given to JB Shorts, the Reallife Theatre company platform for playlets written and performed by industry professionals, which started life at the Joshua Brooks pub in the city and are now performed at the 53Two fringe venue.
Special Achievement Awards were given to Barrie Rutter, founder and former artistic director of Northern Broadsides, and Anne Hornsby of Mind’s Eye audio describers which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.
Full list of winners
Actress in a Leading Role
Janet Suzman for Rose
HOME
Actor in a Leading Role
Kenneth Alan Taylor for The Father
Oldham Coliseum
Actress in a Supporting Role
Katie West for Uncle Vanya
HOME
Actor in a Supporting Role
Andrew Sheridan for People, Places & Things
HOME
Actress in a Visiting Production
Sheridan Smith for Funny Girl
Palace Theatre
Actor in a Visiting Production
Danny Mac for Sunset Boulevard
Palace Theatre
Ensemble
The Suppliant Women
Royal Exchange
Performance in a Fringe Production
Alexandra Maxwell for The Loves of Others/Freak
Greater Manchester Fringe
Performance in a Studio Production
Rhodri Meilir for How My Light Is Spent
Royal Exchange
Robert Robson Award for Dance
English National Ballet for double bill
Palace Theatre
Design
Jenny Melville (set) & Lysander Ashton (video) for Paul Auster’s City of Glass
HOME
Fringe Production
Moth, Hope Mill Theatre
Musical
Sunset Boulevard, Palace Theatre
New Play
Rosie Fleeshman for Narcissist in the Mirror
Greater Manchester Fringe
Newcomer
Scott Hunter for Yank!
Hope Mill Theatre
The Philip Radcliffe Award for Opera
The Snow Maiden
Opera North, The Lowry
Production
The Father
Oldham Coliseum
Special Entertainment
Dick Whittington
Opera House
Studio Production
Man On The Moon
Contact
Target Live Award for Best Visiting Production
The Weir
Oldham Coliseum
Youth Panel Award
Singin’ in the Rain
RNCM Young Company
