UK Theatre Awards Nominations Announced

First Published 14 September 2016, Last Updated 15 September 2016

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

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