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News: Nominations 2011

Some of the biggest names in British and international theatre – and some of the newest – feature in the final nominations for the 2011 Manchester Theatre Awards.

They all line up in 17 categories, ranging across drama, opera, musical theatre and dance.

Besides the coveted awards for best actor or best actress, there is recognition too for supporting stars, design and best production.

Whether it is a big budget production first seen at the city’s international festival, or a fringe theatre play performed upstairs at a local pub, all have been given careful consideration across the various categories.

The awards are the biggest of their kind outside London, confirming Manchester as the country’s second home as far as theatreland is concerned.

The panel – made up of nine top regional critics – attends scores of productions throughout the region each year.

In the past they also spotted some of the rising stars who have gone on to major success on stage, or in Hollywood.

Kate Winslet, Andy Serkis and cinema’s new Spiderman Andrew Garfield, have all received Manchester theatre awards.

The awards have now been re-modelled and re-launched, attracting the backing of the region’s theatres, business leaders and many more.

Watch this space for news of all of the winners in the very near future . . .

The full nominations list:

Best Production

Hard Times, directed by Chris Honer for the Library Theatre at Murrays’ Mills

The Price, directed by David Thacker for Bolton Octagon

Private Lives, directed by Robin Herford for Oldham Coliseum

Secret Thoughts, directed by David Thacker for Bolton Octagon

A View From The Bridge, directed by Sarah Frankcom, for the Royal Exchange

Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, directed by David Thacker for Bolton Octagon

Best Actor

Rob Edwards, Secret Thoughts, Bolton Octagon

George Irving, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Bolton Octagon

Con O’Neill, A View From The Bridge, Royal Exchange

James Simmons, Private Lives, Oldham Coliseum

Best Actress

Kate Coogan, Secret Thoughts, Bolton Octagon

Anna Francolini, A View From The Bridge, Royal Exchange

Cush Jumbo, As You Like It, Royal Exchange

Margot Leicester, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Bolton Octagon

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

David Crellin, Hard Times, Library Theatre at Murrays’ Mills

Kieran Hill, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Bolton Octagon

Pearce Quigley, Zack, Royal Exchange

Kenneth Alan Taylor, The Price, Bolton Octagon

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Judith Barker, All The Way Home, Library Theatre at The Lowry

Tammy Joelle, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Bolton Octagon

Suzan Sylvester, The Price, Bolton Octagon

Shannon Tarbet, Mogadishu, Royal Exchange

Best New Play

Last Orders, by Sarah McDonald Hughes, Royal Exchange Studio and Library Replay season at Contact

Mogadishu, by Vivienne Franzmann, Royal Exchange

Once In A House On Fire, adapted for the stage by Sarah McDonald Hughes, from a memoir by Andrea Ashworth, The Lowry Studio

Secret Thoughts, by David Lodge, Bolton Octagon

Best Newcomer

Zora Bishop, As You Like It, Royal Exchange

Harry Livingstone, The Glass Menagerie, Oldham Coliseum and New Vic Theatre

Emma Matthews, Stepping Out, Oldham Coliseum

William Postlethwaite, As You Like it, Royal Exchange

Matthew Tennyson, Beautiful Thing, Royal Exchange

Best Studio Performance

Matthew Ganley, God Wept And The Devil Laughed, Lowry Studio

Rad Kaim, Ivan and the Dogs, Lowry Studio

Amy Nostbakken, The Big Smoke, Lowry Studio

Sarah McDonald Hughes, Once In A House On Fire, Lowry Studio

Rosie Wyatt, Bunny, Royal Exchange Studio

Best of the Fringe

Lucia Cox, Blackbird, Studio Salford

JB Shorts season, Joshua Brooks Bar

Alex Moran, Hyde, Buxton Fringe Festival

Sherica, Balloon Head and Shred Productions, 24:7 Festival

True, Laal Marra Theatre Company, 24:7 Festival

Design

Deathtrap, design Foxton; light Jane Barrek; sound Lorna Munden, Oldham Coliseum

The Demolition Man, design James Cotterill; light Brent Lees; sound Andy Smith; projection design Joe Stathers-Tracey, Bolton Octagon

Hard Times, design Judith Croft; light Nick Richings; sound Peter Rice, Library Theatre at Murrays’ Mills, Manchester

Secret Thoughts, design/light Ciaran Bagnall; sound Andy Smith; projection design Joe Stathers-Tracey, Bolton Octagon

Stepping Out, design Foxton; light Thomas Weir; sound Lorna Munden, Oldham Coliseum

Best Musical

Avenue Q, The Lowry

Ghost The Musical, Opera House

Legally Blonde The Musical, Opera House

Spring Awakening, The Lowry

Best Visiting Production

Dancing At Lughnasa, The Original Theatre Company, Oldham Coliseum

Hamlet, National Theatre at The Lowry

King Lear, The Donmar, at The Lowry

One Man, Two Guvnors, National Theatre at The Lowry

Best Actor in a Visiting Production

Declan Conlon, Terminus, Abbey Theatre Dublin, at The Lowry

James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors, National Theatre at The Lowry

Derek Jacobi, King Lear, The Donmar at The Lowry

Rory Kinnear, Hamlet, National Theatre at The Lowry

Richard Fleeshman, Ghost, Opera House

Best Actress in a Visiting Production

Faye Brookes, Legally Blonde The Musical, Opera House

Sharon D Clarke, Ghost The Musical, Opera House

Olwen Fouere, Terminus, Abbey Theatre Dublin, at The Lowry

Catherine Walker, Terminus, Abbey Theatre Dublin, at The Lowry

Best Special Entertainment

Dr Dee, Manchester International Festival, Palace

The Crash Of The Elysium, Manchester International Festival, Media City

The Life And Death Of Marina Abramovic, Manchester International Festival, The Lowry

Midnight Tango, The Lowry

Dick Whittington, Oldham Coliseum

Opera

Albert Herring, Royal Northern College of Music

Gianni Schicchi, English Touring Opera, Buxton Opera House

Lucia di Lammermoor, Clonter Opera

The Portrait, Opera North, The Lowry

Utopia Ltd, Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, Buxton Opera House

Dance

Carlos Acosta, The Lowry

Cinderella, Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Lowry

Danish Dance Theatre, Triple Bill, The Lowry

Richard Alston Dance Company, Triple Bill, The Lowry

David Upton
18 January 2012