SHOW BOAT, FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS & More Win UK Theatre Awards!

UK Theatre has announced the winners of the UK Theatre Awards 2016 - the only awards to honour outstanding achievement in performing, producing and management in theatres throughout the United Kingdom.

The award for Best Musical Production was shared by Sheffield Theatres' productions of SHOW BOAT and FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS, both directed by Daniel Evans. Clare Burt, who played the titular Mrs Harris, received the award for Best Performance In A Musical while Rebecca Trehearn collected Best Supporting Performance for SHOW BOAT. Lez Brotherston also won Best Design for his work on the two musicals.

In the play categories, Best New Play went to CUTTIN' IT by Charlene James, a Young Vic/Royal Court Theatre co-production with Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and The Yard Theatre. The award for Best Performance In A Play was given to Paapa Essiedu for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of HAMLET.

Raz Shaw received the award for Best Director for WIT, a Royal Exchange Theatre production, while Best Touring Production was awarded to THE HERBAL BED which was directed by James Dacre and co-produced by Royal & Derngate Northampton, English Touring Theatre and Rose Theatre Kingston.

Best Show For Children And Young People is THE HOBBIT, a The Dukes production which was performed outdoors in Williamson Park, Lancaster.

In the opera and dance categories, The Royal Opera and Guildhall School Of Music and Drama won for 4.48 PSYCHOSIS in association with the Lyric Hammersmith. The Achievement in Dance award was given to Gary Clarke for COAL.

The Mill at Sonning was announced as the overall winner of the public vote for UK's Most Welcoming Theatre 2016 in association with Smooth Radio. Most Welcoming Theatre, which is the only award voted for by the public, is an unparalleled opportunity for audiences to celebrate their local theatre.

The £150,000 Clothworkers' Theatre Award was given to Northern Stage, as part of the Foundation's five year £1.25 million programme to support the dramatic arts. The award can be used for anything from capital works to sponsoring a touring production, but it must be used for a specific purpose and may not be added to the theatre's general funds. A different region in England will be selected each year.

Ian McKellen received the award for Outstanding Contribution To British Theatre in recognition of his tireless work both in championing diversity and for his commitment to theatre, including touring productions, across the country. Vanessa Redgrave received the Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts in recognition of her unrivalled career on stage and screen.

In the awards for off-stage excellence, Northern Ballet won the Achievement in Marketing award, while The Renee Stepham Award For Best Presentation Of Touring Theatre went to Northern Stage. This year the award for Promotion Of Diversity was given to Belgrade Theatre. Diane Belding from Liverpool Empire Theatre was named Employee Or Manager Of The Year.

The full list of winners is published below and available online at www.uktheatre.org

Fiona Allan, President of UK Theatre, said:

"The UK Theatre Awards celebrate the world class theatre that is performed on stages across the country and demonstrates the breadth and depth of outstanding talent. It is also important that we recognise the venues and the teams that run them. As centres of artistic and creative excellence, our local theatres are a vital part of all our communities."

The awards were presented at a ceremony at London's historic Guildhall compèred by award-winning actor Lesley Manville, with a performance from Clare Burt and appearances from guest presenters including Dame Eileen Atkins, Owen Teale, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Stephanie Beacham, Don Warrington and Preeya Kalidas.

The UK Theatre Awards are supported by a number of major organisations involved in theatre across the UK including Harbottle & Lewis, Theatre Tokens, White Light, John Good and Smooth Radio.

UK THEATRE AWARDS 2016 WINNERS

Best New Play

CUTTIN' IT by Charlene James, a Young Vic/Royal Court Theatre co-production with Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and The Yard Theatre

Best Musical Production

FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS directed by Daniel Evans, a Sheffield Theatres Production

AND

SHOW BOAT directed by Daniel Evans, a Sheffield Theatres production

Best Touring Production

THE HERBAL BED directed by James Dacre, a co-production by Royal & Derngate Northampton, English Touring Theatre and Rose Theatre Kingston

Best Show For Children And Young People

THE HOBBIT, a The Dukes production

Best Director
Raz Shaw for WIT, a Royal Exchange Theatre production

Best Performance In A Play
Paapa Essiedu for HAMLET, a Royal Shakespeare Company production

Best Performance In A Musical
Clare Burt for FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS, a Sheffield Theatres Production

Best Supporting Performance
Rebecca Trehearn for SHOW BOAT, a Sheffield Theatres production

Best Design
Lez Brotherston for FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS and SHOW BOAT, a Sheffield Theatres productions

Achievement In Opera
The Royal Opera and Guildhall School Of Music and Drama for 4.48 PSYCHOSIS in association with the Lyric Hammersmith

Achievement in Dance

Gary Clarke for COAL

Promotion Of Diversity

Belgrade Theatre

Theatre Employee Or Manager Of The Year

Diane Belding - Liverpool Empire Theatre

Achievement In Marketing

Northern Ballet

The Renee Stepham Award For Best Presentation Of Touring Theatre

Northern Stage

UK's Most Welcoming Theatre in association with Smooth Radio
The Mill at Sonning

Clothworkers' Award

Northern Stage

Outstanding Contribution To British Theatre

Ian McKellen

The Gielgud Award For Excellence In The Dramatic Arts
Vanessa Redgrave