Choreographer Matthew Bourne to Receive The Stage Award at 2015 UK Theatre Awards This Sunday

BroadwayWorld is excited to report that Matthew Bourne OBE will receive The Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre at the UK Theatre Awards 2015 on Sunday 18 October at London's historic Guildhall.

Matthew Bourne is widely hailed as one of the UK's most popular and successful choreographers and directors. Bourne is a five-time Olivier Award winner; the creator of the world's longest running ballet production and the only British director to have won Tony Awards for both Best Choreographer and Best Director of a Musical.

Bourne danced professionally for 14 years and founded the award-winning Adventures in Motion Pictures in 1987. In 2002 Bourne launched New Adventures, one of the UK's busiest and most successful dance companies, and a major exporter of British dance across the world. In recent years Bourne has also established Re:Bourne, a charity that inspires young people with a passion for dance, and the New Adventures Choreographer Award, which showcases emerging choreographic talent. In 2013 he was awarded the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement at the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards.

As a West End and Broadway choreographer, Bourne's work with producer Cameron Mackintosh has also resulted in the musical hits MARY POPPINS, OLIVER! and MY FAIR LADY.

Rachel Tackley, President of UK Theatre, said: "I am a huge fan of Matthew Bourne's work which has been inspiring and thrilling audiences all over the UK and around the world for many years. I am delighted that his incredible contribution to our industry is being honoured at this year's award ceremony. I can't wait to see what he has planned next."

Hugh Comerford, managing director at The Stage, said: "Matthew Bourne has been a leading light of the UK theatre and dance scene for the best part of 30 years. Through his work with Adventures in Motion Pictures and New Adventures he has created an unmatched repertoire and has helped to popularise contemporary dance and dance theatre in London, across the UK and around the world. He is a hugely deserving recipient of this award."

The UK Theatre Awards are the only nationwide awards to honour creative excellence and the outstanding achievement seen on and off stage. Musical theatre star Michael Xavier will compère the ceremony.

As well as established awards for both performance and management achievement, which are decided by expert panels, last year the UK Theatre Awards launched The Clothworkers' Foundation's five year Clothworkers' 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. UK Theatre has announced that this year's recipient will be a theatre in Yorkshire.

Members of the public have also been able to vote for the My Theatre Matters! UK's Most Welcoming Theatre Award with Smooth Radio.

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

Further details about the UK Theatre Awards, including a full list of nominations and the 12 regional and national winners of the My Theatre Matters! Most Welcoming Theatre Award 2015 in association with Smooth Radio, can be found at www.uktheatre.org/awards.

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