GROUNDHOG DAY and DREAMGIRLS Among Winners of Also Recognised Awards 2017

Several shows in the running for this year's Olivier Awards, announced next Sunday 9 April, are also recognised this week in the third-annual Also Recognised Awards - in some notably different categories. The full list of winners is announced today in this audience-voted, industry accolade set up by theatre commentators Mark Shenton and Terri Paddock to celebrate lesser-known but equally worthy talent in fields overlooked by other awards bodies.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, nominated for a record-breaking eleven Oliviers including Best New Play, wins in two further fields in the Also Recognised Awards: Theatre Event of the Year and, for its online activity, Best Twitter Engagement.

Groundhog Day, trying to convert eight Olivier Award nominations, bags an Also Recognised award for composer Tim Minchin for Best Original Music.

Another two-time Also Recognised winner is the musical revival Half a Sixpence, which wins both Best Show Trailer and London Newcomer of the Year for Charlie Stemp, who is Olivier nominated for Best Actor in a Musical.

Five-time Olivier nominee Dreamgirls wins the Also Recognised award for Best Musical Direction for Nick Finlow for his work on the show. At their inauguration in 2015, the Also Recognised became the first UK awards to include Best Musical Direction, launched with the backing of industry lobbyists, director Andrew Keates and musical director Mike Dixon.

Elsewhere in the 2017 Also Recognised Awards: A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by outgoing Globe artistic director Emma Rice, is named Best Shakespearean Production; Sheffield Crucible's vibrant artwork for new musical Flowers for Mrs Harris wins in another of marketing categories, Best Show Poster; Sophie Melville wins Best Solo Performance for her critically acclaimed turn in Gary Owen's Iphigenia in Splott for Sherman Cymru at the National Theatre; the cast of Thom Southerland's revival of Titanic at Charing Cross Theatre win Best Ensemble Performance; and one-time Avenue Q co-stars Jon Robyns, Simon Lipkin and Giles Terera take the prize for Best Musical Cabaret for their charity fundraiser reunion at the Orange Tree Theatre (they also submit an amusing three-part video acceptance!)

Full voting results, acceptance videos and winners' 'certificate selfies' are published on www.mytheatremates.com from Friday 31 March 2017.

The full list of winners

Best Musical Direction - Nick Finlow for Dreamgirls, Savoy Theatre

Best Original Music - Tim Minchin - Groundhog Day, Old Vic Theatre

Best Twitter Engagement - @HPPlayLDN - Harry Potter & the Cursed Child

Best Ensemble Performance - Titanic - Charing Cross Theatre

Best Solo Performance - Sophie Melville - Iphigenia in Splott, National Theatre

Best Shakespearean Production - A Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare's Globe

Best Musical Cabaret - Simon Lipkin, Jon Robyns & Giles Terera - Orange Tree Theatre

London Newcomer of the Year - Charlie Stemp - Half a Sixpence, Chichester Festival & Noel Coward Theatre

Theatre Event of the Year - The premiere of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child

Best Show Poster - Flowers for Mrs Harris - Sheffield Crucible

Best Show Trailer - Half a Sixpence - Chichester Festival & Noel Coward Theatre

To post a comment, you must register and login.