HARRY POTTER Producer And Sheffield Theatres In Awards Hat-trick at The Stage Awards

The Stage has today announced the winners of its annual The Stage Awards, in association with Integro Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Sonia Friedman has won Producer of the Year, sponsored by PRG XL Video, for the third year in a row. The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child producer was also recently crowned the most influential person in theatre in The Stage 100.

Sheffield Theatres picked up the award for Regional Theatre of the Year, sponsored by Evolution Productions, for the third time (non-consecutively). Judges cited its successful productions including Show Boat, daring musical projects and commitment to future generations with reduced price ticketing schemes for 16-25 year olds.

Other winners include Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, fringe theatre New Diorama, pop-up venue King's Cross Theatre and Tara Arts "a national hub for cross-cultural theatre".

At the ceremony, Editor Alistair Smith commended the winners:

"Congratulations to all our brilliant winners. The Stage Awards are the only awards that celebrate theatre of all scales, from all four corners of the UK and across the globe. Our winners range from Sonia Friedman - the West End's leading producer - to the New Diorama, a fringe theatre that has made a name for itself by supporting and championing emerging talent at the very start of their careers.

"Elsewhere, Sheffield Theatres, one of the UK's very best theatre complexes, wins our Regional Theatre of the Year for a third time and Matthew Bourne is recognised for taking his unique brand of dance theatre to audiences in Asia. Complicite, one of British theatre's most consistently inventive companies, wins our new Innovation Award for its remarkable production of The Encounter, which used binaural technology to transport audiences around the UK to the Amazon rainforest.

"Meanwhile Tara Arts - one of the country's foremost cross-cultural companies - is recognised for the environmentally-friendly approach it has taken with its new HQ in south London, and drama school the Musical Theatre Academy is celebrated for the sterling work it has done raising awareness of mental health issues among students. The awards also recognised innovation in theatre buildings with an award for the pop-up King's Cross Theatre. Last, but by no means least, we also recognise one of Theatreland's unsung heroes - stage door manager Ned Seago, who has become a much-loved fixture at The Old Vic Theatre's stage door, having worked there for the past three decades."

Winners of The Stage Awards 2017

Regional Theatre of the Year
sponsored by Evolution Productions
Sheffield Theatres

London Theatre of the Year
sponsored by Managed Networks
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Fringe Theatre of the Year
sponsored by encoreinsure.com
New Diorama Theatre, London

Theatre Building of the Year
sponsored by Audience Systems
King's Cross Theatre, London

Producer of the Year
sponsored by PRG XL Video
Sonia Friedman Productions

School of the Year
sponsored by TodayTix
Musical Theatre Academy, London

International Award
sponsored by Ambassador Theatre Group
Matthew Bourne's New Adventures

Sustainability Award
sponsored by GDS
Tara Theatre, London

Innovation Award
sponsored by Charcoalblue
Complicite

Unsung Hero
sponsored by White Light
Ned Seago

Global Head of Integro Insurance Brokers Ltd, Neil Clayton said: "We are proud of our continued partnership with The Stage Awards. Our involvement, originally as Robertson Taylor W&P Longreach, and now as Integro, reflects our position as the UK's leading independent theatre and theatre production insurance broker. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated".

Website: www.thestage.co.uk/awards
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Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

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