On Friday 4th March the cream of Manchester's theatre community gathered at a snow covered HOME for the annual MTA's.  Hosted by Jusin Moorhouse, a regular at the awards he was in fine form and kept the pace of the awards steady throughout.  There were live performances as well from the cast of Avenue Q prior to their week long stay at the Palace Theatre later this year.  Also performing live was Jennifer Reid with her superb broadside ballards.  And closing the show was six year old stand-up comic Little Howard with his unique multi media set.

In addition to the main awards which are listed below along with the winners there were two special awards presented. 
The first was The Stage Door Foundation Award For Excellence which deservedly went to 24:7 Theatre Festival and without doubt the most popular award of the ceremony, the Special Achievement Award went to David Thacker who made an impassioned speech despite looking shocked at being recognised for his amazing work in local theatre.

Once again the Manchester Theatre Awards have not only recognised, but celebrated the diversity and quality of theatre in the Manchester area.  With 2016 already providing enough superb productions and performances to fill an awards ceremony next years awards are something we cannot wait for.

 

Manchester Theatre Award Nominations And Winners

Actor In A Leading Role

Colin Connor in A View From The Bridge at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Rob Edwards in An Enemy Of The People at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Jonjo O’Neill in The Crucible at the Royal Exchange

Sam Swann in Pomona at the Royal Exchange

Actress In A Leading Role

Scarlett Brookes in Educating Rita at Oldham Coliseum

Barbara Drennan in A View From The Bridge and The Family Way at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Kathryn Hunter in Kafka’s Monkey at HOME

Maxine Peake in The Skriker at the Royal Exchange

Actor In A Supporting Role

David Birrell in An Enemy Of The People at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Ben Porter in Boeing Boeing at Oldham Coliseum

David Nabil Stuart in A View From The Bridge at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Tim Steed in The Crucible at the Royal Exchange

Actress In A Supporting Role

Natasha Davidson in A View From The Bridge at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Lauren Drummond in The Ancient Secret of Youth and the Five Tibetans at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Anna Wheatley in The Family Way at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Ria Zmitrowicz in The Crucible at the Royal Exchange

Actor in a Visiting Production

Joe Armstrong in Constellations at The Lowry

Michael Ball in Mack and Mabel at the Opera House

Finetime Fontayne in King Lear at The Lowry

Dominic Marsh in Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other Love Songs) at HOME

Actress in a Visiting Production

Louise Brealey in Constellations at The Lowry

Debbie Kurup in Anything Goes at the Opera House

Lucy O’Byrne in The Sound of Music at The Lowry

Sophie Thompson in Guys And Dolls at the Palace Theatre

Performance in a Studio Production

Alex Austin in Yen at the Royal Exchange Studio

Carla Langley in Cuddles at the Royal Exchange Studio

Sian Reese-Williams in Lungs at The Roundabout at The Lowry

Abdul Salis in Lungs at The Roundabout at The Lowry

Performance in a Fringe Production

Ben Bland in Grass at Mumps shop, Oldham

Heather Carroll in Raw at Joshua Brooks

Colin Connor in Mr. Smith at the Kings Arms, Salford

Jeni Howarth-Williams in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at the Kings Arms, Salford

Ensemble

Dreamers at Oldham Coliseum

Noises Off at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Lord of the Flies at The Lowry

Street Scene at the Royal Northern College Of Music

Production

Educating Rita, directed by Iqbal Khan at Oldham Coliseum

An Enemy of the People, directed by David Thacker at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Rites, directed by Cora Bissett and Yusra Warsama at Contact

A View From The Bridge, directed by David Thacker at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Visiting Production

Beryl from West Yorkshire Playhouse at The Lowry

Constellations from the Royal Court Theatre at The Lowry

John from DV8 Physical Theatre at The Lowry

Twelve Angry Men from Bill Kenwright at The Lowry

Studio Production

Cuddles at the Royal Exchange Studio

Light at the Lowry Studio

Lungs at The Roundabout at The Lowry

So Here We Are at the Royal Exchange Studio

Fringe Production

Mr. Smith at the Kings Arms, Salford

Parents Without Children at the Three Minute Theatre

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at the Kings Arms, Salford

We Are The Multitude at 24:7 Theatre Festival

Musical

Anything Goes at the Opera House

The Bodyguard - The Musical at the Palace Theatre

Guys And Dolls at the Palace Theatre

Mack & Mabel at the Opera House

Dance

1984 from Northern Ballet at the Palace Theatre

Flex’N Manchester for Manchester International Festival at Old Granada Studios

Lest We Forget from English National Ballet at the Palace Theatre 

Tree Of Codes for Manchester International Festival at the Opera House

Opera

Cosi Fan Tutte at Clonter Opera Theatre

Giovanna dArco for Buxton Festival at Buxton Opera House

The Marriage of Figaro from Opera North at The Lowry

A Midsummer Night's Dream at Royal Northern College Of Music

Design

Inkheart at HOME

Moominland Midwinter at Waterside Arts Centre, Sale

The Oresteia at HOME

Tree Of Codes at the Opera House

New Play

Beryl by Maxine Peake at The Lowry

Nirbhaya by Yael Farber at Oldham Coliseum and Contact

The Rolling Stone by Chris Urch at the Royal Exchange

So Here We Are by Luke Norris at the Royal Exchange Studio

Special Entertainment

Inala - A Zulu Ballet, at the Palace Theatre

Ultima Vez, at The Lowry

Bridging the Gap, The Gap Theatre Project at Halle St. Peters

Moominland Midwinter, at Waterside Arts Centre, Sale

Youth Panel Award

On The Town, from RNCM Youth Perform at the Royal Northern College of Music

The Shrine of Everyday Things, from Contact Young Company at Contact

TaY Talks, from Truth about Youth at the Royal Exchange

The Wardrobe, from Octagon Youth Theatre at Octagon Theatre, Bolton

 

On behalf of everyone at North West End we extend our warmest congratulations to all the nominees and winners.  Manchester theatre is a force to be reckoned with, it truly is the North West End!

Reviewer: Paul Downham

Reviewed: 4th March 2016

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