The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) has today announced the nominations for their annual Theatre Awards, presented in association with The Stage. The spread of nominations this year reflects the high quality and vitality of theatre, opera and dance seen throughout the UK.

European City of Culture, Liverpool, celebrates three nominations for work at the Everyman and Playhouse theatres – two for local musical, ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE ADELPHI, and one for the new play TEN TINY TOES.

In Manchester the productions THE GLASS MENAGERIE and THE CHILDREN’S HOUR at the Royal Exchange Theatre also receive three nominations, including Best Performance in a Play for Brenda Blethyn.

Newcastle’s Live Theatre production of THE PITMAN PAINTERS by BILLY ELLIOT writer Lee Hall is amongst the strong group of nominees in the category of Best New Play.

Other nominees for the 2008 Awards include ‘I’d Do Anything’ contestant Rachel Tucker for her performance in THE WIZARD OF OZ at the Lyric Theatre Belfast and Brian Conley for his performance in THE MUSIC MAN at Chichester Festival Theatre. Scottish companies again feature strongly with nominations in a variety of Awards for Scottish Opera, Dundee Rep and the National Theatre of Scotland. Welsh National Opera is amongst the nominees in the Achievement in Opera Award.

The strength and depth of work presented by regional theatres from Coventry to Southampton, Nottingham to Plymouth, Colchester to Newbury is represented throughout the 2008 nominations.

Derek Nicholls, President of the TMA said: “The Theatre Awards recognise the creative excellence, both individual and collaborative, that is to be found in the exceptional work presented in theatres across the country. We are delighted to play our part in rewarding that excellence.”

The winners will be revealed at a special ceremony to be held on Sunday 26 October 2008 at the Hampstead Theatre, London.

Nominations are as follows:

Best Performance in a Play
Brenda Blethyn for the Royal Exchange Theatre Company’s THE GLASS MENAGERIE
Keith Fleming & Gerry Mulgrew for PEER GYNT at Dundee Rep
Katherine Tozer for A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at the Nuffield Southampton

Best Supporting Performance in a Play
Roger Delves-Broughton for JOURNEY’S END at the Mercury, Colchester
Tony Haygarth for Theatre Royal Bath Productions’ PYGMALION on Tour
Kate O’Flynn for the Royal Exchange Theatre Company’s THE CHILDREN’S HOUR 

Best Performance in a Musical 
Brian Conley for THE MUSIC MAN at Chichester Festival Theatre Kathryn Evans for SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury
Rachel Tucker for THE WIZARD OF OZ at the Lyric, Belfast

Best Supporting Performance in a Musical
Helena Blackman for SOUTH PACIFIC on tour
Martin Ball for MARY POPPINS on tour
Claire Sundin for THE HIRED MAN on tour 

Best Director 
Michael Boyd for THE HISTORIES at RSC Stratford-Upon-Avon
Steven Berkoff for ON THE WATERFRONT at Nottingham Playhouse
Yael Farber for MOLORA at Oxford Playhouse

Best Touring Production
National Theatre of Scotland’s BLACK WATCH
Shared Experience/National Theatre’s WAR AND PEACE presented by Shared Experience, Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company and Hampstead Theatre
Frantic Assembly and Drum Theatre, Plymouth’s STOCKHOLM

Best Musical Production
DON GIOVANNI at the New Victoria, Newcastle Under Lyme
ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE ADELPHI at the Playhouse, Liverpool
MOON LANDING at Derby Playhouse 

Best New Play 
CONTRACTIONS by Mike Bartlett, Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
THE PITMEN PAINTERS by Lee Hall at Live Theatre, Newcastle TEN TINY TOES by Esther Wilson, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse in associaton with Shared Experience at the Everyman, Liverpool

Best Set Design
Douglas Heap for DON JUAN COMES BACK FROM THE WAR based on an idea by Miriam Guretzki at the Belgrade Coventry
Christopher Woods for ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE ADELPHI at Playhouse Liverpool
Mike Britton for LADY FROM THE SEA at Birmingham Rep

Best Lighting Design
The Royal Exchange Theatre Company’s THE CHILDREN’S HOUR designed by Mick Hughes
EQUUS designed by David Hersey on tour
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN designed by Richard G Jones, York Theatre Royal at The National Railway Museum


Best Show for Children and Young People
Polka Theatre and Fevered Sleep’s BRILLIANT, devised and directed by David Harradine at Polka Theatre
LOOKING FOR JJ, adapted from Anne Cassidy’s novel by Marcus Romer, Pilot Theatre in association with York Theatre Royal and Unicorn Theatre on tour
THE EMPEROR’S NEW KILT By Andy Cannon and Iain Johnstone, based on The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen, Wee Stories/National Theatre of Scotland on tour

Achievement in Dance
Cloudgate Dance Theatre of Taiwan for choreographer Lin Hwai-Min’s MOON WATER, a stunning blend of Eastern and Western arts.
Theatre-Rites & Arthur Pita for MISCHIEF, an enormously playful collage of movement, music and visual arts designed to delight the whole family.
Rambert Dance Company for reviving two British contemporary dance landmarks – Siobhan Davies’ CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS (1982) and Christopher Bruce’s SWANSONG (1987)

Achievement in Opera
Glyndebourne’s HANSEL UND GRETEL
Opera North for its summer Shakespeare season of MACBETH, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and ROMEO ET JULIETTE
Scottish Opera’s A NIGHT AT THE CHINESE OPERA
Welsh National Opera’s THE SACRIFICE

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Note to Editors The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) is the major trade association for organisations and individuals involved professionally in the production and presentation of the middle and large scale performing arts in the UK. Its membership includes producing and repertory theatres, arts centres and presenting venues, opera, ballet and contemporary dance companies, commercial producers and businesses and individuals associated with the performing arts industry.

For further press information, please contact: Gill Alexander or Kevan Watson at The Smarter Consultancy Tel: 01423 751799 or 07876 141791 or alternatively please email gill@smarterconsultancy.co.uk  or kevan@smarterconsultancy.co.uk