Friday the 13th will prove lucky for some when winners of the Manchester Theatre Awards are revealed in March at the celebrity event, to be held at the city’s Royal Northern College of Music.
Today sees the announcement of the nominations across 20 categories, chosen by a panel of 11 of the region’s leading theatre critics.
Manchester’s Royal Exchange and Bolton’s Octagon Theatre dominate the leading categories, for Best Actor and Best Actress, as well as Best Supporting Actor and Actress.
Among the famous names shortlisted for awards are Robert Lindsay, who starred in the première performance of the musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Manchester Opera House before it went on to acclaim in the West End, and Sir Anthony Sher, who appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Henry IV Parts I and II at The Lowry in Salford.
Veteran comedy entertainer Barry Humphries is amongst nominations for Best Special Entertainment for his farewell performance at Manchester Opera House. It was an especially poignant event as his grandfather emigrated to Australia from the city back in 1888.
Other awards cover nominations for best musical, dance and opera performances and there are six nominations in the coveted Best Production category—all of them homegrown in Manchester.
Similarly, the city’s energetic fringe and studio theatre scenes are honoured across four categories.
Several of this year’s theatre award nominations also feature productions that have been tailored for performance away from traditional theatre stages and have been presented in everything from the city’s Edwardian baths... to a pram shop in Oldham town centre.
The winners will be announced on stage at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music on Friday March 13.
All the nominees are invited as well as celebrity guests who present the coveted glass trophies. A limited number of audience tickets are also available from the RNCM web site.
Manchester Theatre Award nominations
Best Actor
- Rob Edwards, in Duet For One and Separation, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Michael Hugo, in Around The World In 80 Days, at the Royal Exchange
- Harry McEntire, in Billy Liar, at the Royal Exchange
- Dan Parr, in Britannia Waves The Rules, at the Royal Exchange
- Michael Shelford, in Early One Morning, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Best Actress
- Clare Foster, in Duet For One and Separation, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Natalie Grady, in Hobson’s Choice, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Suranne Jones, in Orlando, at the Royal Exchange
- Maxine Peake, in Hamlet, at the Royal Exchange
- Lauren Samuels, in Love Story, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- David Birrell, in Journey’s End, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Colin Connor, in Early One Morning, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Daragh O’Malley, in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, at the Royal Exchange
- Michael Shelford, in Hobson’s Choice, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Nuno Silva, in Little Shop Of Horrors, at the Royal Exchange
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Claire Benedict, in Hamlet, at the Royal Exchange
- Gillian Bevan, in Hamlet, at the Royal Exchange
- Molly Gromadzki, in Orlando, at the Royal Exchange
- Katie Moore, in Billy Liar, at the Royal Exchange
Best Actor in a Visiting Production
- Joshua Jenkins, in The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, at The Lowry
- Robert Lindsay, in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, at the Opera House
- Cassidy Little, in The Two Worlds Of Charlie F, at the Opera House
- Steven Miller, in Shakespeare's Othello, at The Lowry
- Antony Sher, in Henry IV Parts I and II, at The Lowry
- Al Weaver, in The Pride, at the Opera House
Best Actress in a Visiting Production
- Jane Asher, in Moon Tiger, at The Lowry
- Emily Butterfield, in An August Bank Holiday Lark, at Oldham Coliseum
- Lisa Dwan, in Not I, Footfalls and Rockaby, at The Lowry
- Katherine Kingsley, in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, at the Opera House
- Emma Williams, in Annie Get Your Gun, at the Opera House
Best Production
- Angel Meadow, directed by Louise Lowe and company for ANU Productions and HOME, at Edinburgh Castle, Ancoats
- Around The World In 80 Days, directed by Theresa Heskins, for the Royal Exchange
- Close The Coalhouse Door, directed by Kevin Shaw for Oldham Coliseum
- Journey’s End, directed by David Thacker for Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Romeo And Juliet, directed by Walter Meierjohann for HOME, at Victoria Baths
- Separation, directed by Elizabeth Newman for Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Best Visiting Production
- The Curious Incident Of the Dog In The Night-Time, from the National Theatre, at The Lowry
- The Events, from Actors Touring Company, at Number One First Street
- Not I, Footfalls and Rockaby, from the Royal Court Theatre, at The Lowry
- The Pride, from Jamie Lloyd Productions, at the Opera House
- Shakespeare's Othello, from Frantic Assembly, at The Lowry
The Brynteg Award for Best Musical
- 20th Century Boy, at the Opera House
- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, at the Opera House
- Jersey Boys, at the Palace Theatre
- Little Shop Of Horrors, at the Royal Exchange
- Love Story, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Robert Robson Award for Dance
- Beauty Of The Beast, from Company Chameleon, at The Lowry
- Cinderella, from Northern Ballet Theatre, at the Palace Theatre
- Le Corsaire, from English National Ballet, at the Palace Theatre
- Dracula, from Mark Bruce Productions, at Contact Theatre
- Lord Of The Flies, from New Adventures, at The Lowry
Opera
- Götterdämmerung, from Opera North, at The Lowry
- Life On The Moon, from English Touring Opera, at Buxton Opera House
- The Coronation Of Poppea, from Opera North, at The Lowry
- The Girl Of The Golden West, from Opera North, at The Lowry
- The Jacobin, from Buxton Festival, at Buxton Opera House
Design
- Angel Meadow, at HOME, the Edinburgh Castle, Ancoats
- Journey’s End, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Little Shop Of Horrors, at the Royal Exchange
- Romeo and Juliet, at HOME at Victoria Baths
- The Life And Times Of Mitchell And Kenyon, at Oldham Coliseum
Best Newcomer
- Emily Barber, in Billy Liar, at the Royal Exchange
- Wil Coban, in Romeo And Juliet, at HOME at Victoria Baths
- Dominic Myerscough, in Icarus, at the Lowry Studio
- Maeve O’Sullivan, in Close The Coalhouse Door, at Oldham Coliseum
Best New Play
- An August Bank Holiday Lark, by Deborah McAndrew, at Oldham Coliseum
- In My Bed, by Rebekah Harrison, at 24:7 Theatre Festival, New Century House
- This May Hurt A Bit, by Stella Feehilly, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Watching Goldfish Suffocate, by David Degiorgio and Craig Hepworth, at the Great Northern Playhouse
Best Studio Production
- Amsterdam, from Afrique Performs, at Contact Theatre
- He Had Hairy Hands, from Kill The Beast Company, at the Lowry Studio
- Solfatara, from Atresbandes at the Lowry Studio
- The C Project, from Working Progress Theatre Company at the Lowry Studio
Best Fringe Production
- In My Bed, from Milk And Two Sugars Company, for 24:7 Theatre Festival, at New Century House
- Life’s A Gatecrash, from PACT Theatre Company at The Kings Arms, Salford
- The Tongue Twister, from 24:7 Theatre Festival, at New Century Hall
- Thick As Thieves, from Hard Graft Theatre Company, at ReTale, Oldham Mumps
- Watching Goldfish Suffocate, from Vertigo Theatre, at the Great Northern Playhouse
Best Studio Performance
- Ellie Kendrick, in Pests, at the Royal Exchange Studio
- Sinèad Matthews, in Pests, at the Royal Exchange Studio
- Amaka Okafor, in Bird, at the Bill Naughton Studio, Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Best Fringe Performance
- Jarreau Benjamin, in Len Johnson Fighter, at the Kings Arms, Salford
- David Degiorgio, in Watching Goldfish Suffocate, at The Great Northern Playhouse
- Kaitlin Howard, in The Alphabet Girl, at the Kings Arms, Salford
- Olivia Sweeney, in In My Bed, at 24:7 Theatre Festival, New Century House
- John Weaver, in Afterglow, at 24:7 Theatre Festival, New Century House
Best Ensemble
- Alice In Wonderland, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Angel Meadow, at HOME, the Edinburgh Castle, Ancoats
- Close The Coalhouse Door, at Oldham Coliseum
- Romeo And Juliet, at HOME, Victoria Baths
- This May Hurt A Bit, by Out Of Joint Theatre Company, at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Best Special Entertainment
- Barry Humphries, in Eat, Pray, Laugh at the Opera House
- Best of BE Festival, at Number One First Street
- Cirque Berserk, at The Lowry
- In The Night Garden, at the Trafford Centre
- Robin Cousins’ Ice, at The Lowry