Winners of 2013 UK Theatre Awards Announced

The Theatrical Management Association has announced the winners of the 2013 UK Theatre Awards, the only nationwide awards to honour creative excellence and the outstanding achievement seen on and off stage throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It has been a year of great achievement for theatre throughout the UK, as demonstrated by the range of nominations and winners. Sheffield Theatre Productions won big with four Awards including Best New Play, Best Musical Production (This is My Family), and Best Touring Production (The Full Monty). Females also saw success with Cush Jumbo winning Best Performance in a Play (A Doll's House), Janie Dee with Best Performance in a Musical (Hello, Dolly!) and Siân Phillips was awarded Best Supporting Performance (This is My Family). Best Show For Children and Young People was shared by Northern Stage (The Borrowers) and Unicorn Theatre (Mister Holgado). The 60-seat Bike Shed in Exeter was announced as winner of the public vote for My Theatre Matters! UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award, which was open to any professional theatre that offers legal and fair terms to all performers and stage management, in line with or better than the Equity Fringe Agreement. Simon Callow, CBE, (one of Dancewear Central's favourites) then received The Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre. In the dance categories, Achievement in Dance went to the independent dance artist Wendy Houstoun for her insightful solo 50 ACTS, and for off-stage excellence, Northern Ballet won Achievement in Marketing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_OlSKnhhXc The Awards took place at a glamorous ceremony at London’s Guildhall compèred by Musical theatre star Michael Xavier, with appearances from guest presenters Gina Beck, Christopher Biggins, Louise Dearman, Paul Michael Glaser, Katherine Kingsley, Maureen Lipman and Ed Watson.