TMA Theatre Awards 2003 nominations announced

TMA Theatre Awards 2003 nominations announced

The nominations for the TMA Theatre Awards 2003 has neen announced. These prestigious UK awards are for excellence in all aspects of regional theatre. Theatres throughout the UK have participated in the Awards and more than 1,000 productions have been seen.

This year's London related nominees include Selina Boyack Best Actress for STITCHING at The Bush Theatre; Timothy West Best Actor for KING LEAR which was at the Old Vic; Sarah Ball for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for AFTER MRS ROCHESTER, which is currently running at the Duke of York's; The Young Vic and the Royal National Theatre Studio's SIMPLY HEAVENLY nominated for best musical; A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM by all-male Propeller company, currently at the Comedy Theatre are up against Shared Experience's AFTER MRS ROCHESTER, for Best Touring Production

This year' s Awards Presentation will be held on Sunday 19 Oct 03 at Hampstead Theatre, London NW3 at 5.30pm and will be hosted by broadcaster Sandi Toksvig.

The TMA Theatre Awards were established in 1990 to celebrate outstanding achievement in theatre across the UK. Presented annually by the Theatrical Management Association, they are the only nationwide awards for theatre, opera and dance with over 175 theatres taking part in the scheme. Awards are given for performance, production, design and front of house to applaud the contributions of all those who work in the theatre industry.The Theatrical Management Association is a trade association that represents over 300 member organisations involved in the creation, presentation and management of professional theatre, opera and dance in the UK.

Nominations......

Best Actress
Selina Boyack for STITCHING, The Bush Theatre and The Red Room at The Bush and on tour

Anna Jane Casey for Sheffield Theatres' SWEET CHARITY at the Crucible

Eileen McCallum for IF ONLY, Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, Edinburgh

Best Actor
Richard Dormer for HURRICANE, Ransom Productions, Belfast on tour

Stewart Porter for THE FEVER, Citizens' Theatre Company, Glasgow

Timothy West for KING LEAR, English Touring Theatre in association with Malvern Theatres on tour, including a run at the Old Vic in London

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Sarah Ball for AFTER MRS ROCHESTER, Shared Experience in association with Northampton Theatres on tour, including a run at the Duke Of York's Theatre in London

Lyndsey Marshal for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Bristol Old Vic

Alexandra Mathie for THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE, Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, Edinburgh and Theatre Royal, Glasgow

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Bob Barrett for AFTER THE DANCE, Oxford Stage Company and Salisbury Playhouse, on tour

Tam Dean Burn for SCROOGE, Citizens' Theatre Company, Glasgow

Andy Serkis for the Royal Exchange Theatre Company's OTHELLO

Best Director
David Farr for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Bristol Old Vic

Jimmy Fay for Tinderbox's THE CHAIRS in Belfast and on tour

David Mark Thomson for PLEASURE AND PAIN, Citizens' Theatre Company, Glasgow

Best Designer
Julian Crouch, Phil Eddols, Colin Grenfell and Stephen Snell for THE HANGING MAN, Improbable Theatre in a co-production with West Yorkshire Playhouse, Wexner Center for the Arts, the Walker Art Center, the Lyric Hammersmith and Weiner Festwochen in association with Pomegranate Arts

Ruari Murchison for RACING DEMON, THE ABSENCE OF WAR and MURMURING JUDGES at Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Nancy Surman for BARBARIANS at Salisbury Playhouse

The Opus Award for Best Touring Production
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, a Watermill Theatre production by Propeller

AFTER MRS ROCHESTER, Shared Experience in association with Northampton Theatres on tour

Prime Productions' SUNSET SONG by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, adapted by Alastair Cording

The BBC writersroom Award for Best New Play
DARWIN IN MALIBU by Crispin Whittell at Birmingham Repertory Theatre

TERRORISM by Vladimir and Oleg Presnyakov at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court

THE BREATHING HOUSE by Peter Arnott, Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, Edinburgh

The Equity Award for Best Show for Children and Young People
GRIMM TALES based on Grimm's Fairy Tales, adapted by Carol Ann Duffy, dramatised by Tim Supple, produced by the Dukes in Williamson Park, Lancaster

THE STORY OF THE LITTLE GENTLEMAN by Lars-Erik Brossner and Tomas von Bromssen, based on the book by Barbro Lindgren, Catherine Wheels’ Theatre Company in association with Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh

TOM'S MIDNIGHT GARDEN adapted by David Wood from the book by Philippa Pearce, Library Theatre Company, Manchester

Best Musical

The Young Vic and the Royal National Theatre Studio's SIMPLY HEAVENLY, book and lyrics by Langston Hughes, music by David Martin

Sheffield Theatres' SWEET CHARITY book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, based on an original screenplay by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. Produced for the Broadway stage by Fryer, Carr and Harris, conceived, staged and choreographed by Bob Fosse, by arrangement with Music Scope (UK) and Stage Musicals Ltd., at the Crucible

THE GONDOLIERS book and lyrics by W S Gilbert, music by Arthur Sullivan at Chichester Festival Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson for her performance in THEODORA at Glyndebourne

JEPHTHA at Welsh National Opera

TRISTAN UND ISOLDE at Glyndebourne

Outstanding Achievement in Dance
George Piper Dances' CRITICS' CHOICE ***** programme which brought the A-list of today's choreographers to the British public in an innovative way

Henri Oguike, choreographer, for embodying in his small company the highest standards in dance, live music and lighting

Matz Skoog, ENB's Artistic Director, for his enterprise and daring in commissioning new British work

The Arts Council England Eclipse Award
The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich

Warehouse Theatre, Croydon

Most Welcoming Theatre
Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh

Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Salisbury Playhouse