From two theatres sharing the Finest Theatre Award to an actor with Motor Neurone Illness elevating incapacity consciousness by way of theatre, the Stage Awards recognised one of the best of the UK’s theatre business.
The winners of the fifteenth annual The Stage Awards have been introduced, celebrating the best achievements in theatre throughout the UK.
The Stage was established in 1880 as an business journal for the British theatre business. Via its commercial part, it has launched the careers of quite a few British playwrights and actors, together with kitchen sink realist playwright John Osborne, Nobel Prize winner Harold Pinter, and actors like Idris Elba.
In 2010, the journal began its The Stage Awards, designed to have a good time one of the best achievements within the theatre business throughout the nation.
In contrast to different high-profile UK theatre awards such because the Lawrence Olivier Awards and the Night Normal Theatre Awards which give attention to performances, The Stage Awards prioritises recognition for the work of theatres and producers behind the scenes.
In a ceremony on 20 January on the Royal Opera Home’s Linbury Theatre, each the Nottingham Playhouse and London’s Orange Tree Theatre shared the Theatre of the Yr award for 2025.
Following the sample of final yr’s twin winners the Nationwide Theatre and the Watermill Theatre, the Nottingham Playhouse and Orange Tree Theatre gained the highest gong for “their sturdy inventive management, bringing their programming A-game to 2024 with a crowd-pleasing mixture of revivals and putting new performs leading to hovering field workplace gross sales.”
Recognising the UK’s latest or newly redeveloped venues of 2024, Theatre Constructing of the Yr went to The Properly Stroll Theatre. The 50-seat theatre in Hampstead, London was described as “small however completely fashioned” by judges.
The Properly Stroll Theatre’s homeowners Zina Drouche and Dylan McNeil had been praised for his or her productions which “‘inhabiting the area the place childhood meets maturity, participating minds of all ages”.
Michael Harrison was named Producer of the Yr. His firm, Michael Harrison Leisure was behind lots of the greatest West Finish hits of final yr, together with the lauded ‘Sundown Boulevard’ starring Nicole Scherzinger.
One of the crucial heart-warming tales of the evening was Michael Patrick successful the Judges’ award. The Northern Irish actor and author was recognized with Motor Neurone Illness in 2023. Regardless of his debilitating nerve situation, Patrick tailored ‘The Tragedy of Richard III’ with director Oisin Kearney to provide the Shakespearean character’s incapacity fashionable relevance.
Carried out from his wheelchair, the judges mentioned of the present: “Performing performances are usually described as courageous, however there may be only a few performers who’ve displayed the fortitude on stage that Michael did on this manufacturing. It was actually astonishing.”
The total winners of The Stage Awards 2025 had been as follows:
Theatre of the Yr
Joint winners: Nottingham Playhouse and Orange Tree Theatre, London
Theatre Constructing of the Yr
The Properly Stroll Theatre, London
Producer of the Yr
Michael Harrison Leisure
Innovation Award
Orchard West, Dartford
Group Award
Synergy Theatre Mission
Worldwide Award
Projekt Europa
Unsung Hero
Mike Elliott
Marketing campaign of the Yr
Park Theatre and Adam Blanshay Productions for Kim’s Comfort
Judges’ Award
Michael Patrick for The Tragedy of Richard III on the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
