Manchester Theatre Awards winners revealed

Winner Danny Mac, with co-stars Ria Jones and Adam Pearce in Best Musical at the Manchester Theatre Awards, Sunset Boulevard. Picture: Manuel Harlan

Leicester Curve’s acclaimed touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard won the battle of the musicals at this year’s Manchester Theatre Awards.

Presented by Michael Harrison, David Ian and Curve, the production – directed by Curve’s artistic director Nikolai Foster – beat the equally high profile Funny Girl and Bat Out of Hell and the smaller scale local production, Hope Mill Theatre’s Yank!, to claim the title of Best Musical for its run at the Palace Theatre.

Sunset Boulevard’s leading man Danny Mac made it a double success for the show, which features Ria Jones in the lead role of Norma Desmond, when he collected the award for the Best Actor in a Visiting Production.

Sheridan Smith took home the award for the Best Actress in a Visiting Production for Funny Girl’s dates at the Palace Theatre, while one of the stars of Hope Mill Theatre’s Yank!, Scott Hunter, won the Newcomer award.

The prize for Best Special Entertainment prize went to the star-studded pantomime Dick Whittington, produced by

Recipient of the newcomer award, Scott Hunter

Qdos and featuring John Barrowman and The Krankies.

The biggest winner at the ceremony, which was hosted by comedian and actor Justin Moorhouse at Lowry’s Quays Theatre, was the multi-media arts centre HOME. A total of five awards went to the popular venue in the heart of the city of Manchester, including the Best actress award which went to Janet Suzman for her performance in the play Rose.

Aimed at honouring productions seen in the Greater Manchester area, the prestigious annual awards were launched in 1981 and relaunched in 2011.

With the backing of the Greater Manchester theatres, the award winners are chosen by a judging panel made up of some of the country’s most experienced critics.

The awards have expanded in recent years to include a group of enthusiastic young critics who also choose an annual award winner from the city’s youth theatre productions. This year’s prize went to Singin’ in the Rain by the Royal Northern College of Music Young Company.