Nominations for the Tenth Annual Whatsonstage.com Awards, the “theatregoers’ choice”, have just been announced and The New Wolsey Theatre’s world première production of It’s a Wonderful Life has been nominated as Best Regional Production.
Produced in association with Avalon Promotions, this fully-staged musical version of the Frank Capra classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life played at the New Wolsey Theatre from 10 September to 3 October 2009. The cast of 14 local children and 17 adults included Paul Thornley as George Bailey, Jo Servi as Ace, Helen Anker as Mary, Paul Leonard as Potter, Michael Fenton Stevens as Peter Bailey and Kerry Washington as Mrs Bailey. (complete cast list below)
The screenplay was adapted by Steve Brown and Francis Matthews. Steve also wrote the music for Spend, Spend, Spend which has been nominated for Best Regional Production at The Watermill Theatre.
Directed by New Wolsey Artistic Director Peter Rowe, with design by Libby Watson the creative team also included Musical Director Dane Preece, Choreographer Francesca Jaynes and Lighting Designer Chris Ellis. The production played to full houses at the New Wolsey for over three weeks with standing ovations every night and rave reviews in local and national press.
The Whatsonstage.com shortlists are drawn up based on nominations submitted by theatregoers. Nearly 6,500 people took part in the initial phase of the Awards campaign this year, marking a new record (and nearly 2,500 more than last year).
The shortlists were announced today at a lunchtime ceremony held at the West End's Cafe de Paris by Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’s Broadway stars James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan and, on behalf of this year's adopted charity Masterclass, Jeremy Irons. There were live musical performances from Sister Act star Patina Miller (singing “Fabulous, Baby”), the stars of Christmas with The Rat Pack and Jest End, performing a sketch specially written for the tenth birthday of the Whatsonstage.com Awards.
The 26 Awards categories include standards such as Best Actor, Best Actress, Best New Play and Best New Musical as well as less conventional fields like Best Ensemble Performance, Best Off-West End Production and Theatre Event of the Year.
Other productions nominated as Best Regional Production are:
• Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall – Bristol Old Vic & tour
• Spend Spend Spend – Watermill, Newbury
• The Caretaker – Liverpool Everyman & Theatre Royal Bath
• The Light in the Piazza – Leicester Curve
• The Winslow Boy – Rose, Kingston & tour T
“This is incredibly exciting for everyone involved,” says Director Peter Rowe. “Audience response to the show was overwhelming and we are all extremely proud of what we created. The nomination is a credit to the cast, the creative team, the entire crew and all the staff at the New Wolsey who invested so much skill and energy in this wonderful new musical. Working with Avalon to produce the world premiere stage production of such a classic and much-loved movie was a treat for all of us and this nomination is an added bonus. I am very grateful to everyone who nominated the production and I hope people will continue to vote up to the end of January.”
The eventual Whatsonstage.com Award winners will be announced and awards presented in front of a live audience of theatregoer voters at the Winners’ Concert on Sunday 14 February 2010 at the West End’s Prince of Wales Theatre. Voting continues to the end of January 2010 at http://awards.whatsonstage.com so log on now with pride and help put your local theatre on the map.
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CAST:
PAUL THORNLEY - George Bailey
JO SERVI - Ace
HELEN ANKER - Mary
MICHAEL FENTON STEVENS - Peter Bailey
KERRY WASHINGTON - Mrs Bailey
PAUL LEONARD - Henry F. Potter
JAMES PATERSON - Uncle Billy
CHRIS GRIERSON - Harry
TONY STANSFIELD - Gower
HARRISON HUGO HAROLD - Sam
BRYAN KENNEDY - Ernie
LUCINDA SHAW - Violet
NEIL SMYE - Bert
KEITH ANTHONY HIGHAM - Marty
MAIRI COWIESON - Mrs Martini
GEMMA ATKINS - Ensemble
FRANCESCA ELLIS - Ensemble
CHILDREN (2 TEAMS):
HARRY SALTER / CHARLIE PITMAN - Young George -
MARCUS NICHOLS / EUAN LOGAN - Young Harry -
OLIVER DRIVER / HARRY PENTREATH - Young Sam
SIAN BARTLETT / LUCY ROPER - Young Mary
CHANEL MCKENZIE / LAUREN BYFORD - Janie
JAMIE MCKIE / JAMES BAKER - Pete
TIA HAMILTON / BEATRICE WILSON - Zuzu