NOTE: It’s been an exceedingly hectic few weeks in the Whatsonstage.com offices with web server crashes, awards announcements (our own and, of course the Oliviers), magazine deadlines and all other (attempted) business as usual. Ordinarily, we would have shared picture galleries of your chosen award winners in a much more timely fashion. Nevertheless, if a little late in some cases, we thought you’d still like to see how people reacted when receiving their Theatregoers’ Choice Awards, as voted for by you.
Wherever possible, trophies have been presented in person – and, in the case of Wicked, Avenue Q and The 39 Steps, with on-stage, curtain call presentations. Over the coming days, we’ll be adding more photo stories, which will appear in the Photos section of the website. But we’ll start here with this year’s biggest winner…
Wicked won all four of the awards for which it was nominated in this year’s seventh annual Whatsonstage.com Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards (See News, 9 Feb 2007), taking on average half of the overall vote across its categories.
Whatsonstage.com’s editorial director Terri Paddock paid a visit to the Apollo Victoria and took to the stage at the show’s evening curtain call to present the four awards in front of the cast and excited audience. Miriam Margolyes, aka Madame Morrible, collected her Best Supporting Actress in a Musical trophy, while Nigel Planer accepted Best Set Designer on behalf of Eugene Lee, who is based in the US.
Ray Jones, marketing director of sponsor Superbreak, the UK’s leading short break operator, presented the Best New Musical award, which was collected on behalf of the entire company and creative team by the show’s current leads Helen Dallimore (Glinda) and Kerry Ellis (Elphaba).
On stage at the Apollo Victoria, Dallimore accepted the trophy for Best Actress in a Musical on behalf of her original co-star and role creator Idina Menzel. A few days later, Whatsonstage.com was also able to meet up with the American actress, back in town for a concert recording, to congratulate her in person.
TO SCROLL THROUGH THE WICKED ON-STAGE AWARDS PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE “NEXT >” LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS & NOMINEES, VOTING PERCENTAGES, ALL ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES & MORE, VISIT OUR THEATREGOERS’ CHOICE AWARDS MICROSITE.
TO SCROLL THROUGH THE IDINA MENZEL AWARDS PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE “NEXT >” LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
WHAT THE WICKED WINNERS SAID:
SUPERBREAK Best New Musical – “On behalf of my colleagues Marc Platt and David Stone and everyone at Universal, I’d like to thank all the theatregoers who voted for us and to offer my personal congratulations to Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman and our incredibly talented London cast. It is very exciting for us all that Wicked has been honoured by the theatregoing public. We are thrilled to have won all four of our Theatregoers’ Choice Awards and particularly delighted to have been named Best New Musical.” – Michael McCabe, executive producer
Best Actress in a Musical – “To all of you wonderful theatregoers who voted for me, thank you so much for this amazing honour. I could not have imagined a better way to make my West End debut than with this unbelievable cast and crew and the incredible love and support that everyone has shown me. I came to this town with some old green make-up and left completely in love with the people and the city. It means so much to me that the green girl was greeted with such warmth and was able to make her transcontinental voyage. This has been a life-changing experience for me that wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for all of you. Can’t wait to come back soon! “ – Idina Menzel
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical – “I am absolutely thrilled to have been voted Best Supporting Actress in a Musical in the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards 2007. It’s especially wonderful because I know the voters are audience members, who love theatre and thought I did a good job, even though I can’t sing! My last musical was Fiddler on the Roof, 37 years ago! I was terrified of being in Wicked, but it’s the happiest professional experience I’ve ever had: I adore coming in to work every day. I love wearing those fabulous costumes and wigs and having my face made up so brilliantly by Chris Redman. I relish the performances of my fellow actors; being on stage with Idina and Kerry and Helen and Nigel and Adam is a treat. The ensemble are gorgeous – I perve over their bodies as they change costumes backstage in the half-light. And then at the curtain call, seeing the whole audience leap to their feet every show – I know I’ll never have anything like it again. So winning this award is the icing on a very delicious cake. A big hug to all who voted for me. Thank you so very much.” – Miriam Margolyes
Best Set Designer – “Thank you so much for this award… I am so pleased to receive it, especially as it’s given by theatregoers! The public are always the best critics, the ones we really do the work for. And it’s also very special to me to be honoured in Britain, as my wife and I love your country – I proposed to her in London, in fact! – and also, my favourite sailboat was shipped to me from Lymington. So I am doubly pleased. The designing of Wicked was a labour of love, and it’s been thrilling to have it be so well received! My colleagues and I are fortunate, indeed. Thank you so much.” – Eugene Lee
TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS & NOMINEES, VOTING PERCENTAGES, ALL ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES & MORE, VISIT OUR THEATREGOERS’ CHOICE AWARDS MICROSITE.
