Branagh's Macbeth and local productions share spotlight in Manchester Theatre Awards

The nominations for this year’s Manchester Theatre Awards celebrate another excellent year for theatre in Greater Manchester.

The nominations range from big budget productions to fringe, and from the familiar faces of stars like Kenneth Branagh and Maxine Peake to fresh new talent.

The winners will be announced at the ceremony hosted at the city’s iconic Royal Exchange theatre on Friday March 7 by popular performer Justin Moorhouse and some starry support.

Chosen by an entirely independent panel of theatre experts, who see hundreds of shows at venues small, large and unusual to pick the cream of the crop, awards range from Musical, Dance, Opera and Visiting Production to acting categories.

The nominations include:

Best Actor

David Birrell, Sweeney Todd, Royal Exchange

Kenneth Branagh, Macbeth, Manchester International Festival, St Peter’s Church

Nigel Cooke, To Kill A Mockingbird, Royal Exchange

Paul Webster, Sugar Daddies, Oldham Coliseum

Jack Wilkinson, David Copperfield, Oldham Coliseum

Best Actress

Marianne Benedict, Chicago, Oldham Coliseum

Cush Jumbo, A Doll’s House, Royal Exchange

Gillian Kearney, Educating Rita, Library at The Lowry

Alex Kingston, Macbeth, Manchester International Festival, St Peter’s Church

Maxine Peake, Masque Of Anarchy, Manchester International Festival, Albert Hall

Shannon Tarbet, To Kill A Mockingbird, Royal Exchange

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Ray Fearon, Macbeth, Manchester International Festival, St Peter’s Church

Kieran Hill, The Glass Menagerie, Octagon Theatre Bolton

Robin Simpson, David Copperfield, Oldham Coliseum

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

Sally Bankes, That Day We Sang, Royal Exchange

Shirley Darroch, Chicago, Oldham Coliseum

Heather Phoenix, Sugar Daddies, Oldham Coliseum

Kelly Price, That Day We Sang, Royal Exchange

Best Actor in a Visiting Production

Paul Michael Glaser, Fiddler On The Roof, The Lowry

Julian Glover, Maurice’s Jubilee, Opera House

Louis Maskell, West Side Story, Palace

Barrie Rutter, Rutherford and Son, The Lowry

Tim Treloar, Birdsong, Oldham Coliseum

Best Actress in a Visiting Production

Michele Dotrice, The Ladykillers, The Lowry

Katie Hall, West Side Story, Palace

Catherine Kinsella, Rutherford and Son, The Lowry

Karen Mann, Fiddler On The Roof, The Lowry

Sian Phillips, People, The Lowry

Best Production

Of Mice and Men, directed by David Thacker, Octagon Theatre Bolton

Macbeth, directed by Rob Ashford, Manchester International Festival, St Peter’s Church

The Accrington Pals, directed by James Dacre, Royal Exchange

The Glass Menagerie, directed by David Thacker, Octagon Theatre Bolton

The Old Woman, directed by Robert Wilson, Manchester International Festival, Palace

To Kill A Mockingbird, directed by Max Webster, Royal Exchange

Best Visiting Production

Birdsong, The Original Theatre Company and Birdsong Productions Ltd, Oldham Coliseum

The Full Monty, Sheffield Theatres, The Lowry

The Ladykillers, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse / Fiery Angel, The Lowry

The Pirates Of Penzance, Scottish Opera and D'Oyly Carte, Opera House

Twelfth Night, Propeller, The Lowry

War Horse, National Theatre, The Lowry

Musical

Chicago, Oldham Coliseum

Fiddler On The Roof, The Lowry

Paradise Moscow, Royal Northern College Of Music

Singin’ In The Rain, Opera House

Sweeney Todd, Royal Exchange

Wicked, Palace

For the full list of nominated productions, please visit the Manchester Theatre Awards website.