Gaylene Gould to host 4th annual Tonic Awards

Gaylene Gould will host the 4th annual Tonic Awards, it was announced today.

The awards celebrate the achievements of game-changing women, projects and productions that redefine the role of women in theatre and the performing arts both on and off stage. The 2020 ceremony will take place at The May Fair Theatre on 23 March at 7pm.

Gould is a creative director, writer, arts broadcaster for the BBC and Cultural Ambassador for London. Over the last 25 years, she has worked with major institutions such as the BFI Southbank, the Arts Council, Toronto International Film Festival, the National Theatre and the Bernie Grant Arts Centre. She commented: "There aren't many spaces dedicated to celebrating women in theatre, which makes the Tonic Awards all the more vital. I'm really looking forward to an evening centred around the amazing things that women are achieving in the industry, and shining a spotlight on the positive change that is being created."

Established in 2011, Tonic is an independent organisation and charity that works with the UK's leading performing arts organisations to achieve greater equality in their work and their workforces. WhatsOnStage COO Sita McIntosh chairs the board of trustees, which also includes playwright Moira Buffini, executive director of Theatre Royal Stratford East Eleanor Lang and Woman's Hour radio producer Kirsty Starkey.

The company's director Lucy Kerbel added: "The Tonic Awards are about celebrating those who are changing the face of theatre today. This year's awards will see an incredible breadth of talent being recognised, from a leading theatre academic to a smash-hit musical, each and every one of them playing a significant contribution in redefining the role of women in theatre and the performing arts."