UK Theatre Awards 2018 winners announced

This year's UK Theatre Awards have been announced, with the Royal Exchange, Manchester winning four awards including Best Play for The Almighty Sometimes.

The Royal Exchange also won Best Director, for artistic director Sarah Frankcom and her production of Our Town, Best Touring Show for Three Sisters, a co-production with RashDash, and Best Performance in a Musical for Ashley Zhangazha in Guys and Dolls – a co-production with Talawa.

Clwyd Theatre's recent hit The Assassination of Katie Hopkins won Best Musical Production, while Best Performance in a Play went to Denise Black for The Cherry Orchard, a Sherman Theatre production.

Gemma Dobson won Best Supporting Performance for her role in Rita Sue, and Bob Too, a co-production between Out of Joint, the Royal Court and Bolton Octagon.

Maxine Peake was awarded Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre, while Richard Eyre was given the Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts, which was presented by Ian McKellen.

Peake said: "People keep saying to me, 'you've given so much to regional theatre' – I haven't given anything, it's given it to me; it's allowed me to do the work I want to do, and that is mainly down to Sarah Frankcom and her bravery and her belief in me".

On picking up his award, Eyre said: "I'm constantly bewildered by the fact that local authorities and government can't see what an extraordinary, unique asset theatre is."

The awards took place in a ceremony in London on Sunday, hosted by Tyrone Huntley.

Full list of winners

Best New Play

THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES by Kendall Feaver, a Royal Exchange Theatre production

Best Musical Production

THE ASSASSINATION OF KATIE HOPKINS directed by James Grieve, a Theatr Clwyd production

Best Touring Production

THREE SISTERS, a RashDash and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production

Best Show for Children and Young People

THE LITTLE MERMAID directed by Emma Earle and Cameron Carver, a The Egg – Theatre Royal Bath and Pins and Needles co-production

Best Director

Sarah Frankcom for OUR TOWN, a Royal Exchange Theatre production

Best Design

Morgan Large for WONDERLAND, a Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company production

Best Performance in a Play

Denise Black for THE CHERRY ORCHARD, a Sherman Theatre production

Best Performance in a Musical

Ashley Zhangazha for GUYS AND DOLLS, a Royal Exchange Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company co-production

Best Supporting Performance

Gemma Dobson for RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO, a Royal Court, Out of Joint and Octagon Theatre, Bolton production

Achievement in Dance

Northern Ballet for its bold and varied programming, particularly THE LITTLE MERMAID and its Kenneth MacMillan tribute

Clothworkers' Theatre Award

Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch

Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre

Maxine Peake

Achievement in Opera

David Pountney and Tomáš Hanus for their artistic leadership of Welsh National Opera

The Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre

Scottish Ballet

Theatre Employee of the Year sponsored by Integro in Association with Chubb

Clare Lindsay – The Watermill Theatre

Promotion of Diversity

Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Achievement in Marketing/Audience Development

The Old Vic

UK's Most Welcoming Theatre

The Mill at Sonning

Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts

Richard Eyre