Gary Barlow and Tim Firth triumphed ahead of the opening of their musical THE GIRLS in London’s West End on Tuesday 21 February. At an awards ceremony at the Prince of Wales Theatre, they won a prestigious WhatsOnStage Award. Gary and Tim and the original Calendar Girls were given a rapturous reception from an audience made up of stars from all the West End shows after Gary, Tim and Joanna Riding performed Scarborough, a song from their musical.
Claire Machin, Sophie-Louise Dann, Joanna Riding, Claire Moore and Debbie Chazen – Photo by Matt Crockett
Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s new British musical, THE GIRLS, is based on the true story, the film and the award-winning play by Tim Firth, Calendar Girls. The West End premiere at the Phoenix Theatre, which began previews on 28 January 2017, follows sold-out runs at the Grand Theatre Leeds and the Lowry Salford late 2015/early 2016. In the West End, the producers have made a commitment to there being no ‘premium-rated’ seats, no booking fees and reduced price previews.
The ‘Girls’ are played by Debbie Chazen as Ruth, Sophie-Louise Dann as Celia, Michele Dotrice as Jessie, Claire Machin as Cora, Claire Moore as Chris and Joanna Riding as Annie. Also in the cast will be Joe Caffrey as Rod, Jeremy Clyde as Denis, John Davitt as Doctor, Soo Drouet as Brenda, James Gaddas as John, Jenny Gayner as Miss Wilson (coffee), Steve Giles as Lawrence, Maxwell Hutcheon as Colin, Shirley Jameson as Miss Wilson (tea), Marian McLoughlin as Marie, Judith Street as Lady Cravenshire and Jane Lambert, Rebecca Louis, Victoria Blackburn and Frazer Hadfield, and introducing Josh Benson as Tommo, Ben Hunter as Danny and Chloe May Jackson as Jenny.
THE GIRLS is inspired by the true story of a group of ladies, who decide to appear nude for a Women’s Institute calendar in order to raise funds to buy a settee for their local hospital, in memory of one of their husbands, and have to date raised almost £5million for Bloodwise. This musical comedy shows life in their Yorkshire village, how it happened, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters, and how a group of ordinary ladies achieved something extraordinary.
WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 17TH ANNUAL WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the big winner with eight awards, a WhatsOnStage record for a play, including both Best Actor in a Play for Jamie Parker and Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Noma Dumezweni
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child also claims wins for Best New Play and Best Director
Billie Piper wins Best Actress in a Play for Yerma, her second WhatsOnStage Award in three years
Half a Sixpence is most successful musical with three awards
Star of Dreamgirls Amber Riley wins Best Actress in a Musical
Cameron Mackintosh receives Equity Award for Lifetime Achievement (So Far)
The winners were announced at the Prince of Wales Theatre for the 17th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards, presented by Simon Lipkin and Vikki Stone, celebrating the best of the UK’s theatre over the past year. The awards are the only major theatre prizes to be voted for entirely by the audience.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child leads the awards this year with eight victories, a WhatsOnStage Award record for a play, including Best Actor in a Play for Jamie Parker, Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Noma Dumezweni, Best Supporting Actor in a Play for Anthony Boyle, Best New Play, Best Director for John Tiffany, Best Set Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Video Design.
In the other acting awards, Billie Piper claims Best Actress in a Play for Yerma, her second WhatsOnStage Award in three years following her 2015 Best Actress in a Play victory for Great Britain. Amber Riley is named Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Dreamgirls and Best Supporting Actor in a Musical goes to Trevor Dion Nicholas for Disney’s Aladdin, which also saw success in the Best Costume Design category.
Half a Sixpence is the most successful musical with three awards, including Best Actor in a Musical for Charlie Stemp, Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Emma Williams and Best Choreography. Its producer Cameron Mackintosh is also celebrated with the Equity Award for Lifetime Achievement (So Far) as he marks 50 years in the theatre business. However, Half a Sixpence loses out in the Best New Musical category to School of Rockwhilst the Best Musical Revival category is claimed by Funny Girl.
No Man’s Land, starring Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, wins Best Play Revival, whilst Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s musical The Girls, soon to open in the West End, wins Best Regional Production and, in a WhatsOnStage first, Wicked and Les Misérables tie for Best West End Show. In the celebration of London’s fringe theatre, The Last Five Years takes Best Off-West End Production.
A number of winners and stars from winning shows performed at the event including Gary Barlow, who performed the song ‘Scarborough’ from The Girls alongside Joanna Riding, Amber Riley who performed ‘Listen’ from Dreamgirls alongside Liisi LaFontaine, the cast of Half of a Sixpence with ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop’, Trevor Dion Nicholas who sung ‘Somebody’s Got Your Back’ from Disney’s Aladdin with Dean John-Wilson, and Gary Trainor and the company of The School Rock who performed ‘Teacher’s Pet’. There were further performances from Tyrone Huntley who sung ‘Heaven on their Minds’ from Jesus Christ Superstar and Ria Jones with ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ from Sunset Boulevard.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Best Actor in a Play, sponsored by Radisson Blu Edwardian – Jamie Parker for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Actress in a Play, sponsored by Live at Zédel -Billie Piper for Yerma
Best Actor in a Musical, sponsored by The Umbrella Rooms – Charlie Stemp for Half a Sixpence
Best Actress in a Musical, sponsored by The Hippodrome Casino – Amber Riley for Dreamgirls
Best Supporting Actor in a Play – Anthony Boyle for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Supporting Actress in a Play, sponsored by Tonic Theatre – Noma Dumezweni for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, sponsored by Encore Radio – Trevor Dion Nicholas for Disney’s Aladdin
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, sponsored by Newman Displays – Emma Williams for Half a Sixpence
Best New Play, sponsored by JHI Marketing – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best New Musical, sponsored by Shine Creative Solutions – School of Rock
Best Play Revival – No Man’s Land
Best Musical Revival, sponsored by R&H Theatricals Europe – Funny Girl
Best Direction – John Tiffany for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Choreography, sponsored by Encore Radio – Andrew Wright for Half a Sixpence
Best Costume Design – Gregg Barnes for Disney’s Aladdin – Christine Jones for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Lighting Design, sponsored by White Light – Neil Austin for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Video Design, sponsored by PRG XL Video – Finn Ross and Ash Woodward for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Off-West End Production, sponsored by Les Misérables – The Last Five Years (St James Theatre)
Best Regional Production, sponsored by MTI (Europe) – The Girls (National Tour)
Best West End Show, sponsored by Capezio – Les Misérables
Equity Award for Lifetime Achievement (So Far) – Cameron Mackintosh
