This year’s UK Theatre Awards 2023 are to be hosted by actor Zoe Birkett.
Run by trade association UK Theatre, the UK Theatre Awards are the only national awards to celebrate outstanding achievements in theatre.
The awards will be announced at London’s Guildhall on 8 October 2023.
Zoe Birkett is about to star in The Witches at the National Theatre, and her other credits include Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Thriller Live and The Great British Bake Off Musical.
Co-chief executive of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, Claire Walker, said in a statement: “We’re so pleased to announce Zoe Birkett as our host for the 2023 UK Theatre Awards. Her incredible career in the arts and experience in touring theatre productions make her the perfect presenter for this year’s ceremony. We are looking forward to celebrating another fantastic year of theatre across the UK. After challenging times in recent years, it’s never been more important to honour our national members for their incredible productions, and the contributions they make to their local communities.”
UK Theatre Awards – Categories
UK Theatre Awards categories include On Stage awards: Achievement in Dance; Achievement in Opera; Best Design; Best Director; Best Musical Production; Best New Play; Best Performance in a Musical; Best Performance in a Play; Best Play Revival; Best Show for Children and Young People; also Best Supporting Performance (in a musical or play).
Off Stage categories include Digital Innovation; Excellence in Arts Education; Excellence in Inclusivity; Excellence in Touring; and Workforce.
There are also awards for the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre, and Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.
Finalists for the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre category were announced in July 2023, and are the Curve Leicester, the National Youth Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse.
Uk Theatre Awards – Eligibility & nominations
The eligibility period for the 2023 UK Theatre Awards was 1 September 2022 to 14 August 2023, and nominations will be announced on Thursday 14 September 2023.
UK Theatre Awards – Judges
In terms of judges, a number of panels are made up of regional theatre reviewers and industry professionals. For Theatre, the judges are: Angelo Ivring; Clare Brennan; Clive Davis; Diane Parkes; Dominic Cavendish; Jane Coyle; and Mark Fisher.
For Dance, they are: Andrew Hurst; Donald Hutera; Lyndsey Winship; and Sanjoy Roy.
For Opera, they are: Alexandra Coghlan; Claire Seymour; George Hall; and John Allison.
Off Stage Panel judges are made up of UK Theatre board members and freelance theatre professionals: Andrew Miller; Milton Lopes; and Sita McIntosh.
And the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre is judged by Partner Members and freelance theatre professionals, namely: Bea Webster-Mockett; Natalie Amber; and Simon Geen.
