The Manchester Theatre Awards were established in 2011 to replace the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards. The MEN awards, established in 1981, had long been recognised as the most important theatrical prize-giving outside London and were an important part of the Greater Manchester theatrical calendar. When the Manchester Evening News withdrew its support of the annual theatre awards a group of local critics, with the support of the Greater Manchester theatres, set up a new organisation to carry on the awards. The first winners, for 2011, were announced on 14 March 2012.
Winners of the 2015 awards will be announced on 4 March 2016 at HOME (Manchester)
Best actor: Colin Connor, Rob Edwards, Jonjo O’Neill and Sam Swann
Best actress: Scarlett Brookes, Barbara Drennan, Kathryn Hunter and Maxine Peake
Actor In A Supporting Role: David Birrell, Ben Porter, David Nabil Stuart, Tim Steed
Actress In A Supporting Role: Natasha Davidson, Lauren Drummond, Anna Wheatley, Ria Zmitrowicz
Actor in a Visiting Production: Joe Armstrong, Michael Ball, Finetime Fontayne, Dominic Marsh
Actress in a Visiting Production: Louise Brealey, Debbie Kurup, Lucy O’Byrne,Sophie Thompson
Performance in a Studio Production: Alex Austin, Carla Langley,Sian Reese-Williams Abdul Salis
Performance in a Fringe Production: Ben Bland, Heather Carroll, Colin Connor,J eni Howarth-Williams
Ensemble: Dreamers (Oldham Coliseum), Noises Off (Octagon Theatre), Lord of the Flies (The Lowry), Street Scene (RNCM)
Production: An Enemy of the People, Educating Rita (Oldham Coliseum), Rite (Contact), A View From The Bridge (Octagon Theatre)
Visiting Production: Beryl, Constellations, John, Twelve Angry Men
Studio Production: Cuddles, Light, Lungs, So Here We Are
Fringe Production: Mr. Smith at the Kings Arms, Salford, Parents Without Children at the Three Minute Theatre, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at the Kings Arms, Salford, We Are The Multitude at 24:7 Theatre Festival
Musical: Anything Goes, The Bodyguard - The Musical, Guys And Dolls, Mack & Mabel
Dance: 1984, Flex’N Manchester, Lest We Forget, Tree Of Codes
Opera: Cosi Fan Tutte, Giovanna d’Arco, The Marriage of Figaro, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Design: Inkheart, Moominland Midwinter, The Oresteia, Tree Of Codes
New Play: Beryl (Maxine Peake), Nirbhaya (Yael Farber), The Rolling Stone (Chris Urch), So Here We Are (Luke Norris)
Special Entertainment:Inala - A Zulu Ballet, Ultima Vez, Bridging the Gap, Moominland Midwinter
Youth Panel Award: On The Town, The Shrine of Everyday Things, TaY Talks, The Wardrobe
Nominations for 2014 performances were announced on 20 January 2015. The winners were announced and presented on 13 March 2015 at the Royal Northern College of Music
Best actor: Harry McEntire, Billy Liar, Royal Exchange
Best actress: Clare Foster, Duet For One and Separation, Bolton Octagon
Best supporting actor: David Burrell, Journey’s End, Bolton Octagon
Best supporting actress: Gillian Bevan, Hamlet, Royal Exchange
Best actor in a visiting production : Sir Anthony Sher, Henry IV, Royal Shakespeare Company at The Lowry
Best actress in a visiting production : Katherine Kingsley, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Manchester Opera House
Best production – Angel Meadow, Anu Productions for HOME (Manchester)
Best visiting production: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, National Theatre at The Lowry
The Brynteg Award for Best Musical: Jersey Boys, Palace Theatre
Best opera: Gotterdammerung, Opera North at The Lowry
The Robert Robson award for dance: Le Corsaire, English National Ballet at The Lowry
Best design: Romeo and Juliet, HOME (Manchester)
Best newcomer: Emily Barber, Billy Liar, Royal Exchange
Best new play: An August Bank Holiday Lark, Northern Broadsides at the Oldham Coliseum Theatre
Best studio production: We Had Hairy Hands, The Lowry Studio
Best fringe production: Thick as Thieves
Best studio performance: Sinead Matthews, Pink, Royal Exchange Studio
Best fringe performance: Kaitlin Howard, The Alphabet Girl
Best ensemble: Angel Meadow, Anu Productions for HOME (Manchester)
Best special entertainment: Barry Humphries, Manchester Opera House
Youth Panel Award: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lowry Young Actors Company
Special achievement award: David Slack
The Stage Door Foundation award for excellence: Monkeywood Theatre
Best Actor: Kenneth Branagh, Macbeth, Manchester International Festival
Best Actress: Cush Jumbo, A Doll's House, Royal Exchange
Best Supporting Actor: Ray Fearon, Macbeth, Manchester International Festival
Best Supporting Actress: Shirley Darroch, Chicago, Oldham Coliseum
Best Actor in a Visiting Production: Julian Glover, Maurice's Jubilee, Opera House
Best Actress in a Visiting Production: Catherine Kinsella, Rutherford and Son, The Lowry
Best Production: Macbeth, Manchester International Festival
Best Visiting Production: War Horse, National Theatre at The Lowry
Best Musical: Singin' In The Rain, Opera House
Best opera: Otello, Opera North, The Lowry
The Robert Robson award for dance: Michael Clark Triple Bill, The Lowry
Best Design: The Old Woman, Manchester International Festival, Palace Theatre
Best Newcomer: Freya Sutton, Hairspray, The Lowry
Best New Play: Away From Home, 24:7 Theatre Festival
Best Studio Production: Brilliant Adventures, Royal Exchange Studio
Best Fringe Production: The Best, Lass O'Gowrie
Best Studio Performance: Robert Lonsdale, Brilliant Adventures, Royal Exchange Studio
Best Fringe Performance: Rob Ward, Away From Home, 24:7 Theatre Festival
Best Ensemble: Chicago, Oldham Coliseum
Best Special Entertainment: Dick Whittington, Opera House
Special Achievement Award - Chris Honer, Library Theatre, Manchester
The Stage Door Foundation award for excellence: Lip Service
Best Production: Wonderful Town, directed by Braham Murray for the Royal Exchange at The Lowry
Best Studio Production: Black Roses, Royal Exchange Studio
Best New Play: Snookered by Ishy Din, Oldham Coliseum
Best Visiting Production: Julius Caesar, Royal Shakespeare Company at The Lowry
Best Fringe: All The Bens by Ian Townsend, 24:7 Theatre Festival
Best Special Entertainment: Star Cross'd, Oldham Coliseum
Best Design: Wonderful Town for the Royal Exchange at The Lowry
Best Opera: Don Giovanni, Opera North, The Lowry
Best Actress in a Visiting Production: Siân Phillips, Cabaret, The Lowry
Best Actor in a Visiting Production: Ray Fearon, Julius Caesar, Royal Shakespeare Company at The Lowry
Best Actor: Christopher Ravenscroft, The Winslow Boy, Bolton Octagon
Best Actress: Maxine Peake, Miss Julie, Royal Exchange
Best Performance in a Studio Production: Julie Hesmondhalgh, Black Roses, Royal Exchange Studio
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Villiers, The Winslow Boy, Bolton Octagon
Best Supporting Actress: Natalie Grady, The Daughter-in-Law, the Library Theatre
Best Newcomer: Tamla Kari, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Royal Exchange
Best Ensemble: Arabian Nights, the Library Theatre
Best Musical: The Lion King, Palace Theatre
Best Dance: Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, The Lowry
Special Award: Porl Cooper
Best Production: The Price, directed by David Thacker for Bolton Octagon
Best Actor: Con O'Neill, A View From The Bridge, Royal Exchange
Best Actress: Margot Leicester, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Bolton Octagon
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Kenneth Alan Taylor, The Price, Bolton Octagon
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Shannon Tarbet, Mogadishu, Royal Exchange
Best New Play: Secret Thoughts by David Lodge, Bolton Octagon
Best Newcomer: Matthew Tennyson, Beautiful Thing, Royal Exchange
Best Studio Performance: Matthew Ganley, God Wept And The Devil Laughed, Lowry Studio
Best of the Fringe: Sherica, Balloon Head and Shred Productions, 24:7 Theatre Festival
Best Design: Hard Times design Judith Croft; light Nick Richings; sound Peter Rice, Library Theatre at Murrays' Mills
Best Musical: Ghost the Musical, Manchester Opera House
Best Visiting Production: One Man, Two Guvnors, National Theatre at The Lowry
Best Actor in a Visiting Production: Rory Kinnear, Hamlet, National Theatre at The Lowry
Best Actress in a Visiting Production: Sharon D Clarke, Ghost the Musical Manchester Opera House
Best Special Entertainment: The Life and Death of Marina Abramović, Manchester International Festival, The Lowry
Opera: The Portrait, Opera North, The Lowry
Dance: Cinderella, Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Lowry
Special Award: For outstanding contribution to North West theatre – Braham Murray
