News

Staff from the Queen's Theatre were honoured to collect their award for UK's Most Welcoming Theatre award for the East region at the UK Theatre Awards on Sunday. Box Office Manager Jan Sullivan, Deputy Box Office Manager Julia Jones, Head of Facilities and Audiences Terry Abbott, Assistant Manager Peter Thorne, Supervisor Maureen Wilson and Acting Marketing Manager Sarah Soliman attended the ceremony held at London's historic Guildhall. The Theatre is among 12 regional winners and the awards, voted for by the public, are a wonderful opportunity for audiences to celebrate their local theatre. The Queen’s Theatre’s Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul says: ‘We’re delighted to win this award. Thank you to everyone who voted and to the team at the Queen’s Theatre. We’re working hard to be a welcoming, accessible venue - our customer service is warm and efficient and our varied programme of entertainment offers something for all ages and interests. Crucially, we’re reaching out to many more members of the community - who may not have previously felt able to visit the theatre - with several new initiatives, from £1 ticket offers to Relaxed Performances for audiences with autism and Dementia-Friendly performances.’ Vanessa Redgrave CBE received The Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts at the ceremony, while Sir Ian McKellen collected the award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre. This year’s nominations demonstrate the breadth and depth of outstanding talent and achievement in theatre and the performing arts throughout the United Kingdom, on and off stage. The full list can be viewed at www.uktheatre.org