Margaret Tyzack News

Guthrie Director Joe Dowling today announced the 21 plays of the Theater's 2009-2010 season, a blend of classics, fresh takes on timeless themes and exciting presentations - including renewed and continuing partnerships and the return of the Guthrie's prestigious WorldStage program. Ranging from uproarious comedies to a modern retelling of Ibsen's feminist classic to stories centered on Chinese opera and American jazz, the 2009-2010 season showcases Shakespeare, celebrated Irish playwrights and new American voices.

Guthrie Director Joe Dowling today announced the 21 plays of the Theater's 2009-2010 season, a blend of classics, fresh takes on timeless themes and exciting presentations - including renewed and continuing partnerships and the return of the Guthrie's prestigious WorldStage program. Ranging from uproarious comedies to a modern retelling of Ibsen's feminist classic to stories centered on Chinese opera and American jazz, the 2009-2010 season showcases Shakespeare, celebrated Irish playwrights and new American voices.

The winners are being announced as they happen for this year's Laurence Olivier Awards, London's equivalent of the Tonys. The awards, which were created in 1976 were given out on Sunday March 8, 2009 in a ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

The winners in the ninth annual Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards, the only major UK theatre prize-giving decided by the public, were announced today (Sunday 15 February) at a glittering, star-studded evening at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

Nominations have been announced for this year's Laurence Olivier Awards, London's equivalent of the Tonys. The awards, which were created in 1976 will be given out on Sunday March 8, 2009 in a ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2008 were hosted on January 27th, by its new Chairman Mark Shenton - theatre critic for the Sunday Express, daily blogger for The Stage website, and a regular contributor to The Guardian online - at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London. For the fifth year, the awards were presented in association with Nyman Libson Paul Chartered Accountants, leading entertainment industry specialists; and supported by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres and lastminute.com. Media Partner, What's On In Theatre / TV London. As ever, the ceremony was an informal gathering of award recipients, the drama critics, theatre practitioners, and the media, convivially coming together to celebrate the critics' personal choice of the best in theatre, from throughout the UK, during the last calendar year. In contrast with other theatre awards during this jam-packed trophy season, the Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners are always decided by the independent votes of Drama Section members, with no panel discussions or public/industry influence exerted.

London's National Theatre announced Wednesday, Jan. 14th, that it will transmit live performances to movie theaters around the world in a quest to widen its audience and test the public appeal for watching stage productions onscreen. The first of four planned simulcasts will be the June 25th performance of Jean Racine's tragedy 'Phedre' starring Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren and mega hit 'Mamma Mia' film star Dominic Cooper. The National's artistic director Nicholas Hytner said Mirren, who won a best actress Oscar for 'The Queen,' was 'tremendously excited' by the idea.

Actor Dominic Cooper has been cast in the role of Hippolytus in the National Theatre's upcoming revival of Ph?dre. Co-starring Helen Mirren in the title role and directed by Nicholas Hytner, Artistic Director of the National Theatre, Jean Racine's 1677 classic tragedy is based on a Greek myth about a queen who falls passionately in love with her stepson in her husband's absence.

Variety is reporting that Dominic Cooper has been confirmed to appear in 'Phedre' at the National Theater in London, playing opposite Helen Mirren in the title role.

The winners of the 2008 Evening Standard Theatre Awards, the first awards of the UK season have recently been published. The awards took place at a ceremony hosted by Richard Wilson on November 24th, 2008. The Evening Standard Awards are determined by a panel of critics that include Mail on Sunday's Georgina Brown, The London Observer's Susannah Clapp, The Times' Benedict Nightingale, Daily Telegraph's Charles Spencer and The Evening Standard's Nicholas de Jongh.

Whats On Stage is reporting that London's Evening Standard newspaper has published the list of nominees for the 2008 Evening Standard Theatre Awards, the first awards of the UK season.

Prolific thespian Richard Harris has reprised his role of King Arthur once again, as he takes to the small screen in Acorn Media's DVD release of Lerner & Loewe's 'Camelot.' Also out is 'The Best of the Tony Awards - The Plays' for the first time individually.

Acorn Media wil release Camelot, The Best of the Tony Awards-The Plays and Wallis and Edward

On May 1, Acorn Media will release home video debut of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, the Tony-nominated revival, mounted for Broadway in the early 1980s at New York's historic Winter Garden Theatre and filmed for television by HBO. It will also release 'The Best of the Tony Awards: The Plays' the same day