This year, winners in 18 of the award categories will receive an introduction to an expert from within the theatre industry who can give them specialist advice, guide their next steps and facilitate introductions to other practitioners to help progress their careers.
“The aim of The Offies has always been to reward and assist new talent which is essential to the future of theatre. The support of The Offie Patron Saints is another big step in this direction,” said Sofie Mason, Director of OffWestEnd.com – the company that set up the awards 4 years ago.
“The idea to create the Offie Patron Saints was born out of inspired advice from Roland Smith, Artistic Director of Theatre Delicatessen, and is a natural extension of the generous clusters of patrons and angels who have supported theatre in all its forms for so long.”
The Offies are the first awards to acknowledge and celebrate the extraordinary achievements of over 100 independent theatres across London. Winners are chosen from over 400 productions over a 12 month period at venues all over London and then celebrated at an award ceremony by their peers, the press and the blogosphere. They are endorsed by such legends of the industry as Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Simon Callow, Dame Eileen Atkins, Alison Steadman, Lindsay Duncan and Sir Arnold Wesker.
The forthcoming Offie ceremony will be at the Unicorn Theatre on Sunday 2nd March 2014 5pm to 7.30pm.
The shortlist of nominees in each category in alphabetical order:
Best Female
Leanne Best for The Match Box at The Tricycle
Lucy Ellinson for Grounded at The Gate
Vicki Lee Taylor for On A Clear Day You Can See Forever at The Union
Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at Soho
Best Male
Joe Armstrong for The Dumb Waiter at The Print Room
James Cooney for Bottleneck at Soho
Michael Pennington for Dances of Death at The Gate
Jamie Samuel for Jumpers for Goalposts at The Bush
Best New Play
Bottleneck by Luke Barnes at Soho
Jumpers for Goalposts by Tom Wells at The Bush
The Match Box by Frank McGuinness at The Tricycle
Most Promising New Playwright
Thomas Eccleshare for Pastoral at Soho
Sam Potter for Mucky Kid at Theatre 503
Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at Soho
Best Director
Jamie Glover for The Dumb Waiter at The Print Room
Max Pappenheim for Nothing Is the End of the World at The Finborough
Michael Strassen for Billy at The Union
Best Choreographer
Cressida Carré for Titanic at The Union
Lizzie Gee for HMS Pinafore at The Union
Christopher Howell and Steven Harris for Chess at The Union
Best Ensemble
Simply8 for Moby Dick (Arcola) and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (Arcola)
Best Producer
Sasha Regan at The Union
Best Artistic Director
David Byrne at The New Diorama
Sasha Regan at The Union
Paul Robinson at Theatre 503
Best Lighting Designer
Dan Herd for The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle at Soho Theatre
Howard Hudson for Titanic (Southwark Playhouse) and Lizzie Siddal (Arcola)
Matt Leventhall for Fishskin Trousers at The Finborough
Best Sound Designer
Ben and Max Ringham for Ring at Battersea Arts Centre
Simon Slater for The Life of Stuff at Theatre 503
Fergus Waldron for Casualties at Park Theatre
Best Set Designer
Oliver Townsend for Grounded at The Gate
Jamie Vartan for The Last Yankee at the The Print Room
Michael Vale for Pastoral at Soho
Best Costume Designer
Amedine Bello for Little Soldiers at The Cockpit
Elle-Rose Hughes for Darling of The Day at The Union
David Woodhead for Lizzie Siddal at The Arcola and for Titanic at Southwark Playhouse
Best Production
Grounded at The Gate
Jumpers for Goalposts at The Bush
Land of Our Fathers at Theatre 503
Best Musical Production
Billy at The Union
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever at The Union
Titanic at Southwark Playhouse
Best New Musical
Another Way at The Cockpit
Glasgow Girls at Theatre Royal Stratford East
Streets at The Cockpit
Best Opera Production
L’Orfeo Monteverdi by Silent Opera at Trinity Buoy Wharf
Mansfield Park by Hampstead Garden Opera at Upstairs At The Gatehouse
Puppet Opera Triple Bill by Third Hand at The Rosemary Branch
Best Production for Young People
Cinderella at The Unicorn co-produced with Travelling Light and The Tobacco Factory
Egg by Cahoots NI at Polka Theatre
Henry V at The Unicorn
Best TBC Production (recognising productions that defy all other categories)
Bryony Kimmings: Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model at Soho
Tomorrow’s Parties by Forced Entertainment at BAC
Wuthering Heights by PeterMcMaster at BAC
