Alexi Kaye Campbell News

The 55th Annual Evening Standards Theatre Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in London Theater, today has released their long list of 2009 nominees. The award ceremony, which will take place on November 23 at the Royal Opera House, will honor some of theater's biggest stars, including Ian McKellen, Kevin Spacey, Sam Mendes, and more. Sponsored by U.K'.s Evening Standard newspaper, with nominees selected by a panel of London theater critics, the shortlist of nominees will be sometime next week.

Alexi Kaye Campbell is the 2009 recipient of the U.K.'s national playwriting prize, the Whiting Award, for 'The Pride.' Campbell was bestowed the honor, that recognizes excellence in original playwriting, in a ceremony at The REP Theatre yesterday evening. The 2009 Whiting Award, supported by the Peter Wolff Trust, took place at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. In addition to the honor, Campbell was awarded a prize of £6000.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) has announced the trio of English actors who will appear in the American premiere production of Alexi Kaye Campbell's The Pride, directed by Joe Mantello. Hugh Dancy (Adam, Journey's End), Andrea Riseborough (Happy Go Lucky) and Ben Whishaw (Bright Star, Brideshead Revisited) will star in the four person play, with a fourth actor to be announced shortly. The production will mark Ms. Riseborough and Mr. Whishaw's New York stage debuts. Performances begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on January 27 and continue through March 20, 2010. Opening night is set for Tuesday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced the new plays that will comprise its upcoming 2009-10 season.

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.