Belfast actor Anthony Boyle was nominated for an Evening Standard Theatre Award 2016 which took place on Sunday night at a prestigious ceremony held at London’s Old Vic theatre.
The young actor from West Belfast is a star in the biggest stage hit in London’s West End, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The 22-year-old was nominated for an Emerging Talent award for his role as Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Harry’s old adversary Draco Malfoy at the sold-out production in London’s Palace Theatre.
Boyle lost out to Tyrone Huntley for his performance in Jesus Christ Superstar but the young actor continues to impress in the theatre scene in London. Anthony trained at the Lyric Drama Studio in Belfast, and then at the prestigious Royal Welsh College of music and drama.
A number of other Northern Irish players are also making waves in the theatre and the arts scene across the UK and are included in the nominees for the 2016 Broadway World UK Awards which were announced last week. Nominations were completely reader-submitted. Theatre-goers voted for their favourite actors, directors and best new productions that have opened or are ongoing during 2016.
Nominations include Anthony Boyle for Best Actor for a New Production and musical theatre star Rachel Tucker for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked. Belfast native, Rachel performed this role for nearly three years in London before heading to the Gershwin Theatre in Broadway. She is a patron of the Belfast School of Performing Arts.
Belfast playwright Owen McCafferty‘s play, Unfaithful
Originally from Dungannon, Fra Fee is nominated as Best Actor in a New Production of a Musical for the main role in The Fix at the Union Theatre. Fra starred in Blunt Fringe’s Stephen Sondheim review Putting It Together at the Lyric Theatre last Christmas. He is also director of ‘Theatre Masterclass NI’ a performance workshop initiative offering monthly classes for performers in Northern Ireland aiming to establish or develop a career in Performing Arts.
Sharing a nomination in this category is Derry native, Jack McCann for The Sins of Jack Saul. Jack takes on the title role in this new musical, while continuing his studies at Trinity Laban, the conservatoire of music and dance.
Dean Johnson, also from Belfast has been nominated as Best Director for his concert production of the musical Godspell at St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden. The star-studded production raised funds for The British Theatre Academy, an organisation set up to give young people unable to afford theatre training the opportunity to work with top creatives in venues around the country. Dean trained at Guildford School of Acting and is still involved with his local youth theatre, Belvoir Players.
Two young actresses from Northern Ireland have been nominated for Understudy of the Year: Belfast-born Christina Bennington came up through the ranks of MT4Uth and trained at Guildford School of Acting. Christina is nominated as understudy for Magnolia in Showboat at the New London Theatre. She has also covered the role of Laurey in Oklahoma! (UK tour) and has just been announced to be playing Raven in the world premiere of Jim Steinman’s rock classic Bat out of Hell which will open next February 2017.
Hillsborough actor Rhiannon Chesterman was involved in theatre groups MT4Uth and Fusion Theatre and went on to train at Arts Ed in London. Rhiannon is nominated as understudy for Maureen in Mrs. Henderson Presents at the Noel Coward Theatre, and has also covered the role of Tracy in the Hairspray UK Tour.
Jack Watson, a young actor originally from Armagh who also works as a freelance writer and director is nominated as Best Male Understudy for the rock musical Crime and Punishment at The Scoop. Jack trained at the Guildford School of Acting.
Niamh Flanagan, Director at TheatreNI says of the nominations: “TheatreNI are delighted to send best wishes and hearty congratulations to all the talented people from Northern Ireland who are making waves in the UK theatre and performing arts world. We wish all them every success and look forward to hearing their continued good news.”
Voting for 2016 Broadway World UK Awards has opened and will run through to 31st December with winners announced in early January. You can vote for your favourites at http://www.broadwayworld.
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