Here’s the latest news round-up from the past month.

HOWARD AND ROSEMARY CLIMB THE STAGE 100

TE’s Joint CEOs and Co-Founders, Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire have moved into the Top 10 of The Stage 100, the theatre industry publication’s annual countdown of the most influential people in UK theatre. The couple are placed at number 8 on this year’s list.

The Stage said: “Husband-and-wife team Panter and Squire are former number ones, having repeatedly topped this list while leaders of Ambassador Theatre Group. Since their departures from ATG in 2016, the pair have been busy building their new company Trafalgar Entertainment into a genuine rival for UK theatre’s leading venue operator.

“Trafalgar now runs 14 UK theatres, plus one in Australia. Fareham Live is to launch this year and the new Olympia Theatre in London is also in the offing. The group also owns cinemas, stage schools and ticketing agencies. On the production front, it acquired pantomime producer Imagine last year and secured a three-year deal with London’s Barbican Centre to produce musicals at the venue. These will follow its big 2023 opening, the Pulitzer-winning musical A Strange Loop.”

ROCKY HORROR SET TO SHOCK IN AUSTRALIA!

?Record-breaking audiences will spend the next three weeks doing the time warp in Newcastle, Australia as the 50th anniversary production of iconic rock ‘n’ roll musical The Rocky Horror Show launches its national tour at the Civic Theatre. Australian superstar Jason Donovan leads a talented cast as the charismatic Frank N Furter.

Almost 23,000 tickets have already been snapped up for the show, breaking the box office record set by Come From Away last year to become the most successful production ever staged at the Civic Theatre!

?Producer Howard Panter, said: “We are thrilled to be here in Newcastle bringing the first of many new international smash hit theatre productions to the city, and what better way to start the party than with the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll celebration, The Rocky Horror Show. The response has been phenomenal so far and we can’t wait for audiences to witness this incredible production.”

DRAMA KIDS WINS FRANCHISE AWARD

In a dazzling display of talent, passion, and dedication, Drama Kids has emerged victorious as the Best Nationwide Performing Arts Drama School Franchise of 2023 at the prestigious SME Northern Enterprise Awards. This accolade not only celebrates the exceptional achievements of Drama Kids but also highlights the invaluable contribution of performing arts education to the development of young minds.

It also acknowledges Drama Kids’ nationwide presence and applauds its franchise model, which has played a pivotal role in spreading the benefits of drama education to communities across the country.

The SME Northern Enterprise Awards serve as a platform to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of businesses and organisations across various sectors.

ORCHARD WEST SUCCESS CONTINUES

The team behind the Orchard Theatre worked hard throughout the Autumn, determined to open the new state-of-the-art venue in time for the annual pantomime Beauty and The Beast.

Orchard West successfully opened on 9 December for the first performance and across the panto season welcomed over 25,000 people through the doors.

Tal Rosen, Interim Theatre Director said: “Following a successful pantomime season, we are proud of everything we’ve achieved to get Orchard West running. We are delivering live entertainment in the local community once again and the whole Orchard West team look forward to welcoming audiences in 2024. If you didn’t get the chance to see panto, we encourage you to experience a live show in this unique venue, with all the comforts you’ve come to expect from theatre in Dartford.”

AWARD WIN FOR CHRIS

Chiswick Cinema Marketing Manager, Chris Parker, received a Chiswick Residents’ Active Participation Award from Ruth Cadbury MP and Bridget Osborne (The Chiswick Calendar) this week to acknowledge his work at the cinema including marketing; creative programming; event/festival organising and hosting; and partnership/sponsorship work.

Chris said: “It was a real pleasure and a welcome surprise to be presented with this award. I really believe it is vital that cinemas work for their local communities and that marketing purely based on release calendar is far from being a sustainable or rewarding model, especially with the year we face in industry ahead. At Chiswick, we’re building a story that people can invest in and get something back from and I know that will make us last long into the future.”