White Nominated for New York Award

May 1 2012 | By More

Catherine Wheels picks up another nomination for White

By Thom Dibdin

Catherine Wheels’ White, the multi-award winning show for two to four year-olds, has been nominated for a Unique Theatrical Experience award in the prestigious Drama Desk Awards in New York.

The production appeared at the off-Broadway New Victory Theater for a month-long residency last October when Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber and Sarah Jessica Parker were in the opening night audience.

Ian Cameron and Andy Manley in White. Photo: Douglas McBride

White is a collaboration between Catherine Wheels, writer and performer Andy Manley, and performer Ian Cameron. It is directed by the company’s Artistic Director Gill Robertson and designed by Shona Reppe.

Gill Robertson told the Annals: “It is wonderful to be nominated and we are the only children’s production to be so. This is the second time we have been nominated as Hansel and Gretel was up for two awards in 2010 – but fingers crossed that White will win!

“New York was a great experience for the company and it is now theatre lore that amongst the handful of Hollywood stars that saw the show, it was Sarah Jessica Parker who said it was the best 40 minutes of her life…”

Although White was the only play for children nominated in these awards, the Drama Desk organisation announced that it is to recognise The New Victory Theater itself in one of its special awards for excellence and significant contributions to the theatre. It is given “For providing enchanting, sophisticated children’s theatre that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theatre in young people.”

White is currently on tour around the UK but Catherine Wheels are not resting on their laurels.

Gill Robertson said of the company’s current plans: “White continues to be a success here and abroad and I will not be surprised if it is still touring in five years time. We are currently on our third casting of the show and will tour to Asia, Europe and the US in 2012/13. The show is also being translated into Norwegian and French.

“And even though we often feel we should be called the White Company we are producing The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk and Shona Reppe’s The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean at the Fringe and are co-producing a version of The Ugly Duckling with the Arches this Christmas.”

Also nomintated for the Unique Experience Award are Give Me Your Hand, Gob Squad’s Kitchen (You’ve Never Had It So Good), Noctu, The Complete & Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O’Neill, Vol. 1: Early Plays/Lost Plays, and The Ryan Case 1873.

The 57th Drama Desk Awards will be held on June 3. The awards were formed in 1949 by a group of New York theatre critics, editors, reporters, and publishers. According to its website: “What sets the organization apart is that the awards are voted on by media people only without any vested interests in the results.”

Catherine Wheels website: www.catherinewheels.co.uk

The full Drama Desk nominees for 2012: www.dramadeskawards.com

ENDS

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