Hairspray scoops top musical at Variety Club Showbiz Awards
West End show Hairspray has been named the top musical theatre production of the year at the 56th annual Variety Club Showbiz Awards.
Michael Ball (Edna Turnblad) and Leanne Jones (Tracy Turnblad) in Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London Photo: Tristram Kenton
Kenneth Branagh picked up the prize for best stage performance for his part in Ivanov, and Michael Caine received the Bernard Delfont Award for Outstanding Contribution to Showbusiness at the presentation ceremony which took place at the Grosvenor House Hotel.
Colin Morgan, star of new BBC series Merlin, won the Caron Keating Award for Outstanding New Talent, and this year’s film prize went to James McAvoy.
Variety Club Showbiz chairman John Sachs said: “The Variety Club Showbiz Awards are the oldest and most established awards in the UK that recognise outstanding talent in the field of entertainment. Due to the generous donations of all our guests and supporters, the vital funds raised tonight will enable the Variety Club to continue to support children and young people throughout the UK.”
The Variety Club Showbiz Award winners for 2008:
Variety Club Film Award: James McAvoy
Variety Club Comedy Award: Mitchell and Webb
Classical Performer of the Year: Hayley Westenra
Stage Performance: Kenneth Branagh
Musical Theatre Award: Hairspray
The Caron Keating Award for Outstanding New Talent: Colin Morgan
Variety Club TV Presenter of the Year: Alan Carr
The Bernard Delfont Award for Outstanding Contribution to Showbusiness: Michael Caine
International Award: Al Pacino
Showbusiness Personality: Noel Edmunds
Also from The Stage
- Reviews: Ivanov
- Reviews: Hairspray
- McAvoy joins Three Days of Rain cast
- Hairspray recoups its entire £3.5m West End outlay
- Hairspray scoops four prizes at Oliviers
- Hairspray picks up seven gongs at the Theatregoers' Choice awards
- Goold's Macbeth and Hairspray triumph at the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards
- Talbot to replace Smith in West End's Hairspray
- Variety Club names Mead top new talent
- Shenton's View: Hairspray
External links
- Variety Club
- Entry for Noel Edmunds in IMDB
- Entry for Michael Caine in IMDB
- Entry for Al Pacino in IMDB
- Hayley Westenra
- Hairspray The Musical
- Merlin
- Mitchell and Webb
- Alan Carr
- Entry for Kenneth Branagh in Wikipedia
- Entry for Colin Morgan in Wikipedia
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