it's an honor to be nominated...

The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence 2007

Threatened Edinburgh site the Assembly Rooms has dominated nominations for this year’s Stage Awards for Acting Excellence at the Festival Fringe, receiving a total of six entries.

Following closely behind are the Traverse and Pleasance which boast five nominations. Other nominees include the Gilded Balloon, Zoo, C Venues and Underbelly.

News of the Assembly Rooms’ strong performance came just weeks after its director William Burdett-Coutts warned plans to refurbish the council-owned premises could put it “out of business”.

Now in their 13th year The Stage Awards are the only honours for professional theatre presented by a national UK publication at the Fringe.

They include categories for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Ensemble and Best Solo Performer. Nominations are chosen by the newspaper’s review team who view hundreds of productions before making their choice.

Stage Edinburgh team head Jeremy Austin said: “In what has turned out to be a very strong year for drama, there has been deliberation and debate even at the shortlist stage.

“Particularly encouraging is the mixture of performers in the best solo category, now in its second year, and the inclusion of shows from outside the 'big guns' such as The Zoo and C. We are all looking forward to an inspiring and challenging week of judging.”

The winners will be announced at an invitation-only ceremony at the Cafe Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh, on the evening of Sunday, August 26.

Stage editor Brian Attwood, who will present the awards, added:

“There’s a substantial number of prizes to be won at Edinburgh but few match The Stage’s for credibility.

“All nominees were chosen by our highly experienced team of critics, who between them have seen nearly 350 of the best Fringe shows this year alone. Anyone who makes their shortlist is pretty special.”
The 2007 nominees
Best Actor

* Garry Cooper for Long Time Dead (Traverse)
* James Baxter for Scarborough (Assembly @ George Street)
* Daniel Pirrie for Sting for Nolte (Gilded Balloon Teviot)
* Merryn Owen for World’s End (Pleasance Dome)

Best Actress

* Nathalie Armin for Damascus (Traverse)
* Holly Atkins for Scarborough (Assembly @ George Street)
* Beth Fitzgerald for Follow Me (Assembly @ George Street)
* Dillie Keane for Frank and Dolly (Gilded Balloon Teviot)
* Eugenia Caruso for Truckstop (The Zoo)
* Janet Bamford for Truckstop (Zoo)

Best Ensemble

* Druid for The Walworth Farce (Traverse)
* Nimble Fish for The Container (E4 UdderBELLY’s Pasture)
* Arches Theatre Company for Pit (Traverse)
* Song of the Goat for Lacrimosa (Assembly Aurora Nova)
* Analogue for Mile End (Pleasance Dome)
* Shalimar for La Femme est Morte, or Why I Should Not F**k My Son (Pleasance Dome)
* Angelica for Stonewall (Pleasance Courtyard)

Best Solo Performer

* Linda Marlowe for Believe (Traverse)
* Madi Distefano for Popsicle Departure 1989 (Assembly @ St. George’s West)
* Elisabeth Gray for Wish I Had A Sylvia Plath (Underbelly’s Smirnoff Baby Belly)
* Alexander Campbell for Private Peaceful (Assembly @ George Street)
* Iris Bahr for Dai (Enough) (Pleasance Courtyard)
* Joanna Swain for Talking to Spacehoppers (C soco)