Wikipedia

Hope Mill Theatre

The Hope Mill Theatre is an independent theatre in Ancoats, Manchester, England that performs original and revival plays, musicals and other events. The theatre is located in the Hope Mill building, a Grade II* listed converted textile mill.[1] It won Fringe Venue of The Year at The Stage awards in 2018.[2] Hope Mill Theatre is the main work of the registered charity A Factory of Creativity.

Hope Mill Theatre
Map
Address113 Pollard St, M4 7JA
Manchester
England
Coordinates53°29′00″N 2°12′59″W / 53.483275°N 2.216334°W / 53.483275; -2.216334
OperatorThe Factory of Creativity
OpenedNovember 2015
Website
hopemilltheatre.co.uk

History

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Joseph Houston and William Whelton built on their training in London theatre to create a theatre modelled on the Off West End Theatres which dominate the London theatre scene. They created a small producing venue in Manchester and opened Hope Mill Theatre in November, 2015.[3]

Whelton and Houston serve as respectively Executive and Artistic director of the theatre. In 2016 they won the Hospital Club Award for their contribution in Theatre and Performance and in 2017 they were also awarded a Special Achievement Award at the Manchester Theatre Awards.[4]

Katy Lipson, founder of Aria Entertainment, was the artistic director at the Hope Mill for several years, also producing many of the show staged at the venue, from Rags to Mame.[5]

The Hope Mill Theatre is now a registered charity, under the name "A Factory of Creativity", but continues being called with its original name. Whelton and Houston remain in their directors' roles and a board of trustees has also been appointed, to help support and guide the charity.[6]

Since 2020 the venue also hosts the "Turn on Fest", a LGBTQIA+ theatre festival, every year for two weeks, with live performances.[7][8] The festival is usually run in collaboration with Superbia, Manchester Pride’s year-round programme of arts and culture.[9][10] Every year the festival showcases different work and local queer theatre companies (in 2021 the full programme was held online).

  • In 2020 - Qweerdog Theatre presented ‘Absolute Certainty?’, revived for the festival after performing at the Great Manchester Fringe.
  • In 2021 - the festival was held online and events were mostly discussions with various artists, including Divina De Campo.[11]
  • 2022 - "The Regulars", a musical produced and developed by Hope Mill Theatre in collaboration with Trans Creative[12]
  • 2023 - headline event was "A Conversation with Jill Nalder: Actor, Activist, Author and inspiration behind Russell t Davies’ critically acclaimed drama It’s a Sin".[13]

Values

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The mission of the Hope Mill Theatre is to "enrich, educate and entertain the community by providing a uniquely superior theatre experience; allowing both audiences and artists alike to be inspired, ambitious and to share stories and enlighten lives through the power of theatre."[3]

Hope Mill team

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The Hope Mill Theatre is supported by volunteers who cover both front of house and back of house roles in the venue. Front of house volunteers welcome guests, check tickets and show ticket holders to their seats.[14]

The venue also hosts yearly work experience high school and university students who are looking to pursue a career in the arts.

Production history

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Notable productions at the theater
Opening year Name Refs.
2024 A Christmas Carol (at The Quays Theatre) [15]
2024 The Gap [16]
2024 Gypsy: In Concert (at the Opera House) [17]
2023 LIZZIE [18]
2023 To Wong Foo: The Musical [19]
2023 Head over Heels [20]
2022 Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella [21][22]
2022 Passion [23]
2021 The Wiz [24]
2020 RENT (2020, closed due to COVID-19, August 2021) [25]
2020 Godspell: 50th Anniversary Concert (online) [26]
2020 Zorro: The Musical [27]
2019 The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit [28]
2019 Mame [29]
2019 Rags [30]
2019 Club Mex [31]
2018 The Return of the Soldier [32]
2018 Putting It Together [33]
2018 Aspects of Love [34]
2018 Closets [35]
2018 Spring Awakening [36]
2018 The ToyBoy Diaries
2017 Little Women [37]
2017 Pippin [38]
2017 YANK! [39]
2016 Hair, 50th Anniversary [40]
2016 Parade

Awards

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Year Award Category Result Ref
2016 The Hospital Club Awards Theatre and Performance Won [41]
2017 Manchester Theatre Awards Special Achievement Won
Best Fringe Production (for Moth) Won [42]
Peter Brook Award Empty Space Peter Brook Award Nominated [43]
The Stage Awards Fringe Theatre of the Year Nominated
2018 The Stage Awards Fringe Theatre of the Year Won [44]
2023 Whatsonstage Awards Best Regional Production, for To Wong Foo The Musical Nominated [45]

References

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  1. ^ "Hope Mill Theatre". Visit Manchester. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  2. ^ "Winners of the Stage Awards 2018 announced". 2018-01-26. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  3. ^ a b "Our Story – Hope Mill Theatre". hopemilltheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  4. ^ www.brackets.digital, {digital} |. "Hair the Musical". www.hair50.com. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  5. ^ "Aria Entertainment | About". Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  6. ^ "Manchester Community Central | Supporting our voluntary and community sector". manchestercommunitycentral.org. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  7. ^ "LGBTQIA+ THEATRE FESTIVAL 'TURN ON FEST' TO RETURN JANUARY 2021". Fyne Times. 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  8. ^ "Turn On Fest – Hope Mill Theatre". hopemilltheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  9. ^ Street, Canal. "Collaborative LGBTQ+ Theatre Festival launched by Hope Mill Theatre and Superbia | Canal Street Manchester". Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  10. ^ Street, Canal. "Turn on Fest returns for 2021 | Canal Street Manchester". Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  11. ^ "Turn On Fest 2021 | Theatre in Manchester". Creative Tourist. 2021-03-19. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  12. ^ Street, Canal. "Turn on Fest 2022 | Canal Street Manchester". Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  13. ^ Street, Canal. "Turn on Fest now in it's 4th Year | Canal Street Manchester". Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  14. ^ "Volunteering – Hope Mill Theatre". hopemilltheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  15. ^ "A Christmas Carol musical to run at the Lowry next Christmas". 13 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Denise Welch and Matthew Kelly to star in new Jim Cartwright play". 7 July 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Gypsy The Musical In Concert – Hope Mill Theatre". hopemilltheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  18. ^ "Lizzie – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester". Musical Theatre Review. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  19. ^ "To Wong Foo The Musical – Hope Mill Theatre". hopemilltheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  20. ^ "Review: HEAD OVER HEELS, Hope Mill Theatre". West End Best Friend. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  21. ^ Wiegand, Chris (2022-11-18). "Cinderella review – a rapturous Rodgers and Hammerstein fairytale". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  22. ^ Gans, Andrew (September 23, 2022). "Cast Complete for Hope Mill Theatre's Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, Starring Grace Mouat". Playbill.com.
  23. ^ "Ruthie Henshall to star in Passion revival in 2022". WhatsOnStage. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  24. ^ "The Wiz to be revived this Christmas at the Hope Mill Theatre". WhatsOnStage. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  25. ^ "Rent at the Hope Mill Theatre – review". 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  26. ^ "Godspell 50th anniversary charity concert to star Ruthie Henshall, Darren Day and more". WhatsOnStage. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Zorro The Musical to play at the Hope Mill Theatre". WhatsOnStage. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  28. ^ https://www.facebook.com/BritishTheatreOfficial (2018-12-10). "Hope Mill Theatre Manchester Announce 2019 Musicals Season". British Theatre. Retrieved 2023-06-24. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help); External link in |last= (help)
  29. ^ "Tracie Bennett to star in Mame as part of Hope Mill Theatre's new season". WhatsOnStage. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  30. ^ "Rebecca Trehearn to star in Stephen Schwartz's Rags at Hope Mill Theatre". WhatsOnStage. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  31. ^ "Club Mex at the Hope Mill Theatre: full casting announced and first listen released". WhatsOnStage. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  32. ^ "Casting announced for The Return of the Soldier at Hope Mill Theatre". WhatsOnStage. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  33. ^ "Hope Mill Theatre replaces A Christmas Story with Sondheim's Putting It Together". WhatsOnStage. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  34. ^ "Hope Mill Theatre Announces 2018 Season". Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  35. ^ "Lloyd Daniels and Atomic Kitten's Natasha Hamilton to star in LGBTQ musical Closets at Hope Mill Theatre". WhatsOnStage. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  36. ^ "Cast announced for Spring Awakening at the Hope Mill Theatre". WhatsOnStage. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  37. ^ "Little Women the musical to open in Manchester". WhatsOnStage. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  38. ^ "Cast announced for northern premiere of Pippin". WhatsOnStage. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  39. ^ Wilma (2017-01-13). "YANK!, PIPPIN and LITTLE WOMEN launch Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre 2017 season". West End Wilma. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  40. ^ Goldsmith-Rybka, Yvonne (2016-11-17). "HAIR The Musical: the sixties relived at Hope Mill Theatre". I Love Manchester. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  41. ^ "h.Club 100 Awards: Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester". theartsdesk.com. 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  42. ^ "The 2017 Manchester Theatre Awards winners in full". There Ought To Be Clowns. 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  43. ^ "Peter Brook Empty Space Awards to end as 2017 winners announced". 2017-10-31. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  44. ^ "Here are the winners of the Stage Awards 2018!". arthereartnow.com. 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  45. ^ "Nominations in full: 24th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
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