Hope Mill Theatre
| Address | 113 Pollard St, M4 7JA Manchester United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53.483275°N 2.216334°W / 53.483275; -2.216334 |
| Operator | The Factory of Creativity |
| Opened | November 2015 |
| Website | |
| hopemilltheatre.co.uk | |
The Hope Mill Theatre is an independent theatre that performs original and revival plays, musicals and other events. The theatre is located at 113 Pollard St in Manchester, UK in the Hope Mill building, a Grade II* listed converted textile mill building. It won Fringe Venue of The Year at The Stage awards in 2018. Hope Mill Theatre is the main work of the registered charity A Factory of Creativity.
History
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.
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.
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.
Values
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."
Productions
- Parade (May to June 2016)
- Hair, 50th Anniversary (November to December 2016)
- YANK! (April to March 2017)
- Pippin (August to September 2017)
- Little Women (November to December 2017)
- The ToyBoy Diaries (January to February 2018)
- Spring Awakening (March to May 2018)
- Aspects of Love (July to August 2018)
- Rags (March 2019)
- Mame (September 2019)
- The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit (November 2019)
- RENT (2020, closed due to COVID-19, August 2021)
- Saving Britney (January to March 2022)
- Passion (2022)
- Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (November to December 2022)
- Head over Heels (January to March 2023)
- Julie: The Musical (20 to 24 June 2023)
- To Wong Foo The Musical (October to December 2023)
- Gypsy in concert (25 February 2024)
- Oliver! (April 2024)
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | The Hospital Club Awards | Theatre and Performance | Won | |
| 2017 | Manchester Theatre Awards | Special Achievement | Won | |
| Best Fringe Production (for Moth) | Won | |||
| Peter Brook Award | Empty Space Peter Brook Award | Nominated | ||
| The Stage Awards | Fringe Theatre of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | The Stage Awards | Fringe Theatre of the Year | Won | |
| 2023 | Whatsonstage Awards | Best Regional Production, for To Wong Foo The Musical | Nominated |