Daniel Evans Bids Farewell To Sheffield Theatres

20th June 2016

Daniel Evans this week brings to a close his critically acclaimed seven year tenure as Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres.

Having taken up the role in 2009 he has led the company to major award-winning success with nine UK Theatre Awards including Best Musical Production (This Is My Family), Best New Play (Bull) and Best Touring Production (The Full Monty 2013, Translations 2014, Twelfth Night 2015). Sheffield Theatres also won The Stage Regional Theatre of the Year Award for an unprecedented two consecutive years in 2013 and 2014, in recognition for its ambitious and exciting work. Daniel's tenure has been marked by a balance between popular and adventurous programming, including hugely successful musical productions of Me & My Girl, Company, My Fair Lady, Lionel Bart's Oliver!, Anything Goes and Show Boat (which transferred to the West End and is currently on stage at New London Theatre until August 2016) and four major writer's seasons, most recently celebrating the work of Sarah Kane. Daniel established a policy of bringing the best of work from London to Sheffield with regional premières of Lucy Prebble's The Effect, Alexi Kaye Campbell's The Pride, Penelope Skinner's The Village Bike and opening this month, Mike Bartlett's Contractions (Thu 23 June - Sat 16 July). He also commissioned two new British musicals - the award-winning This Is My Family, and most recently, Flowers for Mrs Harris, along with countless plays, including Queen Coal, set around the miners' strike, Kes, a dance adaptation of the classic story and most recently, Richard Bean's The Nap, a comedy-thriller about snooker. His smash-hit production of The Full Monty toured the UK before transferring to the West End in 2013 and Bull enjoyed international success, transferring to 59E59 Theaters in New York. Daniel also established Sheffield People's Theatre - a company of community actors aged from 12 - 90+ who have staged several major productions featuring over 100 participants including The Sheffield Mysteries , Camelot: The Shining City and this years' A Dream. An ardent supporter of diversity within the arts, Daniel is a founder member of the Act for Change project and was instrumental in Tonic Theatre's Advance Scheme, which aims to readdress gender balance in UK Theatre. Daniel Evans leaves the organisation this week to take up the post of Artistic Director at Chichester Festival Theatre. He will be succeeded by Robert Hastie, who takes over at Sheffield Theatres in July 2016.