Standing at the Sky's Edge wins Olivier Awards
Sheffield-made musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge won, not one, but TWO Olivier Awards at the star-studded ceremony in London on Sunday (2 April).
Nominated in eight categories, the Sheffield Theatres production, which recently wrapped a sold out 6-week run at the National Theatre, won the awards for ‘Best New Musical’ while Sheffield singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley and Tom Deering won ‘Best Original Score and New Orchestrations'.
With so much success, is not surprising that Sheffield Theatres have now announced that the critically acclaimed production will also transferring to the West End too.
Produced by the National Theatre and Various Productions, this new British musical will be staged at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from February 2024.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge was originally written as a love letter to Sheffield and an ode to the city's Park Hill housing state. Directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director, Robert Hastie, featuring songs by Richard Hawley and with book by Chris Bush, it charts the hopes and dreams of three generations over the course of six tumultuous decades.
Composer, Richard Hawley said: “In all honesty I never really thought this story would leave the inside of our minds but to see it blossom and grow from a heartfelt set of ideas exchanged in a Sheffield pub to sell out shows at the Crucible and National theatres every single night has been a very powerful experience.
"The drive, focus and determination to allow the voices and history of Park Hill to be heard at last by everyone involved has been equally mind blowing. This would’ve been more than enough for me to say the least…but the West End?…next you’ll be telling me Sheffield Wednesday are going up this season!”
Revealing the history of modern Britain, through the stories of this iconic housing estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a heartfelt exploration of the power of community and what it is we all call home.
Playwright, Chris Bush said: "Making Standing at the Sky's Edge has been the most extraordinary and rewarding experience of my professional career. To see audiences at the National Theatre leap to their feet for these characters and these stories with the same enthusiasm as those in Sheffield has meant the world to me.
"For all its hyper-specificity, the last few months have cemented for us that these themes of home, of love, of fresh starts and second chances, are utterly universal. I'm absolutely thrilled that we'll get to introduce Park Hill to a whole new set of audiences in 2024."
It had its world premiere at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre in 2019 and following a hugely successful, sold-out run, the musical returned to the Crucible in December 2022, continuing to sell-out, before making its London premiere in the National Theatre’s Olivier theatre in early 2023.
The production had previously already won several awards including ‘Best Musical Production’ at the UK Theatre Awards in 2019 and the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre.
Director, Robert Hastie said: “We’ve all been thrilled by the response to Standing at the Sky's Edge during great runs at the Sheffield Crucible and the National Theatre. It’s a massive achievement by everyone involved to have told this story with such passion and commitment that we’re now able to announce this transfer to the Gillian Lynne, the perfect theatre for this story’s next chapter. I'm enormously proud and excited.”
Hastie is joined by set and costume designer, Ben Stones; choreographer, Lynne Page; music supervisor, arranger and orchestrator, Tom Deering; lighting designer Mark Henderson; sound designer, Bobby Aitken and wigs, hair & make-up designer, Cynthia De La Rosa.
For information on the new West End run of Standing at the Sky’s Edge, including assisted performances, casting and booking information, sign up for more news and pre-sale access at SkysEdgeMusical.com.
And to experience more incredible theatre right here in Sheffield, see the Sheffield Theatres' website for all their upcoming productions: sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
