The entertainment industry newspaper's 2014 awards also saw Hampstead Theatre named London theatre of the year. Michael Grandage's company was named producer of the year. The Donmar Warehouse's former artistic director was praised for his inaugural West End season, which featured the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Jude Law and Dame Judi Dench and offered £10 tickets.
The prize for school of the year went to the National Youth Theatre, which provided free training to young people in 2013. London's Southwark Playhouse was named best fringe theatre, while the annual "unsung hero" award was presented posthumously to theatre consultant Andy Collier.
"It is a fantastic honour to be crowned regional theatre of the year for the second year running," said Sheffield Theatres' chief executive Dan Bates.
Festivals Update - Kings of Leon have been named as the third headline act for this year's Isle of Wight Festival. The Nashville band are returning to the event having also headlined in 2011. The other previously named acts topping the bill for the festival are Red Hot Chili Peppers and Biffy Clyro. Other bands who have been added to the line-up include Travis, Clean Bandit, John Newman, Gorgon City and Deap Vally. The Isle of Wight Festival takes place between 12 and 15 June at Seaclose Park, Newport.
Arctic Monkeys have been revealed as headliners for this year's Reading and Leeds Festivals. Joining them at the event in August will be You Me At Six, The 1975 and Issues.
BBC Birthday - To mark the TV channel's 50th birthday, 'BBC2: Origins; Influence; Audiences: A 50th Anniversary Conference' will take place at London's Science Museum 25-26 April 2014. On 20 April 1964 the BBC launched its second television channel: BBC2. Although the launch was a flop (due to a major power cut) the station soon became a fixture of UK broadcasting. Says the museum's spokesman, "This conference marks the 50th anniversary of BBC2, but is also timely in other ways. The way we view television programmes is changing at a startling rate, not only because of satellite and cable, but as a result of the convergence of television and internet technologies, producing services that audiences watch as and when they choose. With the shift in technology the way we study the history of the television must also change, as not only types of programmes, but the idea of a self-contained channel becomes a thing of the past."
(Jim Evans)
