Theatre Book Prize
Encyclopedia
The Theatre Book Prize was established to celebrate the Jubilee of the Society for Theatre Research (founded in Britain in 1948), and to encourage writing and publication of books on theatre history and practice—both those that present the theatre of the past and those that record contemporary theatre for the future. It was first awarded in 1998 for the best new theatre title published in English during 1997. It is now presented annually for a book on British or British related theatre that an independent panel of judges considers the best published in the preceding year. All new works of original research first published in English are eligible, except for play texts and studies of drama as literature. There are three judges, who are different each year. They are drawn from the ranks of people working in theatre: performers, directors, theatre critics, senior academics concerned with theatre, and theatre archivists.
The Prize embraces all aspects and genres of theatre from opera and ballet to circus and music hall, mime and puppetry as well as 'legitimate' forms and, as the list of previous winners shows, entries are drawn from right across the publishing spectrum.
The Prize embraces all aspects and genres of theatre from opera and ballet to circus and music hall, mime and puppetry as well as 'legitimate' forms and, as the list of previous winners shows, entries are drawn from right across the publishing spectrum.
Short list for theatre books published in 2008
- The Golden Generation: New Light on Post-war British Theatre, edited by Dominic Shellard (British Library)
- Stage Presence: The Actor as Mesmerist by Jane Goodall (Routledge)
- A Strange Eventful History: The Dramatic Lives of Ellen TerryEllen TerryDame Ellen Terry, GBE was an English stage actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain. Among the members of her famous family is her great nephew, John Gielgud....
, Henry IrvingHenry IrvingSir Henry Irving , born John Henry Brodribb, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility for season after season at the Lyceum Theatre, establishing himself and his company as...
and their Remarkable Families by Michael HolroydMichael HolroydSir Michael De Courcy Fraser Holroyd, FRHS, FRSL is an English biographer.-Life:Holroyd was born in London and educated at Eton College, though he has often claimed Maidenhead Public Library as his alma mater....
(Chatto and Windus) - Theatre and Globalisation : Irish Drama in the Celtic TigerCeltic TigerCeltic Tiger is a term used to describe the economy of Ireland during a period of rapid economic growth between 1995 and 2007. The expansion underwent a dramatic reversal from 2008, with GDP contracting by 14% and unemployment levels rising to 14% by 2010...
Era by Patrick Lonergan (Palgrave Macmillan) - Theatre of The TroublesThe TroublesThe Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
by Bill McDonnell (Exeter University Press) - Verbatim: Techniques in Contemporary Theatre, edited by Will Hammond and Dan Steward (Oberon)
Previous Prize Winners
- 1997 The Life of Margaret Ramsay, Play Agent by Colin ChambersColin ChambersColin Chambers is a former swimming representative from New Zealand.At the 1950 British Empire Games he won a gold medal as part of the men's 880 yards Freestyle Relay.-References:...
(Nick Hern) - 1998 Threads of Time by Peter BrookPeter BrookPeter Stephen Paul Brook CH, CBE is an English theatre and film director and innovator, who has been based in France since the early 1970s.-Life:...
(Methuen) - 1999 Garrick by Ian McIntyreIan McIntyreIan McIntyre is the head men's soccer coach at Syracuse University. On January 6, 2010, he was named as the 15th soccer coach in school history. He previously coached at Hartwick College from 2003 to 2009, posting four 10 win seasons. He compiled a 71-36-25 record as the head coach of the Hawks...
(Allen Lane) - 2000 Politics, Prudery and Perversion.... Censorship 1906-68 by Nicholas de JonghNicholas de JonghNicholas de Jongh is a British theatre critic and playwright. He served as the senior drama critic of the Evening Standard from 1991 to 2009. Prior to that, he worked for the Guardian newspaper for almost 20 years...
(Methuen) - 2001 Reflecting the Audience: London Theatregoing, 1840-1880 by Jim Davis & Victor Emeljanow (Iowa University Press/University of Hertfordshire Press)
- 2002 A History of Irish Theatre 1601-2000 by Christopher Morash (Cambridge University Press)
- 2003 National Service by Richard EyreRichard EyreSir Richard Charles Hastings Eyre CBE is an English director of film, theatre, television, and opera.-Biography:Eyre was educated at Sherborne School, an independent school for boys in the market town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset in south-west England, followed by Peterhouse at the University...
(Bloomsbury) - 2004 Margot Fonteyn by Meredith Daneman (Penguin/Viking)
- 2005 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James ShapiroJames ShapiroJames Shapiro, MD was born in Leeds, England and obtained his medical degree at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He is currently a Canadian Research Chair in transplantation and the Director of the Clinical Islet Transplant Program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.Shapiro is...
(Faber & Faber) - 2006 John Osborne: a Patriot for Us by John HeilpernJohn HeilpernJohn Heilpern, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and longtime drama critic for the New York Observer,Heilpern, the son of a bookmaker, was born in Manchester, England, and educated at Oxford University...
(Chatto & Windus) - 2007 State of the Nation by Michael BillingtonMichael BillingtonMichael Billington may refer to:* Michael Billington , British film and television actor* Michael Billington , drama critic of The Guardian* Michael Billington , author and activist in the LaRouche movement...
(Faber)