Hope Mill Theatre trio listed in prestigious Stage guide

Joseph Houston and William Whelton from Hope Mill Theatre with Katy Lipson
Joseph Houston and William Whelton from Hope Mill Theatre with Katy Lipson

The creative team at Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre has been named in The Stage 100, the definitive guide to the most influential figures working in the UK theatre and performing arts industry today.

Joseph Houston and William Whelton, co-founders of Hope Mill Theatre and from Macclesfield, and producer Katy Lipson, of Aria Entertainment, are placed number 99 on the list – just two years after Hope Mill opened in the Grade II listed former mill in Ancoats in the city centre.

The trio are placed on the list for the first time following a landmark 2017 that saw five-star reviews for productions at Hope Mill of Yank!, Pippin and Little Women, as well as the transfer of Yank! and Hair to London with Pippin to follow this year.

Joseph said: “What an incredible start to 2018. Every year The Stage lists the most influential theatre industry individuals or collaborations.

“The list includes the most current of industry professionals across the sector and to be listed in this after having only been collaborating just over two years is a major milestone for the Hope Aria collaboration.

“We are now entering our third year and approaching a new season of five ambitious musicals along with our third London transfer, so to receive this accolade for our hard work and ambition is extremely heartening.”

 “The pairing of producer Lipson’s Aria Entertainment and the Hope Mill has been very fruitful.” Alistair Smith, editor of The Stage

The team’s next production at Hope Mill, the world premiere of The ToyBoy Diaries, adapted from the best-selling memoirs by Wendy Salisbury, runs from January 18 to February 10,  and is the first of five in-house musicals this year at Hope Mill.

Following The ToyBoy Diaries – a musical comedy that charts the hilarious and sometimes heart-breaking sagas of mid-life dating – is a new revival of the acclaimed modern Broadway hit Spring Awakening (March 29 to May 3) and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic Aspects of Love (July 5 to August 9).

Two more yet-to-be announced productions will follow in autumn/winter 2018.

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