Announcing the winner of Tina's Trophy for Excellence in Theatre 2022-23

Hayley Fitton-Cook (right) receiving her trophy from Next Stage Theatre Company's Artistic Director Ann Ellison BEM

At a Next Stage Social this week, Hayley Fitton-Cook was awarded the beautiful Tina's Trophy for Excellence in Theatre.

Many of you will have seen Hayley treading the boards for Next Stage, and I'm sure will applaud her as a worthy recipient of this prestigious award. Set up in 2019 in memory of Ann’s inspirational Mother, Tina Deacon, the award is intended to celebrate the talents of Next Stage actors and the contribution they have made to the company's work and reputation, both on and offstage.

Many of you will have seen Hayley last September in Brian Hudd's production of Frankenstein, and before that, she was in our covid-hit show, The Memory of Water, willingly rehearsing her part three times over before we successfully reopened the theatre in May 2021. Hayley is currently involved in touring the company's work to local and regional secondary schools, with a production of Four Minutes Twelve Seconds. Until recently, Hayley was also a Next Stage Youth Tutor, and is the Company's Dance and Movement choreographer. Somehow Hayley manages to balance her busy professional and family life with hectic rehearsal schedules and show weeks. Congratulations from all of us in Next Stage to our worthy winner.