The Stage: Drama Queens

Though The Stage, of course, publishes the annual Stage 100 list of Britain’s most influential theatre makers across the board, we do not subdivide it for sexuality. So today I’m going to compile my theatrical gay royalty list. I’m going to keep it to just ten, so I apologise in advance for any I have excluded, but please make your own suggestions below!

1. While Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire have held the top position of The Stage 100 list for four years now, they shared billing this year with the National’s two Nicks – Hytner and Starr. But unlike Panter and Squire, they are not married to each other; this is a purely professional partnership, as artistic and executive director of the National respectively. And both, of course, have recently announced their intention to step down from those posts – Starr next year, and Hytner the year after – after which it is widely rumoured that they are expected to set up shop together independently in the West End....

The Stage.

That list in full.

1. Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr, National Theatre
2. Cameron Mackintosh, owns the West End.
3. Michael Grandage, ex-Donmar Warehouse.
4. Dominic Cooke, artistic director, Royal Court.
5. David Lan, Young Vic.
6. Kerry Michael, Theatre Royal, Stratford East.
7. Daniel Evans, Sheffield Crucible.
8. Laurie Sansom, National Theatre of Scotland.
9. Simon Russell Beale, thesp.
10. Phylida Lloyd, Mamma Mia!

So theatre's pretty gay, eh?
Who knew!!?