 |
|
|
Press Releases
RICHARD WINGATE APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF KING’S THEATRE AND THEATRE ROYAL GLASGOW
Issued : 25 January 2006
The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) has appointed Richard Wingate as Chief Executive of the King’s Theatre and Theatre Royal Glasgow.
Richard has been overseeing the role since David Williams stepped down as Chief Executive in August last year. Richard will continue in his important role as Chief Executive of Stoke-on-Trent Theatres, but will relinquish his role as Chief Executive of Milton Keynes Theatre at the end of March. Richard will also be moving to live in Glasgow.
From a background in orchestral and concert management, Richard spent eight years at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London as Theatre Manager. In 1993, he joined ATG as Assistant General Manager at the Ambassadors complex in Woking, featuring two theatres and a multiplex cinema. He was subsequently promoted to General Manager and Deputy Chief Executive. During this time he was also responsible for managing the Group’s interests at its (then) two West End theatres - the Ambassadors and the Duke of York’s. In 1999, he was appointed Chief Executive of the Regent Theatre and Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent. In his role, he oversaw the launch of the Regent Theatre, which was subsequently nominated as Theatre of the Year in the 2001 TMA/Barclays Theatre Awards. In March 2003, he was also appointed Chief Executive of Milton Keynes Theatre.
The King’s Theatre was taken over by ATG in 2002. In the first two years alone, annual audience figures dramatically rose from 314,000 to 442,000, representing a 37% increase in attendance. ATG has brought a wide range of highly successful shows to the King’s, from large-scale musicals such as Miss Saigon to the Traverse Theatre Company's hugely acclaimed production of the Slab Boys Trilogy by John Byrne. Last March, ATG took over the Theatre Royal Glasgow from Scottish Opera. In its first year, the venue has offered a stunning variety of quality productions from Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling and Rebecca (starring Nigel Havers) to Scottish Opera’s productions of The Knot Garden, Semele and Fidelio and Scottish Ballet's record-breaking Christmas 2005 production Cinderella, directed by Ashley Page. ATG is currently the largest theatre group in the West End and the second largest in the UK regions, with a total 24 venues.
Richard Wingate, Chief Executive, King’s Theatre & Theatre Royal Glasgow
“I’m delighted to be joining two of the country’s most significant theatres at such an exciting stage in their development. There is huge potential to drive greater creative and commercial success in such a vibrant city and I’m very much looking forward to working with theatre staff and external partners to achieve this.”
David Blyth, Operations Director, Ambassador Theatre Group
“We are delighted to appoint Richard as Chief Executive. His commitment, drive and vision will be a fantastic asset to our operation in Glasgow and Scotland as a whole. We wish him every success in his new role.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact John Chittenden, Group Press Officer, ATG on 020 8545 7919 or email johnchittenden@theambassadors.com
Back to Press Releases
|
|
|
|
