THREE STAGE DESIGN GREATS TO CHOOSE STARS OF THE FUTURE
Linbury Biennial Prize For Stage Design Announces Judges For 2007

17 July 2007, London: Three of the theatre world's most eminent stage designers are to act as judges for the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design in its 20th anniversary year. Tim Hatley, Jean-Guy Lecat and Anthony Ward will review all of the 90 portfolios submitted from UK and international applicants and select around 20 to go forward to the next round.

For recent graduates entering the competition, it represents an invaluable opportunity to have their work reviewed by some of the most high profile stage designers working today. Anthony Ward and Tim Hatley are both previous finalists in the Linbury prize (1987 and 1989 respectively), and have both gone on to become Olivier and Tony Award winning designers, with their designs being used in prestigious productions across the world. Jean-Guy Lecat has over 40 years experience as a technical director and set designer and has spent 25 years working for acclaimed director Peter Brook.

The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design is the only competition of its kind in the UK. Founded in 1987 by Lady Anya Sainsbury, CBE, the prize has since helped launch the careers of over 150 stage designers, providing recent graduates from theatre design courses across the country with unparalleled opportunities for success and exposure at a crucial moment in their career.

The judges will spend one day reviewing all portfolios submitted to the competition, selecting around half of the entrants to meet in person. Around 20 graduates will go on to take part in Directors' Day on 30 July at the National Theatre. Four artistic directors from leading UK theatre companies will meet short-listed finalists and review their work, selecting three designers each to work with them on designs for forthcoming productions.

The commissioning companies and artistic directors for 2007 are:
Hampstead Theatre, Artistic Director: Anthony Clark
Headlong Theatre, Artistic Director: Rupert Goold
The Opera Group, Artistic Director: John Fulljames
Tricycle Theatre, Artistic Director: Nicolas Kent

The 12 finalists will exhibit models and designs produced during their time spent working with the commissioning companies at an exhibition running from 9 November until 8 December at the National Theatre.

At the exhibition, four winners will be selected to have their designs made into productions with the four companies and the overall winner will be announced. The winning designers will share £66,000 in prize money, design commissions and production sponsorship.

Lady Anya Sainsbury CBE, Linbury founder and chair of the Linbury Committee said: "All three judges bring a huge wealth of experience to the judging process and will be of great benefit to those entering the competition this year. To have two previous finalists involved in the competition is also a great bonus and demonstrates that the prize really does work as a career launch pad."

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Further Information
A dedicated online media resource supports the 2007 Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design. It contains full information about the Linbury Biennial and the competition. All press releases are made available on the site along with high-resolution pictures for download.
View the site at: http://www.kallaway.co.uk/linbury.htm

Linbury Biennial Press Information
Anna Cusden
anna.cusden@kallaway.co.uk
020 7221 7883


About the Judges
Jean-Guy Lecat - over the course of 41 years Jean-Guy Lecat has worked as technical director and space and set designer for many directors, including Jean-Louis Barrault and Peter Brook with whom he worked for 25 years. His background as an architect has lead to him being involved with the transformation or creation of more than 200 theatrical spaces throughout the world including the Young Vic and The Roundhouse in London, and the Grand Palais for Ballet de Cuba in Paris.

Anthony Ward - a Linbury finalist from 1987, Anthony's many West End and Broadway theatre credits include: Dying City (Lincoln Centre, New York), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium, UK Tour & Broadway), Nutcracker! (Sadler's Wells & UK Tour), Oliver! (London Palladium & US Tour) and My Fair Lady (National Theatre). He has also designed extensively for productions at the National Theatre, the RSC, the Donmar Warehouse, the Almeida, and numerous UK and international opera and ballet productions.

Anthony's awards include: 2005 Outer Critics' Circle Award for Set Design (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), 2003 OBIE Award (Uncle Vanya), 2002 Outer Crictics' Circle Award for Best Scenic Design (Oklahoma!). Anthony is currently working on Macbeth with Patrick Stewart for Chichester Festival Theatre. Future work includes: Glengarry Glen Ross with Jonathan Pryce in the West End.

Tim Hatley - trained at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and was a Linbury winner in 1989. He is winner of the 2002 Olivier Award, 2002 Tony Award & 2002 Drama Desk Award for Best Set Design for Private Lives (West End & Broadway) and Humble Boy (RNT/ West End). He has worked with a wide range of companies including Théâtre de Complicité, the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar Warehouse, Almeida, ENO, Scottish Opera, Opera North, Northern Ballet and English National Ballet. Tim has also worked on several films - he was production designer for Closer (2004) and Notes on a Scandal (2006) and costume designer for Stage Beauty (2004). His designs are currently being used in Rafta Rafta at the National Theatre and Spamalot in London and on Broadway.

About the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design
The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design was founded by Anya Sainsbury in 1987. The prize is open to recent graduates from theatre design courses across the country, many of whom are originally from outside the UK. Twelve finalists get the chance to work with four professional performing arts production companies and exhibit their work at the National Theatre. Four of the 12 win a commission to realise their designs with the commissioning companies and one student is awarded the overall winner's title. The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design is sponsored by the Linbury Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts.

Lady Anya Sainsbury CBE, Chair of the Linbury Biennial Committee.
After a distinguished career as Anya Linden with the Royal Ballet Company from 1951 to 1965, becoming a ballerina in 1958, she retired from the company and went on to study stage design at the Slade School of Art. She married John Sainsbury in 1963 and has continued to be actively involved in the Royal Ballet School and the Rambert School, both as a teacher and on their governing bodies. She has just retired from the Board of Trustees at the Royal Opera House.

About the Linbury Trust
The Linbury Trust is a charitable trust; it was established by Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover KG, and his wife Anya, Lady Sainsbury, CBE. The trustees of the Linbury Trust make grants to organisations and towards causes across a broad range of categories, including the Arts; Education; Environment and Heritage; Medical; Social Welfare; Developing Countries and Humanitarian Aid. Trustees give priority to causes in which they have a particular interest and where they have particular knowledge and experience, as exemplified by their support for the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design.

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