Festival Theatre’s long serving usher Graham Simpson has been celebrated as an Unsung Hero of musical theatre at The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals.
Graham, who first joined the Festival Theatre in 1994, marked the start of his 30th anniversary with the organisation through a surprise award at the event, which aired on BBC One on Saturday 27 January. His nomination was kept secret and he was taken to the Manchester AO Arena under the guise of representing Capital Theatres at an industry event. Graham was surprised on the night by friends and colleagues including the likes of Brian Cox, Honorary Patron of the King’s Theatre, who appeared on screen to congratulate Graham on his award.
Graham was presented with a commemorative plaque which will be installed at the Festival Theatre, a venue where he has worked as an usher for three decades as well as providing much loved public tours and tending to the rose garden.
The event was hosted by Jason Manford in-front of an audience of 12,000 musical theatre fans at the Manchester Arena and featured 12 of the UK’s West End and Touring productions including Hamilton and A Chorus Line which will tour to the Festival Theatre later this year. The event serves as a massive thank you to National Lottery players who in the past year, have helped The National Lottery award more than £517m to arts projects across the country, with £46m going towards theatre related projects. The King’s Theatre is one of these projects being supported by The National Lottery’s Heritage Fund.
Unsung Hero Graham Simpson said:
"It’s a real privilege to be recognised as an Unsung Hero of theatre. The whole experience was surreal, and it was such a surprise on the night, I'm glad I didn't twig! Capital Theatres is such a massive part of my life, it has been for the last 30 years and will be for many more. A massive thank you to the National Lottery for a special night.”
