Sophie was recently interviewed by journalist David Jays for an article for The Guardian newspaper, entitled 'You'll never play Romeo!'; regarding the relevance of the term 'Character Actors':

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' “Screen castings might define you more by appearance,” [Joanna] Read (LAMDA Principal) concedes, “but we encourage students not to simply accept that. The way the industry will change is by voices challenging received ideas.” I love this idealism – but is it how the industry actually operates? Casting director Sophie Parrott cautions that “particularly on screen, the reality can be very different. A homogenised beauty can dominate. I enjoy working in theatre as I feel there is often more flexibility as to what constitutes a lead – physical appearances are less important.” But Parrott also notes that in Hollywood, conventional stars no longer reliably produce profit. “The industry has had to reconsider its approach to casting. This has allowed character actors to step into the fore and become ‘leading’ in their own right.” ' 

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The full article can be found here.

Sophie has been selected to join the 2019 Casting Director Guild Committee, alongside fellow CDG members Wendy Spon, Priscilla John, Sam Stevenson, Victor Jenkins and Kate Ringsell. This committee will serve for two years.

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More information regarding the committee can be found here.

Sophie is absolutely delighted to have been nominated for 'Best Theatre Casting' for her work on 'An Octoroon' (Orange Tree/ National Theatre) at the inaugural Casting Directors Guild Awards!

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The Awards, run by the Casting Directors’ Guild in partnership with Spotlight, will be held on February 12, at the Ham Yard Hotel in London.

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Categories at the ceremony include best casting in a theatre production, which is sponsored by The Stage, best casting in a TV production and an award for outstanding contribution.

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Launching the initiative last year, casting director Andy Pryor said his peers had “remained unrecognised” at major awards ceremonies and that their work had been overlooked.

Announcing the first ever event this week, Pryor, who is on the awards committee, said: “Any production – be it film, television drama, theatre or commercial – is heavily reliant on the quality of its casting, which forms an intrinsic part of the creative process.”

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He added: “Casting directors are at the vanguard of the quest for new talent and the push for inclusiveness. These new awards give us the opportunity to recognise the significant talent and achievements in this field.” Spotlight chief executive Ben Seale said the organisation had “always believed that the work of casting directors should be celebrated by our industry”. 

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Golda Rosheuvel has been nominated for a UK Theatre Award for 'Best performance in a play' for her performance in the title role of 'Othello' as part of the Liverpool Everyman Rep Season 2018.

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Full nominations can be found here.

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Click here to read an interview with Golda in The Stage regarding her approach to playing Othello as a woman.

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Winners to be announced on Sunday 14 October 2018 at London's Guildhall.

Well done Golda!

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An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins will transfer to the National Theatre in June 2018 following its extended critically acclaimed European premiere at the Orange Tree! It's directed by Ned Bennett, whose OT production of Alistair McDowall's Pomona played at the National Theatre in 2015.

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The Guardian's Michael Billington called it "both infinitely playful and deeply serious and which dazzlingly questions the nature of theatrical illusion... an extraordinary play that defies categorisation and that proclaims Jacobs-Jenkins as an exciting new dramatist". Matt Trueman said it was "a dazzling deconstruction of racial representation" (WhatsOnStage) and "Ned Bennett meets the audaciousness of the writing with a reckless bravura all his own” (Matt Wolf, New York Times).

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Artistic Director Paul Miller and Executive Director Sarah Nicholson said “Producing An Octoroon has been a hugely exciting adventure for us and during its packed out run at the Orange Tree it provoked and delighted thousands of people, sparking many debates. We are therefore thrilled that the adventure continues at the National Theatre, where many more will be able to experience Ned Bennett’s wildly inventive production of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ uniquely brilliant play." 

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Full details including exact dates and booking information will be confirmed in 2018.

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Ken Nwosu and Vivian Oparah have been nominated at the 2017 Offie (Off West End) Awards in the categories of 'Best Male in a Play' and 'Best Female in a Play' for their performances in 'An Octoroon' at The Orange Tree Theatre.

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This was Vivian's first professional stage production, having recently trained as part of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.

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'An Octoroon' is also nominated in the 'Best New Play' category, whilst Ned Bennett is nominated for 'Best Director'.

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Good luck Ken, Vivian and Ned!

Tragically Tim Pigott-Smith passed away unexpectedly on 7 April 2017, whilst in rehearsals at the Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton, for the lead role of Willy Loman in a a new national tour of Death of A Salesman.

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A true master of his craft, Tim's prolific career spanned generations. His performances in such seminal productions as (in television) The Jewel In The Crown, North and South and The Vice, are well known and celebrated. His expansive body of work in theatre encompasses a number of critically-acclaimed theatre roles including, to name but a few, King Lear (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Ken Lay in Enron (Chichester Festival Theatre and West End) and most recently, Tim received huge acclaim for his brilliant portrayal of the title role in King Charles III (West End and Broadway). He received an OBE in the 2017 New Years Honours.. This extraordinary contribution to British arts means that his legacy will live on.

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It was a real pleasure to work with Tim on Salesman and my thoughts are with his family at this terribly sad and difficult time.

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An official statement from the Royal & Derngate Theatre can be found here.

Projects that Sophie worked on received six separate nominations and won three awards at the 2017 Manchester Theatre Awards!

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Best Supporting Actress

Sharon Duncan-Brewster, A Streetcar Named Desire, Royal Exchange

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Best Studio Production *WINNER*

Wish List, Royal Exchange

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Best Actor in a Studio Production *WINNER*

Joseph Quinn, Wish List, Royal Exchange Studio

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Best Actress in a Studio Production *WINNER*

Erin Doherty, Wish List, Royal Exchange Studio

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Best New Play

Bird, Royal Exchange Studio

Wish List, Royal Exchange Studio

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'My Mother Said I Never Should' cast members Maureen Lipman and Katie Brayben have both been nominated in the 'Best Female' performance category of The Off-West End Theatre Awards 2016 ('The Offies'). The winner will be announced in Spring 2017.

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'The Offies (The Off West End Theatre Awards) [exist] to recognise and celebrate the excellence, innovation and ingenuity of independent theatres across London. [...[ The point of the awards is to help raise the profile and status of independent theatres in London by giving them greater power to promote their work individually and collectively and to reward the new talent that they nurture and that is essential to the future of our theatre industry.' 

Following its success at the Manchester Royal Exchange, YEN (directed By Ned Bennett) is transferring to the Royal Court, London, in January 2016.

See the YEN (Royal Court transfer) page for reviews.

The cast of BILLY LIAR (Royal Exchange, Manchester) were recognised with 2 awards at the 2015 Manchester Theatre Awards:

BEST ACTOR: Harry McEntire for his depiction of ‘Billy’

BEST NEWCOMER: Emily Barber for her depiction of ‘Liz’

Katie Moore was also nominated for her depiction of ‘Rita’ in the ‘Best Actress in a Supporting Role’ category.

Winners were announced on Friday 13th February 2015.

Sophie was recently seen participating in a panel discussion for the VAULTS FESTIVAL 2015:

The Female Force Forum: The Future for Women in Theatre

A panel of 10 female forces in a range of non-performer creative roles across UK theatre address and discuss gender equality, challenges and rewards,  and ask ‘what’s next?’ for women in The Arts.  This event took place over the weekend of International Women’s Day.

Chair: 

Baroness Genista McIntosh, Member of the Board of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Roundhouse Trust, the National Opera Studio and Southbank Sinfonia. Ex Executive Director of the Royal National Theatre and Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House.

Panellists: 

Vicky Graham, Producer at Out of Joint and Vicky Graham Productions

Mimi Poskitt, Artistic Director of Look Left Look Right

Hannah Price, Co-Artistic Director of Theatre Uncut and Freelance Theatre Director

Francesca Moody, Assistant Producer at Paines Plough

Joanna Scotcher, Theatre Designer

Clara Brennan, Playwright and Soho’s Channel 4 Playwright in Residence 2014

Sophie Parrott, Freelance Casting Director

Susie Newbery, Press Officer at The Royal National Theatre