148-580: Michael Ashley Ball OBE (born 27 June 1962) is an English singer, presenter and actor. In 1985, he made his West End debut as Marius Pontmercy in the original production of Les Misérables . In 1989, he reached number two in the UK Singles Chart with " Love Changes Everything ", from the musical Aspects of Love , where he played Alex Dillingham. He played the role in the West End and on Broadway . His album Coming Home To You reached number one in
296-451: A Musical , his first Olivier Award. Ball's solo album Past and Present was released on 9 March 2009 by Universal Music . The album includes a compilation of previously released material celebrating Ball's 25th anniversary in the music industry, as well as six new tracks, including "You Can't Stop the Beat", from Hairspray . Ball appeared on a number of television and radio programmes to promote
444-480: A Musical . He won in 2008 for his role as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray , and then in 2013 for the title role in the revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street . In 2018, he played Anatoly Sergievsky in the West End revival of Chess , and he returned to Les Misérables in 2019 and 2020 as Inspector Javert . He reprised his role of Edna Turnblad in the 2021 revival of Hairspray and in 2023 played
592-421: A Victorian-Gothic building seating just over 700 people, opened on 23 April 1879, with a performance of Much Ado About Nothing , a title which gave ammunition to several critics. The Memorial, a red brick Gothic cathedral, designed by Dodgshun and Unsworth of Westminster , was unkindly described by Bernard Shaw as "an admirable building, adaptable to every purpose except that of a theatre." From 1919, under
740-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
888-594: A celebration of 'Shakespeare as the world's playwright' working with UK and international arts organisations, and including the Globe to Globe Festival by Shakespeare's Globe. The same year, planning permission was granted by Stratford District Council to reinstate The Other Place . Funding for the new theatre came from a £3 million grant from the Arts Council England, raised through the National Lottery. Funding
1036-595: A charitable production to fund the restoration of Shakespeare's funerary monument . John Ward 's Birmingham -based company, the Warwickshire Company of Comedians , agreed to perform it. A surviving copy of the playbill records that the company performed Othello . The first building erected to commemorate Shakespeare was David Garrick 's Jubilee Pavilion in 1769, and there have been at least 17 buildings used to perform Shakespeare's plays since. The first permanent commemorative building to Shakespeare's works in
1184-449: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
1332-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
1480-528: A combination of artistic excellence and quiet husbandry, including a year-long Complete Works of Shakespeare Festival (begun in April 2006 in collaboration with other theatre companies) plus a financially successful London season at the Novello Theatre in 2006, Boyd slowly rebuilt the company's fortunes and reputation In 2007 he launched the long-awaited Stratford theatre redevelopments, including construction of
1628-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
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#17328920409191776-497: A little about his personal life. He performed a number of summer concerts, including the Hampton Court Music Festival on 14 June 2008. From 6 April 2008, Ball took over Michael Parkinson 's Sunday Supplement on BBC Radio 2 every Sunday from 11 am to 1 pm Ball won the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actor in a Musical . He also won the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in
1924-530: A minimalist set at The Other Place, playing for 2 hours 15 minutes without an interval. The small, nearly round stage focused attention on the psychological dynamics of the characters. Both Ian McKellen in the title role and Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth received exceptionally favourable reviews. The production transferred to London, opening at the Donmar Warehouse in September 1977 before its further transfer to
2072-594: A monumental, year-round operation built around a permanent company, a London base and contemporary work from home and abroad. Looking back, it is difficult to realise just how radical Hall's dream was at the time; or indeed how much opposition there was to the creation of what became officially known in March 1961 as the Royal Shakespeare Company." John Barton had been appointed associate director in January 1960, and
2220-676: A new production of Robert Wright and George Forrest 's Kismet after this tour. In August 2007, he made his BBC Proms debut with An Evening with Michael Ball at the Royal Albert Hall , which marked the first time a musical theatre star had been given a solo concert at the classical music festival. Ball appeared in the Royal Variety Performance at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool on 3 December 2007 singing " You Can't Stop
2368-636: A new suite of education spaces on Waterside. In 2011, BP began to subsidised the RSC's £5 ticket scheme for 16 to 25-year-olds. In summer 2011 the company undertook a residency in Park Avenue Armory , New York, running a series of performances and an accompanying education programme in partnership with the NYC Department of Education . In 2012, the RSC produced the World Shakespeare Festival,
2516-508: A number one hit. As an actor, Ball briefly appeared as Malcolm Nuttall in Coronation Street in 1985. Ball has also turned his hand to presenting both on TV and radio. Ball had his own TV series, Michael Ball , in 1993 and 1994 a Christmas Special in 1995 and a three-part series in 1998 filmed by BBC Cymru Wales Ball in the Hall . These three episodes were combined to make a special which
2664-452: A plan for what would become The Other Place studio theatre in Stratford, designed by Michael Reardon to seat 140 people, which opened to a first and highly successful season in 1974. The name chosen for the new studio space was favoured within the company because it implied an alternative theatre, but also because it is a quotation from Hamlet . In August 1976, Nunn staged Macbeth with
2812-470: A primary objective. David Addenbrooke wrote of Hall's belief that Shakespeare, more than any other dramatist, needed a 'style', a tradition and unity of direction and acting. On 14 January 1960, Hall's first policy statement as director also proposed the acquisition of a second theatre, in London, to be used as a city outlet for selected Stratford productions. The RSC was formally established on 20 March 1961 with
2960-521: A production of The Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher (not published until 1634 and thought to be Shakespeare's last work for the stage). It was directed by Barry Kyle . The RSC's costume department is 'the largest in-house costume-making workshop in British theatre' and 'world-renowned'. In 2021, the RSC raised over £8 million for a project to update the costume and prop department. Alistair McArthur, head of costume, called
3108-494: A radical scheme aimed at rescuing the RSC from its financial crisis by replacing the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with a crowd-pleasing 'Shakespeare Village' and streamlining the company's performance structure and ensemble principle. None of Noble's plans came to fruition. He left the job, an unhappy man, in March 2003. Michael Boyd then assumed control of the RSC, now burdened with a deficit of £2.8 million. By
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#17328920409193256-581: A run of top 20 albums released over the next two decades. In July 2006, Ball was a guest artist on Julian Lloyd Webber 's album Unexpected Songs and in November of that year released a DVD containing all the best songs from his Live in Concert DVDs. This is split into five sections: Musicals, Love Songs, Personal Favourites, Party Time, and Unplugged. The DVD also included a brand new "Unplugged" session which Ball recorded especially with four other musicians in
3404-538: A small auditorium in 1971. At the insistence of Sir Trevor Nunn (who had taken over as artistic director in 1968), the company hired The Place off the Euston Road in London and constructed its own theatre space for an audience of 330, seated on raked wooden benches. Two seasons of plays were staged in 1972 and 1973, none suitable for the Aldwych. In December 1973 Buzz Goodbody , the company's first female director, drew up
3552-520: A special tribute programme to the lyricist Don Black called Diamonds are Forever: A tribute to Don Black which took place at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Ball sang two songs on this show; the first was the song Born Free , which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and was a hit for the British male singer Matt Monro in 1966. Black wrote the lyrics for this song and the music
3700-581: A student he went busking on Saturdays in Guildford town with a female student friend to earn a little extra money. He graduated in 1984. After his graduation, Ball's singing career rapidly got off the ground. His maternal grandmother, having a musical ear, was proud of Ball's early singing achievements; she died suddenly, however, of a heart attack about one week before his debut in The Pirates of Penzance . In 1984, after he had left drama school, Ball's first part
3848-542: A £112.8-million "Transformation" project. The theatres re-opened in November 2010, having closed in 2007. As well as the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, the RSC produces new work from living artists. There have been theatrical performances in Stratford-upon-Avon since at least Shakespeare's day, though the first recorded performance of a play written by Shakespeare himself was in 1746 when Parson Joseph Greene, master of Stratford Grammar School, organised
3996-634: Is a concert artist: he tours frequently around the United Kingdom and has also performed concerts in Australia and the United States. He has also had success in the charts with his recording work. Since reaching Number 2 in the UK Singles Chart with "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love , Ball had lesser success with follow up singles , but in the main has concentrated on releasing albums, all of which achieved gold status within weeks, and in
4144-556: Is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon , Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London , Stratford-upon-Avon, and on tour across the UK and internationally. The company's home is in Stratford-upon-Avon, where it has redeveloped its Royal Shakespeare and Swan theatres as part of
4292-558: Is a patron for this charity. On 14 February 2010, Ball stepped in as a guest judge for Robin Cousins on ITV1 's Dancing on Ice while Cousins was in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics . On 10 February 2010, Ball recorded a television pilot for ITV1, which was commissioned as a full series in the summer, titled The Michael Ball Show . The 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables
4440-512: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
4588-477: Is announced. July 2006 – The Courtyard Theatre opens with a staging of Michael Boyd's Histories. November 2010 – The Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres re-open following their transformation. March 2016 – The Other Place was reinstated as a 200-seat studio theatre. In 1959, while still the director-designate of the Memorial Theatre, Peter Hall announced that the formation of a permanent company would be
Michael Ball - Misplaced Pages Continue
4736-633: Is just the icing on the cake. Amazing!". In April 2020, to mark 99-year old Captain Tom Moore completing the first phase of his fundraising walk during the COVID-19 pandemic , Ball sang " You'll Never Walk Alone " for him live on BBC Breakfast . Within 24 hours, the performance was recorded, and made into a digital single featuring the NHS Voices of Care Choir, and Moore's spoken words. Released by Decca Records, with all proceeds going to NHS Charities Together ,
4884-931: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
5032-555: Is the sole British member theatre of the Union of the Theatres of Europe . In March 2008, the RSC launched a manifesto 'Stand up for Shakespeare', a campaign to promote a positive experience of Shakespeare for children and young people. The tenets of this manifesto, Do It on Your Feet, See It Live, Start It Earlier form the basis of the work of the Education department. In 2010, the RSC opened
5180-800: The BBC 's St David's Day concert, in the role of Marius at the Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert , the tenth anniversary concert of Les Misérables in 1995. A lyric baritone, Ball also sang the role of Valjean at a special concert performance of Les Misérables for the Queen and her guests at Windsor Castle in 2004. In 2005, with 10 days' notice, he replaced Michael Crawford as Count Fosco in The Woman in White after poor health forced Crawford to give up
5328-566: The Barbican Centre under the auspices of the City of London. The RSC was closely involved in the design of these two venues. In 2002 it left the Barbican after a series of allegedly poor seasons, partly because the then artistic director Adrian Noble wanted to develop the company's touring performances. His decision means the company has no regular London home. The RSC had first tackled its need for
5476-584: The British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of the order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to
5624-536: The Chichester Festival Theatre for six weeks starting 24 September 2011 before transferring to London in March 2012. Michael and Imelda were both awarded Olivier awards, best actor and best actress in a musical for their Sweeney Todd performances. Ball starred as Mack in Mack and Mabel, which toured the UK in 2015. In 2018, he starred as Anatoly Sergievsky in the West End revival of Sir Tim Rice ’s Chess at
5772-573: The Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941, the medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed
5920-577: The London Coliseum . His co-stars included Tim Howar , Cassidy Janson , and Alexandra Burke . It was announced in February 2019 that Ball will star as Inspector Javert opposite Alfie Boe ( Jean Valjean ) in a staged concert production of Les Misérables. The production will open on 10 August 2019, at the Gielgud Theatre and serve as a placeholder while the original West End production of Les Mis at
6068-588: The Longbridge plant and progressed to become head of global sales at British Leyland . He was awarded an MBE for services to industry. Ball's maternal grandfather was a coal miner. Ball has a brother, Kevin, four years his senior and a sister, Katherine, almost a decade his junior. He moved to Dartmoor with his parents when he was three years old. He has never had singing lessons, but as a boy he learned to sing by singing along to music, for example; songs by Ella Fitzgerald , Mahalia Jackson and Frank Sinatra . When he
Michael Ball - Misplaced Pages Continue
6216-541: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
6364-708: The Shaftesbury Theatre in London. In March 2008, he was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal. He also won the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Edna Turnblad. He recently starred in a new production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End, alongside Imelda Staunton as Mrs. Lovett . The show premiered at
6512-444: The coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of the medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to
6660-511: The 1920s about a fictional theatre in the north of England was released on 13 October 2022. On 12 October 2023, he released a memoir titled Different Aspects reflecting on his appearances in the original production and the 2023 revival of Aspects of Love . Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to
6808-865: The 2010 broadcast was released in November 2010 in the UK and in North America in February 2011. Ball co-hosted the Olivier Awards with Imelda Staunton on 13 March 2011 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane , London. His album Heroes was released on 14 March 2011. It entered the UK charts at number 10. In 2013, Ball was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Arts from University of Plymouth . In 2017, Ball backs children's fairy tales app GivingTales in aid of UNICEF together with Roger Moore , Stephen Fry , Ewan McGregor , Joan Collins , Joanna Lumley , Michael Caine , Charlotte Rampling and Paul McKenna . On 29 March 2019,
6956-464: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
7104-480: The Beat " with the rest of the cast from Hairspray , the musical he was appearing in at the time. He continued in the role of Edna Turnblad in the musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre until 29 April 2009. On 2 March 2008, Ball appeared as the guest on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs , during which he talked about his early life and his career, including his struggle with stage fright in his early career, and
7252-788: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
7400-443: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
7548-570: The King & Country Tour. The same year, the Royal Shakespeare Company also opened their first permanent exhibition, entitled The Play's The Thing. On 23 April 2016, the RSC performed a one night extravaganza, called 'Shakespeare Live!'. Broadcast on BBC Two from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, it marked the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's Death. It involved a collection of Shakespeare scenes and monologues with appearances from David Tennant , Catherine Tate , Dame Judi Dench , Benedict Cumberbatch and even one from Prince Charles . In June 2019,
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#17328920409197696-544: The London production of Stephen Sondheim 's Passion . Alone Together was his one-man show first performed at the Donmar Warehouse (which was reprised in 2004 for the Singular Sensations season at the Haymarket). In 1998 Ball performed at three big concerts: The Fiftieth Birthday Concert of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Royal Albert Hall (released on DVD), Sondheim Tonight at the Barbican Centre (released on CD) and Hey, Mr. Producer: The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (released on CD and DVD). In 2002 he took on
7844-419: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
7992-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
8140-456: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
8288-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
8436-413: The Queen's Theater is replaced with Cameron Mackintosh 's new staging of the show at the renamed Sondheim theatre. The staged concert was broadcast live to cinemas in the UK on 2 December 2019, and then encore showings in the UK and the USA. This staged concert has become the highest live stream concert at cinemas in UK history. The live stream also became available as a DVD and CD in early 2020. The concert
8584-405: The RSC commissioned a completely new edition of Shakespeare's First Folio, titled " William Shakespeare Complete Works" and published by Modern Library . To provide balance, Simon Trowbridge in A Royal Shakespeare Company Book , published in 2017, is highly critical of aspects of the Boyd years, including his decision to redevelop the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as a second Swan Theatre. The RSC
8732-403: The RSC to take over from Hands as artistic director and chief executive. The company had serious funding problems. Noble's decision to sever all RSC connections with the Barbican Centre, funded by the Corporation of the City of London, was widely condemned, and towards the end of his tenure things began to go terribly wrong, partly through his pursuit and support of the so-called Project Fleet ,
8880-404: The RSC when the company opened The Swan , its third theatre in Stratford. The Swan Theatre, also designed by Michael Reardon , has a deep thrust stage and a galleried, intimate 450-capacity auditorium. The space was to be dedicated to playing the works of Shakespeare's contemporaries, the works of European writers and the occasional work of Shakespeare. The theatre was launched on 8 May 1986 with
9028-429: The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Terry Hands and actor Alan Howard had a marathon year working on Henry V , a virtually uncut, Henry VI, part 1 , Henry VI, part 2 and Henry VI, part 3 and Coriolanus . And the action at The Other Place included Jonson, Ford, Musset, Gems and Rudkin. No other company in the world could match that output for quantity and quality". Nunn and Hands were joint artistic directors of
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#17328920409199176-405: The UK Albums Chart. In April 2020, Ball recorded a duet with 99 year old World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore , in aid of the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic . Their cover of " You'll Never Walk Alone " reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 24 April, not only giving Ball his first chart-topping single at the age of 57, but also making Moore the oldest ever person in history to score
9324-486: The UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use the titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded
9472-428: The UK making it his 4th number one album to date. On 24 April 2020, Ball and Captain Tom Moore entered the UK Singles Chart at number one with a cover of " You'll Never Walk Alone ", with combined chart sales of 82,000 making it the fastest-selling single of 2020. In 1992, Ball represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest , finishing second with the song " One Step Out of Time ". In 1995, he reprised
9620-414: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
9768-465: The actor Mark Rylance resigned from the RSC over its sponsorship deal with oil company BP . In October 2019, the RSC announced that it would be ending its partnership with BP at the end of year following criticism of its association with the oil company. A week before, school students threatened to boycott the theatre company if it did not sever links with the firm. A spokesperson for the RSC explained that "Young people are now saying clearly to us that
9916-424: The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. Coming Home to You was Michael Ball's fourth UK number one album, his first solo number one album in the UK since his self-titled debut album in 1992. Talking to the Official Charts Company, he said, "It's the most exciting news! Thank you so much for supporting the album, to the fans who've connected with it and bought it. The hard work has been worth it and this
10064-635: The album. He toured the United Kingdom with an orchestra and five West End stars, (Louise Clare Marshall, Louise Dearman , Emma Williams , Adrian Hansel and Ben James-Ellis ), in the autumn, celebrating 25 years in the music industry. His concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 19 September 2009 was filmed for DVD release. Ball performed in a "one-off" Christmas Concert on 12 December 2009 in aid of The Shooting Star Children's Hospice , which he supports. All profits made went to this charity. The Shooting Star Children's Hospice and CHASE Hospice Care for Children joined to become Shooting Star CHASE in 2011 and Ball
10212-403: The arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of,
10360-402: The award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to the order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were
10508-417: The brunt of media hostility during a difficult few years for the company. Hands took the decision to suspend the RSC's residency at The Barbican Theatre and The Pit during the winter season of 1990–91, thus vacating the capital for the first time in 30 years. This was seen as essential if the RSC was to secure an increase in subsidy from the Arts Council. Shortly after that decision Adrian Noble returned to
10656-516: The case of The Movies album in 1998, platinum in seven weeks (released 26 October, confirmed platinum status on 12 December). Ball represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992 held in Malmö , Sweden, singing the song " One Step Out of Time ", which finished second. The single reached number 20 in the UK, while an eponymous album released in the same year reached number 1. This began
10804-468: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
10952-402: The centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
11100-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
11248-488: The civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of the medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as
11396-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
11544-513: The company's sole Artistic Director and Chief Executive (in 1978 he began to share power with Terry Hands). In London, the company opened a new studio space at the Donmar Warehouse with plays by Barker, Taylor, Bond and Brecht. Its Aldwych repertory combined the usual Stratford transfers with Nichol 's Privates on Parade , Ibsen's Pillars of the Community and Brecht's The Days of the Commune . At
11692-431: The corporation and the Stratford theatre becomes 'Royal Shakespeare.' 1974 – The Other Place opened, created from a prefabricated former store/rehearsal room in Stratford. 1986 – The Swan Theatre opened, created from the shell of the 1879 Memorial Theatre. 1991 – Purpose-built new Other Place, designed by Michael Reardon, opens. September 2004 – The vision for the renewal of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre transformation
11840-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
11988-414: The current London, international tour and original 1985 London productions took part, comprising an ensemble of 300 performers and musicians. Ball and Colm Wilkinson anchored the encore, with four Jean Valjeans singing " Bring Him Home ": Wilkinson from the original London cast, John Owen-Jones from the 25th Anniversary touring production, Simon Bowman from the current London cast and Alfie Boe, who sang
12136-606: The death of Sir Terry Wogan, Ball returned to the Sunday morning slot on 10 April 2016, with the show now titled The Michael Ball Show . Claudia Winkleman took over the vacant Sunday evening slot later that month. He was also a regular stand-in presenter for Ken Bruce until 2016 on the station. On 2 April 2024, it was announced that Ball would be moving from his 11 am–1 pm Sunday lunchtime slot in June to take over Sunday Love Songs between 9 am and 11 am, following
12284-459: The death of long time host Steve Wright in February. He was replaced by Paddy McGuinness . He started his new show, Love Songs with Michael Ball , on 2 June 2024. Ball embarked on an extensive British tour during March and April 2007. There were 23 dates on the tour covering England, Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales . The tour started with two nights in Belfast , before a number of shows in
12432-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
12580-459: The direction of William Bridges-Adams and after a slow start, its resident New Shakespeare Company became one of the most prestigious in Britain. The theatre received a royal charter of Incorporation in 1925, which gave it status. On the afternoon of 6 March 1926, when a new season was about to commence rehearsals, smoke was seen. Fire broke out, and the mass of half-timbering chosen to ornament
12728-425: The direction of Sir Barry Jackson in 1945, Anthony Quayle from 1948 to 1956 and Glen Byam Shaw 1957–1959, with an impressive roll-call of actors. Scott's building, with some minor adjustments to the stage, remained in constant use until 2007 when it was closed for a major refit of the interior. Timeline: 1932 – New Shakespeare Memorial Theatre opens, abutting the remains of the old. 1961 – Chartered name of
12876-607: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
13024-602: The first quarter of 2006 on complete vocal rest, following the illness that caused him to leave The Woman in White on Broadway. By the middle of July, Ball had taken part in the Royal Court Theatre 's celebratory performance of The Rocky Horror Show . He took a leading role in Kismet in June and July 2007 for the ENO , and appeared on Channel 4 's Richard & Judy on 22 June 2007 to promote this production. He then appeared as
13172-486: The first time as a stand-in presenter. He has presented the show on several occasions since. On 18 November 2013, Ball guest presented an episode of teatime chat show The Paul O'Grady Show after Paul O'Grady was taken ill. On 24 November 2013, he guest starred as a fictionalized version of himself in the British sitcom Toast of London . On 29 December 2013, Ball was a contestant on a celebrity Christmas edition of Catchphrase . On 3 January 2014, BBC Four broadcast
13320-459: The former presenter of Ready Steady Go! , Cathy McGowan in Barnes , London . They met around 1989 when she was an entertainment reporter for a BBC London magazine show and interviewed him during rehearsals for Aspects of Love . They have lived together since 1992. On 23 December 2000, she saved his life by dragging him out of a house fire. McGowan was previously married to actor Hywel Bennett ,
13468-515: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
13616-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
13764-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
13912-616: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company ( RSC )
14060-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
14208-464: The interior provided dry tinder. By the following morning the theatre was a blackened shell. The company transferred its Shakespeare festivals to a converted local cinema. Fund-raising began for the rebuilding of the theatre, with generous donations arriving from philanthropists in America . In January 1928, following an open competition, 29-year-old Elisabeth Scott was unanimously appointed architect for
14356-489: The isle of Jersey. Ball was interested in the theatre and his father took him to see shows in the school holidays, including a Royal Shakespeare Company production at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre of King Lear , which impressed him as a youngster of about 14 years' age. He joined a youth theatre, which led to his studying drama at Guildford School of Acting , where he found an environment that suited him. As
14504-624: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
14652-420: The larger Young Vic venue for a two-month season. It was also recorded for transmission by Thames Television . In 2004, members of the RSC voted Dench's performance the greatest by an actress in the history of the company. Summing up this triumphant period, The Guardian critic Michael Billington later wrote: "[In 1977] the RSC struck gold. This was, in fact, the perihelion of Trevor Nunn's ten-year reign as
14800-519: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
14948-512: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
15096-572: The marriage producing a daughter, Emma. Ball is godfather to Emma's son. Ball returned to the Guildford School of Acting in April 2022 to deliver a speech to the graduating postgraduates of that year. Whilst there, the University of Surrey awarded Ball with an honorary doctorate . Ball's step granddaughter Grace Crompton represents England at rugby sevens and was chosen for the 2022 Commonwealth Games . Ball's debut novel The Empire set in
15244-469: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
15392-420: The new theatre which became the first important work erected in the United Kingdom from the designs of a female architect. George Bernard Shaw commented that her design was the only one that showed any theatre sense. Her modernist plans for an art deco structure came under fire from many directions but the new building was opened triumphantly on William Shakespeare 's birthday, 23 April 1932. Later it came under
15540-681: The north of England and the Midlands. Ball then headed to Glasgow and Aberdeen before returning for shows in London, Birmingham and Northampton . Ball took a trip to his old home in Plymouth before embarking on the final leg of his tour. It saw Ball perform in Ipswich and Northampton before ending his tour in Cardiff . He made his debut with the English National Opera in the lead role of Hajj/Poet in
15688-399: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
15836-561: The old working space "Dickensian" and added, "If we knew there was rain coming we'd have to clear everything off the table the night before." The prop-makers design and make many of their own props for the many productions. A 'Prop Shop' in Stratford-upon-Avon is the studio in which most of the props are made. Nunn (who had been appointed to follow Hall's tenure at the National Theatre in 1968) ceded his RSC executive directorship in 1986 to his co-artistic director Terry Hands , who bore
15984-703: The orchestral backing for Ball on both songs for this performance. On 26 December 2014, Ball starred in Victoria Wood 's musical That Day We Sang , reuniting him with his Sweeney Todd co-star Imelda Staunton. Michael has fronted three ITV shows with Alfie Boe . They were broadcast in 2016, 2017 and 2019. 2016 - Ball and Boe: One Night Only 2017 - Ball and Boe: Back Together 2019 - Ball and Boe: A Very Merry Christmas Ball hosted Ball over Broadway and The Greenroom on BBC Radio 2 and several specials on subjects such as Nat King Cole , Cameron Mackintosh , and Cy Coleman . His first regular show on BBC Radio 2
16132-605: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
16280-569: The order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At
16428-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
16576-410: The order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with the addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in
16724-402: The order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside
16872-439: The original London cast of Les Misérables , but he caught glandular fever and he took six or seven weeks off sick to recover from the associated tonsillitis and post-viral fatigue . When he returned to work he was still suffering from fatigue, and began to get on-stage panic attacks — overwhelming anxiety, a rapid heartbeat, sweating, and problems with vision. These also started happening at other times, such as when he
17020-657: The other leading male role of Sir George Dillingham in a revival of Aspects of Love . In 2024, Ball will reprise the role of Javert in Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular World Tour . Ball was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours for his services to musical theatre. Ball was born in Bromsgrove , Worcestershire , to a Welsh mother and an English father. His father Tony, who originally wanted to be an actor, trained as an Austin apprentice at
17168-516: The recording went straight to number one in the United Kingdom's " The Official Big Top 40 " chart. It sold almost 36,000 copies in its first 48 hours, and was "biggest trending song" as measured by the Official Charts Company . On 24 April, it became No. 1 in the weekly "Official" UK Singles Chart , making Moore the oldest person to achieve that position and meaning that he will be at No. 1 on his 100th birthday. Ball lives with his partner,
17316-459: The role in the concert. The original 1985 cast then led the ensemble in a performance of " One Day More ". After speeches from Cameron Mackintosh , Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg , the performance concluded with pupils from school productions of Les Misérables entering the arena. The evening concert telecast live to cinemas across the UK, Ireland and globally. A Blu-ray and DVD version of
17464-714: The role of Caractacus Potts in the Sherman Brothers musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang , which was largely considered his comeback role. In 2004, he co-starred with Petula Clark in a production of Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard at the Cork Opera House , later broadcast by the BBC . Later the same year he was a guest star at Clark's Concert, also broadcast by the BBC. He sang three tracks from his latest album, Since You've Been Gone ; "Home" and "One Voice", as well as two duets with Clark. Other performances include singing at
17612-654: The role of Marius in Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert . His other West End roles include Raoul de Chagny in The Phantom of the Opera (1987), Giorgio Bachetti in Passion (1996), and Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2002). In 2004, he played Jean Valjean in a concert performance of Les Misérables for the Queen at Windsor Castle . He has twice won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in
17760-586: The role. In November 2005, Ball returned to Broadway as Count Fosco in The Woman in White , which transferred from London's West End . He was, however, forced to leave the show because of a viral infection supposedly caused by the fat suit required for the role; this reportedly raised Ball's body temperature by several degrees during the show. In September 2005, Ball made his New York City Opera debut as Reginald Bunthorne in Gilbert and Sullivan 's Patience . He spent
17908-471: The royal announcement that the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre would henceforth be known as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the company as the Royal Shakespeare Company. The critic Michael Billington , summarising these events, wrote: "In 1960 the twenty-nine-year-old Peter Hall formally took charge at Stratford-upon-Avon and set about turning a star-laden, six-month Shakespeare festival into
18056-633: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
18204-459: The same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from a burning building containing explosives. In December 1922
18352-556: The same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as a GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and
18500-647: The second casting of The Phantom of the Opera in London, which was necessary after Michael Crawford (who played the Phantom) and Steve Barton (who played Raoul) left the London show to appear in the Broadway staging in New York City. Mackintosh thought that Ball would not be under too much pressure as Raoul, and that the part was right for him. Ball played Alex in Aspects of Love , both in London and New York, and Giorgio in
18648-609: The sole subsidised company operating in London. Following a deal with Prince Littler , managing director of Associated Theatre Properties, the RSC established the Aldwych Theatre as its London base for productions transferred from Stratford to London, its stage redesigned to match the RST's apron stage. Twenty years later, in the summer of 1982, the company took up London residence in both the Barbican Theatre and The Pit studio space in
18796-417: The solo artist in a controversial 'Musical Theatre' Prom on 27 August 2007 for the BBC at London's Royal Albert Hall . Ball performed a wide range of musical theatre numbers, including several by Andrew Lloyd Webber . The show was broadcast live on BBC Four , as well as on BBC Radio 3 . From October 2007 – July 2009, Ball made his West End return starring as Edna Turnblad in the hit musical Hairspray at
18944-706: The song "Fight the Fight" from Tim Rice's new musical From Here to Eternity . In November 2014, Ball released his new album, If Everyone Was Listening . In March 2019, he released the album Coming Home To You . The album reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and, although Ball has had many hits, this is his first solo number one selling album in 26 years. He has recorded three albums with Alfie Boe. Two reached number 1; Ball & Boe: Together in 2016 and Ball & Boe: Together Again in 2017. Their third album, Ball & Boe: Back Together in 2019 reached number 2 in
19092-455: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
19240-476: The statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by a proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in
19388-455: The studio. It was released on 20 November 2006. Ball took part in many promotional activities at the end of the 2006 to coincide with the release of his album One Voice . This involved singing the song "Home" on ITV's GMTV , This Morning , and the BBC One programme The Heaven and Earth Show , hosted by Gloria Hunniford . A new compilation album entitled Michael Ball: The Silver Collection
19536-652: The temporary Courtyard Theatre while work was in progress, designed to house his RSC Histories cycle before its transfer to the Roundhouse in London in 2008. Talking of these achievements with typical modesty he told the Evening Standard in December 2007 ('The Man Who Remade the RSC'): "There was a bit of gardening to do, but we are now beginning to show signs of walking the walk." 'The Histories' ensemble went on to win three Olivier awards in 2009. In addition, that same year
19684-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
19832-458: The town was a theatre built in 1827, in the gardens of New Place, but has long since been demolished. The RSC's history began with the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, which was the brainchild of a local brewer, Charles Edward Flower. He donated a 2-acre (0.81 ha) site by the River Avon and in 1875 launched an international campaign to build a theatre in the town of Shakespeare's birth. The theatre,
19980-494: Was Michael Ball's Sunday Brunch in 2008, replacing Michael Parkinson whose show Parkinson's Sunday Supplement had ended the previous year. The show aired on Sunday mornings between 11 am and 1 pm until September 2011, latterly sharing its time slot with Weekend Wogan presented by Terry Wogan . After a short break, in 2013 Ball returned to Radio 2 with a new show, Sunday Night With Michael Ball , airing on Sunday evenings between 7 pm and 9 pm. Following
20128-521: Was 11 years old he went to Plymouth College , an independent boarding school, because his parents thought this would give him a good education. However this made him unhappy, as he did not fit into the academic and sporting environment at the school at that time. He did join his fellow junior boarders on Sunday morning at the Pathfinder bible group in St Andrew's church. One summer he went to Pathfinder camp on
20276-925: Was also received from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation , The Backstage Trust, and from public donations; this is the final phase of the Transformation project. Live from Stratford-upon-Avon, a new project to broadcast the company's productions in cinemas around the world and stream them into schools was announced in May 2013. The project began with Shakespeare's Richard II , starring David Tennant , in November 2013, and followed up with Henry IV parts 1 and 2 and The Two Gentlemen of Verona in 2014. In February 2016, Artistic Director Gregory Doran's productions of Henry IV Part I and Henry IV Part II , and Henry V went on tour in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong as part of
20424-457: Was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on the 5 January 2020. In 2021, Ball reprised his role as Edna Turnblad in a revival of Hairspray at the London Coliseum , which opened in June of that year. In 2023, he played George Dillingham in a revival of Aspects of Love at the Lyric Theatre . In 2024, he's set to reprise the role of Javert in Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular World Tour . Ball
20572-423: Was composed by John Barry for the film of the same name, Born Free . The second song Ball sang during the programme was Love Changes Everything , a song that Black co-wrote with lyricist Charles Hart for the musical Aspects of Love , composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber . This song was released as a single by Ball in 1989 and stayed in the British pop charts for fourteen weeks. The BBC Concert Orchestra provided
20720-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
20868-523: Was followed in 1962 by Michel Saint-Denis , Peter Brook and Clifford Williams who joined the company as resident directors. John Bury was appointed head of design in 1964. The repertoire was also widened to take in modern work and classics other than Shakespeare. In 1962, strong opposition to the establishment of a London base for the RSC came from the Royal National Theatre which – led by Viscount Chandos and Laurence Olivier – wished to be
21016-580: Was going to work. For most of the next nine months he lived alone in his flat feeling depressed; he did not seek therapy and left Les Misérables . Thames Television invited Ball to sing during the Miss England contest, a live televised event, and he sang well enough despite suffering from anxiety. When he viewed a recording later, he realised that no one would have noticed how nervous he was, and he became less worried about his anxiety problem. At about that time, Cameron Mackintosh asked Ball to play Raoul in
21164-472: Was held at The O2 Arena . It featured Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean , Norm Lewis as Javert , Lea Salonga as Fantine , Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras , Hadley Fraser as Grantaire , Katie Hall as Cosette , Matt Lucas as Thénardier , Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier , Samantha Barks as Éponine , Nick Jonas as Marius Pontmercy , the role Ball delivered in the original London production. Casts of
21312-582: Was in Godspell at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, after which he worked for a few months in rep in Basingstoke, but his first major break was a star part in the production of The Pirates of Penzance at Manchester Opera House ; at an open audition he was selected from about 600 applicants who formed a queue to do singing, acting, and dancing interviews, which were held in three separate rooms. His next important role came when Cameron Mackintosh cast him as Marius in
21460-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
21608-566: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
21756-741: Was released in July 2007, along with the DVD version of his 1995 film England My England . Towards the end of 2007, Ball recorded his 15th solo album for release on 15 October of that year. The album features songs all written by Burt Bacharach and is entitled Back to Bacharach . It was released along with a performance DVD of his 2007 tour, One Voice Live , filmed at London's Hammersmith Apollo . Promotional activities took place throughout October and November 2007 for these releases including appearances on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Loose Women . In February 2013, Ball released his album "Both Sides Now" featuring
21904-719: Was then broadcast on BBC One . Ball has presented The National Lottery Draws and Children in Need . He guest presented This Morning for a short period. Ball co-judged the second series of ITV reality television show Soapstar Superstar in 2007. In 2010 Ball took part in the BBC Cymru Wales programme Coming Home about his Welsh family history. In 2010, Ball presented 30 episodes of The Michael Ball Show , his own daytime series for ITV . In 2010 and 2011, Ball guest presented six episodes of Lorraine for ITV Breakfast . On 10 April 2013, Ball guest hosted The One Show for
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