Theatre actors, writers and directors awarded New Year honours

Stephen Mear, Sam Mendes and Giles Terera

Theatre and film director Sam Mendes, whose most recent stage work includes directing The Inheritance, The Ferryman and The Lehman Trilogy, has been given a knighthood.

Director and choreographer Stephen Mear, who has choreographed many West End shows and directed the current production of Funny Girl in Paris, has been made a CBE for services to dance.

Choreographer Kate Flatt, who was part of the original creative team on Les Misérables and has worked on musicals, opera and ballet, has been awarded an OBE.

Director Roy Alexander Weise, who directed Nine Night and “Master Harold”... and the Boys in London and is the new co-artistic director of Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, has been made an MBE for services to drama.

A knighthood has also been given to Christopher Hampton who has been writing for theatre for over 50 years. This year saw London productions of his play A German Life, his adaptation of Ödön von Horváth's Youth Without God and his translation of Florian Zeller’s The Son.

Writer James Graham, whose hit plays include Ink and Quiz, has been awarded an OBE for services to drama and young people in British theatre because of his work at the National Youth Theatre. Natasha Gordon, who wrote Nine Night, has been made an MBE for services to drama.

Actor, musician and writer Giles Terera, who originated the role of Aaron Burr in the London production of Hamilton and starred this year in Rosmersholm in London, was also made an MBE for services to theatre.

Actor Maureen Beattie received an OBE for her work as president of performers’ and creatives’ union Equity.

Wendy Craig, who has been acting on stage and screen for over 60 years as well as writing for TV, was made a CBE for services to drama and charity.

Rudolph Walker, who is now best known for playing Patrick Trueman in EastEnders, was made an MBE in recognition of his acting career going back nearly 55 years and his services to charity.

Derek Griffiths as The Guard in Exit The King. Photo: Simon Annand

Actor Derek Griffiths, who has been appearing on stage and screen since the 1960s, most recently appearing in Exit the King at the National Theatre, was awarded an MBE for services to drama and diversity.

Actor, broadcaster and politician Floella Benjamin has been made a dame for services to charity.

James Grieve and George Perrin, formerly joint artistic directors of leading theatre company Paines Plough for nine years till this summer, were both made MBEs for services to theatre.

Mark Everett, who retired two years ago as director of the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury after 23 years, was also made an MBE for services to theatre.

Léonie Scott-Matthews, who has run Pentameters Theatre in Hampstead in London since founding it in 1968, has been made a BEM.

Elton John, whose work includes musicals The Lion King and Billy Elliott, was made a Companion of Honour after being knighted in 1998.