9 January 2019
Trafalgar Entertainment unveils 2018 key moments following eventful first full year of trading
2018 was an eventful year for Trafalgar Entertainment, the company established by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire just two years ago.
The year began with the news that Executive Chair and Joint CEO Rosemary Squire was to receive a Damehood in The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for Services to Theatre and Philanthropy. 2018 also saw a raft of new appointments to Trafalgar Entertainment with David Lazar, Tim McFarlane and Andrew Hill all reuniting to work with Howard and Rosemary.
Over the summer, Trafalgar Theatre Productions premiered The King and I at the London Palladium to critical and commercial success and The Rocky Horror Show returned for a new UK tour kicking off in Brighton. At Trafalgar Studios production highlights included The Grinning Man, Nine Night and Killer Joe starring Orlando Bloom.
Throughout 2018, Trafalgar Entertainment and its associated businesses – Trafalgar Releasing, Stagecoach and Trafalgar Theatre Productions – produced 30 pieces of original content and distributed 80 pieces of content to 93 countries globally.
In July, Trafalgar Entertainment made a major acquisition when it purchased Stagecoach Theatre Arts from Encore Capital. Stagecoach inspires over 46,000 children every week with its global network of extra-curricular children’s Performing Arts schools. Meanwhile, Stagecoach held its very first Creative Courage for Life Awards and its students took centre stage with starring roles in The King and I.
It was also a blockbuster year for Trafalgar Releasing with BTS’ Burn the Stage, Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams and The King and I all breaking box office records.
In October, Trafalgar Entertainment announced its very first technical apprenticeship scheme in partnership with National College Creative Industries, with upcoming placements at Trafalgar Studios and Stagecoach.
Rounding off a successful year, Howard and Rosemary climbed back up The Stage 100, a lift of 12 places to number 16, with the industry paper commenting that “they are serious players again with major firepower.”
Rosemary Squire said; “2018 was pivotal for Trafalgar Entertainment, our first full year of trading with exponential growth and numerous key milestones. It was also a year of investment, expansion and ambition and we are now in a good position for further growth over the coming year.
“We’re particularly interested in emerging overseas markets, venue acquisition and building development and we’re open to exploring innovative opportunities that support and underpin the four core trading activities of the business; venues, productions, event cinema and education.”
“On the production front, there’s lots to look forward to in 2019 with the worldwide tour of The King and I, and the UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show.”