Keen West Ham United Football Supporter (hence 'the Hammer'), Nigel Stewart, is the Kings Theatre's new Operations Manager.  Not that he sees his football elegancies stopping him taking on the role in Portsmouth, having spent a nomadic career in the industry!

Nigel has over 40 years experience in the theatre and entertainments business in which he started as a fresh-out-of-school sixteen year old Junior Clerk for Worthing Council, before moving to Folkestone for the next 12 years culminating as the General Manager of the Leas Cliff Hall.  In 1984, Nigel moved to Weymouth to spend the next three years as the Operations Manager of the Pavilion Theatre, before once again moving on the his next post as Entertainments and Tourism Manager for Royal Tunbridge Wells Council, where he remained until 1992 having been promoted to Chief Leisure Officer.

Having decided to take early retirement and leave local Government in 1992, Nigel took the opportunity to go freelance and be a producer of shows and achieved his ambition of staging 'Annie' with Faith Brown for a Christmas Season at Portsmouth's Guildhall in 1994 before the chance to be the Theatre Manager at the end of the pier in Cromer, Norfolk, looked too good to miss.  However, in 1997, Nigel set to work with an outdoor events company for London boroughs that brought Lambeth Country Show to the heart of the capital with 150,000 people visiting over 2 days.  In 2008, Nigel decided it really was time to retire and spend more time in the garden.  That was until he saw an advert for a stage door keeper at the Kings Theatre.  'Just the little job 'retirement' I needed', he said.  That 'little job' developed into Duty Front of House Manager (well who wouldn't want to use 40 years of expertise in the theatre?) and now that of Operations Manager.  When asked if he missed doing the garden, Nigel was quick to respond.  'Once a routine is in place the possibility of afternoons off to do the garden really exists.  All I ever knew in my life was working mornings, taking the afternoon off to be back in the theatre in the evening for the show.  You really get to love the Kings once you are here.  There is a real esprit de corps between the front of house team and the stage team, which is great.  It's all about communication and that's what I really enjoy'.  Having been President of the 'Institute of Entertainments and Arts Management', Nigel is also a member of the 'Institute of Municipal Entertainment' where he is the youngest 'old boy'.  Meeting his old colleagues once a year, Nigel is looking forward to catching up with them in September.
 

As the cast of the pantomime Aladdin took their curtain calls for the final performance of the Kings Theatre in Portsmouth, Ian Pratt, Vice Chairman of the Kings Theatre Trust stepped on stage to invite Lisa Riley, starring as The Genie of the Ring, to become a Patron of the Kings Theatre.

To rapturous applause from the audience, fellow cast members and crew, Lisa gave a resounding 'Yes!' saying that she felt just like 'Miss World' must feel!

Lisa has become a regular visitor professionally to the Kings with two pantomimes and touring productions of 'The Naked Truth' and was asked to be a patron in recognition of her constant support for the Kings and Portsmouth.

"I feel so chuffed to be made a Patron," she said. "I love this place. It's like a second home after forty two weeks on the road and everyone is so friendly. I can now be a fat Miss World!"

Having switched on the Christmas lights in Commercial Road, Portsmouth, Lisa also took time out from her performance schedule during the run to visit both the Queen Alexandra Hospital and Rowan's Hospice with other cast members.