Nick Thomas (theatre producer)

Nicholas Jeffrey Thomas MBE (born 16 December 1959) is a British entertainment entrepreneur and an Olivier-award-winning theatre producer. He is founder, Chairman and joint-owner with his wife Sandra, of Qdos Entertainment Ltd (Qdos), whose subsidiaries include HQ Theatres & Hospitality Ltd, Qdos Entertainment (Pantomimes) Ltd, Qdos Entertainment (Productions) Ltd, Q Talent Ltd and Q Voice Ltd.[1]

Nick Thomas
Born (1959-12-16) 16 December 1959
Blandford Forum, Dorset, England
OccupationTheatre producer

Since its inception, The Stage newspaper annual ‘Stage 100’ has accredited Thomas as one of the top 100 most influential people in British Theatre. In 2018, he was ranked 13th in the list,[2] and his highest position was 5th in 2008.[3]

In 2017, Thomas was the Executive Producer, alongside Qdos Entertainment Managing Director Michael Harrison, for Qdos’ production of Dick Whittington at The London Palladium. The show was nominated for, and won, the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment & Family at the 2018 Olivier Awards.

Thomas was first listed in Who’s Who in 2013. He is a Vice President of The Royal Variety Charity[4] which organises The Royal Variety Performance.

He is a fundraiser for Great Ormond Street Hospital and through his businesses has raised in excess of £1.2m for the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital Charity.[5] In 2017, Qdos Entertainment was included in the Friends of Adeona; a list recognising those fundraisers whose activities have had the greatest impact on the hospital’s work and is the highest form of recognition that Great Ormond Street can bestow upon its supporters.

Thomas is a member of The Ivy Club, the Arts Club and Groucho Club.

Performing career, 1970s–1980s

Thomas created the puppet act ‘Tommer Puppets’ in 1973.[6] In 1975, aged 15, his act won Episode 22, Series 3 of the ATV Network series New Faces. The show was broadcast on 15 February 1975, and the Winners Show on 8 March, which was won by the late Al Dean, a Liverpool comedian. The Chuckle Brothers (working then as Paul & Barry Harman), and Lenny Henry were also on the Winner’s Show. This marked the start of Thomas’ professional career; he left school in 1975 and subsequently appeared in shows with Dick Emery, Mike & Bernie Winters, Ronnie Dukes & Ricky Lee, The Nolans, Cilla Black, Lena Zavaroni and Larry Grayson. His act also appeared on many cruise liners in Rey Grey Revues, including Lauro Lines ‘Angelina Lauro’ Chandris Lines ‘Amerikanis’,’ Britannis’, and Costa Lines ‘Eugenio C’.[7]

Producing career

Summer shows

Thomas began producing summer season shows in 1982. Between 1982 and 2005, he produced summer season revues and concerts at the following theatres:

Grand Theatre Blackpool, South Pier Theatre Blackpool, North Pier Theatre Blackpool, Opera House Blackpool, Royal Opera House Scarborough, Floral Hall Scarborough, Futurist Theatre Scarborough, Spa Theatre Scarborough, Pavilion Theatre Sandown Isle of Wight, Princess Theatre Torquay, English Riviera Centre Torquay, Pavilion Theatre Weymouth, Embassy Centre Skegness, Pavilion Theatre Bournemouth, Royalty Theatre Great Yarmouth, Britannia Pier Great Yarmouth Butlins Holiday Worlds & Haven Holidays Parks.

Pantomimes

Thomas began producing pantomimes at The Charter Theatre Preston in 1982.[6] In 1999 he bought E&B Productions (Theatre) Ltd,[7] a rival pantomimes producer. In 2003 he bought Midas Productions Ltd a second rival producer.[8] Qdos Entertainment (Pantomimes) Ltd is now the world’s largest producer of pantomimes.

In the 2017-2018 season the company produced 35 pantomimes at the following theatres across Britain.[9]

  • His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen,
  • Grand Opera House, Belfast,
  • The Hippodrome, Birmingham,
  • The Alhambra, Bradford,
  • The Hippodrome, Bristol,
  • The Churchill, Bromley
  • New Theatre, Cardiff,
  • Lyceum Theatre, Crewe,
  • The Hippodrome, Darlington,
  • Orchard Theatre Dartford,
  • King's Theatre, Edinburgh,
  • King’s Theatre, Glasgow
  • Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre, Glasgow,
  • White Rock Theatre, Hastings,
  • Beck Theatre, Hayes,
  • Swan Theatre, High Wycombe,
  • New Theatre, Hull,
  • The Empire, Liverpool,
  • Venue Cymru, Llandudno,
  • The Palladium, London,
  • Opera House, Manchester,
  • Milton Keynes Theatre,
  • Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne,
  • Royal & Derngate, Northampton,
  • Theatre Royal, Nottingham,
  • Theatre Royal, Plymouth,
  • Richmond Theatre,
  • Mayflower Theatre, Southampton,
  • Cliffs Pavilion, Southend,
  • Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent,
  • Grand Theatre, Swansea,
  • New Wimbledon Theatre,
  • New Victoria Theatre, Woking,
  • Wyvern Theatre, Swindon,
  • Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton.

Pantomime at the London Palladium

In 2016 Thomas was Executive Producer for the Qdos production of Cinderella – the first pantomime to be produced at the London Palladium for almost 30 years.[10] The show received two Olivier-award nominations in the Best Entertainment & Family and Best Costume Design categories at the 2017 Olivier Awards.[11]

In 2017 Thomas was Executive Producer for the Qdos Production of Dick Whittington at the London Palladium. The show won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment and Family at the 2018 Olivier Awards at an awards ceremony at The Royal Albert Hall on 8 April 2018.[12]

On 27 April 2018, Qdos Entertainment announced that pantomime would return to the London Palladium once again, with Thomas and Harrison's production of Snow White slated for the 2018-2019 season. The production will star Dawn French, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace.

Cruise Line Productions

Thomas’ Qdos Entertainment (Productions) Ltd has produced extensively on Cruise Ships, for a number of different operators. These include:

2008 - 2014; Celebrity Cruises; ‘Millennium’, ‘Constellation’, ‘Infinity’, ‘Summit’[13]
2013 - 2018; Cunard Lines; ‘Queen Victoria’, ‘Queen Mary 2’, Queen Elizabeth.[14]

2015 - 2018; P&O Cruises: Britannia

Regional theatre operations career

In 2005, Thomas formed HQ Theatres Ltd (HQT) a joint venture between Qdos and Hetherington Seelig Theatres which at the time operated the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon and The Swan Theatre, High Wycombe. Qdos went on to buy out Hetherington Seelig’s shareholding in 2007. After a period of significant growth, the group is now the second largest regional theatre operator in the UK with a total of 12 venues under its management. [16].[15]

Key moments in the company’s history are as follows:

2005: HQ Theatres (HQT) formed as a joint venture between Qdos and Hetherington Seelig Theatres.

2006: HQT wins operating contract for the Cliffs Pavilion Southend and Palace Theatre Westcliff.
2007: HQT forms HQ Hospitality Ltd to provide bars & catering services at all its theatres.
2007: Qdos buys out Hetherington Seelig Theatres’ shareholding in HQT.[16]
2008: HQT wins operating contract for Orchard Theatre Dartford.
2009: HQT wins operating contracts for Beck Theatre Hayes and White Rock Theatre Hastings.
2010: HQT wins operating contract for The Watford Colosseum.
2011: HQT wins operating contract for G Live Guildford.
2012: HQT wins operating contract for The Lyceum Theatre Crewe.
2013: HQ Theatres is re named as HQ Theatres & Hospitality Ltd (HQT&H).
2015: HQT&H wins operating contract for Churchill Theatre in Bromley starting in April 2016.

HQ Theatres & Hospitality Ltd is the second largest regional theatre operator in the UK.[17]

Talent agency career

1991: Creates the talent agency Artist Management Group Ltd.[18]
2002: Creates Qvoice Ltd voice-over agency.
2003: Buys International Artistes Ltd with Artist Management Group.
2006: Buys JLM Artists Ltd.[16]
2007: Buys holiday park agency The Entertainment Department (UK) Ltd, renames it TED Group.[16]

2011: Merges International Artistes and JLM to create QTalent Ltd.[19] 2014: JLM separates from QTalent to become Sharon Henry Management. QTalent continues to operate.

Restaurants and hotel career

Thomas also operates a portfolio of restaurants, pubs and accommodation. These include:

1999 – 2008: Tricolos Scarborough.[20]
2005 – Present: The Copper Horse, Seamer, Scarborough.[21]
2010 – 2014: The Tanglewood, York.[22]
2010 – 2013: The Restaurant @SJT Theatre, Scarborough.[6]
2011 – Present: The Copper Horse Cottages & Rooms, Seamer, Scarborough
2013 – Present: The Mayfield Carvery/Restaurant/Rooms, Seamer, Scarborough[23]
2013 – Present: The Plough Pub/Restaurant/Rooms, Scalby, Scarborough[24]

2015 – Present: The Yew Tree Cafe, Scalby, Scarborough

Personal life

Thomas was born in Blandford Forum Dorset, the son of a garage proprietor Douglas William Thomas, and the youngest of five children.

In 1966 his family moved to Formby in Merseyside and, in 1967 to Scarborough, North Yorkshire. His first visit to a theatre was in 1967 to see ‘The Bachelors Show’ at The Futurist Theatre Scarborough.[6] In 1970 he met Ken Dodd at The Futurist Theatre (after a show in which his wife-to-be was a Diddyman) and began a lifelong friendship with the entertainer. Dodd's early influence is credited by Thomas as his inspiration to start a career in show business. Thomas penned a tribute to Dodd in The Stage newspaper when the entertainer died in 2018.

Thomas attended Gladstone Road Junior School 1967-1971 and Scarborough High School for Boys (renamed Graham School) 1971-1975.[6]

Thomas was married to Sandra Jane Thomas in 1985. They had their first child Verity in 1987 and their second child Christie in 1991. The couple have two grandchildren, Rupert, born 2014 and Cecilia, born 2017. The family have homes in Scarborough, London and Estepona Spain.

Thomas was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to the entertainment industry and charity.[25]

References
  1. "About Qdos Entertainment". Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  2. "The Stage 100: 11-20". The Stage.
  3. "Stage 100: Who'll be number one?". The Stage. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  4. "EABF Management". Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  5. "Qdos Entertainment Raises over £700,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital". Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  6. "Futurist Questions to Nick Thomas". Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  7. "LinkedIn". Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  8. "Nick Thomas and the Cooper Horse". Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  9. "Qdos Pantomimes". Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  10. "30 years on, panto returns to London Palladium | News | The Stage". The Stage. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  11. "Olivier Awards 2017: the nominations in full". The Stage. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  12. "Olivier Awards 2018: Winners in full". BBC News. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  13. "Celebrity Cruises' Shows Step it up a Notch". Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  14. "Dancers set for cruise liner performances". The Scarborough News. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  15. "About HQ Theatres & Hospitality". Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  16. "Purchases put Qdos third in UK regions". The Stage. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  17. "HQ Theatres to run £26m Guildford venue". The Stage. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  18. "We still like to be beside the seaside". The Independent. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  19. "About Qtalent". Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  20. "Under new management". Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  21. "North Yorkshire restaurant guide - The Copper Horse, Seamer". Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  22. "The Tanglewood, York". Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  23. Stirk, Annie (10 April 2014). "Yorkshire Life Luncheon - The Copper Horse, Seamer, Scarborough".
  24. Jeffels, David (29 November 2013). "£1 million makeover for Crown & Cushion in Welburn". Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  25. "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B22.
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