Nica Burns
{{COI|date=December 2015}}
{{short description|British theatre producer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nica Burns
| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}
| image =
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| birth_name = Lounica Maureen Patricia Burns
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1954|08}}
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| nationality = British
| education = Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
| alma_mater = University College London
| occupation = London theatre producer and owner
| known for = Nimax Theatres
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| spouse = Marc Hutchinson
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Lounica Maureen Patricia "Nica" Burns {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born August 1954) is a London theatre producer and co-owner with her business partner Max Weitzenhoffer of the Nimax Theatres group, comprising six West End theatres: the Palace, Lyric, Apollo, Garrick, Vaudeville and Duchess.{{Cite web|url=https://www.londontheatredirect.com/post/463/Nimax-Theatres-who-is-Nica-Burns.aspx|title=Nimax Theatres – who is Nica Burns?|last=Limited|first=London Theatre Direct|access-date=2016-08-26}}
Early life
Nica Burns was born in August 1954,{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/N2c7d5C2zOs4EZPKs6jqKQtf1_g/appointments|title=Lounica Maureen Patricia BURNS - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)|author=|date=|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|accessdate=16 March 2018}} and grew up in Ealing, London.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2011/aug/26/nica-burns-interview|title=Nica Burns: queen of Edinburgh comedy|first=Andrew|last=Dickson|date=26 August 2011|website=the Guardian|accessdate=16 March 2018}} She was educated at Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls, when it was located in Acton. In 1973, she went to University College London to read for a law degree.{{Cite web|url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/otherresources/interviews/NicaBurns.htm|title=The British Theatre Guide: Interview with Nica Burns|website=www.britishtheatreguide.info|access-date=2016-08-26}}
Career
Following an early career in acting, Burns moved to directing and producing, co-writing and performing in H. E. Bates's Dulcima at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She has been director and producer of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards (formerly Perrier Awards) from 1984 to the present day.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2011/aug/26/nica-burns-interview|title=Nica Burns: queen of Edinburgh comedy|last=Dickson|first=Andrew|date=26 August 2011|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2016-08-26}}
She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours{{London Gazette |issue=60367 |date=29 December 2012 |page=10 |supp=y }} and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours, both for services to theatre.{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6669879843c77d8616f76033/Birthday_Honours_List_2024.pdf |title=Awards for Birthday Honours List 2024}}
At the 2013 Private Business Awards, Burns was awarded Private Businesswoman of the Year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pwc.co.uk/private-business-private-clients/private-business-awards-2013.html|title=Private Business Awards 2013 – and the winners are...|last=PricewaterhouseCoopers|access-date=2016-08-31}}
The Apollo was the centre of a news story on 19 December 2013, when portions of the ceiling collapsed, landing on the audience.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25458009|title=Ceiling collapses in packed theatre|author=|date=20 December 2013|publisher=|accessdate=16 March 2018|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
Personal life
Burns is married to Australian-born finance lawyer Marc Hutchinson, a partner at Slaughter and May,{{cite web|url=http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/environment/profile-top-lawyer-to-take-helm-of-heath-and-hampstead-society-and-lead-dams-fight-1-3648984|title=Profile: Top lawyer to take helm of Heath and Hampstead Society and lead dams fight|first=Tom|last=Marshall|date=|website=hamhigh.co.uk|accessdate=16 March 2018}} and chairman of the Heath and Hampstead Society since 2014.{{cite web|url=http://archive.camdennewjournal.com/news/2014/jul/profile-marc-hutchinson-new-chairman-heath-and-hampstead-society|title=Profile: Marc Hutchinson, the new chairman of the Heath and Hampstead Society - Camden New Journal|author=|date=|website=archive.camdennewjournal.com|accessdate=16 March 2018}} They met when they were both law students at University College London.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.nimaxtheatres.com/ Nimax Theatres website]
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Category:British theatre managers and producers
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:People educated at Haberdashers' Girls' School
Category:British women theatre managers and producers