Lloyd Webber and Waller-Bridge on theatre power list for coronavirus efforts

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are among those included

Theatre workers who responded to the Covid-19 crisis have been honoured by The Stage in its annual list of influential performing arts figures.

The publication said it had chosen to devote this year's Stage 100 to people "who have gone above and beyond".

They include Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is recognised for his lobbying and campaigning on behalf of the industry.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge and director Sam Mendes are also recognised for establishing theatre relief efforts.

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Actor Michael Balogun, who starred in a one-man show that opened and closed on the same night, was also included.

Death of England: Delroy had its run at the National Theatre curtailed by lockdown measures and was later made available online.

The list also recognises individuals for services to the community and for those involved in providing support and development opportunities.

The Stage said it had left one space empty "for all the other theatremakers who have done extraordinary and inspiring things in the face of huge adversity".

Editor Alistair Smith said the people included by name should "be seen as representative of the huge numbers of people across theatre doing great work".

Over its 24-year history, The Stage 100 has been topped by such people as Sir Ian McKellen, producer Sonia Friedman and the Royal Court's Vicky Featherstone.

According to Alistair Smith, however, it was deemed "impossible and unhelpful" to compile this year's list using power as a metric.

Sir Ian McKellen topped last year's Stage 100 list

"Theatre is chock-full of passionate, adaptable and resourceful people," he said. "They have set about their response to the global pandemic in many extraordinary ways."

The list also included previous list-toppers, including producing partners Sir Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr.

The duo, who came joint top in 2013, are recognised this year for staging a full season of work to socially-distanced audiences at the Bridge Theatre in London.

There is space too for Sir Ian McKellen, recognised alongside Sirs Kenneth Branagh and Derek Jacobi and Dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith for fundraising efforts.

The starry quintet came together on Zoom in November for For One Knight Only, a live Q&A that raised more than £300,000 for the Acting for Others campaign.