Peter Wilson, the 72-year-old former manager of Norwich Theatre Royal for nearly a quarter century, has passed away. Mr. Wilson’s first West End production was Arnold Wesker’s Annie Wobbler in 1985, and he has also performed on Broadway and with international touring companies.
In 1992, he joined the Norwich Theatre Royal, where the lights will be dimmed in his honor at 7 p.m. tonight (Tuesday), before resigning as CEO in 2016.
Mr Wilson was made an MBE in 2000 for his services to theatre and in 2005 received a special award from Norfolk County Council for his contributions to the county’s creative industry.
In June 2020, he was appointed deputy to Lord-Lieutenant Lady Philippa Dannatt as vice-lord-lieutenant.
Earlier this year, he was honored with a prestigious Olivier award, given to those who have exemplified excellence and dedication to the industry, as well as those who have pioneered change.
Mr. Wilson passed away at home on September 4th. Stephen Crocker, the chief executive officer of Norwich Theatre Royal, remarked, “All of us at Norwich Theatre are devastated by the news of Peter Wilson’s passing.
“We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his family and cherished ones. “Peter’s tenure as CEO of Norwich Theatre Royal from 1992 to 2016 was a watershed moment in our history.
“His contribution during those 25 years, both to our organization and to the Norwich and Norfolk arts community as a whole, was extraordinary and had an immeasurable impact.
“His visible and invisible legacy is profound and will continue to carry on through the work of Norwich Theatre as well as the many other organizations that benefited from his support and all those he inspired.
“As a sign of respect, we will dim the lights on the front of the Norwich Theatre Royal for two minutes tonight at 7 o’clock.”
In the coming days, we will also publish a tribute to Peter and his many accomplishments during his time leading our organization.
Mr. Wilson was executive chairman of PW Productions, which issued the following statement: “It is with great sorrow that PW Productions announces that Peter Wilson MBE, one of the West End’s most prolific and influential theatre producers, died peacefully at home on Monday, September 4, at the age of 72.
“Peter’s professional legacy is incalculable, and his influence on British theater will endure.
“Among his most successful productions are Susan Hill’s ‘The Woman in Black’ and Stephen Daldry’s ‘An Inspector Calls,’ both of which continue to tour and give many young people their first taste of live theater.
“Everyone at PW Productions is devastated by the death of Peter, an irreplaceable colleague, friend, and mentor.
We extend our profound condolences to his family during this time of great sorrow.
Lady Dannatt stated, “I regret to inform you that our Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Peter Wilson, passed away peacefully at home yesterday morning.
“On behalf of the lieutenancy, I offer my deepest condolences to Garlinda, his children, and his extended family.
Peter has been an exceptional Deputy Lieutenant and an inspiring Vice Lord-Lieutenant, and he will be sorely missed by all of us.
During his tenure as a set designer at Norwich Theatre Royal, Mr. Wilson collaborated with Ian Westbrook, one of the artists responsible for the ‘City Living’ mural above Frankie & Benny’s in Riverside.
He stated,
“Peter was a charismatic and inventive man at the theater and the cocktail party that followed.
“I met Peter for the first time in the early 1990s, when he arrived in Norwich while the theater was being renovated.
“I devised the first variety show to open at the newly renovated Norwich Theatre Royal, and he directed Peter Pan at Christmas.
“His attention to detail and desire for visually impressive scenery and costumes were crucial.
“Peter was a kind, compassionate man with an enormous, humorous intellect.
“Those who worked with him will remember him, and his passing is a great loss for Norfolk and the theater world.”
John Bultitude served as Mr. Wilson’s communications assistant at the theater from 2007 to 2019.
He added,
“Peter was a man whose enthusiasm for entertainment and theater in all its forms was infectious.
“More than that, he made all of us who worked for him feel like part of a family – he knew all of us and we knew him.
“His vision of transforming a theatre struggling to survive, into one that won national acclaim and was adored by its patrons, will never be forgotten.
“Even after he left, he kept in touch and always cared about us.
“He truly was a one-off and someone who inspired, cared and innovated – he will be missed.”
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