The artistic director of St Albans' Maltings Theatre has earned himself a worthy space on this years' annual STAGE 100 list.

The list is comprised of and celebrates those across the theatre industry who are fighting to keep performance alive throughout the pandemic.

Adam Nichols, who has been part of the team at the Maltings for a decade, was placed on the prestigious list for his spectacular array of live shows that managed to go ahead last year, despite COVID-19 restrictions - which often left the livelihood of the theatre hanging in the balance.

The Stage's January edition said of Adam: "As the artistic director of the Maltings Theatre in St Albans, Adam Nichols achieved an impressive roster of live shows in 2020 – from a two-week outdoor Shakespeare Festival at the city’s Roman Theatre to an autumn season in which he staged a new production each week as well as a short-lived but cheering Christmas production of Peter Pan at the Alban Arena.”

Adam, along with Simon Nicholas, founded production company OVO in 2002, which creates and runs innovative, imaginative and inspiring theatre out of the Maltings.

Of being honoured in the distinguished list, Adam told the Herts Ad: "I think it's a great recognition firstly of all the effort everybody's put in last year. It was obviously a challenging year to be operating, although I think we managed to turn it into an opportunity.

"First and foremost, it's a recognition of the work of lots of people. We employed over a hundred people last year in one way or another, so it's a real team effort.

"I think also, from more of a personal perspective, it's great in terms of us being recognised in the industry as a theatre that's producing good quality work that can be mentioned in the same breath as Emma Rice, Nick Hytner or Michael Grandage, who are obviously very well respected and very established, high profile theatre makers. For us to be mentioned in that company in terms of our ambitious plans for the future is great. It gives us a great platform."

Although a self-proclaimed eternal optimist, Adam highlighted the anxiety that still looms over creating productions due to hit the stage this spring, but acknowledged how the current vaccination roll-out will make a huge difference in how the Maltings' summer and autumn seasons plays out.