Nominations announced for 26th Annual WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Nominations have been announced for the 26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards today, with Paddington the Musical receiving a record-breaking 14 nominations and The Importance of Being Earnest leading the straight play categories.
The announcement of the nominations marks the opening of the final voting stage (until 22 January), with winners revealed at the annual awards ceremony held on 8 March at The London Palladium.
WhatsOnStage’s Darius Thompson and Alex Wood said: “UK theatre really has looked after the bear! It was no shock to see Paddington The Musical break the record for most nominations after the musical and technological marvel captured hearts and audiences after its Savoy Theatre debut.
“More broadly, we're thrilled to see the awards reflecting a diverse geographic spread, with nominees being recognised in places like Dundee, Cirencester, Mold, and Sheffield. While the West End often captures the spotlight, the unwavering support from local communities for their shows is always heartwarming to witness – and much deserved!”
The nominations in full are as follows:
THE SINE DIGITAL BEST PERFORMER IN A PLAY
Jonathan Bailey, Richard II, Bridge Theatre
Ncuti Gatwa, Born With Teeth, Wyndham’s Theatre
Tom Hiddleston, Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Joe Locke, Clarkston, Trafalgar Theatre
Maxine Peake, The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse, Nottingham Playhouse
Rosamund Pike, Inter Alia, National Theatre
BEST PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL – SPONSORED BY TICKETMASTER
Lauren Drew, Titanique, Criterion Theatre
James Hameed and Arti Shah, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Lucie Jones, 13 Going On 30 The Musical, Manchester Opera House
Jamie Muscato, The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum
Diego Andres Rodriguez, Evita, The London Palladium
Rachel Zegler, Evita, The London Palladium
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A PLAY
Joe Alwyn, The Lady from the Sea, Bridge Theatre
Emma Corrin, The Seagull, Barbican Theatre
Stephen Fry, The Importance of Being Earnest, Noël Coward Theatre
Yerin Ha, The Maids, Donmar Warehouse
Sophie Melville, Clarkston, Trafalgar Theatre
Mason Alexander Park, Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL – SPONSORED BY NEWMAN DISPLAYS
Bella Brown, Evita, The London Palladium
Amber Davies, The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum
Candace Furbert, Sharlene Hector, Brianna Ogunbawo, Malinda Parris, Robyn Rose-Li, Hercules, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Grace Mouat, 13 Going On 30 The Musical, Manchester Opera House
Layton Williams, Titanique, Criterion Theatre
BEST PROFESSIONAL DEBUT – SPONSORED BY AKA
Timi Akinyosade, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Mia Carragher, The Hunger Games on Stage, Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre
Hannah Dodd, Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Jess Folley, Burlesque The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Ruaridh Mollica, Clarkston, Trafalgar Theatre
Asha Parker, Burlesque The Musical, Savoy Theatre
BEST TAKEOVER
Karis Anderson, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre
Stevie Doc, The Devil Wears Prada, Dominion Theatre
Emma Kingston, Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre
Rob Madge, Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Eva Noblezada, Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Alex Young, Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
BEST NEW PLAY – SPONSORED BY DISNEY ON STAGE
Born With Teeth, Wyndham’s Theatre
Clarkston, Trafalgar Theatre
The Comedy About Spies, Noël Coward Theatre
Inter Alia, National Theatre
Stereophonic, Duke of York’s Theatre
Through It All Together, Leeds Playhouse
THE TRAVEL ZOO BEST NEW MUSICAL AWARD
The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum
Hercules, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Here and Now, UK Tour
Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Shucked, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Titanique, Criterion Theatre
THE LONDONER BEST PLAY REVIVAL AWARD
The Importance of Being Earnest, National Theatre / Noël Coward Theatre
The Lady from the Sea, Bridge Theatre
Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Richard II, Bridge Theatre
The Seagull, Barbican Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire, Sheffield Theatres
BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL – SPONSORED BY CONCORD THEATRICALS
Brigadoon, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Evita, The London Palladium
Jesus Christ Superstar, The Watermill Theatre
Little Shop of Horrors, Sheffield Theatres
My Fair Lady, Curve, Leicester
The Producers, Menier Chocolate Factory / Garrick Theatre
BEST WEST END SHOW – SPONSORED BY DEWYNTERS
Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre
Oliver!, Gielgud Theatre
Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre
BEST REGIONAL PRODUCTION
13 Going on 30 The Musical, Manchester Opera House
Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, Manchester Opera House
Jesus Christ Superstar, The Watermill Theatre
Krapp’s Last Tape, York Theatre Royal
Pride and Prejudice, UK Tour
Through It All Together, Leeds Playhouse
BEST CONCERT EVENT
The Book Thief in Concert, Prince of Wales Theatre
Gravity, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Concert, Prince Edward Theatre
Jeremy Jordan: Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Albert Hall
Songs For a New World, Eventim Apollo Hammersmith
Rachel Zegler: Live at The London Palladium, The London Palladium
BEST STUDIO PRODUCTION – SPONSORED BY THEATRICAL RIGHTS WORLDWIDE
Be More Chill, Old Joint Stock Theatre
Brixton Calling, Southwark Playhouse Borough
Cul de Sac, Omnibus Theatre
The Frogs, Southwark Playhouse Borough
The Last Five Years, Barn Theatre Cirencester and Reading Rep
Young Frankenstein, Hope Mill Theatre
BEST DIRECTION – SPONSORED BY LONDON THEATRE DIRECT
Tamara Harvey, The Constant Wife, RSC
Lynette Linton, Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse
Jamie Lloyd, Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Thomas Ostermeier, The Seagull, Barbican Theatre
Tim Sheader, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Donmar Warehouse
Luke Sheppard, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – SPONSORED BY LaDUCA SHOES
Fabian Aloise, Evita, The London Palladium
Ellen Kane, Ballet Shoes, National Theatre
Ellen Kane, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Lorin Latarro, The Producers, Menier Chocolate Factory / Garrick Theatre
Drew McOnie, Brigadoon, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Jennifer Weber, 13 Going on 30 The Musical, Manchester Opera House
THE PREEVUE BEST SET DESIGN AWARD
Frankie Bradshaw, Ballet Shoes, National Theatre
Lizzie Clachan, The Lady From the Sea, Bridge Theatre
Tom Pye, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Paul Tate dePoo III, The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum
Michael Taylor, My Fair Lady, Curve Leicester
David Zinn, Stereophonic, Duke of York’s Theatre
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Alex Berry, Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse
Linda Cho, The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum
Colin Richmond, The Red Shoes, RSC
Gabrielle Slade and Tahra Zafar, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Rae Smith, The Importance of Being Earnest, National Theatre / Noël Coward Theatre
Michael Taylor, My Fair Lady, Curve Leicester
THE WHITE LIGHT BEST LIGHTING DESIGN AWARD
Neil Austin, Born with Teeth, Wyndham’s Theatre
Neil Austin, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Jon Clark, Evita, The London Palladium
Paule Constable, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Chichester Festival Theatre
Howard Hudson, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Donmar Warehouse
Jessica Hung Han Yun, Hamlet Hail to the Thief, RSC
BEST SOUND DESIGN – SPONSORED BY HERE AT OUTERNET
Adam Fisher, Evita, The London Palladium
Tony Gayle, Wild Rose, The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
Tom Gibbons, The Seagull, Barbican Theatre
Gareth Owen, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Ryan Rumery, Stereophonic, Duke of York’s Theatre
Gareth Tucker, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Donmar Warehouse
BEST VIDEO DESIGN – SPONSORED BY STUDIO 20
Will Duke, Hamlet Hail to the Thief, RSC
Andrzej Goulding, Born with Teeth, Wyndham’s Theatre
Luke Halls, Sing Street, Lyric Hammersmith
Zakk Hein, The Maids, Donmar Warehouse
Jamie Lloyd, Nick Ward, David Anderson, Evita, The London Palladium
Ash J Woodward, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
WIGS, HAIR AND MAKE-UP
Valerie Atkinson, Little Shop of Horrors, Sheffield Theatres
Campbell Young Associates, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Rae Smith, with Kate Elizabeth, Campbell Young Associates and Adele Brandman, The Importance of Being Earnest, National Theatre / Noël Coward Theatre
Charles G LaPointe, Rachel Grier and Ashley Ryan, The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum
Mia M Neal, Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche, Hercules, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Grace Smart, Cyrano de Bergerac, RSC
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION / SUPERVISION
Tom Brady, Hamlet Hail to the Thief, RSC
Matt Brind, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Justin Craig, Stereophonic, Duke of York’s Theatre
Stuart Morley, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Watermill Theatre
Sarah Travis, Davey Anderson, Ali Roocroft, Wild Rose, The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
Alan Williams, Evita, The London Palladium
BEST CASTING DIRECTION
Pippa Ailion CDG for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Donmar Warehouse
Stuart Burt, Make It Happen, Dundee Rep Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival
Alastair Coomer, The Importance of Being Earnest, National Theatre / Noël Coward Theatre
Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting, Nick Hockaday, Annabelle Davis, Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, Here We Are, National Theatre
Pearson Casting, Titanique, Criterion Theatre
*****
Congratulations to all of the nominees!