THE STAGE DEBUT AWARDS 2026, in association with Netflix, shortlist announced
The Stage Debut Awards, in association with Netflix, has announced its 2026 shortlist, celebrating the performers and creatives making standout professional and West End debuts across UK theatre.
This year’s nominees include Stranger Things star Sadie Sink and actor Noah Jupe, both shortlisted for their West End debuts in Romeo and Juliet; Oscar-nominated Brendan Gleeson for his West End debut in The Weir; and BAFTA and Tony-winning actor Ralph Fiennes, recognised for his directorial debut with As You Like It at Theatre Royal Bath.
The winners will be revealed at the ninth annual The Stage Debut Awards ceremony at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London, on 27 September.
Across eight categories, the shortlist recognises breakthrough talent on stage and off, spanning performance, writing, directing, design, composition, lyrics and book writing. Nominees come from productions staged in the West End, at major regional theatres, on tour and at fringe venues, underlining the breadth of new talent emerging across the UK.
The full list of 2026 nominees are as follows:
Best Performer in a Play (sponsored by Encore)
Robert Aramayo for Guess How Much I Love You? at Royal Court Theatre, London
Zoë Armer for The Virgins at Soho Theatre, London
Noah Jupe for Romeo and Juliet at Harold Pinter Theatre, London
Assa Kanouté for Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London
Erin Kellyman for Evening All Afternoon at Donmar Warehouse, London
Dylan Malyn for To Kill a Mockingbird at Leeds Playhouse, and touring
Ruaridh Mollica for Clarkston at Trafalgar Theatre, London
Amber van der Brugge for Vincent in Brixton at Orange Tree Theatre, London
Best Performer in a Musical (sponsored by Michael Harrison Entertainment)
Jess Douglas-Welsh for Redcliffe at Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
Jess Folley for Burlesque at Savoy Theatre, London
Lydia Louise for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Watermill Theatre, Newbury
Julianne Pundan for Miss Saigon at Palace Theatre, Manchester, and touring
James Spence for Thespians at Mercury Theatre, Colchester, and touring
Sheridan Townsley for Sing Street at Lyric Hammersmith, London
Best Writer (sponsored by Sonia Friedman Productions)
Chris Ashworth-Bennion for The Red Rogue of Bala at Theatr Clwyd, Mold
Georgie Dettmer for Are You Watching? at Royal Court Theatre, London
Hannah Doran for The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights at Park Theatre, London
Leo Drayton for Dynolwaith at Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Fran Kranz for Mass at Donmar Warehouse, London
John Morton for Eclipse at Chichester Festival Theatre
Jack Nicholls for The Shitheads at Royal Court Theatre, London
Danielle Phillips for Children of the Night at Cast, Doncaster
Best Director
Douglas Clarke-Wood for THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME. at Summerhall, Edinburgh
Ralph Fiennes for As You Like It at Bath Theatre Royal
Tommaso Giacomin for The Uncontainable Nausea of Alec Baldwin at New Diorama Theatre, London
Michelle McTernan for HOP – The Hopeful Hare at Swansea Grand Theatre
Best Designer (sponsored by Preevue)
Lev Govorovski and Ted Walliker (set and lighting design) for RON at Riverside Studios, London
Alex Mullins (costume design) for Teeth ‘n’ Smiles at Duke of York's Theatre, London
Natalie Roar (costume design) for Les Liaisons Dangereuses at National Theatre, London
Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer (sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide)
John Carney and Gary Clark (music, lyrics) for Sing Street at Lyric Hammersmith, London
Jordan Luke Gage (book, music, lyrics) for Redcliffe at Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
Guido García Lueches and Sergio Antonio Maggiolo (book, music, lyrics) for Jeezus! at Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh and New Diorama Theatre, London
Ed Zanders (music, lyrics) for Thespians at Mercury Theatre, Colchester, and touring
Best Creative West End Debut (sponsored by Jamie Wilson Productions)
Finn den Hertog (director) for The Fifth Step at @sohoplace
Tom Fletcher (composer/lyricist) for Paddington the Musical at Savoy Theatre
Rachel Joyce (book) and Passenger (composer/lyricist) for The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Ava Pickett (writer) for 1536 at Ambassadors Theatre
Best West End Debut Performer
Levi Brown for Cyrano de Bergerac at Noël Coward Theatre
Brendan Gleeson for The Weir at Harold Pinter Theatre
Liv Hill for 1536 at Ambassadors Theatre
Noah Jupe for Romeo and Juliet at Harold Pinter Theatre
Cormac McAlinden for Inter Alia at Wyndham's Theatre
Ntombizodwa Ndlovu for Marie and Rosetta at @sohoplace
Alistair Nwachukwu for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind at @sohoplace
Kate Phillips for The Weir at Harold Pinter Theatre
Arti Shah for Paddington the Musical at Savoy Theatre
Sadie Sink for Romeo and Juliet at Harold Pinter Theatre
Chair of the judges and The Stage reviews editor Sam Marlowe said: “It’s never an easy task, narrowing down the wealth of theatrical talent across the UK into a shortlist - but it is an immense pleasure and a privilege. This year’s nominees have made work of stunning breadth and ingenuity - and, as ever, we recognise and salute those flexing their talents in our smallest spaces, on shoestring budgets, as well as those creating on a much larger scale. From the tiniest fringe venues to the West End stage, they all have one thing in common: a palpable passion for the art form, and limitless vision, both of which continue to make our theatre culture vibrant, challenging, thrilling and beautiful. These are artists taking their first steps with their gaze firmly fixed on the future – and the Debuts celebrates not only their achievements so far, but all those still to come.”
Voting for Best West End Debut Performer is now open and can be cast online here. Voting closes on 13 September.
The ceremony’s host will be announced soon, alongside the line-up of guest presenters and performers.