Best Performer in a Play

Sponsored by Audible

WINNERS:

Daniel Monks for Teenage Dick at the Donmar Warehouse, London

Rachel Nwokoro for Little Baby Jesus at the Orange Tree Theatre, London

Also shortlisted:

Saida Ahmed for Little Miss Burden at the Bunker, London
Katie Erich for Oliver Twist at Leeds Playhouse (in a co-production with Ramps on the Moon)
Brooklyn Melvin for Oliver Twist at Leeds Playhouse (in a co-production with Ramps on the Moon)
Jessica Rhodes for The Sugar Syndrome at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
Khai Shaw for Little Baby Jesus at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
Bobby Stallwood for Faith, Hope and Charity at the National Theatre, London

Best Performer in a Musical

WINNERS:

Shan Ako for Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre, London

Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre, London

Also shortlisted:

Lucy Anderson for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre, London
Chase Brown for Mame at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Oli Higginson for The Last Five Years at the Southwark Playhouse, London
Adriana Ivelisse for West Side Story at Curve, Leicester
Tom Noyes for Preludes at the Southwark Playhouse, London
Bethany Tennick for Islander at the Southwark Playhouse, London

Best Director

Sponsored by Smith & Williamson

WINNER: Martha Kiss Perrone for When It Breaks It Burns at the Battersea Arts Centre, London

Also shortlisted:

Georgia Green for The Mikvah Project at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
Alex Sutton for Preludes at the Southwark Playhouse, London

Best Designer

Sponsored by Robe Lighting

WINNER: Rose Revitt (set and costume) for Dr Korczak’s Example at Leeds Playhouse

Also shortlisted:

Liam Bunster (set and costume) for The Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare’s Globe, London
Andrew Exeter (lighting) for High Fidelity at the Turbine Theatre, London

Best Composer or Lyricist

WINNER: Jim Barne and Kit Buchan for The Season at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Royal and Derngate, Northampton

Also shortlisted:

Jherek Bischoff for The Ocean at the End of the Lane at the National Theatre, London
Robbie Williams for The Boy in the Dress at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon

Best Writer

WINNER: Temi Wilkey for The High Table at the Bush Theatre, London (in a co-production with Birmingham Rep)

Also shortlisted:

Samuel Bailey for Shook at the Southwark Playhouse, London
Mari Izzard for Hela at The Other Room, Cardiff
Eleanor Tindall for Before I Was a Bear at The Bunker, London

Best West End Debut Performer

sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment

WINNER: Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre

Also shortlisted:

Shan Ako for Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre
David Mitchell for The Upstart Crow at the Gielgud Theatre
Daniel Monks for Teenage Dick at the Donmar Warehouse
Samantha Pauly for Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Wendell Pierce for Death of a Salesman at the Piccadilly Theatre

Aimee Lou Wood for Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Best Creative West End Debut

sponsored by the Noël Coward Foundation

WINNER: Femi Temowo (composer) for Death of a Salesman at the Piccadilly Theatre and for Three Sisters at the National Theatre

Also shortlisted:

Fabian Aloise (choreographer) for Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Nadia Latif (director) for Fairview at the Young Vic Theatre
Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levenson (composer, lyricist & book) for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre
David West Read (book) for & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Best Actress in a Play

Sponsored by Audible

WINNER: Lauren O’Leary for The Awkward Years at the Other Room, Cardiff

Also shortlisted:

Liv Hill for Top Girls at the National Theatre, London
Urielle Klein-Mekongo for Yvette at the Bush Theatre, London
Bea Webster for Mother Courage at the Albion Electric Warehouse, Leeds

Best Actor in a Play

Sponsored by Audible

WINNER: Jamal Ajala for Ear for Eye at the Royal Court, London

Also shortlisted:

Stuart Campbell for The Hunt at the Almeida Theatre, London

Patrick Gibson for Sweat at the Donmar Warehouse and Gielgud Theatre, London

Ivan Oyik for Blue/Orange at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham

Best Actress in a Musical

Sponsored by Really Useful Group

WINNER: Danielle Fiamanya for The Color Purple at Curve, Leicester and Birmingham Hippodrome

Also shortlisted:

Georgina Ambrey for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at the Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

Maiya Quansah-Breed for Six at the Arts Theatre, London

Jarneia Richard-Noel for Six at the Arts Theatre, London

Best Actor in a Musical

Sponsored by Encore Radio

WINNER: Adam Hugill for Standing at the Sky’s Edge at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Also shortlisted:

Ryan Hutton for Only Fools and Horses the Musical at Theatre Royal Haymarket, London

Jac Yarrow for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium, London

Best Director

Sponsored by Smith & Williamson

WINNER: Atri Banerjee for Hobson’s Choice at the Royal Exchange, Manchester

Also shortlisted:

Tyrone Huntley for Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester

Jade Lewis for Superhoe at the Royal Court, London

Tom Scutt for Berberian Sound Studio at the Donmar Warehouse, London

Best Designer

Sponsored by Robe Lighting

WINNER: Evie Gurney for Antony and Cleopatra at the National Theatre, London, and The Hunt at the Almeida Theatre, London

Also shortlisted:

Abby Clarke for Beauty and the Beast at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

Maxwell Nicholson-Lailey for Huddle at the Unicorn Theatre, London

Best Composer or Lyricist

Sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment Group

WINNER: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts for Operation Mincemeat at the New Diorama Theatre, London

Also shortlisted:

Oran Eldor and Marcus Stevens for Mythic the Musical at the Charing Cross Theatre, London

Anaïs Mitchell for Hadestown at the National Theatre, London

Femi Temowo for Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic, London

Best Writer

Sponsored by Sonia Friedman Productions

WINNER: Jasmine Lee-Jones for Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner at the Royal Court, London

Also shortlisted:

Nicôle Lecky for Superhoe at the Royal Court, London

Holly Robinson for Soft Animals at Soho Theatre, London

Ross Willis for Wolfie at Theatre503, London

The Joe Allen Best West End Debut

WINNER: Jac Yarrow for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium

Also shortlisted:

Matthew Broderick for The Starry Messenger at Wyndham’s Theatre

Andrew Burnap for The Inheritance at the Noël Coward Theatre

Nathanael Campbell for Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre

Saffron Coomber for Emilia at the Vaudeville Theatre

Sarah Gordy for Jellyfish at the National Theatre

Ryan Hutton for Only Fools and Horses the Musical at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Samuel H Levine for The Inheritance at the Noël Coward Theatre

Pericles community cast for Pericles at the National Theatre

Christie Prades for On Your Feet at the London Coliseum

Best Creative West End Debut

Sponsored by Noël Coward Foundation

WINNER: Frankie Bradshaw (designer) and Lynette Linton (director) for Sweat at Donmar Warehouse and the Gielgud Theatre

Also shortlisted:

Arinzé Kene for Misty at Trafalgar Studios

Matthew Lopez for The Inheritance at the Noël Coward Theatre

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm for Emilia at the Vaudeville Theatre

Irene Sankoff and David Hein for Come from Away at the Phoenix Theatre

Child Performer of the Year

Sponsored by Stagecoach

WINNER: Taya Tower for The Hunt at the Almeida Theatre, London

Also shortlisted:

Caelan Edie for The Bodyguard at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow and tour

Jack Meredith for Caroline, Or Change at the Playhouse Theatre, London

Clara Read for The Wild Duck at the Almeida Theatre, London

Best Actress in a Play

Sponsored by Audible

WINNER: Gemma Dobson for Rita, Sue and Bob Too at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Also shortlisted:

Kitty Archer for One for Sorrow at the Royal Court, London

Lorna Fitzgerald for The Shadow Factory at NST City, Southampton

Grainne O’Mahony for The Elephant Man at Bristol Old Vic Theatre

Best Actor in a Play

Sponsored by Audible

WINNER: Akshay Sharan for The Reluctant Fundamentalist at the Yard Theatre, London

Also shortlisted:

Seb Carrington for Summer and Smoke at the Almeida Theatre, London

Chris Walley for The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Noel Coward Theatre, London

Alex Wilson for The Elephant Man at Bristol Old Vic Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical

Sponsored by R&H Theatricals Europe

WINNER: Amara Okereke for Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, London

Also shortlisted:

Teleri Hughes for Spring Awakening at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Eleanor Kane for Fun Home at the Young Vic, London

Rebecca Mendoza for Hairspray, on tour

Best Actor in a Musical

Sponsored by Encore Radio

WINNER: Louis Gaunt for Oklahoma! at Grange Park Opera, West Horsley

Also shortlisted:

Will Carey for It’s Only Life at the Union Theatre, London

Toby Miles for Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, London

Simon Oskarsson for Return to the Forbidden Planet at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London

Best Designer

Sponsored by Robe Lighting

WINNER: Khadija Raza for Hijabi Monologues, Spun, and Mixtape, at the Bush Theatre, London, the Arcola Theatre, London and the Royal Exchange, Manchester

Also shortlisted:

Basia Binkowska for Devil with the Blue Dress at the Bunker Theatre, London

Fin Redshaw for Pieces of String and Love Me Now at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester and the Tristan Bates Theatre, London

Jasmine Swan for Hyem, The Passing of the Third Floor Back, Hanna and The Sleeper at Theatre503, London, the Finborough Theatre, London, the Arcola Theatre, London

Best Director

Sponsored by Smith & Williamson

WINNER: Katy Rudd for The Almighty Sometimes at the Royal Exchange, Manchester

Also shortlisted:

Iwan Lewis for One Minute at the Barn Theatre, Cirencester

Alexandra Moxon for Wreck at Nottingham Playhouse

Oscar Pearce for Great Apes at the Arcola Theatre, London

Best Composer or Lyricist

Sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment Group

WINNER: Gus Gowland for Pieces of String at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester

Also shortlisted:

Kate Marlais for Abandon at the Lyric Hammersmith, London

Matt Winkworth for The Assassination of Katie Hopkins at Theatr Clwyd, Mold

Best Writer

Sponsored by InterTalent Rights Group

WINNER: Andrew Thompson for In Event of Moone Disaster at Theatre503, London

Also shortlisted:

Georgia Christou for Yous Two at Hampstead Theatre, London

Kendall Feaver for The Almighty Sometimes at the Royal Exchange, Manchester

Natasha Gordon for Nine Night at the National Theatre, London

Joe White for Mayfly at the Orange Tree Theatre, London

The Joe Allen Best West End Debut

WINNER: Aidan Turner for The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Noel Coward Theatre

Mohammad Amiri for The Jungle at the Playhouse Theatre

Ashley Banjo for Dick Whittington at the London Palladium

Bryan Cranston for Network at the National Theatre

Michelle Greenidge for Nine Night at the National Theatre

John McCrea for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre

Kelli O’Hara for The King and I at the London Palladium

Joe Robertson and Joe Murphy for The Jungle at the Playhouse Theatre

Lucie Shorthouse for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre

Adrienne Warren for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre

Best Actress in a Play

Sponsored by Pauline Quirke Academy

WINNER: Grace Moloney for The Country Girls at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester

Anya Chalotra for Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe, London

Kellan Frankland for The House of Bernarda Alba at the Royal Exchange, Manchester

Jess Peet for Alice in Wonderland at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

Best Actor in a Play

WINNER: Abraham Popoola for Othello at Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol

Jack Archer for Nivelli’s War at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast

TJ Jones for The Seven Acts of Mercy at the Swan Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company

Kenneth Omole for Assata Taught Me at the Gate Theatre, London

Best Actress in a Musical

Sponsored by The Other Palace

WINNER: Miriam-Teak Lee for On the Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London

Chloe Carrington for Hair at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Emily Hughes for Fiddler on the Roof at Everyman Theatre, Liverpool

Siena Kelly for On the Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London

Best Actor in a Musical

Sponsored by Encore Radio

WINNER: Samuel Thomas for Allegro at Southwark Playhouse, London

Adam J Bernard for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre, London

Ben Hunter for The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre, London

Daniel Urch for 110 in the Shade at Ye Olde Rose and Crown, London

Best Composer

Sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment Group

WINNER: Dan Gillespie Sells for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Jonah Brody for Removal Men and This Beautiful Future at the Yard, London

Ruth Chan for Snow in Midsummer at the Swan Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon

MJ Harding for Removal Men at the Yard, London

Stephen Jackson for Roller Diner at the Soho Theatre, London

Best Director

Sponsored by See Tickets

WINNER: Lekan Lawal for Betrayal at Derby Theatre, Derby

Sean Aydon for Richard III at the Rosemary Branch, London

Alexander Lass for 46 Beacon at Trafalgar Studios 2, London

Lynette Linton for Assata Taught Me at the Gate Theatre, London

Best Designer

Sponsored by Robe Lighting

WINNER: Rosie Elnile for The Convert at the Gate Theatre, London

Joshua Gadsby for Dreamplay at the Vaults, London and Still Ill at the New Diorama, London

Simon Spencer for The Tempest at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon

Jessica Staton for Extra Yarn at the Orange Tree Theatre, London

Best Writer

WINNER: Katherine Soper for Wish List at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, and Royal Court Theatre, London

Titas Halder for Run the Beast Down at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury and Finborough Theatre, London

Asif Khan for Combustion at Tara Arts, London

Victoria Willing for Spring Offensive at the Clapham Omnibus, London

• Nominees for all categories must be 16 years old or over.
• Nominees’ debuts must have been reviewed by The Stage.
• Child actors who have since become 16 years old or over are eligible for their first eligible debut as an adult.
• Nominees must have made their debuts in the UK.
• Actors and creatives who have previously worked in other media, e.g. TV and film, are eligible.
• Nominees can be of any nationality.
• The Best West End Debut Performer category covers all West End performance debuts. West End is defined as commercial theatres in full SOLT membership.

1. The Stage Critics
The Stage’s nationwide network of reviewers will identify actors and creatives making their debuts and put forward recommendations. People making their debut, agents and the general public can also nominate.

2. Expert Advisors
Representatives from across the UK are sent the critics’ longlist and asked for their input. Final decisions on both the shortlist and winners will be taken by our judging panel.

3. Judging Panel

The judging panel will assess all categories and provide a shortlist. They will decide a winner in all categories except the Best West End Debut Performer award.