The Stage Debut Awards: the winners in their own words

Winners of The Stage Debut Awards 2024 have revealed how it feels to receive the prizes, with actor Jeevan Braich saying the accolade testified to the importance of "saving the arts".

"Not just me, but anyone in this building wouldn’t be here without them," the Starlight Express performer told The Stage. "We need to get the arts back on the curriculum. They really make us what we are. They need to be valued." 

Braich scooped the award for Best Performer in a Musical jointly with Sunset Boulevard’s Grace Hodgett Young at the ceremony, held in London on September 29. 

Writer Azuka Oforka used her acceptance speech to draw attention to difficulties for emerging playwrights, saying: "To champion writers is vital. We need money, time, space and mentorship."

Oforka won for Sherman Theatre’s The Women of Llanrumney, saying that while she was surprised to win, she "believed in [her] play" and its ability to shine a light on Britain’s colonial history. 

Sam Grabiner, who also won the Best Writer award for Soho Theatre’s Boys on the Verge of Tears, said it was "so lovely" to have two writers honoured at The Stage Debut Awards for the first time. 

"There is so much good work out there that awards feel absurd sometimes," he said, "so the fact that there’s two of them is double as good."

Best West End Debut Performer Jack Wolfe, whose win for his turn in Next to Normal was decided by a public vote, said he was "over the moon" at the recognition.

"It takes so much courage and commitment to make your start in the industry," Wolfe said. "To see that room so supportive, and excited for your debut, is so special. Knowing the people that we are seeing, these amazing young actors who are going to be the actors of their generation is so exciting."

Best Director winner Sophie Drake said she was "shocked", adding: "It is so hard to get into this industry – starting out you can be working for ages and not feel you are making much progress."

Drake won the gong for The Bleeding Tree at Southwark Playhouse Borough, triumphing in the first all-female Best Director category in The Stage Debut Awards’ history. 

Best Designer winner Nathan Amzi, who won alongside Joe Ransom for their video work on Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy, also used his triumph to draw attention to challenges for emerging artists. 

Amzi told The Stage: "There is no way that theatre can continue without the support that young artists get on the way up. It is so hard to make your way into this industry, so to have a chance, like the chance [Jame Lloyd] gave us, is just amazing."

Commending backstage staff including technicians, cleaners and front of house, he added: "It honestly takes a village to put on a show. So many of the people backstage don’t get recognised. If you didn’t have these people, you wouldn’t have theatre."  

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