Theatre awards awarded by whatsonstage.com
The WhatsOnStage Awards (WOS Awards ), formerly known as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards , are organised by the theatre website WhatsOnStage.com .[ 1] The awards recognise performers and productions of British theatre with an emphasis on London 's West End theatre .[ 2]
Nominations and eventual winners are selected by the theatre-going public's vote. The awards are held each February. Between 2012 and 2023, they have been staged at the West End's Prince of Wales Theatre , with the awards being moved to the London Palladium for the 2024 edition.[ 3]
History
In early 2001, WhatsOnStage.com published the shortlists for that year's Laurence Olivier Awards and invited site visitors to vote online for who they thought should win. In a fortnight, 5,000 people took part – and their results differed wildly from the Olivier judges. For the 2002 awards, the editors compiled their own shortlists and in 2003, they held their first launch party to announce the shortlists to around 200 industry guests. The first awards concert and ceremony was introduced for the 2008 awards.
Judging
Each year, the awards shortlists are drawn up with the help of thousands of theatregoers who log on to nominate their favourites across all 20+ awards categories. Nominations are announced at a star-studded launch event held in early December. Voting then opens and runs until the end of January the following year. In 2012–13, over 60,000[ 4] theatregoers logged on to vote, with leaders in many categories fluctuating dramatically from day to day.
Ceremony
2016
The 2016 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 21 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Steve Furst .[ 5]
2017
The 2017 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 19 February 2017 at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Simon Lipkin and Vikki Stone .[ 6]
2018
The 2018 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 25 February 2018 at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
2019
The 2019 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 3 March 2019 at the Prince of Wales Theatre.[ 7]
2020
The 2020 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 1 March 2020 at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
2021
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the 2021 WhatsOnStage Awards were held virtually. They did not honour creatives as they traditionally did but instead recognised 21 members of the public who had supported the theatre industry during the pandemic.[ 8]
2022
The 2022 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony were held on 27 February 2022 at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
2023
The 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony were held on 12 February 2023 at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
2024
The 2024 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony were be held on 11 February 2024 at the London Palladium .[ 3]
Presenters
Presenters of the WhatsOnStage Awards have included James Corden , Sheridan Smith , Christopher Biggins , Mel Giedroyc , Miranda Hart , Alan Davies , Jenny Eclair , Rufus Hound , Steve Furst , Vikki Stone and Simon Lipkin .[ 9]
Over the years, guest presenters and performers at the Launch Party have included Graham Norton , Elaine Paige , Michael Ball , Lesley Garrett , Ryan Molloy , James Earl Jones , Jools Holland , Patina Miller , Julian Clary , Jeremy Irons , Simon Russell Beale , Bertie Carvel and Meera Syal .[ 9]
West End stars who have performed at the Awards Concerts at the Prince of Wales have included Alfie Boe , Sally Ann Triplett , Ryan Molloy , Jodie Prenger , Hannah Waddingham , Leanne Jones , Jill Halfpenny , Hadley Fraser , Ramin Karimloo , Rosemary Ashe , Nancy Sullivan , Samantha Barks , Sarah Lark , Kim Criswell , Siobhan McCarthy , Julie Atherton , Suranne Jones , Elena Roger , Sean Palmer , Clare Foster , Hannah Waddingham , Dean Chisnall, Brian May , Kerry Ellis , Tim Minchin , Melanie C and Sam Tutty .
Venues
The inaugural launch party was held at The Venue, before moving to the Dominion Theatre in 2004, Planet Hollywood in 2005 and 2006, and Café de Paris , where it has been every year since with the exception of the 2009 awards, when it was held at the London Hippodrome as part of their campaign to save the venue as a performance space.[citation needed ]
The first awards concert and ceremony was introduced for the 2008 awards and was held at the 960-seat Lyric Theatre . The concert moved to the 1,100-seat Prince of Wales Theatre for the 2009 awards and was a sell-out for four straight years from 2009–2012. The concert moved to the Palace Theatre for the 2013 awards but returned to the Prince of Wales Theatre for 2014.[citation needed ]
Award categories
Performance categories
Best Performer in a Musical
Best Supporting Performer in a Musical
Best Performer in a Play
Best Supporting Performer in a Play
Best Professional Debut Performance
Best Takeover In A Role
Production categories
Best New Play
Best New Comedy
Best New Musical
Best Play Revival
Best Musical Revival
Best Shakespearean Production
Best Director
Best Set Designer
Best Lighting Designer
Best Video Design
Best Choreographer
Best Original Music
Special categories
London Newcomer Of The Year
Best Off-West End Production
Best Regional Production
Best West End Show
Best Concert Event
Defunct categories
Recent winners
2008 [ 10]
Best Actress in a Play: Maggie Smith – The Lady from Dubuque at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Best Actor in a Play: Ian McKellen – King Lear , RSC at the New London
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Diana Rigg – All About My Mother at the Old Vic
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Lee Evans – The Dumb Waiter at Trafalgar Studios
Best Actress in a Musical: Leanne Jones – Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Best Actor in a Musical: Michael Ball – Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Tracie Bennett – Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Ben James-Ellis – Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Best Solo Performance: Fiona Shaw – Happy Days at the NT Lyttelton
Best Ensemble Performance: The Taming of the Shrew & Twelfth Night – Propeller at the Old Vic
Best Takeover in a Role: Kerry Ellis – Wicked at the Apollo Victoria
Best New Play: All About My Mother by Samuel Adamson – at the Old Vic
Best New Comedy: Elling by Simon Bent – at the Bush & Trafalgar Studios
Best New Musical: Hairspray by Marc Shaiman , Scott Whittman , Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan – at the Shaftesbury
Best Play Revival: Equus – at the Gielgud
Best Musical Revival: Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – at the Adelphi
The Best Shakespearean Production: Macbeth – at the Gielgud
Best Director: Jack O'Brien – Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Best Set Designer: Rob Howell – The Lord of the Rings at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Best Choreographer: Jerry Mitchell – Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
London Newcomer of the Year: Daniel Radcliffe – Equus at the Gielgud
Best Off West End Production: A Christmas Carol & The Magic Flute – at the Young Vic and I Love You Because – at the Landor
Best Regional Production: Pygmalion – at the Theatre Royal Bath & on tour
Theatre Event of the Year: Daniel Radcliffe's steamy publicity shots for Equus
2009 [ 11]
Best Actress in a Play: Katy Stephens – The Histories, RSC at the Roundhouse
Best Actor in a Play: Kenneth Branagh – Ivanov, Donmar West End at Wyndham's
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Sophie Thompson – The Female of the Species at the Vaudeville
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Tom Hiddleston – Othello at the Donmar Warehouse & Ivanov, Donmar West End at Wyndham's
Best Actress in a Musical: Sofia Escobar – West Side Story at Sadler's Wells
Best Actor in a Musical: Ryan Molloy – Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Tracie Bennett – La Cage aux Folles at the Playhouse
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Stephen Ashfield – Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward
Best Solo Performance: Eddie Izzard – Stripped at the Lyric
Best Ensemble Performance: Into the Hoods – at the Novello
Best Takeover in a Role: Daniel Boys – Avenue Q at the Noël Coward
Books Best New Play: Under the Blue Sky by David Eldridge – at the Duke of York's
Best New Comedy: Fat Pig by Neil LaBute – at Trafalgar Studios & the Comedy
Best New Musical: Jersey Boys by Bob Gaudio, Bob Crewe, Rick Elice & Marshall Brickman – at the Prince Edward
Best Play Revival: Ivanov , Donmar West End – at Wyndham's
Best Musical Revival: West Side Story – at Sadler's Wells
Best Shakespearean Production: Othello – at the Donmar Warehouse
Best Director: Michael Grandage – Othello & The Chalk Garden at the Donmar Warehouse & Ivanov , Donmar West End at Wyndham's
Best Set Designer: Klara Zieglerova – Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward
Best Lighting Designer: Malcolm Rippeth – Brief Encounter at The Cinema, Haymarket & Six Characters in Search of an Author at the Gielgud
Best Choreographer: Lynne Page – La Cage aux Folles at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Playhouse
London Newcomer of the Year: Josh Hartnett – Rain Man at the Apollo
Best Off West End Production: Come Dancing – at Theatre Royal Stratford East
Best Regional Production: Hamlet – RSC at the Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Theatre Event of the Year: David Tennant returning to the stage in Hamlet for the RSC
2010 [ 12]
Best Actress in a Play: Rachel Weisz - A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar Warehouse
Best Actor in a Play: Jude Law - Hamlet , Donmar West End at Wyndham's
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Miriam Margolyes - Endgame at the Duchess
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Patrick Stewart - Hamlet , RSC at the Novello
Best Actress in a Musical: Patina Miller - Sister Act at the London Palladium
Best Actor in a Musical: Rowan Atkinson - Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Jodie Prenger - Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Oliver Thornton - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Palace
Best Solo Performance: Derren Brown - Derren Brown: Enigma at the Adelphi
Best Ensemble Performance: On the Waterfront at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Best Takeover in a Role: John Barrowman - La Cage aux Folles at the Playhouse
Best New Play: Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth at the Royal Court Downstairs
Best New Comedy: Calendar Girls by Tim Firth at the Noël Coward
Best New Musical: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert by Allan Scott & Stephan Elliott at the Palace
Best Play Revival: A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar Warehouse
Best Musical Revival: Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Best Shakespearean Production: Hamlet - RSC at the Novello
Best Director: Trevor Nunn - Inherit the Wind at the Old Vic & A Little Night Music at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Garrick
Best Set Designer: Brian Thomson - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Palace
Best Lighting Designer: Natasha Katz - Sister Act at the London Palladium at The Cinema, Haymarket, & Six Characters in Search of an Author at the Gielgud
Best Choreographer: Ross Coleman - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Palace
London Newcomer of the Year: Diana Vickers - The Rise & Fall of Little Voice at the Vaudeville
Best Off West End Production: The Pirates of Penzance at the Union Theatre
Best Regional Production: Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall Bristol Old Vic & tour
Best West End Show: Wicked
Theatre Event of the Year: The pairing of Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Waiting for Godot
2011 [ 13]
Best Actress in a Play: Zoe Wanamaker - All My Sons at the Apollo
Best Actor in a Play: David Suchet - All My Sons at the Apollo
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Tamsin Greig - The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Patrick Stewart - Hamlet , RSC at the Novello
Best Actress in a Musical: Sheridan Smith - Legally Blonde at the Savoy
Best Actor in a Musical: Ramin Karimloo - Love Never Dies at the Adelphi
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Jill Halfpenny - Legally Blonde at the Savoy
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Joseph Millson - Love Never Dies at the Adelphi
Best Solo Performance: Meera Syal - Shirley Valentine at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Trafalgar Studios 1
Best Ensemble Performance: Les Misérables 25th anniversary concert – the company of companies – at The O2
Best Takeover in a Role: Rachel Tucker - Wicked at the Apollo Victoria
Best New Play: Anne Boleyn by Howard Brenton – at Shakespeare's Globe
Best New Comedy: Yes, Prime Minister by Antony Jay & Jonathan Lynn – at the Gielgud
Best New Musical: Legally Blonde - by Nell Benjamin, Laurence O'Keefe & Heather Hach – at the Savoy
Best Play Revival: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Novello
Best Musical Revival: Les Misérables 25th anniversary production at the Barbican
Best Shakespearean Production: Hamlet at the National, Olivier
Best Director: Timothy Sheader Into the Woods & The Crucible at the Open Air
Best Set Designer: Joanna Scotcher - The Railway Children at Waterloo Station
Best Lighting Designer: James Farncombe Ghost Stories at the Lyric Hammersmith & Duke of York's
Best Choreographer: Jerry Mitchell - Legally Blonde at the Savoy
London Newcomer of the Year: Jonathan Groff - Deathtrap at the Noël Coward
Best Off West End Production: La Bohème at the Cock Tavern, Kilburn & Soho
Best Regional Production: Chess on tour
Best West End Show: Wicked
Theatre Event of the Year: Les Misérables 25th anniversary concert at The 02 & screened to cinemas worldwide
2012 [ 14]
Best Actress in a Play: Vanessa Redgrave - Driving Miss Daisy at Wyndham's
Best Actor in a Play: James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Catherine Tate - Season's Greetings at the National, Lyttelton
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Oliver Chris - One Man, Two Guvnors at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
Best Actress in a Musical: Amanda Holden - Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Best Actor in a Musical: Richard Fleeshman - Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Hannah Waddingham - The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Nigel Harman - Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Best Solo Performance: Kerry Ellis - Anthems at the Royal Albert Hall
Best Ensemble Performance: London Road - at the National, Cottesloe
Best Takeover in a Role: Alfie Boe - Les Misérables at the Queen's
Best New Play: Three Days in May by Ben Brown - at Trafalgar Studios 1
Best New Comedy: One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean - at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
Best New Musical: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert by Allan Scott & Stephan Elliott at the Palace
Best Play Revival: Driving Miss Daisy at Wyndham's
Best Musical Revival: The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
Best Shakespearean Production: Much Ado About Nothing at Wyndham's
Best Director: Danny Boyle - Frankenstein at the National, Olivier
Best Set Designer: Rob Howell - Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly & Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
Best Lighting Designer: Hugh Vanstone - Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly
Best Choreographer: Peter Darling - Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
London Newcomer of the Year: Tim Minchin - Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
Best Off West End Production: The Riots - at the Tricycle
Best Regional Production: Sweeney Todd at Chichester Festival
Best West End Show: War Horse
Theatre Event of the Year: David Tennant & Catherine Tate reuniting on stage in Much Ado About Nothing
2013 [ 15]
Best Actress in a Play: Sheridan Smith – Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic
Best Actor in a Play: Rupert Everett – The Judas Kiss at the Hampstead
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Natalie Casey - Abigail's Party at the Menier Chocolate Factor & Wyndham's
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Stephen Fry – Twelfth Night at Shakespeare's Globe & the Apollo
Best Actress in a Musical: Imelda Staunton – Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
Best Actor in a Musical: Michael Ball – Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Melanie C – Jesus Christ Superstar at the O2
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Tim Minchin – Jesus Christ Superstar at the O2
Best Solo Performance: Idina Menzel – Idina Menzel at the Apollo
Best Ensemble Performance: Richard III & Twelfth Night – at Shakespeare's Globe & the Apollo
Best Takeover in a Role: Ramin Karimloo – Les Misérables at the Queen's
Best New Play: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Simon Stephens – at the National, Cottesloe
Best New Comedy: The Ladykillers by Graham Linehan – at the Gielgud
Best New Musical: The Bodyguard by Alex Dinelaris – at the Adelphi
Best Play Revival: Abigail's Party – at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Wyndham's
Best Musical Revival: Sweeney Todd – at the Adelphi
Best Shakespearean Production: Twelfth Night – at Shakespeare's Globe & the Apollo
Best Director: Jonathan Kent – Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
Best Set Designer: Tom Scutt – The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe at Kensington Gardens & Constellations at the Royal Court Upstairs & Duke of York's
Best Lighting Designer: Mark Henderson – Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
Best Choreographer: Andrew Wright – Singin' in the Rain at the Palace
Best Original Music: Sweet Smell of Success – Marvin Hamlisch at the Arcola
London Newcomer of the Year: Will Young – Cabaret at the Savoy
Best Off West End Production: Taboo – at the Brixton Club House
Best Regional Production: American Idiot – on tour
Best West End Show: Les Misérables – at the Queen's
Theatre Event of the Year: Danny Boyle 's Olympics Opening Ceremony
2014 [ 16]
2015 [ 17]
Best Actress in a Play: Billie Piper in Great Britain
Best Actor in a Play: David Tennant in Richard II
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Vanessa Kirby in A Streetcar Named Desire
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Mark Gatiss in Coriolanus
Best Actress in a Musical: Eva Noblezada in Miss Saigon
Best Actor in a Musical: Jon Jon Briones in Miss Saigon
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Rachelle Ann Go in Miss Saigon
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Kwang Ho Hong in Miss Saigon
Best Takeover in a Role: Kerry Ellis for Wicked
Best New Play: Shakespeare in Love
Best New Musical: Memphis
Best Play Revival: Coriolanus
Best Musical Revival: Miss Saigon
Best Director: Laurence Connor for Miss Saigon
Best Set Designer: Totie Driver & Matt Kinley for Miss Saigon
Best Lighting Designer: Mark Henderson for Coriolanus
Best Choreographer: Bob Avian & Geoffrey Garratt for Miss Saigon
Best Off West End Production: Sweeney Todd at Twickenham Theatre
Best Regional Production: Oliver! at Sheffield Theatres
Best West End Show: Miss Saigon
2022 [ 21] Best performer in a male identifying role in a musical: Eddie Redmayne - Cabaret , Playhouse Theatre, London
Best performer in a female identifying role in a musical: Carrie Hope Fletcher - Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella , Gillian Lynne Theatre, London
Best supporting performer in a male identifying role in a musical: Hugh Coles - Back to the Future: the Musical , Manchester Opera House and Adelphi Theatre, London
Best supporting performer in a female identifying role in a musical: Carly Mercedes Dyer - Anything Goes , Barbican Centre , London
Best performer in a male identifying role in a play: James McAvoy - Cyrano de Bergerac , Playhouse Theatre, London
Best performer in a female identifying role in a play: Lily Allen - 2:22 A Ghost Story , Noel Coward Theatre, London
Best supporting performer in a male identifying role in a play: Jake Wood - 2:22 A Ghost Story
Best supporting performer in a female identifying role in a play: Akiya Henry - The Tragedy of Macbeth , Almeida Theatre, London
Best new musical: Back to the Future the Musical
Best musical revival: Anything Goes
Best new play: 2:22 A Ghost Story
Best play revival: Cyrano de Bergerac
Best off-West End production: My Son's A Queer but What Can You Do? - The Turbine Theatre
Best regional theatre production: Rent - Hope Mill Theatre , Manchester
Best West End show: Six - Vaudeville Theatre
Best direction: Michael Grandage - Frozen , Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
Best choreography: Rob Ashford - Frozen
Best set design: Christopher Oram - Frozen
Best costume design: Christopher Oram - Frozen
Best lighting design: Tim Lutkin - Back to the Future the Musical
Best musical direction or supervision: Stephen Oremus - Frozen
Best sound design: Gareth Owen - Back to the Future the Musical
Best video design: Finn Ross - Frozen
Best graphic design: Bob King Creative - Frozen
See also
References
External links