Everyone's Talking About Jamie's John McCrea and Lucie Shorthouse, Tina The Musical's Adrienne Warren and The King and I's Kelli O'Hara compete with the likes of Bryan Cranston and Aidan Turner in the West End category, while eight up-and-coming StageFaves are nominated across the Best Actor and Best Actress in a Musical fields in The Stage's second annual Debut Awards. Who gets your vote?
Full shortlists are announced today in The Stage's second annual Debut Awards, celebrating the UK’s most outstanding breakthrough talent in theatre. Big names – including Broadway’s Kelli O’Hara in the West End category – are recognised alongside up and coming talent. Winners are announced at a ceremony on 23 September 2018.
As the shortlist for this year’s The Stage Debut Awards 2018, in association with Access Entertainment, is announced, voting opens for the Joe Allen Best West End Debut Award 2018, the only award voted for by the general public. This award celebrates
Voting closes at midnight on 16 September 2018. All award winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday 23 September 2018, which will be streamed live on The Stage’s Facebook page.
Mark Shenton, Associate Editor at The Stage and MyTheatreMates co-founder, said:
“The shortlist for the West End debut award offers an eclectic but electrifying set of contributions, including three Tony Award-winning stars (Bryan Cranston, Kelli O’Hara and Adrienne Warren, each of whom made their London debuts in the last year), an actor making his adult West End debut (John McCrea previously appeared in the West End as a child actor) and another who is already a national TV star (Poldark‘s Aidan Turner).
“But the West End is still a destination and a kind of validation for their talents, in which they join other theatrical newcomers to this global showcase like the co-writers of The Jungle and one of its principal actors. The nominating panel acknowledge them all; now it is up to the public to decide the winner.”
Lyn Gardner, Associate Editor, The Stage, added: “I love The Stage Debut Awards. It feels both genuinely celebratory and useful to recognise people’s talent at the start of their careers. There are plenty of awards which heap praise on the already successful, but The Stage Debut Awards are unique in giving a helping hand to those joining the profession. It has been a privilege to be part of the team helping to select the winners.”
2018 Debut Awards (musical categories)
Best Actor In A Musical – Sponsored by Encore Radio
- Will Carey for
It’s Only Life at the Union Theatre, London - Louis Gaunt for Oklahoma! at Grange Park Opera, West Horsley
- 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 Actress In A Musical – Sponsored by R&H Theatricals Europe
- 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
- Amara Okereke for Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, London
Best Composer or Lyricist – Sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment Group
- Gus Gowland for Pieces of String at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester
- 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
- 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
- Andrew Thompson for In Event of Moone Disaster at Theatre503, London
- Joe White for Mayfly at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
The Joe Allen Best West End Debut
- 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
- Aidan Turner for The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Noel Coward Theatre
- Adrienne Warren for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre
