Nominations Announced for the 22nd Annual Whatsonstage Awards

WhatsOnStage's Sarah Coleman said today, “Given the events of the past 21 months, it’s truly wonderful to be able to celebrate the return of theatre and the vast array of excellence on our stages across the UK – and we look forward to coming together in February to present the WhatsOnStage Awards back at the Prince of Wales Theatre, with an evening showcasing incredible talent. These awards also celebrate the audiences who vote for them, whose support of our industry has been vital to getting us through this time and to reopening our stages. It’s truly heartening – and a positive to come out of this period - to see the emergence of productions outside of London featuring across a variety of categories due to the advances in streaming theatre, enabling shows with shorter runs greater impact, and the capacity to reach audiences globally.”

Leading the nominations this year is the new musical Frozen – currently running at Theatre Royal Drury Lane - with 13 nominations across acting and creative categories including nominations for Best New Musical, for both Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon in the Best Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Musical category, with Oliver Ormson and Obioma Ugoala both nominated for Best Supporting Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Musical. In addition, the production also receives nominations for Best Direction for Michael Grandage, and nominations for Best Set Design, Best Costume Design, Best Choreography, Best Musical Direction, Best Lighting, Best Video Design and Best Graphic Design.

In the musical categories, Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical receives 10 nominations, with Back to the Future the Musical revving up closely behind with 9 nominations. Even though still in previews, Cabaret makes its mark with 7 nominations, mirrored by Moulin Rouge! and Cinderella.

In Best Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Musical, Barks and McKeon face stiff competition from Cabaret’s Jessie Buckley, Aimie Atkinson for Pretty Woman, Beverley Knight for The Drifters Girl and previous WhatsOnStage Award winner Carrie Hope Fletcher for Cinderella. For Best Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Musical, Back to the Future’s Roger Bart and Olly Dobson go head to head against Ivano Turco for Cinderella, Arinzé Kene for Get Up, Stand Up!, Eddie Redmayne for Cabaret, and Julian Ovenden in South Pacific.

In the musical supporting categories, Ormson and Ugoala face Hugh Coles and Cedric Neal both from Back to the Future the Musical, Blake Patrick Anderson from Be More Chill and Robert Lindsay from Anything Goes; and in the Best Supporting Performer in a Female Identifying Role, Cinderella’s Victoria Hamilton-Barritt and Rebecca Trehearn are both nominated, alongside Gabrielle Brooks for Get Up, Stand Up!, Joanna Ampil for South Pacific and Millie O’Connell for Rent.

Leading the straight plays categories is Yaël Farber’s production of The Tragedy of Macbeth, which recently completed its run at the Almeida Theatre, receiving 5 nominations for Saoirse Ronan for Best Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Play, Akiya Henry for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Play, Richard Rankin for Best Supporting Male Identifying Role in a Play, Best Direction and Best Play Revival.

Also performing well in the straight play categories are The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Magic Goes Wrong, 2:22 A Ghost Story and Cyrano de Bergerac with 4 nominations each.

For her stage debut in Anna X as part of Sonia Friedman’s RE:EMERGE season, Emma Corrin receives their first WhatsOnStage nomination for Best Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Play, nominated alongside Gemma Arterton for Walden in the same season, Lily Allen for 2:22 A Ghost Story, Patsy Ferran for Camp Siegfried, Sheila Atim for Constellations, alongside Saoirse Ronan. Best Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Play nominees are Henry Lewis for Magic Goes Wrong, Ben Daniels for The Normal Heart, Hadley Fraser for 2:22 A Ghost Story, Richard Armitage for Uncle Vanya and James McAvoy for Cyrano de Bergerac.

For Best Supporting Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Play, the nominees are Nancy Zamit for Magic Goes Wrong, Michelle Fox for Shining City, Penny Layden for The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Isobel McArthur for Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), Akiya Henry for The Tragedy of Macbeth and Aimee Lou Wood for Uncle Vanya. Best Supporting Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Play nominees include Jake Wood for 2:22 A Ghost Story, Richard Rankin for The Tragedy of Macbeth and Jonathan Sayer for Magic Goes Wrong – all 3 plays receiving 3 acting nominations each, alongside Stephen K Amos for My Night with Reg, Nathaniel Parker for The Mirror and the Light, and Dino Fetscher for The Normal Heart.

In the fiercely fought Best New Musical category, Frozen faces competition from Cinderella, Back to the Future the Musical, Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Pretty Woman the Musical and Moulin Rouge!; and in Best New Play, the nominees are Magic Goes Wrong, 2:22 A Ghost Story, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), J’Ouvert and this year’s Olivier Award winner Leopoldstadt.

Best Play Revival nominees are The Normal Heart, Constellations, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Uncle Vanya, My Night with Reg and Cyrano de Bergerac; and Best Musical Revival sees the recently opened Cabaret face off against Anything Goes, Rent, South Pacific, Carousel and West Side Story.

Best Direction sees a split between musical theatre with Frozen’s Michael Grandage nominated alongside Clint Dyer for Get Up, Stand Up!, and Rebecca Frecknall for Cabaret, and straight plays with The Tragedy of Macbeth’s Yaël Farber, Katy Rudd for The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Jamie Lloyd for Cyrano de Bergerac completing the category.

South Pacific receives 6 nominations in total, having opened at Chichester Festival Theatre and been streamed, including Best Regional Production, where it faces competition from Rent – with 5 nominations, What’s New Pussycat?, West Side Story, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Bloody Elle; and for Best Off-West End Production, the nominees are My Son’s a Queer (but What Can You Do?), The Last Five Years, Pippin, Saving Britney, Old Bridge and Anything is Possible If You Think About It Hard Enough.

Mischief Theatre receives 5 nominations in total – 4 for Magic Goes Wrong, and also for The Play That Goes Wrong in the popular Best West End Show category. Other nominees in the Best West End Show category are Six the Musical, Wicked, Les Misérables, Come From Away and Hamilton.

Now in their 22nd year, the WhatsOnStage Awards are the only major theatre awards decided entirely by the theatregoers themselves. Voting opens today, closing on 21 January 2022, ahead of the winners being announced at the Awards concert on 27 February 2022 at Prince of Wales Theatre.

THE NOMINEES IN FULL:

BEST PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

• Roger Bart - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
• Olly Dobson - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
• Arinzé Kene - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
• Julian Ovenden - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre
• Eddie Redmayne – Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre - Kit Kat Club
• Ivano Turco – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre

BEST PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

• Aimie Atkinson - Pretty Woman, Piccadilly Theatre & Savoy Theatre
• Samantha Barks - Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Jessie Buckley – Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre - Kit Kat Club
• Carrie Hope Fletcher – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
• Beverley Knight - The Drifters Girl, Garrick Theatre
• Stephanie McKeon, Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

• Blake Patrick Anderson - Be More Chill, The Other Palace & Shaftesbury Theatre
• Hugh Coles - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
• Robert Lindsay - Anything Goes, Barbican Centre
• Cedric Neal - Back to the Future the Musical - Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
• Oliver Ormson – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Obioma Ugoala – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

• Joanna Ampil - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre
• Gabrielle Brooks - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
• Victoria Hamilton-Barritt – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
• Carly Mercedes Dyer - Anything Goes, Barbican Centre
• Millie O'Connell - Rent, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• Rebecca Trehearn – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre

BEST PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY

• Richard Armitage - Uncle Vanya, Harold Pinter Theatre
• Ben Daniels - The Normal Heart, National Theatre
• Omari Douglas – Constellations, Vaudeville Theatre
• Hadley Fraser - 2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre
• Henry Lewis - Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre
• James McAvoy - Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre

BEST PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY

• Lily Allen - 2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre
• Gemma Arterton – Walden, Harold Pinter Theatre
• Sheila Atim – Constellations, Vaudeville Theatre
• Emma Corrin - Anna X, Harold Pinter Theatre, The Lowry, Salford
• Patsy Ferran - Camp Siegfried, The Old Vic
• Saoirse Ronan - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY

• Stephen K Amos - My Night with Reg, The Turbine Theatre
• Dino Fetscher - The Normal Heart, National Theatre
• Nathaniel Parker - The Mirror and the Light, Gielgud Theatre
• Richard Rankin - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre
• Jonathan Sayer - Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre
• Jake Wood - 2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY

• Michelle Fox - Shining City, Theatre Royal Stratford East
• Akiya Henry - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre
• Penny Layden - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre
• Isobel McArthur - Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), Criterion Theatre
• Aimee Lou Wood - Uncle Vanya, Harold Pinter Theatre
• Nancy Zamit - Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre

BEST NEW MUSICAL

• Back to the Future the Musical - Adelphi Theatre
• Cinderella - Gillian Lynne Theatre
• Frozen - Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical - Lyric Theatre
• Pretty Woman the Musical - Piccadilly Theatre & Savoy Theatre
• Moulin Rouge! - Piccadilly Theatre

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

• Anything Goes - Barbican Centre
• Cabaret - Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
• Carousel - Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Rent - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• South Pacific - Chichester Festival Theatre
• West Side Story - Curve, Leicester

BEST NEW PLAY

• 2:22 A Ghost Story - Noël Coward Theatre
• J' Ouvert - Harold Pinter Theatre, Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
• Leopoldstadt – Wyndham’s Theatre
• Magic Goes Wrong - Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre
• Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) - Criterion Theatre
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane - National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre

BEST PLAY REVIVAL

• Constellations - Vaudeville Theatre
• Cyrano de Bergerac - Playhouse Theatre
• My Night with Reg - The Turbine Theatre
• The Normal Heart - National Theatre
• The Tragedy of Macbeth - Almeida Theatre
• Uncle Vanya - Harold Pinter Theatre

BEST OFF-WEST END PRODUCTION

• Anything is Possible if You Think About it Hard Enough - Southwark Playhouse
• My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?) - The Turbine Theatre
• Old Bridge - Bush Theatre
• Pippin - Charing Cross Theatre
• Saving Britney - Old Red Lion Theatre
• The Last Five Years - Southwark Playhouse

BEST REGIONAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

• Bedknobs and Broomsticks the Musical - UK tour
• Bloody Elle - A Gig Musical - Manchester Royal Exchange
• Rent - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• South Pacific - Chichester Festival Theatre
• West Side Story - Curve, Leicester
• What's New Pussycat? – Birmingham Repertory Theatre

BEST WEST END SHOW

• Come From Away - Phoenix Theatre
• Hamilton - Victoria Palace Theatre
• Les Misérables - Sondheim Theatre
• Six the Musical - Vaudeville Theatre
• The Play That Goes Wrong - Duchess Theatre
• Wicked - Apollo Victoria Theatre

BEST DIRECTION

• Clint Dyer - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
• Yaël Farber - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre
• Rebecca Frecknall – Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
• Michael Grandage – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Jamie Lloyd - Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre
• Katy Rudd - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

• Rob Ashford - Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Drew McOnie – Carousel, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Kathleen Marshall - Anything Goes, Barbican Centre
• Shelley Maxwell - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
• Sonya Tayeh - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
• Ann Yee - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre

BEST SET DESIGN

• Fly Davis - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre
• Jamie Harrison - Bedknobs and Broomsticks the Musical, UK tour
• Tim Hatley - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
• Derek McLane - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
• Christopher Oram – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Tom Scutt – Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• Lisa Duncan - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
• Christopher Oram – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Tom Scutt – Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
• Gabriella Slade - Bedknobs and Broomsticks the Musical, UK tour
• Gabriela Tylesova – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
• Catherine Zuber - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

• Neil Austin – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Charles Balfour - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
• Isabella Byrd – Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre, Kit Kat Club
• Tim Lutkin - Back to the Future the Musical, Adelphi Theatre
• Bruno Poet – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
• Justin Townsend - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION

• Leo Munby - The Last Five Years, Vaudeville Theatre
• Tom Deering - Carousel, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Sean Green - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
• Justin Levine - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
• Stephen Oremus – Frozen - Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Katy Richardson - Rent, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

BEST SOUND DESIGN

• Adam Cork – Leopoldstadt, Wyndham's Theatre
• Adam Fisher - The Last Five Years, Southwark Playhouse & Vaudeville Theatre
• Paul Groothuis - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre
• Peter Hylenski - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
• Gareth Owen - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
• Ben and Max Ringham - Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre

BEST VIDEO DESIGN

• Nina Dunn - The Shark is Broken, Ambassadors Theatre
• Akhila Krishnan - What’s New Pussycat?, Birmingham Repertory Theatre
• Mikaela Liakata and Tal Yarden - Anna X, Harold Pinter Theatre & The Lowry, Salford
• Finn Ross - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
• Finn Ross – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Tal Yarden - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN

• Christopher D Clegg - The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• Feast Creative - Romeo and Juliet, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Feast Creative – Rent, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• Bob King Creative – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Muse Creative Communications - RE:EMERGE Season, Harold Pinter Theatre
• Michael Nash Associates- Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre