WhatsOnStage Awards


The WhatsOnStage Awards, formerly known as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards, are organised by the theatre website WhatsOnStage.com. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements in UK theatre, with categories covering both regional productions and shows in London's West End.
Distinctive among major theatre honours in the UK, the WhatsOnStage Awards are decided entirely by public vote. Theatre audiences nominate and select the winners, making the awards a reflection of popular opinion rather than industry panels or critics.
The ceremony is typically held each year in February or March. From 2012 to 2023, it took place at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Since 2024, the event has been hosted at The London Palladium, owned and run by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The awards are currently produced by Alex Wood and Darius Thompson with co-producers Alex Parker and Damian Sandys.
WWW whatsonstage.com

History

The origins of the WhatsOnStage Awards date back to early 2001, when WhatsOnStage invited its readers to vote online for their preferred winners of that year’s Laurence Olivier Awards. Within two weeks, over 5,000 people participated, with the public’s choices diverging significantly from those of the official Olivier judging panel. Encouraged by the strong response, the site’s editors created independent shortlists for the 2002 awards. In 2003, WhatsOnStage hosted its first launch event to announce the shortlists to an audience of approximately 200 theatre industry guests. The awards continued to evolve, and in 2008, the first full-scale concert and ceremony was introduced to formally celebrate the winners.
Since 2023, WhatsOnStage adopted more inclusive awards by replacing gender-specific categories such as "Best Actor" and "Best Actress" with the gender-neutral "Best Performer" categories, reflecting a broader commitment to inclusivity in recognising performance talent.

Judging

Each year thousands of theatregoers submit nominations online across more than 20 award categories. The official nominations are revealed at a high-profile launch event, typically held in early December.
Public voting then opens and continues through to the end of January. During the 2012–2013 awards season, over 60,000 theatre fans participated in the voting process, with leading contenders in several categories shifting frequently as votes were cast.

Ceremony

2025 (The Silver Anniversary Concert)

The 2025 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony were held on 9 February 2025 at the London Palladium and were hosted by Gina Murray and Mazz Murray.

2024

The 2024 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony were held on 11 February 2024 at the London Palladium and were hosted by Bonnie Langford and Melanie La Barrie.

2023

The 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony were held on 12 February 2023 at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Courtney Bowman, Laurie Kynaston and Billy Luke Nevers.

2022

The 2022 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony were held on 27 February 2022 at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Jodie Prenger and Tom Read Wilson.

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.

2020

The 2020 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 1 March 2020 at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Jodie Prenger and Tom Read Wilson. The event was broadcast live on BBC Radio 2, hosted by Elaine Paige and Paddy O'Connell.

2019

The 2019 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 3 March 2019 at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Vicky Vox and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

2018

The 2018 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 25 February 2018 at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Simon Lipkin and Vikki Stone.

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.

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.

2015

The 2015 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 15 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Steve Furst.

2014

The 2014 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 22 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Stephen Fry and Julian Clary.

2013

The 2013 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 18 February at the Palace Theatre and were hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Rufus Hound.

2012

The 2012 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 20 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Sheridan Smith, Alan Davies and Jenny Eclair.

2011

The 2011 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 19 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Sheridan Smith, Christopher Biggins and Miranda Hart.

2010

The 2010 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 14 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Christopher Biggins and Mel Giedroyc.

2009

The 2009 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 15 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by James Corden and Sheridan Smith.

2008

The 2008 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 22 February at the Lyric Theatre and were hosted by James Corden and Sheridan Smith.

Venues

The inaugural WhatsOnStage Awards launch party was held at The Venue, before relocating to the Dominion Theatre in 2004. In 2005 and 2006, the event took place at Planet Hollywood, followed by a move to Café de Paris, where it was held annually—with the exception of 2009, when the launch was hosted at the London Hippodrome as part of a campaign to preserve the venue as a performance space.
The first full-scale WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony was introduced in 2008 at the 960-seat Lyric Theatre. In 2009, the event moved to the larger 1,100-seat Prince of Wales Theatre, where it sold out for four consecutive years from 2009 to 2012. The 2013 ceremony was held at the Palace Theatre, but the event returned to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2014. Since 2024, the WhatsOnStage Awards have been staged at The London Palladium.

Current Award Categories

Performance categories
  • SINE Digital Best Performer in a Play Award
  • Best Performer in a Musical
  • Best Supporting Performer in a Play
  • Best Supporting Performer in a Musical
  • Best Takeover Performance
  • Best Professional Debut Performance
Production categories
  • Travelzoo Best New Musical Award
  • Best Musical Revival
  • Best New Play
  • The Londoner Best Play Revival Award
  • Best West End Show
  • Best Regional Production
  • Best Studio Production
  • Best Concert Event
  • Best Direction
  • Best Casting Direction
  • Best Choreography
  • Preevue Best Set Design Award
  • Best Costume Design
  • White Light Best Lighting Design Award
  • Best Sound Design
  • Best Video Design
  • Best Musical Direction/Supervision
  • Best Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Design
Special categories
  • AudienceView Services to UK Theatre
Defunct categories

Recent winners

2008
  • 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
  • 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
2011
  • 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
  • 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
2014
2015
  • 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
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2022
2023
2024
2025

Past winners

Source: