
The first ever Stage Debut Awards took place last night in the heart of London’s West End. The awards celebrate new talent in the British theatre industry.
Andrew Polec the star of Bat Out Of Hell won the prize for the best West End debut beating stiff competition from Star Wars star John Boyega and Glee star Amber Riley.
Full List Of Winners From The Stage Debut Awards
Best Actor in a Play
Winner: Abraham Popoola for Othello at Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol
Also nominated:
Jack Archer for Nivelli’s War at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
TJ Jones for The Seven Acts of Mercy at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Kenneth Omole for Assata Taught Me at the Gate Theatre, London
Best Actress in a Play
Winner: Grace Molony for The Country Girls at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester
Also nominated:
Anya Chalotra for Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe, London
Kellan Frankland for The House of Bernarda Alba at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
Jess Peet for Alice in Wonderland at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Best Actor in a Musical
Winner: Samuel Thomas for Allegro at Southwark Playhouse, London
Also nominated:
Adam J Bernard for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre, London
Ben Hunter for The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre, London
Daniel Urch for 110 in the Shade at Ye Olde Rose and Crown, London
Best Actress in a Musical
Winner: Miriam-Teak Lee for On the Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London
Also nominated:
Chloe Carrington for Hair at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Emily Hughes for Fiddler on the Roof at Everyman Theatre, Liverpool
Siena Kelly for On the Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London
Best Director
Winner: Lekan Lawal for Betrayal at Derby Theatre, Derby
Also nominated:
Sean Aydon for Richard III at the Rosemary Branch, London
Alexander Lass for 46 Beacon at Trafalgar Studios 2, London
Lynette Linton for Assata Taught Me at the Gate Theatre, London
Best Designer
Winner: Rosie Elnile for The Convert at the Gate Theatre, London
Also nominated:
Joshua Gadsby for Dreamplay at the Vaults, London
Simon Spencer for The Tempest, RSC
Jessica Staton for Extra Yarn at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
Best Composer
Winner: Dan Gillespie Sells for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
Also nominated:
Jonah Brody for Removal Men at the Yard, London
Ruth Chan for Snow in Midsummer at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Stephen Jackson for Roller Diner at the Soho Theatre, London
Best Writer
Winner: Katherine Soper for Wish List at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
Also nominated:
Titas Halder for Run the Beast Down at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury and Finborough Theatre, London
Asif Khan for Combustion at Tara Arts, London
Victoria Willing for Spring Offensive at the Clapham Omnibus, London
The Joe Allen Best West End Debut
Winner: Andrew Polec for Bat Out of Hell at the London Coliseum
Also nominated:
John Boyega for Woyzeck at the Old Vic
Anthony Boyle for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Andy Karl for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Audra McDonald for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at Wyndham’s Theatre
Imogen Poots for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Amber Riley for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre
Charlie Stemp for Half a Sixpence at the Noel Coward Theatre
To buy tickets for many of the shows mentioned in Stage Debut Awards head to BoxOfficeTheatre.co.uk