The Stage has revealed the winners of its annual The Stage Debut Awards 2022.
Held tonight, Sunday 18 September 2022, at 8 Northumberland Avenue in London, the awards celebrate the best emerging theatre talent in the UK.
Winners in the performance categories included Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, Doctor Foster) for Best West End Debut Performer for Prima Facie at the Harold Pinter Theatre; Elijah Ferreira – who is currently starring in Help! We Are Still Alive at the Seven Dials Playhouse – for Best Performer in a Musical for Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Leeds Playhouse; and the ensemble of For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy for Best Performer in a Play, plus Elisabeth Gunawan for Unforgettable Girl at Voila! Europe Theatre Festival.
In the creative categories, Best Director was awarded to Monique Touko for Malindadzimu at Hampstead Theatre.; Julia Cheng scored Best Creative West End Debut for her choreography of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club / Playhouse Theatre; Best Writer went to Tyrell Williams for Red Pitch at the Bush Theatre; TK Hay won Best Designer for the set and costumes of An Adventure at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton; and John Patrick Elliott took home the Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer award for Cruise at the Duchess Theatre,
Hosted by BAFTA Award-winning actor Susan Wokoma, performers during the ceremony included Samuel Thomas (The Last Five Years) and Shan Ako (Hamilton), Frances Mayli-McCann (Bonnie & Clyde) and Natalie Paris (Six the Musical).
Alistair Smith, Editor of The Stage, said: “Congratulations to all our winners. Looking at this extraordinary array of emerging artists – and a couple of more established names – we can all be confident that the future of theatre in the UK is in incredibly exciting hands. I cannot wait to see what all these supremely talented theatremakers do next.”
The nominations for The Stage Debut Awards 2022 were announced in August, and from this shortlist the winners have been chosen by public vote.
The judges of the shortlisted nominations were journalist for Deadline, Baz Bamigboye; journalist for The Stage and critic for Variety, David Benedict; playwright and critic, Dave Fargnoli; writer Angelo Irving; forthcoming The Stage critic Sam Marlowe; editor of The Stage, Alistair Smith; and theatre critic of The Stage and soon to be International Editor, Natasha Tripney.
Actors, directors, designers, writers, composers or lyricists needed to have made their debut between 1 August 2020 and 17 July 2022 to be eligible for the awards – an extended period because of Covid.
Winners of the 2022 The Stage Debut Awards
Best Performer in a Play
Elisabeth Gunawan for Unforgettable Girl at Voila! Europe Theatre Festival
Ensemble of For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy at the New Diorama and Royal Court, London (Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh, Kaine Lawrence)
Best Performer in a Musical – sponsored by Carnival Cruise Line
Elijah Ferreira for Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Leeds Playhouse
Best Director – sponsored by Theatredor
Monique Touko for Malindadzimu at the Hampstead Theatre, London
Best Designer
TK Hay (set and costume) for An Adventure at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Best Writer – sponsored by Sonia Friedman Productions
Tyrell Williams for Red Pitch at the Bush Theatre, London
Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer
John Patrick Elliott for Cruise at the Duchess Theatre, London
Best West End Debut Performer
Jodie Comer for Prima Facie at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London
Best Creative West End Debut – sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment
Julia Cheng (choreographer) for Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre
