The Whatsonstage Awards has revealed nominations for its 2024 awards.

At a ceremony today, 7 December 2023, at the West End’s Apollo Theatre, stars of musical The Time Traveller’s Wife – Hiba Elchikhe and Tim Mahendran – announced the nominees.

Winners will be revealed on 11 February 2024, with the awards ceremony taking place at the London Palladium, co-produced with creative directors Alex Parker and Damian Sandys.

Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre leads the nominations with 12 nods. Nicholas Hytner’s The Bridge Theatre has decided to not be a member of the Society of London Theatre, and so was not eligible for the 2023 Olivier Awards, meaning that the WOS Awards will be a major opportunity for the show to win some plaudits. It is currently booking to 31 August 2024.

Another big nomination winner is Rupert Goold’s production of James Graham play Dear England, now playing at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. The show has scooped 10 nominations, leading in the plays category.

Now in their 24th year, the awards are decided by the theatregoers themselves through a series of public votes.

Public voting now takes place for the awards, up to 11 January 2024.

Also book tickets to the Whatsonstage Awards ceremony here.

Whatsonstage Awards – 2024 Nominations

BEST PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL SPONSORED BY TICKX
Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, Disney’s Newsies, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Natasha Hodgson, Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
Ed Larkin, The Little Big Things, @ sohoplace
Caissie Levy, Next to Normal, Donmar Warehouse
Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
Marisha Wallace, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL SPONSORED BY NEWMAN DISPLAYS
Aynrand Ferrer, Miss Saigon, Sheffield Crucible
Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
Jason Manford, The Wizard of Oz, The London Palladium
Cedric Neal, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Amy Trigg, The Little Big Things, @ sohoplace
Jack Wolfe, Next to Normal, Donmar Warehouse

BEST PERFORMER IN A PLAY SPONSORED BY SINE DIGITAL
Paapa Essiedu, The Effect, National Theatre
Joseph Fiennes, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
James Norton, A Little Life, Harold Pinter Theatre / Savoy Theatre
Taylor Russell, The Effect, National Theatre
Andrew Scott, VANYA, Duke of York’s Theatre
Sheridan Smith, Shirley Valentine, Duke of York’s Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A PLAY
Michele Austin, The Effect, National Theatre
Will Close, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Bryony Corrigan, I, Daniel Blake, UK tour
Luke Thompson, A Little Life, Harold Pinter Theatre / Savoy Theatre
Zubin Varla, A Little Life, Harold Pinter Theatre / Savoy Theatre
Anjana Vasan, A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre / Phoenix Theatre

BEST TAKEOVER PERFORMANCE SPONSORED BY AKT LONDON
Karis Anderson, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre
Cory English, Back to the Future: The Musical, Adelphi Theatre
Mason Alexander Park, Cabaret, The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Lucy St. Louis, Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre
Rebecca Lucy Taylor, Cabaret, The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Aimee Lou Wood, Cabaret, The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre

BEST PROFESSIONAL DEBUT PERFORMANCE SPONSORED BY AKA
Rita Bernard-Shaw, Trouble in Butetown, Donmar Warehouse
Laura Dawkes, Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Lou Henry, SIX, UK tour
Grace Hodgett-Young, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
Andrew Richardson, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

BEST NEW MUSICAL SPONSORED BY TRAVELZOO
Disney’s Newsies, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
The Little Big Things, @sohoplace
Mrs. Doubtfire, Shaftesbury Theatre
Next to Normal, Donmar Warehouse
Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
The Time Traveller’s Wife, Apollo Theatre

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL SPONSORED BY CONCORD THEATRICALS
Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
La Cage aux Folles, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
The Lord of the Rings, The Watermill Theatre
The Sound of Music, Chichester Festival Theatre
Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
The Wizard of Oz, Curve, Leicester and The London Palladium

BEST NEW PLAY SPONSORED BY TICKETMASTER
A Little Life, Harold Pinter Theatre / Savoy Theatre
Cowbois, Swan Theatre
Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Hamnet , Swan Theatre / Garrick Theatre
The Motive and the Cue, National Theatre
Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre

BEST PLAY REVIVAL SPONSORED BY EDWARDIAN HOTELS, OFFICAL HOTEL PARTNER
A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre / Phoenix Theatre
The Effect, National Theatre
The Merchant of Venice 1936, UK tour
The Pillowman, Duke of York’s Theatre
Shirley Valentine, Duke of York’s Theatre
VANYA, Duke of York’s Theatre

BEST WEST END SHOW SPONSORED BY DEWYNTERS
Back to the Future: The Musical, Adelphi Theatre
Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre
Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre
The Phantom of the Opera, His Majesty’s Theatre
SIX, Vaudeville Theatre

BEST REGIONAL PRODUCTION SPONSORED BY MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL
Boys from the Black Stuff, Royal Court, Liverpool
Choir Boy, Bristol Old Vic
In Dreams, Leeds Playhouse
The Lord of the Rings, The Watermill Theatre
Miss Saigon, Sheffield Crucible
To Wong Foo The Musical, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

BEST OFF-WEST END PRODUCTION SPONSORED BY THEATRICAL RIGHTS WORLDWIDE
Flowers for Mrs Harris, Riverside Studios
George Takei’s Allegiance, Charing Cross Theatre
Othello, Riverside Studios
Rebecca, Charing Cross Theatre
Scouts! The Musical, The Other Palace Studio
The Shape of Things, Park Theatre

BEST CONCERT EVENT
Ariana DeBose in Concert, The London Palladium
Darren Criss, The London Palladium
Evita in Concert, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Love Never Dies in Concert, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Once – In Concert, The London Palladium
Schwartz at 75, Lyric Theatre

BEST DIRECTION SPONSORED BY LOVETHEATRE
Polly Findlay, Assassins, Chichester Festival Theatre
Rebecca Frecknall, A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre / Phoenix Theatre
Rupert Goold, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Nicholas Hytner, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
Sam Mendes, The Motive and the Cue, National Theatre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION/SUPERVISION
Mark Aspinall and Sioned Saunders, The Lord of the Rings, The Watermill Theatre
Nick Barstow and Nigel Lilley, Next To Normal, Donmar Warehouse
Cat Beveridge and Nigel Lilley, The Witches, National Theatre
Tom Brady, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Stephen Brooker, Alfonso Casado Trigo and Stephen Metcalfe,
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, Gielgud Theatre
Alan Williams, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre

BEST CASTING DIRECTION
Alastair Coomer and Naomi Downham, The Motive and the Cue, National Theatre
Anna Cooper, Next to Normal, Donmar Warehouse
Jill Green, The Little Big Things, @ sohoplace
Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, The Witches, National Theatre
Jessica Ronane, Charlotte Sutton and Jim Carnahan, Stranger Things: The First Shadow,
Phoenix Theatre

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY SPONSORED BY TANDEM MARKETING
Fabian Aloise, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
Matt Cole, Disney’s Newsies, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Stephen Mear, La Cage aux Folles, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Arlene Phillips with James Cousins, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy, Free Your Mind, Factory International

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Bunny Christie, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Lizzie Clachan, The Witches, National Theatre
Ryan Dawson Laight, La Cage aux Folles, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Gregory Gale, To Wong Foo The Musical, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Gareth Pugh, Free Your Mind, Factory International
Grace Smart, Cowbois, Swan Theatre

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN SPONSORED BY WHITE LIGHT
Rory Beaton and Lucy Carter, The Time Traveller’s Wife, Apollo Theatre
Jon Clark, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Jon Clark, The Effect, National Theatre
Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
Paule Constable, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Jack Knowles, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre

BEST SET DESIGN SPONSORED BY PREEVUE
Miriam Buether, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
Bunny Christie, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Lizzie Clachan, Assassins, Chichester Festival Theatre
Lizzie Clachan, The Witches, National Theatre
Chloe Lamford, Phaedra, National Theatre
Morgan Large, Disney’s Newsies, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

BEST SOUND DESIGN
Paul Arditti, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbons, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Adam Fisher, The Lord of the Rings, The Watermill Theatre
Adam Fisher, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
Tony Gayle, Next to Normal, Donmar Warehouse

BEST VIDEO DESIGN SPONSORED BY GDL
59 Productions, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
Andrzej Goulding, Miss Saigon, Sheffield Crucible
Andrzej Goulding, The Time Traveller’s Wife, Apollo Theatre
Ash J Woodward, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre
Ash J Woodward, The Witches, National Theatre

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN SPONSORED BY HEXAGON PRINT
Bob King Creative, Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
Muse Creative, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre
Jeremy Coysten and North Design, Free Your Mind, Factory International
The Creative Partnership, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
Feast Creative, La Cage aux Folles, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Rick Guest, Rob Rae and the NT Graphics Studio, Dear England, National Theatre / Prince Edward Theatre

More about the awards

Nominations for the technical and creative categories will be decided by an independent panel of industry experts from across the UK appointed by What’s On Stage. The categories are: Choreography, Costume Design, Direction, Graphic Design, Lighting Design, Musical Direction/Supervision, Set Design, Sound Design, Casting Direction and Video Design.

The eligibility for productions and people is a live, original UK production with performances running between 22 November 2022 and 23 November 2023. Productions that have been eligible in previous years, including the performers that have appeared in those productions, are not eligible for this year’s awards apart from: Best West End Show, Best Takeover Performance and Best Professional Debut Performance. Further rules apply to some other categories.

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Main photo: Whatsonstage Awards 2024

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