Winners have been announced for this year’s annual UK Theatre Awards 2024.

The UK Theatre Awards celebrate the best of theatre across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and are handed out for creative excellence and outstanding work both on and off stage.

The winners were revealed at a ceremony today, Sunday 20 October 2024, at 8 Northumberland Avenue in London, hosted by actor and singer Faye Tozer (101 Dalmatians).

Leeds Playhouse scored the most awards, picking up two for their production of Oliver!, which won Best Musical Production, and Best Performance in a Musical for Jenny Fitzpatrick‘s performance in the show.

Also, the Belgrade Theatre was attached to two award-winning productions: Swim, Aunty, Swim! which won Best New Play, and Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning, which won Best Design for Kenneth MacLeod.

Polka Theatre took home the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award, and Drew McOnie picked up Best Director for his production of new musical The Artist at Theatre Royal Plymouth.

David Shields won Best Performance in a Play for Nottingham Playhouse’s Punch, which is transferring to The Young Vic in London next year. Also, Best Supporting Performance in a Musical or Play went to Chumisa Dornford-May for Evita at the Leicester Curve.

Announced ahead of the awards was the winner of this year’s Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award, which went to Jenny Sealey OBE, Artistic Director of Graeae.

Claire Walker & Hannah Essex, Co-CEOs of Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, who organise the awards, said in a statement: “This year’s UK Theatre Awards ceremony has been a truly joyful celebration and a real testament to the quality and diversity of the work that our members do both on and off the stage and in their local communities. We are constantly in awe of the resilience, creativity and ambition that we witness across the four nations. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and thank you to our sponsors and partners for their support. We are thrilled to have celebrated another year of phenomenal UK theatre with you all.”

The awards are sponsored by Encore, with partners including AKT, Cunard, Harbottle & Lewis, John Good, MTI Europe, Theatre Tokens, Tysers in association with Ecclesiastical, Unusual Rigging and White Light.

Also see: UK Theatre Awards 2023 – winners; UK & Ireland theatre tours 2024 – 2025

UK Theatre Awards 2024 – Full list of winners

On Stage Awards

Best Design

Emma Bailey for Sunset Song
Kenneth MacLeod for Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning – WINNER
Michael Taylor for Bhangra Nation

Best Director

Drew McOnie for The Artist – WINNER
Conrad Nelson for One Man, Two Guvnors
Emma Rice for The Buddha Of Suburbia
Roxana Silbert for The Girls Of Slender Means

Best Musical Production

The Big Life at Stratford East
Oliver! at Leeds Playhouse – WINNER
Starter For Ten at Bristol Old Vic

Best New Play

A Child Of Science at Bristol Old Vic
Peanut Butter & Blueberries at Kiln Theatre
Swim, Aunty, Swim! at Belgrade Theatre – WINNER

Best Play Revival

The Deep Blue Sea at Ustinov Studio at Theatre Royal Bath
Rhino at Lyric Theatre Belfast – WINNER
A Taste Of Honey at Royal Exchange Theatre

Achievement in Dance

London City Ballet for the company relaunch
Mehek by Aakash Odedra Company & Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company – WINNER
Minotaur, Metamorphoses & Echo and Narcissus by Kim Brandstrup

Achievement in Opera

Thomas Allen for his career with Glyndebourne
Buxton International Festival 2024 at Buxton Opera House & Pavilion Arts Centre
Death In Venice by Welsh National Opera in collaboration with NoFit State – WINNER

Best Supporting Performance (in a Musical or Play)

Chumisa Dornford-May for Evita – WINNER
Tania Mathurin for Barnum
Andrew Schofield for Boys From The Blackstuff

Best Performance in a Musical

Matt Doyle for Sinatra The Musical
Jenny Fitzpatrick for Oliver! – WINNER
John Hopkins for My Fair Lady

Best Performance in a Play

Heather Agyepong & Tosin Cole for Shifters
Ian McDiarmid for The Caretaker
David Shields for Punch – WINNER
Keith Singleton for The Pillowman

Best Show for Children & Young People

Beauty And The Beast at Stephen Joseph Theatre – WINNER
Flip! at Soho Upstairs at Soho Theatre
Starchitects Save Santa! At Midlands Arts Centre

Off Stage Awards

Excellence in Arts Education

Lyric Hammersmith
Mayflower Theatre & MAST Mayflower Studios
Royal Shakespeare Company – WINNER

Excellence in Touring

ETT
Parti Priodas by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru – WINNER
Wise Children

Excellence in Inclusivity

Antony & Cleopatra at Shakespeare’s Globe – WINNER
Bristol Old Vic
Punch at Nottingham Playhouse

Excellence in Sustainability

Chichester Festival Theatre – WINNER
Dundee Rep & Scottish Dance Theatre
Nottingham Playhouse

Workforce Award

Buxton Opera House – WINNER
Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
Nottingham Playhouse

UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre

Hall for Cornwall
Octagon Theatre Bolton
Polka Theatre – WINNER

Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award

Jenny Sealey OBE – WINNER

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Main photo: UK Theatre Awards 2024 - Faye Tozer with Jenny Sealey. Photo by Pamela Raith

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