The Stage Debut Awards 2024 Winners announced

The winners of The Stage Debut Awards 2024 were revealed at a glittering ceremony on 29 September 2024, held at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London. Hosted by iconic drag artist, performer, and singer Divina De Campo, the event welcomed some of the most influential figures in British theatre.

Dedicated to recognising breakthrough talent both on and off stage, The Stage Debut Awards are organised by theatre industry media publication, The Stage. This year’s event featured captivating live performances, including a special number from Divina De Campo. Highlights also included performances by Georgina Castle, starring as Regina George in Mean Girls at the Savoy Theatre, and Timmika Ramsay, currently playing Miss Adelaide in Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre. Acclaimed actor, comedian, and writer Nick Mohammed delighted the audience with an exclusive routine as his alter-ego, Mr. Swallow.

The evening’s sponsors included ATG Entertainment, Trafalgar Entertainment, Crossroads Live, Sonia Friedman Productions, the Noël Coward Foundation, and Michael Harrison Entertainment.

The Awards

This year’s nominees included 49 emerging talents across eight categories, celebrating performers, composers, designers, writers, lyricists and directors whose work premiered on stages across the UK in the previous year.

Best West End Debut Performer, the only category decided by public vote, went to Olivier Award nominee Jack Wolfe for his compelling and vocally accomplished performance as Gabe in Next to Normal at Wyndham’s Theatre. Wolfe triumphed over a strong shortlist that included Will Close (Dear England), Billy Crudup (Harry Clarke), Toheeb Jimoh (Player Kings), Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (Romeo and Juliet), Ed Larkin (The Little Big Things), Grace Hodgett Young (Sunset Boulevard), and Louis McCartney (Stranger Things: The First Shadow).

Jack Wolfe & Alfred Enoch at The Stage Debut Awards 2024. Photo by Alex Brenner

The award for Best Performer in a Musical was also shared, with Jeevan Braich recognised for his vocal prowess and roller-skating skills in Starlight Express at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, and Grace Hodgett Young honoured for her exceptional performance in Jamie Lloyd’s hit revival of Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre.

Rising stars Sam Grabiner and Azuka Oforka shared the Best Writer award, Grabiner for Boys on the Verge of Tears at Soho Theatre, and Oforka for The Women of Llanrumney at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff.

Several awards were presented during the evening to honour behind-the-scenes talent:

Best Creative West End Debut went to Daniel Bailey, associate artistic director of the Bush Theatre, for his dynamic and sensitive direction of Tyrell Williams’ Red Pitch, which enjoyed a successful West End transfer to @sohoplace. It was announced this week that Daniel Bailey will leave the Bush Theatre next spring, along with Bush Theatre Artistic Director Lynette Linton, after 6 years.
Best Director was awarded to Sophie Drake for her work on The Bleeding Tree at Southwark Playhouse Borough. The judges praised her for infusing “finesse into all aspects of this dark, grisly anti-fairytale.” Notably, all nominees in this category were women, and the award was presented by BAFTA-nominated director and Bush Theatre’s artistic director, Lynette Linton.
Best Designer was awarded to Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom for their iconic video design in Jamie Lloyd’s Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre.
Best Composer, Lyricist, or Book Writer was awarded to Jack Godfrey for his outstanding work on 42 Balloons at The Lowry in Salford, a new musical success.

The Stage editor, Alistair Smith, commented: “The judges were in awe of the talent displayed by all the winners. In many cases, it was almost inconceivable that these could be their professional debuts, given the exceptional level of skill. In a time when it’s increasingly difficult for new playwrights to break through, the judges were especially pleased to recognise two outstanding winners in the Best Writer category, highlighting the remarkable quality of this year’s shortlist.”

Last year’s The Stage Debut Awards winners included Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling-Ellis, who took home Best West End Debut Performer for her role in As You Like It at @sohoplace, and Rob Madge, who won for My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) at the Garrick Theatre and Ambassadors Theatre.

The Stage Debut Awards 2024 – winners & nominees

Best Performer in a Play

Winner: Ellie-May Sheridan: London Tide, National Theatre, London
Winner: Louis McCartney: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre, London
Nominated: Deborah Ayorinde: Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, Lyric Hammersmith, London
Nominated: Imogen Elliott: The Voice of the Turtle, Jermyn Street Theatre, London
Nominated: Kasper Hilton-Hille: That Face, Orange Tree Theatre London
Nominated: Gareth John: Housemates, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Nominated: Nadia Parkes: The House Party, Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
Nominated: Taylor Russell: The Effect, National Theatre, London

Best Performer in a Musical

Winner: Grace Hodgett Young: Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre, London
Winner: Jeevan Braich: Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London
Nominated: Scarlett Ayers: The Verge of Forever, The Other Palace, London
Nominated:Laura Dawkes: Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
Nominated: Myles Frost: MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre, London
Nominated: Joshua Ginsberg: Cable Street, Southwark Playhouse Borough, London

Best Director

Winner: Sophie Drake: The Bleeding Tree, Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
Nominated: Ellie Coote: 42 Balloons, The Lowry, Manchester
Nominated: Emily Foran: Little Women, Southwark Playhouse Borough, London

Best Designer

Winner: Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom (Video design): Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre, London
Nominated: Ellie Koslowsky (Set design): Vegetables, A secret location, London
Nominated: Nadya Sayapina (Set design), Anastasiya Ryabova (Costume design), Lidiia Dresch-Pyshna (Costume design) and Dmytro Guk (Video design): King Stakh’s Wild Hunt, Barbican Theatre, London
Nominated: Skylar Turnbull Hurd (Lighting design): These Demons, Theatre503, London

Best Writer

Winner: Sam Grabiner: Boys on the Verge of Tears, Soho Theatre, London
Winner: Azuka Oforka: The Women of Llanrumney, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Nominated: Martha Loader: Bindweed, Mercury Theatre, Colchester
Nominated: Harry McDonald: Foam, Finborough Theatre, London
Nominated: Hannah Morley: We Could All Be Perfect, Sheffield Theatres, Sheffield
Nominated: Anastasia Osei-Kuffour: Love Steps, Omnibus Theatre, London

Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer

Winner: Jack Godfrey: 42 Balloons, The Lowry, Manchester
Nominated: Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab: The Enormous Crocodile, Leeds Playhouse, Leeds
Nominated: Nick Butcher and Tom Ling: The Little Big Things, @sohoplace, London
Nominated: Elvis Costello: Cold War, Almeida Theatre, London

Best West End Debut Performer

Winner: Jack Wolfe: Next to Normal, Wyndham’s Theatre, London
Nominated: Francesca Amewudah-Rivers: Romeo and Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre, London
Nominated: Will Close: Dear England, National Theatre, London
Nominated: Billy Crudup: Harry Clarke, Ambassadors Theatre, London
Nominated: Grace Hodgett Young: Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre, London
Nominated: Toheeb Jimoh: Player Kings, Noël Coward Theatre, London
Nominated: Ed Larkin: The Little Big Things, @sohoplace, London
Nominated: Louis McCartney: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre, London

Best Creative West End Debut

Winner: Daniel Bailey (Director): Red Pitch, @sohoplace, London
Nominated: Jim Barne and Kit Buchan (Composer and lyricist): Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Criterion Theatre, London
Nominated: Marcelo Dos Santos (Writer): Backstairs Billy, Duke of York’s Theatre, London
Nominated: Kip Williams (Director): The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
Nominated: Brian Yorkey (Lyricist) and Tom Kitt (Composer): Next to Normal, Wyndham’s Theatre, London