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British casting director Alastair Coomer, who is Director of Casting at the National Theatre, has won an award at the 41st annual Casting Society Artios Awards.

Celebrating casting and casting directors across stage and screen, the awards ceremony took place on 26 February 2026 in New York, L.A. and London, with Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer) hosting the London ceremony at One Moorgate Place.

This was the first year that London Theatre was recognised as a category, and the award went to Alastair Coomer, for his casting of the National Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Directed by Max Webster, the show played at the National Theatre starring Ncuti Gatwa and Sharon D Clarke, and in the West End starring Olly Alexander and Stephen Fry.

The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre. Ncuti Gatwa (Algernon) and company. Photo by Marc Brenner

The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre. Ncuti Gatwa (Algernon) and company. Photo by Marc Brenner

Alastair’s other recent casting credits at the National Theatre include the forthcoming production Les Liaisons Dangereuses directed by Marianne Elliott, recent productions of The Playboy of the Western World, End, and Hamlet, and forthcoming National Theatre to West End transfer Inter Alia starring Rosamund Pike.

See it for free: The Importance of Being Earnest starring Ncuti Gatwa is set for a free streaming event this month, with the National Theatre’s NT Live streaming the show worldwide on YouTube from 12 March 2026. The play will be available for free on YouTube until 18 March and then released to National Theatre at Home subscribers on 19 March.

In London, other awards included the Global Impact Award was presented to GAP Workshops, and the Capelier-Shaw Award for Excellence in Casting was awarded to casting director Kate Rhodes James (Line of Duty, Gladiator II).

Other theatre shows that won awards included Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, which premiered in London, and played on Broadway and in Los Angeles – where the show won the casting award.

Casting Society Artios Awards 2026

London Theatre

The Importance of Being Earnest – Alastair Coomer

Broadway: Comedy or Drama

English – Stephen Kopel, Associate Casting Director: Sujotta Pace

Broadway: Musical

  • Buena Vista Social Club: Xavier Rubiano, Tara Rubin, Associate Casting Director: Frankie Ramirez
  • Maybe Happy Ending: Craig Burns, Associate Casting Director: Jimmy Larkin

New York Theater: Comedy or Drama

Sh!t. Meet. Fan – Bernard Telsey, Will Cantler, Destiny Lilly

New York Theater: Musical

The Jonathan Larson Project – Rachel Hoffman, Associate Casting Director: Charlie Hano

Los Angeles Theater

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – Tara Rubin, Xavier Rubiano, Peter Van Dam, Associate Casting Director: Louis DiPaolo

Regional Theater

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil – Lauren Port, Patrick Goodwin

Theater Tours

Parade – Craig Burns

Special Theatrical Performance

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Geoff Josselson

Feature: Big Budget Comedy

Jay Kelly – Douglas Aibel, Nina Gold, Associate Casting Director: Matthew Glasner, Location Casting Directors: Francesco Vedovati, Barbara Giordani

Feature: Big Budget Drama

Sinners – Francine Maisler, Associate Casting Directors: Molly Rose, Amber Wakefield, Location Casting Director: Meagan Lewis

Feature: Animated

Zootopia 2 – Grace C. Kim

Feature: Studio or Independent Comedy

Rental Family – Kei Kawamura

Feature: Studio or Independent Drama

Sentimental Value – Avy Kaufman

Feature: International

The Fisherman – Mawuko Kuadzi

Feature: Low Budget Comedy or Drama

Sorry, Baby – Jessica Kelly, Location Casting Directors: Lisa Lobel, Angela Peri, Location Associate Casting Director: Melissa Morris

Film, First Released For Television Or Streaming

Bridget Jones Mad About The Boy – Lucy Bevan, Olivia Grant, Associate Casting Director: Lucy Downes

Television Series: Comedy

Hacks (S4) – Linda Lowy

Television Series: Drama

Severance (S2) – Rachel Tenner, Associate Casting Director: Rick Messina, Location Casting Director: Bess Fifer

Television Pilot And First Season: Comedy

The Studio – Melissa Kostenbauder, Francine Maisler, Associate Casting Director: Jesse Haddock

Television Pilot And First Season: Drama

The Pitt – Cathy Sandrich Gelfond, Associate Casting Director: Seth Caskey

Limited Series

Adolescence – Shaheen Baig

Reality Series: Competition

RuPaul’s Drag Race (S17) – Goloka Bolte, Michelle Redwine, Adam Cook

Reality Series: Structured & Unstructured

Queer Eye (S9): Pamela Vallarelli, Jessica Jorgensen, Natalie Pino

Live Action Children & Family Series

XO, Kitty (S2) – Lyndsey Baldasare, David H. Rapaport, Associate Casting Director: Claire Yenson, Location Casting Director: Su Kim

Animated Program For Television

Big Mouth (S8) – Julie Ashton

International Television Series

Other People’s Money (S1) – Alexandra Montag

Short Form Series

Die Hart (S3) – Chrissy Fiorilli-Ellington, Associate Casting Director: Jane Flowers, Location Casting Director: Tara Feldstein Bennett

Short Film

Ado – Ally Beans

Commercials

Listening Is a Form of Love – Angela Mickey, Associate Casting Director: Aika Greenidge

Honourees

  • The Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement – Ayo Davis
  • The Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award – Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
  • The Hoyt Bowers Award – Julie Ashton, CSA
  • The Rosalie Joseph Humanitarian Award – Laura Adler, CSA
  • The Capelier-Shaw Award for Excellence in Casting – Kate Rhodes James, CSA
  • The Global Impact Award – GAP Workshops (Lucy Allen and Tom Payne)
  • The Los Angeles Associate Spotlight Award – Leslie Wasserman, CSA
  • The New York Associate Spotlight Award – Dustin Presley, CSA
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Main photo: The Importance of Being Earnest - Casting director Alastair Coomer (Photo YellowBelly), The Importance of Being Earnest (Photo Marc Brenner)

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