Theatre

Winners crowned at the 19th annual WhatsOnStage Awards

Stars of the West End and regional theatre descended on the capital for the fan voted awards.

Theatre Guide

London’s Prince of Wales Theatre played host for the 19th annual WhatsOnStage Awards, honouring the best in theatre both in the West End and across the UK. Voted for by fans, the 2019 outing saw five awards go to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit Hamilton, making it the biggest winner of the night.

Hamilton took home honours for Best Actor in a Musical (Jamael Westman), Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Jason Pennycote), Best Choreography, Best Costume Design and Best Set Design.

The cast of Hamilton were on hand to collect their respective awards, and to pick up the creative awards in their recipients’ honour. Westman used the opportunity to celebrate the safe space offered by the theatre in his acceptance speech. It marked a poignant moment in an evening of celebration, which saw the cast on their feet for a powerful live extract from Disney’s The Lion King, celebrating twenty years in the West End.

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical Jason Pennycote in Hamilton
 

Some of the biggest names in the West End took to the stage throughout the evening for a range of live performances, with a standing ovation on offer for Rachel Tucker’s delivery of Me And The Sky from the acclaimed new musical Come From Away.

Various stars also took to the stage to take on the Lady Gaga performed I’ll Never Love Again from the Academy Award winning A Star Is Born, including current Waitress star Marisha Wallace.

On the awards front, Heathers the Musical was honoured for Best Actress in a Musical for Carrie Hope Fletcher’s performance as lead Veronica. The musical, which ran at London’s The Other Palace before moving into the Theatre Royal Haymarket, also picked up the coveted Best New Musical award.

Company also celebrated a brilliant evening, with director Marianne Elliot picking up an award, as well as the legendary Patti LuPone for her star turn as Bobbie’s eccentric friend Joanne.

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical winner Patti LuPone in Company
 

After over three decades in the West End, Les Misérables picked up the Best West End Show award. Accepting the award, Executive Producer Nick Allott expressed his appreciation for the show’s longevity, and remarked on the show’s exciting year to come with the musical stepping into the Gielgud Theatre for an all-star limited run.

Hosted by enigmatic nominees Vicky Vox (Little Shop of Horrors) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical), the evening closed with an ever-energetic performance by the current cast of Six the Musical – which also went home with the Best Off-West End Production award.

It marked a rousing end to a celebratory evening that welcomed some of the biggest names in theatre into the same room, including Best Supporting Actress in a Play, Vanessa Redgrave (The Inheritance).

The evening included huge nods to regional theatre, noted as the backbone of the industry, as well as a huge thank you to those who continue to support the arts by attending shows across the UK and in the West End.

Best Off-West End Production Six


The WhatsOnStage Awards Winners

BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY
WINNER: Aidan Turner, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Arinzé Kene, Misty
Colin Morgan, Translations
Kyle Soller, The Inheritance
Mark Gatiss, The Madness of George III

BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY
WINNER: Sophie Okonedo, Antony and Cleopatra
Carey Mulligan, Girls & Boys
Charlie Murphy, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Katherine Parkinson, Home, I’m Darling
Patsy Ferran, Summer and Smoke

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Jamael Westman, Hamilton
Giles Terera, Hamilton
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Jamie Muscato, Heathers the Musical
Rob Houchen, Eugenius!

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Carrie Hope Fletcher, Heathers the Musical
Adrienne Warren, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Laura Baldwin, Eugenius!
Rachelle Ann Go, Hamilton
Rosalie Craig, Company

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
WINNER: Adrian Scarborough, The Madness of George III
Adetomiwa Edun, Translations
Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance
Chris Walley, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Paul Hilton, The Inheritance

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
WINNER: Vanessa Redgrave, The Inheritance
Debra Gillett, The Madness of George III
Michelle Fairley, Julius Caesar
Michelle Fox, Translations
Siân Thomas, Home, I’m Darling

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton
Cleve September, Hamilton
Daniel Buckley, Eugenius!
Jonathan Bailey, Company
Richard Fleeshman, Company

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
WINNER: Patti LuPone, Company
Christine Allado, Hamilton
Jodie Steele, Heathers the Musical
Rachel John, Hamilton
Vicky Vox, Little Shop of Horrors

BEST NEW PLAY
WINNER: The Inheritance
Dust
Girls & Boys
The Jungle
Misty

BEST NEW MUSICAL
WINNER: Heathers the Musical
Eugenius!
Hamilton
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Six the Musical

BEST PLAY REVIVAL
WINNER: The Madness of George III
Summer and Smoke
The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Translations
The York Realist

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
WINNER: Little Shop of Horrors
Chess
Company
The King & I
Me and My Girl

BEST DIRECTION
WINNER: Marianne Elliott, Company
Andy Fickman, Heathers the Musical
Michael Grandage, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance
Thomas Kail, Hamilton

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
WINNER: Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Six the Musical
Drew McOnie, Strictly Ballroom
Liam Steel, Company
Lizzi Gee, Little Shop of Horrors

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
WINNER: Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Catherine Martin, Strictly Ballroom
Catherine Zuber, The King & I
Gabriella Slade, Six the Musical
Tom Scutt, Little Shop of Horrors

BEST SET DESIGN
WINNER: Tom Scutt, Little Shop of Horrors
Bunny Christie, Company
Es Devlin, Girls & Boys
Miriam Buether, The Jungle
Rae Smith, Translations

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
WINNER: Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Ben Cracknell, Heathers the Musical
Howard Hudson, Little Shop of Horrors
Neil Austin, Company
Tim Deiling, Six the Musical

BEST VIDEO DESIGN
WINNER: Terry Scruby, Chess
Daniel Denton, Misty
Dick Straker, A Monster Calls
Luke Halls, The Lehman Trilogy
Nina Dunn, The Assassination of Katie Hopkins

BEST OFF-WEST END PRODUCTION
WINNER: Six the Musical
Dust
Eugenius!
Misty
The Rink

BEST REGIONAL PRODUCTION
WINNER: Spring Awakening
Death of a Salesman
The Madness of George III
Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual
Romeo and Juliet

BEST ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING
WINNER: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Bat Out of Hell
Come From Away
The Grinning Man
Six the Musical

BEST SHOW POSTER
WINNER: Little Shop of Horrors
The Inheritance
The Jungle
The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical

BEST WEST END SHOW
WINNER: Les Misérables
Bat Out of Hell
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Kinky Boots
Wicked

THE EQUITY AWARD FOR SERVICES TO THEATRE
WINNER: Michael Grandage


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