WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE
25TH ANNUAL WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS
STARLIGHT EXPRESS LEADS WITH 7 WINS
WITH MACBETH LEADING THE PLAY CATEGORIES WITH 3 WINS
At a ceremony tonight at The London Palladium hosted by Gina and Mazz Murray, the winners of the 25th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards in association with AudienceView were announced – the only major theatre awards decided entirely by the theatregoers themselves.
WhatsOnStage’s Darius Thompson and Alex Wood said today: “’This list of winners, coming after a quarter of a century of public nominating, voting and prize-giving, once more celebrates the sheer diversity and variety of theatre productions on our stages. With lightning-fast performers on rollerblades, cutting-edge new stagings of Shakespearean classics, or fresh, musical takes on Greek myths all triumphing, it proves that UK theatre really can do it all. A huge thank you to everyone who selected and championed their favourite shows and creatives, and to the team at The London Palladium for once more hosting this enormous spectacle – it’s been a pleasure. Here’s to the next 25 years of live theatre!”
The most awarded of the evening was Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, taking home seven out of its nine nominations and winning Best Musical Revival, Best Professional Debut for Jeevan Braich, Best Set Design (Tim Hatley), Best Lighting Design (Howard Hudson), Best Video Design (Andrzej Goulding), Best Costume Design (Gabriella Slade), and Jackie Saundercock and Campbell Young Associates in the new category for Best Wigs Hair and Make-up Design.
In the week it debuts in cinemas, Macbeth led the straight play categories with three wins – for David Tennant Best Performer in a Play (making him the actor to win the most WhatsOnStage Awards with five wins), Best Play Revival, and Best Sound Design (Gareth Fry).
In the performance categories, Imelda Staunton won Best Performer in a Musical for Hello, Dolly!; with Melanie La Barrie winning Best Supporting Performer in a Musical category for her performance in Hadestown, which also wins Best Musical Direction/Supervision for Liam Robinson and Tarek Merchant. Winning Best Supporting Performer in a Play was Freema Agyeman for Romeo & Juliet; and Layton Williams won Best Takeover for his role of the Emcee in Cabaret.
The always fiercely fought Best New Musical Award went to Tina Fey’s Mean Girls, currently turning the Savoy Theatre pink; with Spirited Away winning Best New Play for its run at the London Coliseum. The much-loved SIX wins Best West End Show; with Best Director going to Emma Rice for The Buddha of Suburbia – the critically acclaimed Wise Children and RSC co-production; and Best Choreography to Christopher Wheeldon for MJ the Musical.
This year’s awards saw the inclusion of the Best Studio Production for the first time, which was won by Diary of a Gay Disaster at Underbelly Cowgate and Arcola Theatre; with Something Rotten! – in ConcertwinningBest Concert Event. Best Regional Production was Chichester Festival Theatre’s revival of Oliver! which is currently running at the Gielgud Theatre. Best Casting Direction was won by Harry Blumenau and Sarah-Jane Price for Why Am I So Single?.
Completing the evening, legendary lighting designer Paule Constable was awarded the Services to UK Theatre Award for her much-heralded career.
In addition to seeing winners crowned across a range of categories, theatregoers also enjoyed a host of exclusive live performances from top stage talent, accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra in this one-night-only showcase co-produced with creative directors Alex Parker and Damian Sandys. Performances included from 42 Balloons, Becoming Nancy, Mean Girls, MJ the Musical and The Artist. This year’s official charity for the WhatsOnStage Awards was Go Live Theatre.
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WhatsOnStage would like to take this opportunity to thank the 2025 awards ceremony sponsors: 5RB, Above Title Finance, AKA Promotions Ltd, AudienceView, Avalon, Boulevard Events, Brent Carpet Company Ltd, Concord, Dewynters, Disney’s Hercules, Edwardian Hotels, Go Live Theatre, Hexagon Print, Hurtwood House, LaDuca, LOVEtheatre, Music Theatre International, Newman Displays, Outernet Venues, Preevue, PRG, Re:Water, RSVP-ify, SINE Digital, Steeldeck Rentals, Tandem Marketing, Theatrical Rights Worldwide, The Pekoe Group, Ticketmaster, TikTok, Travelzoo and White Light.
NOMINATIONS IN FULL (winners in bold)
BEST PERFORMER IN A PLAY SPONSORED BY SINE DIGITAL
Emma D’Arcy, The Other Place, National Theatre
Tom Holland, Romeo & Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre
Cush Jumbo, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Anne Odeke, Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe
Michael Sheen, Nye, National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre
David Tennant, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
BEST PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL SPONSORED BY TICKETMASTER
Georgina Castle, Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre
Jo Foster, Why Am I So Single?, Garrick Theatre
Myles Frost, MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre
Imelda Staunton, Hello, Dolly!, The London Palladium
Leesa Tulley, Why Am I So Single?, Garrick Theatre
Vanessa Williams, The Devil Wears Prada, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A PLAY
Freema Agyeman, Romeo & Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre
Romola Garai, Giant, Royal Court Theatre
Julie Hesmondhalgh, Punch, Nottingham Playhouse
Teddy Hinde, The History Boys, UK tour
Atsuki Mashiko, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Sharon Small, Nye, National Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL SPONSORED BY NEWMAN DISPLAYS
Siobhan Athwal, Bhangra Nation, Birmingham Rep
Amy Di Bartolomeo, The Devil Wears Prada, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre
Melanie La Barrie, Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
Grace Mouat, Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre
Jaydon Vijn, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Tom Xander, Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre
BEST TAKEOVER PERFORMANCE SPONSORED BY HURTWOOD HOUSE, THE SCHOOL FOR THEATRE
Zoe Birkett, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre
Cara Delevingne, Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Craig Ryder, Moulin Rouge! the Musical, Piccadilly Theatre
Alex Sawyer, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre
Tobias Turley, Mamma Mia!, Novello Theatre
Layton Williams, Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
BEST PROFESSIONAL DEBUT PERFORMANCE SPONSORED BY AKA
Esme Bowdler, Heathers the Musical, @sohoplace and UK tour
Jeevan Braich, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Stevie Doc, Mamma Mia!, Novello Theatre
Vasco Emauz, Back to the Future the Musical, Adelphi Theatre
Mia Kobayashi, Your Lie in April, Harold Pinter Theatre
Gerardine Sacdalan, & Juliet, UK tour
BEST NEW MUSICAL SPONSORED BY TRAVELZOO
Babies, Music and lyrics by Jack Godfrey and book by Martha Geelan, The Other Palace
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Music and lyrics by Darren Clark and book and lyrics by Jethro Compton, Ambassadors Theatre
The Devil Wears Prada, Music by Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick and book by Kate Wetherhead, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre
MJ the Musical, Music and lyrics by Michael Jackson and book by Lynn Nottage, Prince Edward Theatre
Mean Girls, Music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and book by Tina Fey, Savoy Theatre
Why Am I So Single?, Music, lyrics and book by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, Garrick Theatre
BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL SPONSORED BY CONCORD THEATRICALS
Dear Evan Hansen, Nottingham Playhouse and UK tour
Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
Hello, Dolly!, The London Palladium
Kiss Me, Kate, Barbican Theatre
Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
BEST NEW PLAY SPONSORED BY GO LIVE THEATRE
Giant, Mark Rosenblatt, Royal Court Theatre
Kyoto, Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, RSC’s Swan Theatre
Princess Essex, Anne Odeke, Shakespeare’s Globe
Punch, James Graham, Nottingham Playhouse
Slave Play, Jeremy O’Harris, Noël Coward Theatre
Spirited Away, Adapted by John Caird and co-adapted by Maoko Imai, The London Coliseum
BEST PLAY REVIVAL SPONSORED BY EDWARDIAN HOTELS – OFFICAL HOTEL PARTNER
A Raisin in the Sun, Leeds Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse
The Crucible, Sheffield Crucible
Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Oedipus, Wyndham’s Theatre
Romeo & Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre
Waiting for Godot, Theatre Royal Haymarket
BEST WEST END SHOW SPONSORED BY DEWYNTERS
Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre
Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre
Mamma Mia!, Novello Theatre
Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
SIX, Vaudeville Theatre
BEST REGIONAL PRODUCTION SPONSORED BY MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL
42 Balloons, The Lowry, Salford
The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Becoming Nancy, Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Brassed Off, Theatre by the Lake, Stephen Joseph Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton
Dear Evan Hansen, Nottingham Playhouse and UK tour
Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
BEST STUDIO PRODUCTION SPONSORED BY THEATRICAL RIGHTS WORLDWIDE
BRACE BRACE, Royal Court Theatre
Dear Young Monster, Bristol Old Vic Weston Studio
Diary of a Gay Disaster, Underbelly Cowgate and Arcola Theatre
KENREX, Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, Sheffield
Mulatto Boy, Omnibus Theatre
Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, Barn Theatre
BEST CONCERT EVENT
Gypsy the Musical in Concert, Hope Mill Theatre at Opera House, Manchester
I Am Harvey Milk, Cadogan Hall
Pippin – 50th Anniversary Concert, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Something Rotten! – In Concert, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Sondheim on Sondheim, Alexandra Palace Theatre
Spring Awakening: 15th Anniversary Concert, Victoria Palace Theatre
BEST DIRECTION SPONSORED BY LOVETHEATRE
Eline Arbo, The Years, Almeida Theatre
Robert Icke, Oedipus, Wyndham’s Theatre
Anthony Lau, The Crucible, Sheffield Crucible
James Macdonald, Waiting for Godot, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Drew McOnie, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Emma Rice, The Buddha of Suburbia, RSC’s Swan Theatre and Barbican Theatre
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY SPONSORED BY LADUCA SHOES
Matthew Bourne, Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Julia Cheng, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Drew McOnie, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Rujuta Vaidya, Bhangra Nation, Birmingham Rep
Anthony Van Laast, Kiss Me, Kate, Barbican Theatre
Christopher Wheeldon, MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre
BEST SET DESIGN SPONSORED BY PREEVUE
Jon Bausor and Toby Olié, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Miriam Buether, Kyoto, RSC’s Swan Theatre
Es Devlin, Coriolanus, National Theatre
Tim Hatley, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Kenneth MacLeod, Maggie and Me, UK tour
Tom Scutt, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Sachiko Nakahara, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Lez Brotherston, Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Tom Scutt, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Gabriella Slade, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Rae Smith, Hello, Dolly!, The London Palladium
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN SPONSORED BY WHITE LIGHT
Paule Constable, Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Howard Hudson, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Jessica Hung Han Yun, Minority Report, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Tim Lutkin, Coriolanus, National Theatre
Bruno Poet, Waiting for Godot, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Zoe Spurr, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
BEST SOUND DESIGN SPONSORED BY HERE @ OUTERNET
Paul Arditti, BRACE BRACE, Royal Court Theatre
Susan Bear, Maggie and Me, UK tour
Nicola T Chang, Minority Report, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Gareth Fry, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Gareth Fry, Viola’s Room, Woolwich Works
Gareth Owen, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
BEST VIDEO DESIGN SPONSORED BY TIKTOK
David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Grant Gee and Ellie Thompson, Bluets, Royal Court Theatre
Andrzej Goulding, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Tal Rosner, Minority Report, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Ash J Woodward, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Ash J Woodward, FANGIRLS, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION/SUPERVISION SPONSORED BY DISNEY’S HERCULES
Mark Aspinall and Dan Turek, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Niraj Chag and Simon Baker, The Buddha of Suburbia, RSC’s Swan Theatre and Barbican Theatre
Darren Clark and Mark Aspinall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Ambassadors Theatre
Alasdair Macrae, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Matthew Malone, Brassed Off, Theatre by the Lake, Stephen Joseph Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton
Liam Robinson and Tarek Merchant, Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
BEST CASTING DIRECTION
Amy Ball, The Years, Almeida Theatre
Harry Blumenau and Sarah-Jane Price, Why Am I So Single?, Garrick Theatre
Stuart Burt, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Alastair Coomer and Chloe Blake, Till the Stars Come Down, National Theatre
Anna Cooper, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Lotte Hines, A Raisin in the Sun, Leeds Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse
BEST WIGS, HAIR AND MAKE-UP DESIGN SUPPORTED BY BBC THREE’S GLOW UP
Campbell Young Associates, The Devil Wears Prada, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre
Jackie Saundercock and Campbell Young Associates, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Betty Marini, The Cabinet Minister, Menier Chocolate Factory
Hiroaki Miyauchi, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Georgia Nosal, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Services to Theatre:
Paule Constable