Details of those shortlisted for the awards have been announced ahead of the awards ceremony taking place on the 23rd September.
Celebrating the best break through talent in theatre, The Stage Debut Awards celebrates all those who have made their theatrical debut this year from actors and directors to designers, writers, composers and lyricists.
The awards first started in 2017, with guests including Grammy and Olivier Award-winning actress Amber Riley and the director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris.
This year’s awards also includes the Joe Allen Best West End Debut Award 2018, the only award voted for by the general public. This award celebrates a first performance in London’s West End. Votes for this award can be cast online here and voting will close at midnight on the 16th September.
Talking about the awards Alistair Smith, Editor of The Stage said: “After the huge success of The Stage Debut Awards’ first outing in 2017, we’re delighted to reveal another superb shortlist of emerging stars that ranges from first-time playwrights in pub theatres to regional directors and those making their debuts on the biggest West End stages. This list underlines the quite astonishing array of diverse talent breaking through in theatres of all scales and types across the UK.”
The nominees for the awards are as follows:
Best Actress In A Play –
· Kitty Archer for One for Sorrow at the Royal Court, London
· Gemma Dobson for Rita, Sue and Bob Too at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
· Lorna Fitzgerald for The Shadow Factory at NST City, Southampton
· Grainne O’Mahony for The Elephant Man at Bristol Old Vic
Best Actor In A Play – Sponsored by Audible
· Seb Carrington for Summer and Smoke at the Almeida Theatre, London
· Akshay Sharan for The Reluctant Fundamentalist at the Yard Theatre, London
· Chris Walley for The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Noel Coward Theatre, London
· Alex Wilson for The Elephant Man at Bristol Old Vic Theatre
Best Actor In A Musical – Sponsored by Encore Radio
· Will Carey for It’s Only Life at the Union Theatre, London
· Louis Gaunt for Oklahoma! at Grange Park Opera, West Horsley
· Toby Miles for Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, London
· Simon Oskarsson for Return to the Forbidden Planet at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London
Best Actress In A Musical – Sponsored by R&H Theatricals Europe
· Teleri Hughes for Spring Awakening at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
· Eleanor Kane for Fun Home at the Young Vic, London
· Rebecca Mendoza for Hairspray, on tour
· Amara Okereke for Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, London
Best Director – Sponsored by Smith & Williamson
· Iwan Lewis for One Minute at the Barn Theatre, Cirencester
· Alexandra Moxon for Wreck at Nottingham Playhouse
· Oscar Pearce for Great Apes at the Arcola Theatre, London
· Katy Rudd for The Almighty Sometimes at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
Best Designer – Sponsored by Robe Lighting
· Basia Binkowska for Devil with the Blue Dress at the Bunker Theatre, London
· Khadija Raza for Hijabi Monologues, Spun, and Mixtape, at the Bush Theatre, London, the Arcola Theatre, London and the Royal Exchange, Manchester
· Fin Redshaw for Pieces of String and Love Me Now at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester and the Tristan Bates Theatre, London
· Jasmine Swan for Hyem, The Passing of Third Floor Back, Hanna and The Sleeper at Theatre503, London, the Finborough Theatre, London, the Arcola Theatre, London, and Rialto Theatre, Brighton
Best Composer or Lyricist – Sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment Group
· Gus Gowland for Pieces of String at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester
· Kate Marlais for Abandon at the Lyric Hammersmith, London
· Matt Winkworth for The Assassination of Katie Hopkins at Theatr Clwyd, Mold
Best Writer – Sponsored by InterTalent Rights Group
· Georgia Christou for Yous Two at Hampstead Theatre, London
· Kendall Feaver for The Almighty Sometimes at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
· Natasha Gordon for Nine Night at the National Theatre, London
· Andrew Thompson for In Event of Moone Disaster at Theatre503, London
· Joe White for Mayfly at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
The Joe Allen Best West End Debut
· Mohammad Amiri for The Jungle at the Playhouse Theatre
· Ashley Banjo for Dick Whittington at the London Palladium
· Bryan Cranston for Network at the National Theatre
· Michelle Greenidge for Nine Night at the National Theatre
· John McCrea for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre
· Kelli O’Hara for The King and I at the London Palladium
· Joe Robertson and Joe Murphy for The Jungle at the Playhouse Theatre
· Lucie Shorthouse for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre
· Aidan Turner for The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Noel Coward Theatre
· Adrienne Warren for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre
The winners of the Stage Debut Awards will be announced in a ceremony taking place on the 23rd September.