Runaway hit musical Hamilton continued its award ceremony domination, picking up five awards at the WhatsOnStage awards yesterday.
There had already been celebrations amongst the Hamilton cast when it was announced they’d received 12 nominations across the 23 categories. The Hamilton cast went onto win two awards; Best Actor in a Musical for Jamael Westman (Hamilton), and Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for Jason Pennycooke (Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson). Hamilton’s creative team were also recognised, taking home awards for Best Choreography, Best Costume Design and Best Lighting Design.
The cast of Hamilton weren’t the only ones celebrating though, as Little Shop of Horrors won three awards: Best Musical Revival, Best Set Design and Best Poster Design.
Last year’s smash-hit Heathers won the much-wanted Best New Musical (beating the main winner of the night, Hamilton to the post). Carrie Hope Fletcher also won Best Actress in a Musical, her third WhatsOnStage win in five years. The Heather’s family were out in full force, and Carrie, Jodie Steele, Sophie Isaacs, T’Shan Williams performed the classic “I Say No” and “Candy Store” from the West End production.
While another musical hit of the season, the gender-reversed Company, also won 2 awards – Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Patti LuPone, and Best Director for Marianne Elliott. While the Best West End Show award went to the iconic audience favourite Les Misérables. And because every audience member loves to bop to a show soundtrack on the way home, the Best Cast Recording went to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
But it wasn’t just musicals taking home awards for their mantelpiece. The Inheritance and The Madness of George III also won two awards each, taking Best New Play and Best Play Revival respectively. They also both won in the Best Supporting performance categories, with Vanessa Redgrave winning for The Inheritance, and Adrian Scarborough for The Madness of George III.
Sophie Okonedo went onto win Best Actress in a Play for Antony and Cleopatra at the National Theatre, and Aidan Turner won Best Actor in a Play for his return to the stage in Michael Grandage’s production of The Lieutenant of Inishmore.
And it wasn’t just the West End productions that were being celebrated. The queens of Six The Musical won Best Off-West End Production, and Best Regional Production went to Spring Awakening at the Hope Mill Theatre.
Michael Grandage received The Equity Award For Services To Theatre, which is the only award in the ceremony that isn’t voted for by the public. Michael was given this special recognition not only for his work on stage, but also his commitment to accessible ticket prices, and MGCfutures which supports emerging theatre-makers.
WhatsOnStage’s Chief Operating Officer Sita McIntosh said, “The calibre of theatre across 2018 has been extraordinary – from musicals to plays, from new productions to revivals – which is reflected in this year’s WhatsOnStage Awards winners list.
It’s brilliant to see some behemoth shows alongside smaller offerings and it’s notable this year that regional theatre has featured in several categories, not just under Best Regional Production. It goes to show how dynamic and exciting the theatre scene is up and down the UK at the moment. The WhatsOnStage Awards tell us about audiences and what they have loved and want to see and this list demonstrates there is an appetite for everything from small to big, subsidised to commercial in London and beyond. Congratulations to all the winners.”
The WhatsOnStage Awards are an annual event, where the winners are decided entirely by theatregoers.
Full list of WhatsOnStage Award winners:
- Best Actor in a Play: Aidan Turner, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
- Best Actress in a Play: Sophie Okonedo, Antony and Cleopatra
- Best Actor in a Musical: Jamael Westman, Hamilton
- Best Actress in a Musical: Carrie Hope Fletcher, Heathers the Musical
- Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Adrian Scarborough, The Madness of George III
- Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Vanessa Redgrave, The Inheritance
- Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton
- Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Patti LuPone, Company
- Best New Play: The Inheritance
- Best New Musical: Heathers the Musical
- Best Play Revival: The Madness of George III
- Best Musical Revival: Little Shop of Horrors
- Best Direction: Marianne Elliott, Company
- Best Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
- Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
- Best Set Design: Tom Scutt, Little Shop of Horrors
- Best Lighting Design: Howell Binkley, Hamilton
- Best Video Design: Terry Scruby, Chess
- Best Off-West End Production: Six the Musical
- Best Regional Production sponsored by MTI Europe: Spring Awakening
- Best Original Cast Recording: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
- Best Show Poster: Little Shop of Horrors
- Best West End Show: Les Misérables
- The Equity Award For Services To Theatre: Michael Grandage