Jessie Buckley, Jack Lowden and Olivia Vinall among Ian Charleson shortlist

The nominees have been announced for the 2014 Ian Charleson Award, which recognises outstanding performances by actors under 30 in classical roles.

Established in 1991 in honour of acclaimed Scottish actor Ian Charleson, the award is run jointly by the Sunday Times newspaper and the National Theatre.

The annual prize is given to an actor anywhere in the UK under the age of 30 in a classical role – defined as a play written up until 1904, the year Chekhov died.

This year's nominees are:

– Fisayo Akinade Adam, Silvius and William in As You Like It (Transport Theatre on tour)

– Elliot Barnes-Worrell, the Groom in Richard II (Royal Shakespeare Company)

– Nari Blair-Mangat, Caithness in Macbeth (Manchester International Festival)

– Jessie Buckley, Miranda in The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Princess Katharine in Henry V (Noël Coward Theatre)

– Graham Butler, Henry VI in Henry VI, Parts I, II & III (Shakespeare’s Globe)

– Gavin Fowler, Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Noël Coward Theatre) and Florizel in The Winter’s Tale (Royal Shakespeare Company)

– Kim Hardy, Konstantin in The Seagull (The White Bear)

– Jack Lowden, Oswald in Ghosts (Almeida Theatre)

– Brian Markey, Hugh in Mixed Marriage (Lyric Theatre, Belfast)

– Charlene McKenna, Regina in Ghosts (Almeida Theatre)

– Rose Reynolds, Lavinia in Titus Andronicus (Royal Shakespeare Company)

– Gemma Soul, Rose in The Recruiting Officer (Salisbury Playhouse)

– Luke Thompson, Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe)

– Olivia Vinall, Desdemona in Othello (National Theatre)

The winner and runners-up will be announced on 25 April 2014.