Stars in their multitudes – the most searched stage names of April 2026

Every month, we run down the most viewed stage stars on the WhatsOnStage website.

For those unaware, we are curating an ever-growing directory of who’s who in the West End and beyond – check out our progress so far here!

This month, we cheered on our stage faves as they appeared on the big screen and received very exciting full cast announcements for a new musical and a very old one!

Delilah Bennett-Cardy

Paddington The Musical’s original Judy Brown has made our top ten in April, the very same month as the release of The Magic Faraway Tree. The performer stars alongside the likes of Andrew Garfield and Nicola Coughlan and is a standout presence in the fantastical adventure film. This month also marked her final performances in the multi-award-winning Paddington at the Savoy Theatre.

Dónal Finn

Whether he was being searched for his stage role in John Proctor is the Villain (which will transfer to the West End next year!), or for being seen on television in The Other Bennett Sister or Young Sherlock, Dónal Finn is back in our WhosOnTrend list. Finn is on track for a mega year!

James Hameed and Arti Shah

Newly minted Olivier Award winners James Hameed and Arti Shah remain in our trending list for yet another month. The duo performed at the annual awards ceremony (with fellow winner Tom Edden) before picking up the final acting category of the night with two of the best speeches we’ve ever heard.

Nick Hayes

Nick Hayes is surely having fun playing Felicia/Adam in the new tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert! The new tour is directed by Olivier Award-nominated Ian Talbot and choreographed by WhatsOnStage Award-winner Matt Cole, with costumes by Strictly’s Vicky Gill.

Esme Hough

Now, we don’t want to spoil anything here accidentally, but Esme Hough is currently starring in a whodunit! She plays Jacqueline de Bellefort in the Poirot mystery Death on the Nile, which is sailing its way across the country on tour.

Amy Lennox

We were ever so thrilled to reveal Amy Lennox is returning to the stage in a world premiere adaptation of Thelma & Louise, no less! Rachel Tucker will be the Louise to Lennox’s Thelma as the duo crash into the Young Vic Theatre later this year.

Meow Meow

She never strays too far from these monthly lists, and Meow Meow is back again as her turn as Mrs Lovett in Birmingham Rep’s Sweeney Todd gets ever-closer. We can’t wait!

Jamie Muscato and Joy Woods

A great big wilkommen to the newest stars of the Kit Kat Club! Musical theatre favourites Jamie Muscato and Joy Woods will be the next pairing to play the Emcee and Sally Bowles, respectively, in an announcement that had the internet on its knees (complimentary).

Hannah Nordberg and the cast of Beetlejuice

It’s a biggie! The long-awaited cast announcement for Beetlejuice‘s West End premiere finally landed – with a host of familiar and new names ready to have the time of their (after) lives. Intrigue landed mainly on newcomer Hannah Nordberg, who will be playing Lydia, but you can meet the full cast here.

Jeremy Secomb and the cast of Les Misérables

Last (alphabetically) but by no means least, the cast for the upcoming arena tour and Royal Albert Hall stops was revealed. There really are stars in their multitudes as Les Mis veterans share the iconic roles to mark the end of the 40th anniversary celebrations. With all this excitement, it is no wonder it picked up this year’s WhatsOnStage Award for Best West End Show.