Theatre News

The Stage Debut Awards 2024 winners announced including Jack Wolfe, Grace Hodgett Young and Jeevan Braich

The award winners have been revealed

Alex Wood

Alex Wood

| Nationwide |

29 September 2024

Grace Hodgett Young, Jack Wolfe and Jeevan Braich, © Marc Brenner and Pamela Raith
Grace Hodgett Young, Jack Wolfe and Jeevan Braich, © Marc Brenner and Pamela Raith

The Stage has announced the winners for the 2024 Debut Awards, recognising emerging talent in UK theatre.

The winners were revealed at a ceremony at 8 Northumberland Avenue, hosted by Divina De Campo.

The Full List of 2024 Nominees

Best Performer in a Play (sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide):

  • Deborah Ayorinde for Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White at the Lyric Hammersmith, London
  • Imogen Elliott for The Voice of the Turtle at Jermyn Street Theatre, London
  • Kasper Hilton-Hille for That Face at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
  • Gareth John for Housemates at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
  • WINNER: Louis McCartney for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at Phoenix Theatre, London
  • Nadia Parkes for The House Party at Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
  • Taylor Russell for The Effect at the National Theatre, London
  • WINNER: Ellie-May Sheridan for London Tide at the National Theatre, London

Best Performer in a Musical (sponsored by Michael Harrison Entertainment):

  • Scarlett Ayers for The Verge of Forever at the Other Palace, London
  • WINNER: Jeevan Braich for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London
  • Laura Dawkes for Frozen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
  • Myles Frost for MJ the Musical at Prince Edward Theatre, London
  • Joshua Ginsberg for Cable Street at Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
  • WINNER: Grace Hodgett Young for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, London

Best Director (sponsored by Arts Council England):

  • Ellie Coote for 42 Balloons at the Lowry, Manchester
  • WINNER: Sophie Drake for The Bleeding Tree at the Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
  • Emily Foran for Little Women at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast

Best Designer (sponsored by Preevue):

  • WINNER: Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom (video) for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, London
  • Ellie Koslowsky (set) for Vegetables at A secret location, London
  • Nadya Sayapina (set), Anastasiya Ryabova (costume), Lidiia Dresch-Pyshna (costume) and Dmytro Guk (video/projection) for King Stakh’s Wild Hunt at Barbican Theatre, London
  • Skylar Turnbull Hurd (lighting) for These Demons at Theatre503, London

Best Writer (sponsored by Sonia Friedman Productions):

  • WINNER: Sam Grabiner for Boys on the Verge of Tears at Soho Theatre, London
  • Martha Loader for Bindweed at Mercury Theatre, Colchester
  • Harry McDonald for Foam at the Finborough Theatre, London
  • Hannah Morley for We Could All Be Perfect at Sheffield Theatres, Sheffield
  • WINNER: Azuka Oforka for The Women of Llanrumney at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
  • Anastasia Osei-Kuffour for Love Steps at the Omnibus Theatre, London

Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer (sponsored by Crossroads Live):

  • Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab for The Enormous Crocodile at Leeds Playhouse, Leeds
  • Nick Butcher and Tom Ling for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace, London
  • Elvis Costello for Cold War at the Almeida Theatre, London
  • WINNER: Jack Godfrey for 42 Balloons at the Lowry, Manchester

Best West End Debut Performer (Sponsored by Noël Coward Foundation):

  • Francesca Amewudah-Rivers for Romeo and Juliet at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London
  • Will Close for Dear England at the National Theatre, London
  • Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke at Ambassadors Theatre, London
  • Grace Hodgett Young for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, London
  • Toheeb Jimoh for Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre, London
  • Ed Larkin for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace, London
  • Louis McCartney for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre, London
  • WINNER: Jack Wolfe for Next to Normal at Wyndham’s Theatre, London

Best Creative West End Debut (sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment):

  • WINNER: Daniel Bailey (director) for Red Pitch at @sohoplace, London
  • Jim Barne and Kit Buchan (composer, lyricist) for Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) at the Criterion Theatre, London
  • Marcelo Dos Santos (writer) for Backstairs Billy at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London
  • Kip Williams (director) for The Picture of Dorian Gray at Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
  • Brian Yorkey (lyricist) and Tom Kitt (composer) for Next to Normal at Wyndham’s Theatre, London

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