The Stage Debut Awards prove their vital importance in another top notch night

Last night marked The Stage Debut Awards ceremony, which saw major talents like Rachel Zegler, Ava Pickett and Mark Rosenblatt recognised.

While Zegler may be the one to grab the headlines, the event once again highlighted why it holds such a vital position within the UK theatre calendar.

The evening was a strong showcase of the importance of resilience, a point hammered home when the original writing team behind the globally successful The Play That Goes Wrong made the humorous but poignant decision to read a less-than-glowing 2014 review from The Stage.

It offered a profound lesson: early critical reception is not the sole metric of success, and initial adversity can, in fact, preface an internationally celebrated career. This moment was a perfect reminder that the awards are about encouraging the long-term tenacity required to sustain a life in the arts. It was great to see a strong buy-in from household name presenters like Johannes Radebe, Tamzin Outhwaite and host Julian Clary (who delivered another profanity-laden opening speech).

One of the notable characteristics of the awards is their timing in September. This strategic placement is far more than a mere scheduling choice; by existing outside the traditional spring awards crush – when major accolades tend to consolidate the season between March and April – The Stage Debut Awards ensures that genuinely new and breakthrough work receives the dedicated spotlight it deserves, effectively carving out its own space.

This year’s ceremony was presented in association with headline sponsor Netflix, which speaks volumes about the shifting dynamics within the creative sector. Having a global streaming giant actively backing the celebration of UK theatre’s newest talent underscores the vital symbiotic relationship between the stage and screen worlds. As was noted during the event, the theatre industry remains an essential talent pipeline, consistently supporting and feeding new work and artists into television and film. Without UK theatre, we wouldn’t have the stars of Bridgerton, or the writers and stars of Adolescence. 

While The Stage has emphasised the importance of audience-voted categories (like the Best West End Debut Performer) in order to bolster public awareness and a sense of investment from audiences, it’s great that Golden Globe-winning stars can sit side-by-side with new talent. As Why Am I So Single? star and Best Performer in a Musical winner Leesa Tulley said on stage, it was everyone in the room that will be shaping theatre for decades to come.

In the press room, Tulley spoke personally about not realising she could have a successful career “out of being a daft, wee Glaswegian”, having initially felt the need to “turn off my accent and be really serious”. Ultimately, she celebrated the fact that there was a “huge space for me to celebrate that and be that” on stage.

The focus was placed equally on the indispensable designers, writers, composers, lyricists and directors who collectively build the theatrical experience. This breadth of inclusion is vital; it acknowledges that a production is a collaboration of multiple essential crafts. I had the joy of being sat next to nominated lighting designer Adam Jefferys – who landed the job designing Communion at the Bush Theatre by chance due to a drop-out. The fact he was receiving equal recognition to a breakout leading star embodies the best of our theatre community’s spirit.