UK Theatre Awards reveals 2025 nominees

Nominees for the UK Theatre Awards 2025 have been announced.

Sponsored by Encore, the annual event celebrates creative achievement both on and off stage across the UK.

Sheffield Theatres leads this year’s nominations with three nods, while ten venues each received two nominations each.

As previously announced, the nominees for the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award are Birmingham Rep, Royal and Derngate and Shakespeare North Playhouse. Venue visits by the judging panel are now underway.

The recipient of this year’s Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award is Carlos Acosta, director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. 

Winners will be revealed at this year’s ceremony, taking place at 8 Northumberland Avenue on 12 October and hosted by Faye Tozer.

Co-CEOs of Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, Claire Walker and Hannah Essex, said: “This year’s UK Theatre Awards nominations are a testament to the astonishing talent and dedication of our members. Across the country theatres are creating incredible work on-stage and providing welcoming spaces for their local community off-stage. Congratulations to all the nominees and thank you to our sponsors and partners for their fantastic support. We look forward to celebrating with everyone on Sunday 12 October.” 

Full list of nominees

On Stage Awards: 

Best Musical Production sponsored by Tysers Live  

Becoming Nancy, a Birmingham Rep production  

Come Fall In Love, a Yash Raj Films production at Opera House Manchester  

Jesus Christ Superstar, a Watermill Theatre production by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd  

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a Chichester Festival Theatre production   

Best New Play sponsored by Ecclesiastical  

Flumps, a Mercury Original production in association with The Thelmas  

Grace Pervades, a Theatre Royal Bath, Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment and Second Half Productions co-production  

Through The Shortbread Tin, a National Theatre of Scotland production  

Best Play Revival  

Animal Farm, a Leeds Playhouse and Stratford East co-production in association with Nottingham Playhouse  

The Constant Wife, a Royal Shakespeare Company production in association with David Pugh Ltd  

Our New Girl, a Lyric Theatre Belfast production  

Best Director  

Nadia Fall for Abigail’s Party, a Stratford East production  

Theresa Heskins and Vicki Amedume for Angela Carter’s The Company Of Wolves, a New Vic Theatre production  

Prasanna Puwanarajah for Twelfth Night, a Royal Shakespeare Company production   

Best Performance in a Musical  

Rakesh Boury and Rebecca McKinnis for The Parent Agency, a Scenario Two and Storyhouse co-production  

Molly Lynch for My Fair Lady, a Curve production  

Dawn Sievewright for Wild Rose, a Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Caledonia Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions co-production  

Best Performance in a Play  

Helen Carter for Shirley Valentine, a Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse production  

Jack Holden for Kenrex, an Aria Entertainment and Sheffield Theatres co-production  

Michael Patrick for Richard III, a Lyric Theatre Belfast production   

Best Supporting Performance (in a Musical or Play)  

Sam Buttery for Little Shop Of Horrors, a Sheffield Theatres production  

Georgie Henley for The Ministry Of Lesbian Affairs, a Kiln Theatre, Antic Productions and Damsel Productions co-production  

Ntombizodwa Ndlovu for Marie And Rosetta, a Chichester Festival Theatre, Rose Theatre and ETT co-production  

Thea-Jo Wolfe for The Mad Ones, an Electric Press Productions and Samantha Creswick co-production at The Other Palace Studio  

Best Design  

Kei Ishihara for Scenography, Sacico Ito for Costume Design, Simon Wilkinson for Lighting Design and Ailie Cohen for Puppet Design for Confessions Of A Shinagawa Monkey, a Vanishing Point and Kanagawa Arts Theatre co-production in association with Tramway at Dundee Rep  

Yoav Segal for Set and Costume Design for Pinocchio, a Watermill Theatre production  

Grace Smart for Design for Spend, Spend, Spend, a Royal Exchange Theatre production  

Best Show for Children and Young People  

The Jingleclaw, a Birmingham Hippodrome production   

The Jungle Book, an Octagon Theatre Bolton production  

Pig Heart Boy, a Children’s Theatre Partnership, Unicorn Theatre and Sheffield Theatres co-production  

Achievement in Dance  

BalletLorent for Snow White/Snow White: The Sacrifice  

Natural Behaviour by Thick & Tight  

Songs Of The Wayfarer by Claire Cunningham  

StopGap for Lived Fiction  

Achievement in Opera  

Opera North for Simon Boccanegra, an Opera North production  

Scottish Opera for Trial By Jury, a co-production by Scottish Opera, D’Oyly Carte Opera and Opera Holland Park and A Matter Of Misconduct!, a co-production by Scottish Opera and D’Oyly Carte Opera  

Welsh National Opera for Peter Grimes, a Welsh National Opera production 

Off Stage Awards: 

Excellence in Arts Education  

Bristol Hippodrome   

Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse  

Lyric Hammersmith Theatre 

Excellence in Touring sponsored by Theatre Tokens  

Emma Rice Company  

National Theatre of Scotland   

Theatre by the Lake   

Excellence in Inclusivity sponsored by ATG Entertainment  

Birmingham Hippodrome   

New Wolsey Theatre   

Storyhouse   

Excellence in Sustainability  

ATG Entertainment   

BEAM   

Northern Broadsides Theatre Company  

Excellence in Workforce Culture  

Orchard Theatre and Orchard West  

Stephen Joseph Theatre   

Theatr Clwyd   

UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre sponsored by Encore  

Birmingham Rep 

Royal and Derngate 

Shakespeare North Playhouse 

Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre  

Carlos Acosta