Winners of the 2016 Offies announced

This year's winers of The Offies have been announced with Clare Higgins scooping Best Female, Matthew Tennyson winning Best Male and Lee Proud being awarded Best Choreographer.

The awards, which celebrate the best in Off- WestEnd theatre and reward independent venues and their achievements outside the mainstream, were announced on 28 February via Ian McKellen's twitter feed.

Other winners included Frances Mayhew securing the Special Achievement Award for her dedication to saving, rebuilding and securing a future for Wilton's Music Hall, Grand Hotel at Southwark Playhouse which picked up Best Musical Production and Stewart Pringle who won Best Artistic Director for his work at The Old Red Lion.

As in previous years, most winners are assigned a 'Patron Saint' who will mentor the recipient and offer specialist advice, guidance and introductions to people in the industry. This year's Patron Saints included National Theatre artistic director Rufus Norris, producer Sonia Friedman, Barbican head of theatre Toni Racklin and choreographer Stephen Mear.

Full list of Offie Winners 2016

Best Female
Clare Higgins for Clarion at the Arcola Theatre

Best Supporting Female – Joint Winners
Emilie Patry for The Christians at the Gate Theatre
Lucy Ellinson for The Christians at the Gate Theatre

Best Male
Matthew Tennyson for A Breakfast Of Eels at The Print Room

Best Supporting Male
Chris Levens for Lovesong of The Electric Bear at The Hope

Best New Play
Sponsored by Edwardian Hotels London
Patron Saint: Jack Bradley
A Breakfast Of Eels by Robert Holman at The Print Room

Most Promising New Playwright
Patron Saint: Jack Bradley
Tim Foley for The Dogs Of War at the Old Red Lion

Best Director
Patron Saint: Rufus Norris
Josh Seymour for One Arm at Southwark Playhouse

Best Lighting Designer
Patron Saint: Paule Constable & David Howe
Christopher Nairne for Teddy at Southwark Playhouse

Best Sound Designer
Patron Saint: Paul Arditti
Paul Freeman for Lovesong Of The Electric Bear at The Hope

Best Set Designer
Patron Saint: Bill Buckhurst
Fly Davis for Image Of An Unknown Young Woman at The Gate

Best Costume Designer
Patron Saint: Catherine Kodicek
Emily Stuart for The Cutting Of The Cloth at Southwark Playhouse

Best Choreographer
Patron Saint: Stephen Mear
Lee Proud for Grand Hotel at Southwark Playhouse

Best Ensemble
Patron Saint: Nancy Meckler
Kandinsky Theatre for Dog Show at The New Diorama

Best Production
Patron Saint: Mark Goucher
Image Of An Unknown Young Woman at The Gate

Best New Musical
Patron Saint: Edward Snape of Fiery Agel
Teddy at Southwark Playhouse

Best Musical Production
Patron Saint: Edward Snape of Fiery Agel
Grand Hotel at Southwark Playhouse

Best Opera Production
Patron Saint: Nicholas Payne
La Serve Padrona by Insieme at Wilton’s Music Hall

Best Artistic Director
Patron Saint: David Lan
Stewart Pringle at The Old Red Lion

Best Producer
Patron Saint: Sonia Friedman
DEM Productions at Theatre503

Best Production For Young People (Ages 0-7)
Patron Saint: John Retallack
Whatever The Weather at the Polka Theatre

Best Production For Young People (Ages 8+)
Patron Saint: John Retallack
Joint Winners
Martyr by the Unicorn Theatre and Actors Touring Company
Table Of Delights at the Print Room

TBC Award
Patron Saint: Toni Racklin
Verity Standen's HUG at Southbank Centre

Special Achievement Award
Frances Mayhew for 11 years dedicated to saving, rebuilding and securing a stable future for Wilton's Music Hall.

Winners of the public vote held between 1 January and 14 February for:

Best Theatre Bar
Central London
Royal Court
North London
The Rosemary Branch
East London
Theatre Royal Stratford East
South East London
Young Vic
South West London
Battersea Arts Centre
North West London
Hampstead Theatre

Best Theatre Foodie Experience
Central London
Menier Chocolate Factory
North London
The Rosemary Branch
East London
The Arcola
South East London
Young Vic
South West London
St James Theatre
North West London
The Bush

Most Welcoming Theatre
Central London
Southwark Playhouse
North London
The Rosemary Branch
East London
The Arcola
South East London
Brockley Jack
South West London
St James Theatre
North West London
Hampstead Theatre