26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards: Complete list of nominees explored

The WhatsOnStage Awards are officially heading into their twenty-sixth year, as they have newly released their nominations for the 2026 event. Notably, it is one of the notable UK theatre awards that are fully decided by theatregoers.

This year's event will take place at The London Palladium. Winners are set to be revealed on Sunday, March 8, 2026. The awards will begin at 6.30 pm. The ceremony will feature live performances from beloved stage actors.

The 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards will also be the third time the awards have been staged at the London Palladium. Voting has been opened to the public on December 11, 2025, at 12.15 pm and will remain open until 12 pm on January 22, 2026.

The WhatsOnStage Awards released an official press release to announce this year's nominees, stating:

"The nominations for the 26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards have now been revealed, with the full list of nominees below. You can vote across all categories here. The winners will be crowned at the special concert ceremony on Sunday, 8 March 2026, once again at The London Palladium, with tickets on sale here."

A note on the official website of WhatsOnStage Awards reads:

"The WhatsOnStage Awards will once again take place at The London Palladium, with the ceremony set for Sunday 8 March 2026. Marking the third time the event has been staged at the iconic venue, the 2026 awards will begin at 6.30pm and will see winners crowned across a wide variety of categories. As ever, audiences can expect a starry line-up of exclusive live performances from leading stage talent."

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Complete list of nominees at the 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards

Below is a complete breakdown of the nominees across all categories for the 26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards.

The SINE Digital Best Performer in a Play Award at the 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards

Jonathan Bailey: Richard II

Ncuti Gatwa: Born With Teeth

Tom Hiddleston: Much Ado About Nothing

Joe Locke: Clarkston

Maxine Peake: The Last Stand of Mary Whitehouse

Rosamund Pike: Inter Alia

Best Performer in a Musical: sponsored by Ticketmaster

Lauren Drew: Titanique

James Hameed and Arti Shah: Paddington The Musical

Lucie Jones: 13 Going On 30 The Musical

Jamie Muscato: The Great Gatsby

Diego Andres Rodriguez: Evita

Rachel Zegler: Evita

Best Supporting Performer in a Play: sponsored by Newman Displays

Joe Alwyn: The Lady from the Sea

Emma Corrin: The Seagull

Stephen Fry: The Importance of Being Earnest

Yerin Ha: The Maids

Sophie Melville: Clarkston

Mason Alexander Park: Much Ado About Nothing

Best Supporting Performer in a Musical: sponsored by Newman Displays

Bella Brown: Evita

Amber Davies: The Great Gatsby

Candace Furbert, Sharlene Hector, Brianna Ogunbawo, Malinda Parris and Robyn Rose-Li: Hercules

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt: Paddington The Musical

Grace Mouat: 13 Going On 30 The Musical

Layton Williams: Titanique

Best Takeover Performance at the 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards

Karis Anderson: Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Stevie Doc: The Devil Wears Prada

Emma Kingston: Wicked

Rob Madge: Cabaret

Eva Noblezada: Cabaret

Alex Young: Operation Mincemeat

Best Professional Debut Performance: sponsored by AKA

Timi Akinyosade: Paddington The Musical

Mia Carragher: The Hunger Games on Stage

Hannah Dodd: Cabaret

Jess Folley: Burlesque the Musical

Ruaridh Mollica: Clarkston

Asha Parker-Wallace: Burlesque the Musical

Best New Play: sponsored by Disney on Stage

Born With Teeth: Liz Duffy Adams

Clarkston: Samuel D Hunter

The Comedy About Spies: Henry Lewis and Henry Shields

Inter Alia: Suzie Miller

Stereophonic: David Adjmi

Through It All Together: Chris O’Connor

The Travelzoo Best New Musical Award

The Great Gatsby: Kait Kerrigan, Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen

Hercules: Alan Menken, David Zippel, Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah

Here and Now: Shaun Kitchener

Paddington The Musical: Tom Fletcher and Jessica Swale

Shucked: Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Robert Horn

Titanique: Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli

The Londoner Best Play Revival Award at the 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards

The Importance of Being Earnest: National Theatre and Noël Coward Theatre

The Lady from the Sea: Bridge Theatre

Much Ado About Nothing: Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Richard II: Bridge Theatre

The Seagull: Barbican Theatre

A Streetcar Named Desire: Sheffield Crucible

Best Musical Revival: sponsored by Concord Theatricals

Brigadoon: Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Evita: The London Palladium

Jesus Christ Superstar: The Watermill Theatre

Little Shop of Horrors: Sheffield Crucible

My Fair Lady: Curve, Leicester

The Producers: Menier Chocolate Factory and Garrick Theatre

Best Regional Production at the 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards

13 Going On 30 The Musical: Opera House, Manchester

Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical: Opera House, Manchester

Jesus Christ Superstar: Watermill Theatre

Krapp’s Last Tape: York Theatre Royal

Pride and Prejudice: on tour

Through It All Together: Leeds Playhouse

Best Studio Production: sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide

Be More Chill: Old Joint Stock Theatre

Brixton Calling: Southwark Playhouse

Cul de Sac: Omnibus Theatre

The Frogs: Southwark Playhouse

The Last Five Years: Barn Theatre, Cirencester and Reading Rep Theatre

Young Frankenstein: Hope Mill Theatre

Best West End Show: sponsored by Dewynters

Cabaret: Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre

Hadestown: Lyric Theatre

Les Misérables: Sondheim Theatre

Oliver!: Gielgud Theatre

Operation Mincemeat: Fortune Theatre

Wicked: Apollo Victoria Theatre

Best Concert Event at the 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards

The Book Thief in Concert: Prince of Wales Theatre

Gravity: Theatre Royal Drury Lane

The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Concert: Prince Edward Theatre

Jeremy Jordan: Live at the Royal Albert Hall: Royal Albert Hall

Rachel Zegler: Live at The London Palladium: The London Palladium

Songs for a New World – 30th Anniversary Concert: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

Best Direction: sponsored by London Theatre Direct

Tamara Harvey: The Constant Wife

Lynette Linton: Intimate Apparel

Jamie Lloyd: Much Ado About Nothing

Thomas Ostermeier: The Seagull

Tim Sheader: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Luke Sheppard: Paddington The Musical

Best Choreography: sponsored by LaDuca Shoes

Fabian Aloise: Evita

Ellen Kane: Ballet Shoes

Ellen Kane: Paddington The Musical

Lorin Latarro: The Producers

Drew McOnie: Brigadoon

Jennifer Weber: 13 Going On 30 The Musical

The Preevue Best Set Design Award

Frankie Bradshaw: Ballet Shoes

Lizzie Clachan: The Lady from the Sea

Tom Pye: Paddington The Musical

Paul Tate dePoo III: The Great Gatsby

Michael Taylor: My Fair Lady

David Zinn: Stereophonic

The White Light Best Lighting Design Award

Neil Austin: Born With Teeth

Neil Austin: Paddington The Musical

Jon Clark: Evita

Paule Constable: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Howard Hudson: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Jessica Hung Han Yun: Hamlet Hail to the Thief

Best Sound Design: sponsored by HERE at Outernet

Adam Fisher: Evita

Tony Gayle: Wild Rose

Tom Gibbons: The Seagull

Gareth Owen: Paddington The Musical

Ryan Rumery: Stereophonic

Gareth Tucker and Nick Lidster for Autograph: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Best Video Design: sponsored by Studio Twenty

Will Duke: Hamlet Hail to the Thief

Andrzej Goulding: Born With Teeth

Luke Halls: Sing Street

Zakk Hein: The Maids

Jamie Lloyd, Nick Ward and David Anderson: Evita

Ash J Woodward: Paddington The Musical

Best Costume Design

Alex Berry: Intimate Apparel

Linda Cho: The Great Gatsby

Colin Richmond: The Red Shoes

Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar: Paddington The Musical

Rae Smith: The Importance of Being Earnest

Michael Taylor: My Fair Lady

Best Wigs, Hair and Make Up Design

Georgia Lowe: Little Shop of Horrors

Campbell Young Associates: Paddington The Musical

Charles G LaPointe, Rachael Geier and Ashley Ryan: The Great Gatsby

Mia M Neal and Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche: Hercules

Grace Smart: Cyrano de Bergerac

Rae Smith with Kate Elizabeth, Campbell Young Associates and Adele Brandman: The Importance of Being Earnest

Best Casting Direction

Pippa Ailion for Pippa Ailion & Natalie Gallacher Casting: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Stuart Burt: Make It Happen

Alastair Coomer: The Importance of Being Earnest

Natalie Gallacher for Pippa Ailion & Natalie Gallacher Casting, Nick Hockaday and Annabelle Davis: Paddington The Musical

Bryony Jarvis-Taylor: Here We Are

Pearson Casting: Titanique

Best Music Supervision and Direction

Tom Brady: Hamlet Hail to the Thief

Matt Brind: Paddington The Musical

Justin Craig: Stereophonic

Stuart Morley: Jesus Christ Superstar

Sarah Travis, Davey Anderson and Ali Roocroft: Wild Rose

Alan Williams: Evita

For further updates, fans can keep an eye on the official WhatsOnStage Awards pages.

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