So we’ve come to that time of year. It’s awards time!! No, not the Oscars (although I am excited for those too) but the WhatsOnStage awards! These awards are voted for by the public, setting them apart from any other major London theatre awards. I did vote, yet my predictions slightly differ. I reckon quite a few of the awards are 90% set in stone already because of the large fanbase of a certain show, and if the musical acting awards go to anyone else, I will be very surprised. There are many worthy nominees this year and I wouldn’t be disappointed, just surprised. Remember, this is not who I voted for, this is who I predict will win. My predictions (in bold) are:
Best Actor in a Play:
• David Tennant, Richard II
• Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge
• Richard Armitage, The Crucible
• Tom Bateman, Shakespeare in Love
• Tom Hiddleston, Coriolanus
Best Actress in a Play:
• Billie Piper, Great Britain
• Gillian Anderson, A Streetcar Named Desire
• Helen McCrory, Medea
• Imelda Staunton, Good People
• Lucy Briggs-Owen, Shakespeare in Love
Best Actor in a Musical:
• Alistair Brammer, Miss Saigon
• Jon Jon Briones, Miss Saigon
• Killian Donnelly, Memphis the Musical
• Marti Pellow, Evita
• Robert Lindsay, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Best Actress in a Musical:
• Beverley Knight, Memphis the Musical
• Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
• Gemma Arterton, Made in Dagenham
• Jenna Russell, Urinetown the Musical
• Madalena Alberto, Evita
Best Supporting Actor in a Play:
• Adrian Schiller, The Crucible
• David Oakes, Shakespeare in Love
• Hadley Fraser, Coriolanus
• Mark Gatiss, Coriolanus
• Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies
Best Supporting Actress in a Play:
• Anna Madeley, The Crucible
• Deborah Findlay, Coriolanus
• Nicola Walker, A View From the Bridge
• Samantha Colley, The Crucible
• Vanessa Kirby, A Streetcar Named Desire
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical:
• Ben Forster, Evita
• George Maguire, Sunny Afternoon
• Hugh Maynard, Miss Saigon
• Kwang-Ho Hong, Miss Saigon
• Rolan Bell, Memphis the Musical
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical:
• Claire Machin, Memphis the Musical
• Karis Jack, Urinetown the Musical
• Katherine Kingsley, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
• Rachelle Ann Go, Miss Saigon
• Samantha Bond, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Best New Play:
• Great Britain
• King Charles III
• The Nether
• Shakespeare in Love
• Wolf Hall
Best New Musical:
• Here Lies Love
• Made in Dagenham
• Memphis the Musical
• Sunny Afternoon
• Urinetown the Musical
Best Play Revival:
• Blithe Spirit
• Coriolanus
• The Crucible
• Richard II
• A Streetcar Named Desire
Best Musical Revival:
• Evita
• Miss Saigon
• The Pajama Game
• Porgy and Bess
• Sweeney Todd
Best Direction:
• Christopher Ashley, Memphis the Musical
• Gregory Doran, Richard II
• Jamie Lloyd, Urinetown the Musical
• Laurence Connor, Miss Saigon
• Yaël Farber, The Crucible
Best Choreography:
• Ann Yee, Urinetown the Musical
• Bob Avian & Geoffrey Garratt, Miss Saigon
• Drew McOnie, In the Heights
• Jerry Mitchell, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
• Sergio Trujillo, Memphis the Musical
Best Set Design:
• Bunny Christie, Made in Dagenham
• David Gallo, Memphis the Musical
• Nick Ormerod, Shakespeare in Love
• Soutra Gilmour, Urinetown the Musical
• Totie Driver & Matt Kinley, Miss Saigon
Best Lighting Design:
• Adam Silverman, Urinetown the Musical
• Bruno Poet, Miss Saigon
• Howell Binkley, Memphis the Musical
• Jon Clark, Made in Dagenham
• Mark Henderson, Coriolanus
Best Off-West End Production:
• Dogfight, Southwark Playhouse
• Forbidden Broadway, Menier Chocolate Factory
• In the Heights, Southwark Playhouse
• Oh, the Humanity and Other Good Intentions, Tabard Theatre
• Sweeney Todd, Twickenham Theatre
Best Regional Production sponsored by Travelzoo:
• Guys and Dolls, Chichester Festival Theatre
• Gypsy, Chichester Festival Theatre
• The Kite Runner, Nottingham Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
• Oliver!, Sheffield Crucible
• Water Babies, Curve Leicester
Best Takeover in a Role sponsored by Equity:
• Craige Els, Matilda the Musical
• David Hunter, Once
• Jennifer DiNoia, Wicked
• Kerry Ellis, Wicked
• Michael Watson, Jersey Boys
Best West End Show:
• Les Misérables
• Matilda the Musical
• Memphis the Musical
• Miss Saigon
• Wicked
So there you go! I reckon it will be a near clean sweep for Miss Saigon due to it’s huge popularity, and I reckon it deserves many of the awards. In many of the categories there are people that also thoroughly deserve the awards, particularly in the acting categories as there have been some splendid performances this year, but this is who reckon will pull the prize.
Do you agree or not? Please let me know! If you are going to the ceremony, I am very jealous of you but hope you have a wonderful time!
Photo credits: WhatsOnStage
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