Award ceremonies can often focus on the big names or the big shows in the big categories, but Mark Shenton and Terri Paddock at MyTheatreMates have done something rather fantastic with the Also Recognised Awards, acknowledging the sheer wealth of theatrical opportunity. For once, the emphasis is not just on the performance, but also on the marketing, creativity, and ensemble elements of shows. For the first time this year, the new Best Musical Cabaret award was included.
Voting for the awards is now live at http://www.MyTheatreMates.com, with the awards being announced in early April.
The nominations are here:
Best Musical Direction
- Kyle Riabko – Close to You, Menier Chocolate Factory & Criterion Theatre
- Matt Spencer-Smith – Beautiful, Aldwych Theatre
- Michael Bradley – Grand Hotel, Southwark Playhouse
- Nicholas Skilbeck – Gypsy, Savoy Theatre
- Nigel Lilley – Bend It Like Beckham, Phoenix Theatre
- Theo Jamieson – High Society, Old Vic Theatre
Best Original Music
- Cyndi Lauper – Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre
- David Yazbek – Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Playhouse Theatre
- Howard Goodall – Bend It Like Beckham, Phoenix Theatre
- Michael John LaChiusa – See What I Wanna See, Jermyn Street Theatre
- Michael Webborn & Daniel Finn – The Clockmaker’s Daughter, Landor Theatre
- Ross Clark & Matthew Strachan – The White Feather, Union Theatre
Best Ensemble Performance
- Barbarians – Tooting Arts Club
- Bugsy Malone – Lyric Hammersmith
- Carmen Disruption – Almeida Theatre
- Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage – Out of Joint, Arcola Theatre
- Grand Hotel – Southwark Playhouse
- Songs for a New World – The St. James Theatre
Best Solo Performance
- Derren Brown – Miracle, Palace Theatre
- Lucy Roslyn – The State vs John Hayes, King’s Head
- Michael Urie – Buyer & Cellar, Menier Chocolate Factory
- Philip Bretherton – Tony’s Last Tape, Bridgehouse
- Tanya Moodie – Joanne, Soho Theatre
- Zoë Wanamaker – All On Her Own, Branagh Theatre Company, Garrick
Best Musical Cabaret – NEW CATEGORY
- Alexandra Silber – Crazy Coqs
- Desperate Divas – St James Studio
- Frances Ruffelle – Crazy Coqs
- Miss-Leading Ladies – The St. James Theatre Studio
- Scott Alan & Cynthia Erivo – The St. James Theatre Studio
- Shoshana Bean – Hippodrome Casino
London Newcomer of the Year
- David Moorst – Violence & Son, Royal Court Upstairs
- Diana Nneka Atuona (playwright) – Liberian Girl, Royal Court Upstairs
- Jake Davies – Barbarians, Tooting Arts Club
- Kyle Riabko – Close to You, Menier Chocolate Factory & Criterion Theatre
- Lucy Penrose – Through the Mill, London Theatre Workshop
- Natale Dew – Bend It Like Beckham, Phoenix Theatre
Best Shakespearean Production
- As You Like It – National Theatre, Olivier
- Henry V – RSC, Barbican Theatre
- Henry V – Lazarus, Union Theatre
- Measure for Measure – Young Vic
- The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare’s Globe
- The Winter’s Tale – Branagh Theatre Company, Garrick
Best Twitter Engagement
- @BushTheatre – Bush Theatre
- @curiousonstage – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Gielgud Theatre
- @DonmarWarehouse – Donmar Warehouse
- @MatildaMusical – Matilda The Musical, RSC, Cambridge Theatre
- @New_Adventures – New Adventures
- @PhantomOpera – The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty’s Theatre
Best Show Poster
- Future Conditional – Old Vic
- Hapgood – Hampstead Theatre
- McQueen – St James & Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Oppenheimer – RSC, Vaudeville Theatre
- Showstopper – Apollo Theatre
- The Mother F**ker with the Hat – National Theatre, Lyttelton
Best Show Trailer
- Branagh Theatre Season – Garrick Theatre
- Carrie – Southwark Playhouse
- Golem – Trafalgar Studios
- Husbands & Sons – National Theatre, Dorfman
- Liberan Girl – Royal Court
- Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Apollo Theatre
Theatre Event of the Year
- Almeida Greeks season
- Election night broadcast of James Graham’s The Vote at the Donmar Warehouse
- Frenzy around Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet run at the Barbican
- Large & tiny-scale Sweeney Todds running simultaneously in West End (ENO & Tooting Arts Club)
- Noma Dumezweni triumphing in Linda after 11th hour takeover at Royal Court
- Opening of Kenneth Branagh’s year-long Branagh Theatre season