Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has won a record breaking eight What’s on Stage Awards at the ceremony held tonight (19th February 2017). Among the winners were Jamie Parker for Best Actor, Anthony Boyle for Best Supporting Actor and Noma Dumezweni for Best Supporting Actress. It’s the most gongs ever won by a play in the awards, voted entirely by the public via the What’s on Stage website.
The ceremony, held at the Prince of Wales Theatre, was hosted by Simon Lipkin and Vikki Stone. Amber Riley performed with Liisi LaFontaine before picking up Best Actress in a Musical, while Billie Piper won Best Actress in a play. Aladdin’s Genie, Trevor Dion Nichols, performed with co-star Dean John-Wilson shortly after winning Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, praising the inclusiveness of London Theatre in his speech.
In another first for The What’s on Stage Awards, Best Musical was shared between Wicked and Les Misérables. But the musical that won the most awards was the one that played the closing number, Half a Sixpence, winning Best Choreography and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Emma Williams. Leading man, Charlie Stemp, who made his sensational West End debut a few short months ago, picked up Best Actor in a Musical.
Legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh won the Lifetime Achievement (so far) award, The Last Five Years picked up Best Off-West End production and School of Rock, who opened the show, won Best New Musical, sparking a mini stage invasion as the child cast joined Julian Fellowes to collect the award.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and to the organisers of the What’s on Stage Awards for bringing us a fantastic awards ceremony.
The full list of winners are:
Best Actor in a Play
Jamie Parker for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Actress in a Play
Billie Piper for Yerma
Best Actor in a Musical
Charlie Stemp for Half a Sixpence
Best Actress in a Musical
Amber Riley for Dreamgirls
Best Supporting Actor in a Play
Anthony Boyle for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Noma Dumezweni for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Trevor Dion Nicholas for Disney’s Aladdin
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Emma Williams for Half a Sixpence
Best New Play
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best New Musical
School of Rock
Best Play Revival
No Man’s Land
Best Musical Revival
Funny Girl
Best Direction
John Tiffany for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Choreography
Andrew Wright for Half a Sixpence
Best Costume Design
Gregg Barnes for Disney’s Aladdin
Best Set Design
Christine Jones for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Lighting Design
Neil Austin for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Video Design
Finn Ross and Ash Woodward for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Best Off-West End Production
The Last Five Years (St James Theatre)
Best Regional Production
The Girls (National Tour)
Best West End Show
Les Misérables
Wicked
Equity Award for Lifetime Achievement (So Far)
Cameron Mackintosh
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child Image courtesy of Manuel Harlan
