Mousetrap Theatre Projects took its annual theatre awards online for the first time ever this year. Winners were announced in a ceremony on Youtube on Wednesday 24th June. The ceremony was hosted by Mousetrap’s Youth Forum – the charity’s advisory committee of young people – from their own homes.
The Youth Forum also chose the nominees in the 14 original categories, including the ‘Big Little Stars’ award for young performers, and the ‘Saved The Day’ award for performers who swooped on-stage at the last minute to save their shows.
This year saw a record-breaking number of 15-29 year old theatre lovers cast their vote in the only UK theatre awards run and voted for by young people. Over 3,300 young people voted to crown their favourite shows and performances of 2019.
The big winner of the night was Dear Evan Hansen, which transferred from Broadway to the Noel Coward Theatre in November 2019. The musical won 4 awards – ‘Watch This Face’, ‘Top Tech’, ‘Soundtrack of my Soul’ and ‘Best Musical’ – which were accepted in filmed speeches by actors Sam Tutty and Rebecca McKinnis, writers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and videographer Peter Nigrini.
The most prestigious prize of the night was ‘Special Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre’, which went to Sir Ian McKellen. Sir Ian was nominated for his one-man show, which  raised money for theatres and charities, including Mousetrap. Sir Ian wrote an acceptance speech especially for the Mousetrap Awards.
Other big winners from the night included new British musical & Juliet, which picked up the ‘Spectacular Set’ award, the musical Waitress, which won both ‘Best Female Performer’ and ‘Best Male Performer’ for Laura Baldwin and David Hunter respectively, and The Bridge Theatre’s joyful production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which scooped the ‘Best Play’ award.
The ceremony featured performances from some of the young people who Mousetrap has reached during lockdown through its #EveryHomeATheatre project. This included Nansi Love, who was chosen by Mousetrap’s Patron Eddie Redmayne as the winner of its monologue competition; Madeleine Morgan, who was named the winner of Mousetrap’s musical theatre singing competition by Wicked and Come From Away star Rachel Tucker; and Alex and Jobe Hart, who entered their ‘Dance Through the Ages’ piece for Mousetrap’s #EveryHomeATheatre dance challenge.
The ceremony was an exuberant celebration of British theatre, with theatre-makers and theatre lovers coming together to share their love for the incredible productions on our stages last year.
The Mousetrap Awards 2020 is available to watch on Mousetrap Theatre Projects’ YouTube channel.
Full List of The Mousetrap Awards 2020 Winners
Watch This Face award
Sam Tutty as Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen
Saved the Day award
Toby Marlow as Catherine Parr in Six
Bring it Back
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Big Little Stars
Zion Gardner, John Madondo, Samuel O’Loughlin and Jay-Jay Prince as Simba in The Lion King
Soundtrack of my Soul
Dear Evan Hansen
Accepted by: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Writers)
Top Tech
Dear Evan Hansen for videography
Accepted by: Peter Nigrini (Videographer)
Home Sweet Home
The Young Vic Theatre
Accepted by: Kwame Kwei-Armah (Artistic Director)
Spectacular Set
& Juliet
Accepted by: Soutra Gilmour (Set Designer)
Power of the Ensemble
Come From Away
Accepted by: Ricardo Castro and Emma Salvo (Ensemble)
Best Female Performer
Laura Baldwin as Dawn in Waitress
Best Male Performer
Winner: David Hunter as Dr Pomatter in Waitress
Best Play
A Midusmmer Night’s Dream at the Bridge Theatre
Best Musical
Dear Evan Hansen at the Noel Coward Theatre
Accepted by: Sam Tutty and Rebecca McKinnis (‘Evan Hansen’ and ‘Heidi Hansen’)
Special Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre
Sir Ian McKellen
