Tom Hiddleston, Richard Armitage and David Tennant Shortlisted for WhatsOnStage Award

The three stars from film, TV and stage are all nominated for the Best Actor award alongside Mark Strong and Tom Bateman.

The awards season will soon be in full swing and it is time to celebrate the achievements of the fantastic theatre productions which have graced the West End stages of London over the last 12 months.

The shortlists for the 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards have been announced at a ceremony hosted by Angela Griffin and Steve Furst at Cafe de Paris. Guests from theatreland and beyond, including Beverley Knight, Phill Jupitus and Andy Nyman packed out the venue to find out who had made the cut.

Each category has an array of brilliant productions and actors shortlisted. Certainly the Best Actor and Best Actress nominations are no surprise after such successful runs in the West End. However, all eyes will certainly turn towards a tantalisingly talented Best Actor category with intrigue, in what will prove to be a very tough competition with Tom Hiddleston, Richard Armitage, David Tennant, Tom Bateman and Mark Strong all hoping to leave with a gong.

Hotly tipped as the front runners are Hiddleston, Armitage and Tennant and having seen all three productions, it’s not hard to imagine why.  

33-year-old Hiddleston, is nominated for his portrayal of Roman tragic figure CORIOLANUS at the Donmar Warehouse, which thrilled audiences from December 6th 2013 – February 13th 2014 during sold out performances. The production was gritty, witty and intense. Co-stars Hadley Fraser, Mark Gatiss and Deborah Findlay have also been nominated for their performance from the play in the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories. 

At the London Evening Standard Awards last week, Hiddleston picked up the Best Actor Award at the ceremony for his role in CORIOLANUS. 

Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE has also garnered – and deservedly so – huge praise in its reviews during the summer, receiving many 5-star accolades throughout its time at the Old Vic. Richard Armitage delivered a superb performance as John Proctor during his stint from June 21st – September 13th, 2014 in a very intense, powerful and electrifying production. It’s biggest success aside from the performance is the effect the production has on the audience – as the harrowing events have the ability to play on the mind long after watching.

Also nominated for their role in THE CRUCIBLE is Anna Madeley, who played Proctor’s wife and co-star Adrian Schiller, with Yaël Farber receiving a nod as the director of the production. 

THE CRUCIBLE and CORIOLANUS head the field in the plays category with six apiece.

David Tennant‘s performance as Shakespeare’s RICHARD II is also in the running for Best Actor at the WhatsOnStage awards after taking on the role of the long-haired monarch from December 9th, 2013 – January 25th, 2014  in a production which was transferred to the Barbican from Stratford-upon-Avon. Tennant became a king ordained by God to lead his people, but he was also a man of very human weakness. The Scottish actor also received rave reviews for his mesmerising performance and will no doubt be a strong contender to win also.

Other stars noted for their stage and musical performances include Gillian Anderson for her lead role on A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, singer Beverley Knight for starring in MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL and Gemma Arterton for musical adaptation MADE IN DAGENHAM.

Also competing for best actress in a play are Imelda Staunton, Billie Piper for new production GREAT BRITAIN, and Helen McCrory for her role as Greek tragic figure, Medea.

In the musical stakes, Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow is nominated for his lead role in EVITA.

The revival of the simply brilliant MISS SAIGON leads the nominations with 12 nods.

The productions shortlisted for the title of best West End show are MATILDA, MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL, MISS SAIGON, WICKED and long-running hit LES MISERABLES.

The winners are determined by a public vote and will be disclosed at a ceremony in London on February 15th, 2015.

All of the information for the 2015 awards can be found on theWhatsOnStage website and you can place your votes right now.

The full list of nominations is as follows:

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:

• Guys and Dolls, Chichester Festival Theatre
• Gypsy, Chichester Festival Theatre
• The Kite Runner, Nottingham Playhouse
• Oliver!, Sheffield Crucible
• Water Babies, Curve Leicester

Best Takeover in a Role:

• Craige Els, Matilda the Musical
• David Hunter, Once
• Jennifer DiNoia, Wicked
• Kerry Ellis, Wicked
• Michael Watson, Jersey Boys

Best West End Show:

• Les Miserables
• Matilda the Musical
• Memphis the Musical
• Miss Saigon
• Wicked