The Stage SEPTEMBER 27 DebutAT 7PM Awards Welcome to The Stage Debut Awards IN ASSOCIATION WITH ACCESS ENTERTAINMENT Thank you for joining us for The Stage Debut Awards 2020 – a unique awards ceremony in a unique year. When we launched these awards four years ago, we could not have foreseen just how crucial a platform for emerging talent they would become. This is a difficult time for everyone in theatre, but none more so than those just starting their careers. As director PJ Harris observed in an interview with The Stage this month: “If you were starting out now, having recently graduated, and you were still trying to get a foot in the door, I can’t imagine what you would do.” The Stage Debut Awards, in association with Access Entertainment, celebrate, champion and support precisely these types of theatremakers: performers and creatives just starting out in the sector. This year, they need our support more than ever. While for obvious reasons, we can’t all gather together at a physical awards ceremony this year to celebrate all our hugely talented nominees, I’m excited that we are able to stage this very special virtual ceremony, filmed at the beautiful Theatre Royal Haymarket. And I’m even more excited that as our host this year we have the wonderful Miriam-Teak Lee, one of our winners from the very first year of these awards, who has since gone on to become a bona fide West End star. As well as congratulating all our nominees, I’d also like to thank our reviewers, industry experts and judging panel – the ongoing success of these awards rests on their ability to spot fresh talent around the UK. I’d also like to thank our sponsors – especially our headline sponsor Access Entertainment – for their ongoing support at a time when all businesses are facing huge challenges. That they decided to continue their support for emerging talent speaks volumes. During what are pretty grim times for anyone working in theatre and the performing arts, organising these awards has been a real tonic for us all at The Stage. I hope that watching them – and joining together to celebrate the very tangible hope for the future of theatre that our nominees represent – can offer the same to you. CUSH JUMBO HOST, THE STAGE DEBUT AWARDS 2019 Alistair Smith Editor, The Stage Welcome Nominees Best Performer in a Play Sponsored by Audible Saida Ahmed Katie Erich Little Miss Burden Oliver Twist Leeds Playhouse (in co- The Bunker, London production with Ramps on the Moon) Nominees Brooklyn Melvin Daniel Monks Oliver Twist Leeds Playhouse (in co- Teenage Dick production with Ramps on the Moon) Donmar Warehouse, London Rachel Nwokoro Jessica Rhodes Little Baby Jesus The Sugar Syndrome Orange Tree Theatre, London Orange Tree Theatre, London Khai Shaw Bobby Stallwood Little Baby Jesus Faith, Hope and Charity Nominees Orange Tree Theatre, London National Theatre, London Best Performer in a Musical Shan Ako Lucy Anderson Les Misérables Dear Evan Hansen Sondheim Theatre, London Noël Coward Theatre, London Chase Brown Oli Higginson Mame The Last Five Years Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester Southwark Playhouse, London Adriana Ivelisse Tom Noyes West Side Story Preludes The Stage Curve, Leicester Southwark Playhouse, London Debut Awards Bethany Tennick Sam Tutty Islander Dear Evan Hansen 2020 Nominees Southwark Playhouse, London Noël Coward Theatre, London Best Director Best West End Debut Performer Sponsored by Smith & Williamson Sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment Georgia Green Martha Kiss Perrone The Mikvah Project When It Breaks It Burns Shan Ako David Mitchell Orange Tree Theatre, London Battersea Arts Centre, London Les Misérables The Upstart Crow Sondheim Theatre Gielgud Theatre Alex Sutton Preludes Southwark Playhouse, London Daniel Monks Samantha Pauly Teenage Dick Evita Best Designer Donmar Warehouse Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Sponsored by Robe Lighting Liam Bunster (set and costume) Andrew Exeter (lighting) Wendell Pierce Sam Tutty The Taming of the Shrew High Fidelity Death of a Salesman Dear Evan Hansen Shakespeare’s Globe, London Turbine Theatre, London Piccadilly Theatre Noël Coward Theatre Rose Revitt (set and costume) Dr Korczak’s Example Aimee Lou Wood Leeds Playhouse Uncle Vanya Harold Pinter Theatre Best Composer or Lyricist Jim Barne and Kit Buchan Jherek Bischoff The Season The Ocean at the Best Creative West End Debut New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich; End of the Lane Sponsored by Noël Coward Foundation Royal and Derngate, Northampton National Theatre, London Robbie Williams Fabian Aloise (choreographer) Nadia Latif (director) The Boy in the Dress Evita Fairview Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Young Vic Theatre Best Writer Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Femi Temowo (composer) Levenson (composer, lyricist, and Death of a Salesman Samuel Bailey Mari Izzard book) Dear Evan Hansen Piccadilly Theatre; Shook Hela Noël Coward Theatre Three Sisters National Theatre Southwark Playhouse, London The Other Room, Cardiff Eleanor Tindall Temi Wilkey The High Table David West Read (book) Before I Was a Bear Bush Theatre, London (co-produced & Juliet The Bunker, London with Birmingham Rep) Shaftesbury Theatre The Stage Debut Awards Cocktail RECIPE BY PAUL VALE INGREDIENTS 3 fresh Basil leaves 15ml Sugar syrup 40ml Dry Gin 10ml Campari Bitter 20ml freshly squeezed Lemon juice 30ml Prosecco PROCESS Muddle the basil leaves in the base of a cocktail shaker. Add the gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup and Campari and shake with plenty of ice. Fine strain into a coupe or martini glass and top up with chilled Prosecco. Garnish with a twist of lemon zest and a basil leaf. Despite the basil, there’s nothing green about this celebratory cocktail. The fragrant leaves complement the pungent botanicals and the bitterness of the lemon is mellowed with sugar syrup. Cocktail Judging process THE STAGE CRITICS From August 2019 to July 2020, The Stage’s nationwide network of reviewers identified actors and creatives 1making their debuts and put forward recommendations. OPEN NOMINATION PROCESS During this time, individuals, their agents and the general 2public could also nominate via The Stage website. EXPERT ADVISERS The Stage approached a selection of expert advisers from across the UK for their suggestions on potential nominees. Advisers included performers, casting 3directors, directors, designers and theatre managers. JUDGING PANEL The judging panel of Tim Bano, Baz Bamigboye, Lyn Gardner, Sam Marlowe, Bridget Minamore, Alistair Smith and Natasha Tripney made the final decisions 4on the shortlist and winners in all categories except Best West End Debut Performer. Process THE PUBLIC VOTE AMARA OKEREKE After the shortlist was decided by the judging panel, the PERFORMING AT THE STAGE Best West End Debut Performer winner was decided by Judging DEBUT AWARDS 2019 5a public vote, run on The Stage website. ABOUT THE HOST Miriam-Teak Lee Having only graduated from Arts Ed in 2017, Miriam-Teak is already well on her way to becoming a West End sensation. She wowed the judges with her debut performance for her role of Claire DeLoone in Drew McOnie’s On The Town, for which she was awarded Best Actress in a Musical at the inaugural The Stage Debut Awards in 2017. From there, she performed in the original London cast of Hamilton and was leading the acclaimed West End musical & Juliet before theatres closed in March. Miriam-Teak scooped Best Actress in a Musical at the What’s On Stage awards for her celebrated performance as Juliet, and has also received an Olivier nomination. “The Stage holds such a special place in my heart. From being nominated for the first edition of The Stage Debut Awards in 2017 to actually winning, and then singing at the ceremony the year later. It now feels incredible to have come full circle and help acknowledge these new talents.” Host HEADLINE SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSORS AUDIBLE Audible is a listening destination that offers insight and inspiration to millions of listeners and is the world’s leading audio and spoken-word media service. Audible’s theatre initiative delivers language- driven storytelling and captivating performances on stage and in audio. In New York, Audible has produced Harry Clarke by David Cale starring Billy Crudup, Girls & Boys by Dennis Kelly starring Carey Mulligan, Patti Smith: Words and Music, and many others. In audio, Audible has produced True West starring Kit Harington and ACCESS Johnny Flynn, The Diary of a Hounslow Girl and Iphigenia in Splott. ENTERTAINMENT In 2017, Audible launched a five-million-dollar Emerging Playwrights Fund that identifies, nurtures and invests in emerging playwrights, making their works available to millions Launched in 2016, Access of listeners around the world. Proof of Love is the inaugural stage production from the Emerging Playwrights Fund. Entertainment is a division of Sir Leonard Blavatnik’s Access Industries, focused on investments across the entertainment sector NOËL COWARD FOUNDATION with a concentration in premium- One hundred years ago, Noël Coward debuted as a quality theatre, television, feature playwright in the West End at the age of 20, and was films and digital content. hailed as a significant new talent. Throughout his life, Coward took an interest in and mentored up-and-coming artists across the industry, so to mark this centenary It is led by Danny Cohen, the The Noël Coward Foundation is celebrating today’s emerging theatre-makers by sponsoring this award in his name. former Director of BBC Television. In 2018 Access Entertainment The Noël Coward Foundation was set up in 2000 and awards grants to education and development projects across the Arts while also continuing the keen interest Coward acquired the Theatre Royal himself took in charitable work during his lifetime. The Foundation is proud to support Haymarket. a diverse range of outstanding organisations working in theatre, music, playwriting, academic research and many other areas.