Full WhatsOnStage Awards 2026 Winners: Paddington, Evita, Jonathan Bailey & More

The WhatsOnStage Awards lit up The London Palladium last night in a glittering celebration of the best in theatre, with live performances and a 24-piece orchestra. The night was dominated by Paddington The Musical, which scooped an incredible nine awards from its record-breaking 14 nominations, while Rachel Zegler claimed two awards and The Comedy About Spies, returning to London this summer, was named Best New Play. Jonathan Bailey won his first WhatsOnStage award for Richard II, having previously been nominated for Cock and Company.

Best Performer in a Play – SINE Digital Award

• Winner: Jonathan Bailey, Richard II
• Ncuti Gatwa, Born With Teeth
• Tom Hiddleston, Much Ado About Nothing
• Joe Locke, Clarkston
• Maxine Peake, The Last Stand of Mary Whitehouse
• Rosamund Pike, Inter Alia

Best Performer in a Musical – Sponsored by Ticketmaster

• Winner: Rachel Zegler, Evita
• Lauren Drew, Titanique
• James Hameed & Arti Shah, Paddington The Musical
• Lucie Jones, 13 Going On 30 The Musical
• Jamie Muscato, The Great Gatsby
• Diego Andres Rodriguez, Evita

Best Supporting Performer in a Play

• Winner: Stephen Fry, The Importance of Being Earnest
• Joe Alwyn, The Lady from the Sea
• Emma Corrin, The Seagull
• Yerin Ha, The Maids
• Sophie Melville, Clarkston
• Mason Alexander Park, Much Ado About Nothing

Best Supporting Performer in a Musical – Sponsored by Newman Displays

• Winner: Amber Davies, The Great Gatsby
• Bella Brown, Evita
• Candace Furbert, Sharlene Hector, Brianna Ogunbawo, Malinda Parris, Robyn Rose-Li, Hercules
• Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, Paddington The Musical
• Grace Mouat, 13 Going On 30 The Musical
• Layton Williams, Titanique

Best Takeover Performance

• Winner: Emma Kingston, Wicked
• Karis Anderson, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
• Stevie Doc, The Devil Wears Prada
• Rob Madge, Cabaret
• Eva Noblezada, Cabaret
• Alex Young, Operation Mincemeat

Best Professional Debut Performance – Sponsored by AKA

• Winner: Timi Akinyosade, Paddington The Musical
• Mia Carragher, The Hunger Games on Stage
• Hannah Dodd, Cabaret
• Jess Folley, Burlesque the Musical
• Ruaridh Mollica, Clarkston
• Asha Parker-Wallace, Burlesque the Musical

Best New Play – Sponsored by Disney on Stage

• Winner: The Comedy About Spies, Henry Lewis & Henry Shields
• Born With Teeth, Liz Duffy Adams
• Clarkston, Samuel D Hunter
• Inter Alia, Suzie Miller
• Stereophonic, David Adjmi
• Through It All Together, Chris O’Connor

Best New Musical – Travelzoo Award

• Winner: Paddington The Musical, Tom Fletcher & Jessica Swale
• The Great Gatsby, Kait Kerrigan, Jason Howland & Nathan Tysen
• Hercules, Alan Menken, David Zippel, Robert Horn & Kwame Kwei-Armah
• Here and Now, Shaun Kitchener
• Shucked, Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally & Robert Horn
• Titanique, Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle & Constantine Rousouli

Best Play Revival – The Londoner Award

• Winner: Richard II, Bridge Theatre
• The Importance of Being Earnest, National Theatre & Noël Coward Theatre
• The Lady from the Sea, Bridge Theatre
• Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• The Seagull, Barbican Theatre
• A Streetcar Named Desire, Sheffield Crucible

Best Musical Revival – Sponsored by Concord Theatricals

• Winner: Evita, The London Palladium
• Brigadoon, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Jesus Christ Superstar, The Watermill Theatre
• Little Shop of Horrors, Sheffield Crucible
• My Fair Lady, Curve, Leicester
• The Producers, Menier Chocolate Factory & Garrick Theatre

Audience Republic Best Regional Production

• Winner: 13 Going On 30 The Musical, Opera House, Manchester
• Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, Opera House, Manchester
• Jesus Christ Superstar, Watermill Theatre
• Krapp’s Last Tape, York Theatre Royal
• Pride and Prejudice, touring
• Through It All Together, Leeds Playhouse

Best Studio Production – Sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide

• Winner: Young Frankenstein, Hope Mill Theatre
• Be More Chill, Old Joint Stock Theatre
• Brixton Calling, Southwark Playhouse
• Cul de Sac, Omnibus Theatre
• The Frogs, Southwark Playhouse
• The Last Five Years, Barn Theatre & Reading Rep Theatre

Best West End Show – Sponsored by Dewynters

• Winner: Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre
• Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at Playhouse Theatre
• Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
• Oliver!, Gielgud Theatre
• Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
• Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre

Best Concert Event

• Winner: Rachel Zegler: Live at The London Palladium
• The Book Thief in Concert, Prince of Wales Theatre
• Gravity, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Concert, Prince Edward Theatre
• Jeremy Jordan: Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Albert Hall
• Songs for a New World – 30th Anniversary Concert, Eventim Apollo