Hairspray picks up seven gongs at the Theatregoers’ Choice awards

Published Friday 22 February 2008 at 11:00 by Alistair Smith

Hairspray has led the way at this year’s Theatregoers’ Choice awards, picking up gongs in seven categories.

The musical, which is playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre, picked up the prizes for Best New Musical, Best Director and Best Choreographer, while Michael Ball, Leanne Jones, Ben James-Ellis and Tracie Bennett picked up the best actor, actress, supporting actor and supporting actress in a musical awards.

Bill Taylor, chief executive of Stage Entertainment UK, producers of Hairspray, said: “To win any award for a show you really believe in and has been a privilege to put on stage is great news, but to win seven is an absolute delight. Our cast, crew and creative team have done wonders at the Shaftesbury Theatre, bringing one of the happiest shows around to the London stage and now, to get such a definitive thumbs-up from the public, feels like the icing on the cake.”

Director Jack O’Brien added: “We are, to put it mildly, overjoyed at the London response to Hairspray, nowhere more than the pride we have taken in putting an all-British cast into these wigs and giggles. The entire London establishment can share our delight in knowing that this production is second to none - the original included - in its stunning professionalism and thrilling impact. And for those of us who regularly watch tons of American awards falling into talented British hands, well, we’re ecstatic about this wonderful reciprocation.”

Elsewhere, Ian McKellen received Best Actor in a play for his performance in King Lear, while Maggie Smith received the Best Actress in a play award for her role in The Lady from Dubuque. Daniel Radcliffe picked up Best Newcomer for his performance in Equus, which also received the award for Best Play Revival.

The awards in full for the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice awards:

The Franco’s Best Actress in a Play - Maggie Smith (The Lady from Dubuque at the Theatre Royal Haymarket)

Best Actor in a Play - Ian McKellen (King Lear, RSC at the New London)

Best Supporting Actress in a Play - Diana Rigg (All About My Mother at the Old Vic)

Best Supporting Actor in a Play - Lee Evans (The Dumb Waiter at Trafalgar Studios)

The First Magazine Best Actress in a Musical - Leanne Jones (Hairspray at the Shaftesbury)

The See Tickets Best Actor in a Musical - Michael Ball (Hairspray at the Shaftesbury)

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical - Tracie Bennett (Hairspray at the Shaftesbury

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical - Ben James-Ellis (Hairspray at the Shaftesbury)

Best Solo Performance - Fiona Shaw (Happy Days at the NT Lyttelton)

Best Ensemble Performance - The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night (Propeller at the Old Vic)

Best Takeover in a Role - Kerry Ellis (Wicked at the Apollo Victoria)

The Nick Hern Books Best New Play - All About My Mother by Samuel Adamson ( The Old Vic)

Best New Comedy - Elling by Simon Bent (at the Bush and Trafalgar Studios)

The Superbreak Best New Musical - Hairspray by Marc Shaiman, Scott Whitman, Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan (at the Shaftesbury)

Best Play Revival - Equus (at the Gielgud)

The Ticketmaster Best Musical Revival - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (at the Adelphi)

Best Shakespearean Production - Macbeth (at the Gielgud)

Best Director - Jack O’Brien (Hairspray at the Shaftesbury)

Best Set Designer - Rob Howell (The Lord of the Rings at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane)

Best Choreographer - Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray at the Shaftesbury)

The Dewynters London Newcomer of the Year - Daniel Radcliffe (Equus at the Gielgud)

Best Off-West End Production - A Christmas Carol and The Magic Flute (at the Young Vic) and I Love You Because (at the Landor)

Best Regional Production - Pygmalion (at the Theatre Royal Bath and on tour)

The AKA Theatre Event of the Year - Daniel Radcliffe’s steamy publicity shots for Equus