About The Stage Debut Awards

Photos by Alex Brenner & David Monteith Hodge

What are The Stage Debut Awards?

The Stage Debut Awards are the only theatre awards dedicated to recognising individuals making their professional debuts in the performing arts in the UK.

The annual ceremony was launched in 2017 by The Stage and include accolades for Best Performer in a Play, Best Writer, Best Designer and the Best West End Debut Performer. Recipients of these awards have gone on to star in West End shows, win Oliviers and Tonys and appear in television series and films.

The awards ceremony is held annually at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London.

When are The Stage Debut Awards and can I attend?

The Stage Debut Awards will take place on Sunday, September 27 at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5BY.

For those attending - details of the event:

5.30pm - Doors & drinks reception

6.30pm - Three-course dinner

8.00pm - Awards ceremony, including live performances from West End stars

9.30pm - Exclusive afterparty

11.30pm - Carriages

A ticket to The Stage Debut Awards gives you a seat in a room filled with the freshest talent, theatre owners, agents, casting directors, and high-profile performers. To enquire about tickets, please reach out to Sales and partnerships manager sarah.dumay@thestage.co.uk.

Am I eligible for a Debut Award?

Anyone who has made their professional debut between July 18, 2025 and July 9, 2026 can be submitted.

Nominees must have made their debuts in their first professional appearance in a named role (if performer) or credit (if creative role) in a production reviewed by The Stage (previous appearances in ensemble roles or as an understudy do not disqualify you from consideration).

The Stage’s nationwide network of theatre critics put forward nominees from productions they have reviewed. Performers, writers, directors, designers and composers making their stage debut (and their agents) are also able to submit themselves online for consideration.

The public can also submit individuals for each category.

The Best Creative West End Debut category includes but is not limited to composers, lyricists, writers, designers, directors, casting directors, fight directors, intimacy directors & coordinators.

There is more information on eligibility here.

Can I enter a submission more than once and for different categories?

You can enter yourself or someone else across all and any categories.

Submissions only need to be entered once per category to be considered.

Every submission, regardless of the amount of entries it has, is assessed equally and fairly by the judging panel.

Submissions open on May 21 and close on June 25.

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

The Stage Debut Awards could not happen without the generous support from our sponsors.

If you are interested in being a sponsor in 2026 please contact Sales manager, sarah.dumay@thestage.co.uk.

Our sponsors

Netflix
headline sponsor

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services, with over 300 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films, and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching, as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

Sonia Friedman Productions
sponsor of Best Writer

SONIA FRIEDMAN PRODUCTIONS is an international production company responsible for some of the most successful theatre productions in London and New York. SONIA FRIEDMAN PRODUCTIONS has developed, initiated and been lead producer of over 180 new productions and together the company has been responsible for winning 58 Olivier Awards, 34 Tonys and 3 BAFTAs. Current productions include: The Book of Mormon, West End and UK and Europe tour, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, London, New York, Melbourne, San Francisco, Hamburg, Toronto and Tokyo, Funny Girl, New York, Dreamgirls UK tour. Forthcoming productions include: Eureka Day, London; Merrily We Roll Along, New York; The Doctor, UK tour and London; The Piano Lesson, New York; Leopoldstadt, New York. www.soniafriedman.com

Theatrical Rights Worldwide
sponsor of Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer

With headquarters in New York and London, and offices in numerous countries, Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW) is a globally recognised, leading plays and musicals licensing company, representing popular favourites from Broadway (Tony Award® winners), West End (Olivier Award winners), Off-Broadway, and regional theatres.
Working on behalf of writers, TRW grants live-stage production rights to a wide range of professional, amateur, and school customers. Our plays and musicals suit all groups and range from the standard full-length Broadway Editions to our expertly crafted School Editions, 60-minute Young@Part Editions, 30-minute Younger@Part Editions, and much more. Visit www.theatricalrights.co.uk for your next show!

Michael Harrison Entertainment
sponsor of Best Performer in a Musical

Michael Harrison’s West End musicals include: The Little Big Things (@sohoplace); Crazy For You (Gillian Lynne); The Wizard of Oz (The London Palladium); Oklahoma! (Wyndham’s); The Drifters Girl (Garrick); two seasons of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (The London Palladium); Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein (Garrick); Gypsy (Savoy) and The Bodyguard (Adelphi and Dominion). With Andrew Lloyd Webber for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals: Sunset Boulevard (Savoy) starring Nicole Scherzinger. Later this year, Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre and Sunset Boulevard will transfer to Broadway.

Upcoming 2024 productions include: Hello, Dolly! starring Imelda Staunton (The London Palladium); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Donny Osmond (Edinburgh Playhouse); War Horse (UK Tour). Michael’s London Palladium pantomimes: Peter Pan, Jack and the Beanstalk, Pantoland, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Snow White, Dick Whittington and Cinderella, have proved to be huge popular hits, with Dick Whittington winning the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment and Family. www.michaelharrisonentertainment.com

Preevue
sponsor of Best Designer

Preevue is a leading provider of LiDAR laser scanning and 3D CAD visualisation for theatre, live events, and media & entertainment.

Their services include laser scanning, the creation of 3D Digital Twins, theatre production visualisation, and bespoke box office views-from-seats. Preevue produce architecturally and visually accurate 3D CAD models of venues and set designs that enable creative and production teams to work in digital replicas, minimising time needed on-site and reducing the need for travel.

Preevue clients include ATG Entertainment, LW Theatres, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, the Royal Opera House, Disney, the National Theatre, Barbican Centre, the RSC, and English National Opera. Outside of theatre, media & entertainment clients include NBCUniversal, Paramount and Disney. www.preevue.com

Encore
sponsor of Best Performer in a Play

Encore is the premier provider of lighting equipment for theatre productions across the UK, including London’s West End, Off-West End, Europe, and Asia, as well as numerous UK and international tours. Encore is renowned for its exceptional equipment and unmatched customer service. www.encore-emea.com">www.encore-emea.com

Jamie Wilson Productions
sponsor of Best Creative West End Debut

Established in 2008, Jamie Wilson Productions (JWP) is one of the leading independent theatre production companies in the UK. JWP have produced or co-produced over 100 productions in London, Broadway, on tour throughout the UK, and internationally.

The Stage 100 recognised Jamie as one of the top 20 most influential figures in the theatre industry, and in 2023, JWP was nominated for Producer of the Year at The Stage Awards. In October 2025, Jamie was presented with the Variety Club Silver Heart award for outstanding contribution to Musical Theatre.