Jack Wolfe heads up winners at Stage Debut Awards 2024

The Stage Debut Awards were announced on 29 September 2024 in a ceremony at 8 Northumberland House hosted by Divina de Campo.

Among the Musical Theatre winners, Jack Wolfe received Best West End Performer for his standout performance in Next to Normal. This award was voted for by the public.

Grace Hodgett Young as Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard (photo: Marc Brenner)

Best Performer in a Musical was shared by this magazine’s erstwhile ’Rising Star’ Grace Hodgett Young for her interpretation of Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard (a role she’s currently reprising on Broadway) and Jeevan Braich who has redefined the role of Rusty for the new version of Starlight Express, currently playing at the Troubadour Theatre in Wembley.

Jeevan Braich (Rusty) and the cast of Starlight Express (photo: Pamela Raith)

Jack Godfrey, meanwhile, received Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer for 42 Balloons (for which he contributed all three!). We do hope that this show will have the chance to soar again following its brief run at Salford’s The Lowry.

Charlie McCullagh (front) with the cast of 42 Balloons (photo: Pamela Raith)

The Stage Editor Alistair Smith said: ’The judges were in complete awe of the talent on display from all our winners. In many cases, it felt almost inconceivable these could be their professional debuts such was the level of skill on show.’

The Full List of 2024 Nominees/Winners

Best Performer in a Musical (sponsored by Michael Harrison Entertainment):

• Scarlett Ayers for The Verge of Forever at the Other Palace, London
• WINNER: Jeevan Braich for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London
• Laura Dawkes for Frozen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
• Myles Frost for MJ the Musical at Prince Edward Theatre, London
• Joshua Ginsberg for Cable Street at Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
• WINNER: Grace Hodgett Young for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, London

Best Director (sponsored by Arts Council England):

• Ellie Coote for 42 Balloons at the Lowry, Manchester
• WINNER: Sophie Drake for The Bleeding Tree at the Southwark Playhouse Borough, London
• Emily Foran for Little Women at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast

Best Designer (sponsored by Preevue):

• WINNER: Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom (video) for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, London
• Ellie Koslowsky (set) for Vegetables at A secret location, London
• Nadya Sayapina (set), Anastasiya Ryabova (costume), Lidiia Dresch-Pyshna (costume) and Dmytro Guk (video/projection) for King Stakh’s Wild Hunt at Barbican Theatre, London
• Skylar Turnbull Hurd (lighting) for These Demons at Theatre503, London

Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer (sponsored by Crossroads Live):

• Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab for The Enormous Crocodile at Leeds Playhouse, Leeds
• Nick Butcher and Tom Ling for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace, London
• Elvis Costello for Cold War at the Almeida Theatre, London
• WINNER: Jack Godfrey for 42 Balloons at the Lowry, Manchester

Best West End Debut Performer (Sponsored by Noël Coward Foundation):

• Francesca Amewudah-Rivers for Romeo and Juliet at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London
• Will Close for Dear England at the National Theatre, London
• Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke at Ambassadors Theatre, London
• Grace Hodgett Young for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre, London
• Toheeb Jimoh for Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre, London
• Ed Larkin for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace, London
• Louis McCartney for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre, London
• WINNER: Jack Wolfe for Next to Normal at Wyndham’s Theatre, London

Best Performer in a Play (sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide):

• Deborah Ayorinde for Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White at the Lyric Hammersmith, London
• Imogen Elliott for The Voice of the Turtle at Jermyn Street Theatre, London
• Kasper Hilton-Hille for That Face at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
• Gareth John for Housemates at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
• WINNER: Louis McCartney for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at Phoenix Theatre, London
• Nadia Parkes for The House Party at Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
• Taylor Russell for The Effect at the National Theatre, London
• WINNER: Ellie-May Sheridan for London Tide at the National Theatre, London

Best Writer (sponsored by Sonia Friedman Productions):

• WINNER: Sam Grabiner for Boys on the Verge of Tears at Soho Theatre, London
• Martha Loader for Bindweed at Mercury Theatre, Colchester
• Harry McDonald for Foam at the Finborough Theatre, London
• Hannah Morley for We Could All Be Perfect at Sheffield Theatres, Sheffield
• WINNER: Azuka Oforka for The Women of Llanrumney at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
• Anastasia Osei-Kuffour for Love Steps at the Omnibus Theatre, London

Best Creative West End Debut (sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment):

• WINNER: Daniel Bailey (director) for Red Pitch at @sohoplace, London
• Jim Barne and Kit Buchan (composer, lyricist) for Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) at the Criterion Theatre, London
• Marcelo Dos Santos (writer) for Backstairs Billy at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London
• Kip Williams (director) for The Picture of Dorian Gray at Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
• Brian Yorkey (lyricist) and Tom Kitt (composer) for Next to Normal at Wyndham’s Theatre, London