WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play
The WhatsOnStage Award for Best Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Play is an annual award presented by WhatsOnStage.com as part of the annual WhatsOnStage Awards. Founded in 2001 as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards, the WhatsOnStage Awards are based on a popular vote recognising performers and productions in London's West End theatre.
WhatsOnStage Award for Best Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Play | |
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Awarded for | Excellence in a leading role in a play |
Country | United Kingdom |
Presented by | WhatsOnStage.com |
First awarded | 2001 |
Currently held by | James McAvoy (2022) |
This award is given to a person who has performed a leading male identifying role in a play during the eligibility year. Introduced in 2001 as the award for Best Actor in a Play, the category was renamed in 2022 in an effort to be more inclusive. The category was discontinued following the 2022 ceremony and was replaced with the gender-neutral WhatsOnstage Award for Best Performer in a Play.
First presented to Conleth Hill at the inaugural ceremony, Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Spacey and David Tennant are the only actors to have won the award twice.
Winners and nominees
2000s
2010s
2020s
Year | Performer | Play | Male Identifying Character |
---|---|---|---|
2020[20] | Andrew Scott | Present Laughter | |
Tom Hiddleston | Betrayal | Robert | |
Laurie Kynaston | The Son | Nicolas | |
Wendell Pierce | Death of a Salesman | Willy Loman | |
Matt Smith | Lungs | M | |
2021 | Not presented due to impact on theatres of COVID-19 pandemic | ||
2022[21] | |||
James McAvoy | Cyrano de Bergerac | Cyrano de Bergerac | |
Richard Armitage | Uncle Vanya | dr Astrov (Mikhail Lvovich Astrov) | |
Ben Daniels | The Normal Heart | Ned Weeks | |
Omari Douglas | Constellations | Manuel | |
Hadley Fraser | 2:22 A Ghost Story | Sam | |
Henry Lewis | Magic Goes Wrong | Mind Mangler |
Multiple wins and nominations
Nominations
- 4 nominations
- Simon Russell Beale
- Mark Rylance
- Kevin Spacey
- 3 nominations
- Kenneth Branagh
- Benedict Cumberbatch
- James McAvoy
- David Tennant
- 2 nominations
References
- "Whatsonstage Awards 2001". Westendtheatre.com. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage Awards 2002". Westendtheatre.com. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage.com Awards - Theatregoers' Choice Awards". Archive.ph. 12 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-04-12. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage Awards 2004". Westendtheatre.com. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage.com Awards - Theatregoers' Choice Awards". Archive.ph. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-11-19. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage.com Awards - Theatregoers' Choice Awards". Archive.ph. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-11-19. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage.com Awards - Theatregoers' Choice Awards". Archive.ph. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-11-19. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Full List: Your Theatregoers' Choice Award Winners". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- Varley, Eddie. "Tennant, Branagh, Hartnett & 'JERSEY BOYS' Win Big at the WHATSONSTAGE Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Full List: 2010 Whatsonstage.com Award Winners". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Full List: 2011 Whatsonstage.com Award Winners". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Full List: 2012 Whatsonstage.com Awards Nominees". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Full list: Winners announced of the 2013 Whatsonstage.com Awards". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Full List: Winners of the 2014 WhatsOnStage Awards". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Full list: Winners of the 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage Awards – Winners 2016". Westendtheatre.com. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Whatsonstage Awards – Winners 2017". Westendtheatre.com. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Winners of the 18th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards announced: David Tennant and Olivia Colman win". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Hamilton and Aidan Turner among winners at 19th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "20th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards winners include Andrew Scott, Claire Foy, Come From Away and Six". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- "Nominees for 22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards announced". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.