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Hub AI
WhatsOnStage Awards AI simulator
(@WhatsOnStage Awards_simulator)
Hub AI
WhatsOnStage Awards AI simulator
(@WhatsOnStage Awards_simulator)
WhatsOnStage Awards
The WhatsOnStage Awards (WOS Awards), formerly known as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards, are organised by the theatre website WhatsOnStage.com. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements in UK theatre, with categories covering both regional productions and shows in London's West End.
Distinctive among major theatre honours in the UK, the WhatsOnStage Awards are decided entirely by public vote. Theatre audiences nominate and select the winners, making the awards a reflection of popular opinion rather than industry panels or critics.
The ceremony is typically held each year in February or March. From 2012 to 2023, it took place at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Since 2024, the event has been hosted at The London Palladium, owned and run by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The awards are currently produced by Alex Wood and Darius Thompson (for WhatsOnStage) with co-producers Alex Parker and Damian Sandys.
The origins of the WhatsOnStage Awards date back to early 2001, when WhatsOnStage invited its readers to vote online for their preferred winners of that year’s Laurence Olivier Awards. Within two weeks, over 5,000 people participated, with the public’s choices diverging significantly from those of the official Olivier judging panel. Encouraged by the strong response, the site’s editors created independent shortlists for the 2002 awards. In 2003, WhatsOnStage hosted its first launch event to announce the shortlists to an audience of approximately 200 theatre industry guests. The awards continued to evolve, and in 2008, the first full-scale concert and ceremony was introduced to formally celebrate the winners.
Since 2023, WhatsOnStage adopted more inclusive awards by replacing gender-specific categories such as "Best Actor" and "Best Actress" with the gender-neutral "Best Performer" categories, reflecting a broader commitment to inclusivity in recognising performance talent.
Each year thousands of theatregoers submit nominations online across more than 20 award categories. The official nominations are revealed at a high-profile launch event, typically held in early December.
Public voting then opens and continues through to the end of January. During the 2012–2013 awards season, over 60,000 theatre fans participated in the voting process, with leading contenders in several categories shifting frequently as votes were cast.
WhatsOnStage Awards
The WhatsOnStage Awards (WOS Awards), formerly known as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards, are organised by the theatre website WhatsOnStage.com. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements in UK theatre, with categories covering both regional productions and shows in London's West End.
Distinctive among major theatre honours in the UK, the WhatsOnStage Awards are decided entirely by public vote. Theatre audiences nominate and select the winners, making the awards a reflection of popular opinion rather than industry panels or critics.
The ceremony is typically held each year in February or March. From 2012 to 2023, it took place at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Since 2024, the event has been hosted at The London Palladium, owned and run by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The awards are currently produced by Alex Wood and Darius Thompson (for WhatsOnStage) with co-producers Alex Parker and Damian Sandys.
The origins of the WhatsOnStage Awards date back to early 2001, when WhatsOnStage invited its readers to vote online for their preferred winners of that year’s Laurence Olivier Awards. Within two weeks, over 5,000 people participated, with the public’s choices diverging significantly from those of the official Olivier judging panel. Encouraged by the strong response, the site’s editors created independent shortlists for the 2002 awards. In 2003, WhatsOnStage hosted its first launch event to announce the shortlists to an audience of approximately 200 theatre industry guests. The awards continued to evolve, and in 2008, the first full-scale concert and ceremony was introduced to formally celebrate the winners.
Since 2023, WhatsOnStage adopted more inclusive awards by replacing gender-specific categories such as "Best Actor" and "Best Actress" with the gender-neutral "Best Performer" categories, reflecting a broader commitment to inclusivity in recognising performance talent.
Each year thousands of theatregoers submit nominations online across more than 20 award categories. The official nominations are revealed at a high-profile launch event, typically held in early December.
Public voting then opens and continues through to the end of January. During the 2012–2013 awards season, over 60,000 theatre fans participated in the voting process, with leading contenders in several categories shifting frequently as votes were cast.