Dear Evan Hansen’s Sam Tutty took home two awards for his performance in the West End premiere of the Broadway hit at The Stage Debut Awards 2020.
The Italia Conti-graduate who made his professional debut in the show which was one of the highest profile openings in London last year was one of two winners for the Best Performer in a Musical category (with Shan Ako for Les Misérables) and was also crowned Best West End Debut Performer, the only category judged by the public vote.
The other major musical theatre winners were Jim Barne and Kit Buchan who collected the award for Best Composer or Lyricist for their festive musical The Season at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Royal & Derngate, Northampton.
Presented in association with Access Entertainment, the prestigious awards took place for the first time online in a virtual ceremony at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 27 September.
Hosted by 2017 Debut Award winner and 2020 Olivier nominee Miriam-Teak Lee (& Juliet), the special ceremony attracted over 2,500 views across Facebook, YouTube and Scenesaver.
The president of Access Entertainment, Danny Cohen said: “Access Entertainment is delighted to sponsor The Stage Debut Awards for the third year and continue our commitment to nurturing new talent – needed now more than ever at such a challenging time for theatre and the creative industries.”
The Stage Debut Awards 2020 Winners:
Best Performer in a Play
Daniel Monks for Teenage Dick at the Donmar Warehouse, London
Rachel Nwokoro for Little Baby Jesus at the Orange Tree Theatre, London
Best Performer in a Musical
Shan Ako for Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre, London
Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre, London
Best Director
Martha Kiss Perrone for When It Breaks It Burns at the Battersea Arts Centre, London
Best Designer
Rose Revitt (set and costume) for Dr Korczak’s Example at Leeds Playhouse
Best Composer or Lyricist
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan for The Season at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Royal & Derngate, Northampton
Best Writer
Temi Wilkey for The High Table at the Bush Theatre, London (in a co-production with Birmingham Rep)
Best West End Debut Performer
Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre, London
Best Creative West End Debut
Femi Temowo (composer) for Death of a Salesman at the Piccadilly Theatre and for Three Sisters at the Young Vic Theatre, London
Launched in 2017, The Stage Debut Awards highlight breakthrough actors, writers, directors, designers, composers or lyricists. The judging panel (The Stage’s editor Alistair Smith, associate editor Lyn Gardner, lead critic Tim Bano and reviews editor Natasha Tripney along with theatre critic Sam Marlowe, theatre critic Bridget Minamore and Daily Mail entertainment columnist, Baz Bamigboye) met in early August to decide the shortlist and winners in all categories except the Best West End Debut.
Angela Thomas
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