Theatre stars will honour nation’s COVID-19 angels
Astar-studded theatrical event to recognise those who have done something special during lockdown and the pandemic will be celebrated at the 21st annual WhatsOnStage Awards on March 14.
The glittering online occasion will be hosted by the sensational Jodie Prenger and Tom Read Wilson.
It will be streamed worldwide from The Turbine Theatre via stream.theatre website.
It will be a celebration of UK theatre with this unique star-studded ceremony broadcast direct to your home wherever you are in the world.
Tickets at £21 are now on sale from www.whatsonstage.com website.
This celebration of UK theatre will include thrilling performances from musicals that were cut short in 2020 along with brand-new shows we all hope to see in 2021 and beyond.
Plus, as we’ll be coming of age, we’re expecting some ‘surprise’ 21st birthday messages from your favourite performers and creatives.
More information on the line-up will be announced in the coming weeks.
And this year the audience are the winners.
Instead of nominating performers, shows and creatives, you will be able to nominate your Angel – someone who has been a source of love, support and kindness during the pandemic.
And 21 Angels will be selected and announced on the night and they’ll be treated to a trip to the theatre once live performances return.
This year is a unique opportunity, as rather than nominating performers, shows and creatives, you will be able to nominate your Angel.
This will be that special person who you believe has gone above and beyond to help those in need during the pandemic.
WhatsOnStage’s COO Sita McIntosh said: “As the WOS Awards are and always have been centred around the audience, rather than ask you to nominate performers and creatives we are inviting you to nominate Angels.”
Sita continued: “In theatre Angels are traditionally people who invest in new shows, enabling productions to get off the ground.
“It seems a fitting term for people that go that extra mile to help others.
“We will then select 21 Angels from the nominations we’ve received and announce their names during the Concert, as well as treating them to a night at the theatre when live performances return. This is our way of recognising the heroes in our community as well as doing our bit to support shows, and encourage audiences back into theatres.”
The awards will reunite a number of creatives from last year, including producer Paul Taylor-Mills, musical director Alex Parker and lighting and set designer
Jack Weir. Joining them on the production side will be stream.theatre website.
Added Sita: “We have to remain positive and optimistic that theatres will re-open fully soon and at WhatsOnStage we’ll keep writing, promoting, advertising and talking about theatre as much as possible until that happens.”
All productions that would have been eligible for the 2021 WhatsOnStage Awards will automatically be “rolled over” and included in the nominations for 2022, so all shows that opened from December 2019 until 16 March 2020 will still have an opportunity to be voted on.
Don’t miss your chance to join audiences across the globe and stand shoulder to shoulder with those in our industry celebrating the vital contribution theatre makes to the world, financially and emotionally. Theatre will be back, bigger, better and stronger than ever.