27th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards: Eligibility Explained

27th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards:
Eligibility Explained

As a fan-voted experience, every year we try as hard as possible to clarify who is/ isn’t eligible for the WhatsOnStage Awards. With thousands of eligible shows every year, it would be nigh-on impossible to provide a go-to list of all the productions you can choose from – and would no doubt cause some grumbles! With that in mind, please read our eligibility criteria before submitting your nominations.

Nominations will open on 5 November 2026 at 12pm, and close on 24 November 2026 at 12pm.

If you have any queries about eligibility, please email feedback@whatsonstage.com. As an organisation, we always work to liaise directly with producers and venues about which shows are/are not eligible.

Want to campaign for your favourites? There’s an asset pack.

Questions? Contact feedback@whatsonstage.com. We work directly with producers and venues to confirm eligibility.

Award Categories

Individual Categories

Best Performer in a Musical
Best Supporting Performer in a Musical
The SINE Digital Best Performer in a Play
Best Supporting Performer in a Play
Best Takeover Performance
Best Professional Debut Performance

Note: Technical category shortlists (Casting, Choreography, Costume, Direction, Hair & Make-Up, Lighting, Musical Direction, Set, Sound, and Video Design) are decided by an independent industry panel appointed by WhatsOnStage. Readers then vote on the final shortlist.

General Eligibility Window

To be eligible, live professional UK productions (and their performers) must meet both of the following dates:

Performances must have started after 7 November 2025.
Run featuring a press night must have commenced before 5 November 2026.

Try-out runs that did not invite national critics for review (like One Day the Musical or Something Rotten!) are ineligible this year, but may qualify in future years. Decisions made by WhatsOnStage are final.

Key Eligibility Rules & Exceptions

1. Repeat Eligibility & Transfers

Standard Rule: Shows eligible in previous years are not eligible again, even if they have transferred to a new venue or embarked on a tour.
Adaptations and re-developments: Productions that have been substantially rewritten, re-choreographed, re-designed or reworked with new creative teams and/or producers may be considered eligible upon review by WhatsOnStage.
Exceptions: The repeat eligibility rule does not apply to Best West End Show, Best Takeover Performance, or Best Professional Debut Performance.

2. Category-Specific Guidelines

Category	Eligibility Criteria
Best Studio Production	Runs exclusively in a venue/auditorium under 300 seats with previews starting between 7 November 2025 and 5 November 2026.
Best Regional Production	Any production (touring or stationary) starting previews outside Greater London between 7 November 2025 and 5 November 2026.
Best West End Show	Celebrates long-running West End productions that have played continuously for at least 12 months by 8 January 2027 (including shows opening before 7 November 2025).
Best Concert Event	Self-styled concert productions running for a maximum of one week between 7 November 2025 and 5 November 2026, with no press night required.
Best Takeover Performance	Performers taking over an existing named role between 7 November 2025 and 5 November 2026. The show itself does not need to be new, but the performer must not have played the role in a UK production before.
Best Professional Debut Performance	Performers making their global professional stage debut in a named role on a UK stage between 7 November 2025 and 5 November 2026 (regardless of show opening date).