The London Evening Standard Announces Shortlist for 61st Theatre Awards - Imelda Staunton, Nicole Kidman, GYPSY and More!

The London Evening Standard today announces the shortlist for its 61st Theatre Awards, in partnership with The Ivy. The winners will be announced at an Awards ceremony presented by Rob Brydon, and co-hosted by Evgeny Lebedev, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen, at the Old Vic on Sunday 22 November.

Leading the way is the National Theatre with seven shortlisted candidates across six categories - Best Play (Stephen Adly Guirgis) and Best Director (Indhu Rubasingham) for The Motherf**ker With the Hat; Best Actor for Ralph Fiennes' performance in Man and Superman; Best Actress for Denise Gough in People, Places and Things; the Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright for Alistair McDowall, whose Pomona ran in the Temporary Theatre; and two shortlisted for the Emerging Talent Award in Partnership with Burberry - Calvin Demba (The Red Lion) and Patsy Ferran (Treasure Island). The National Theatre is closely followed by the Royal Court and Donmar Warehouse with five and four shortlisted respectively.

In the Best Actor category, four-time Evening Standard Theatre Award winner Simon Russell Beale is recognised for his performance in Temple at the Donmar Warehouse against Kenneth Cranham for The Father, Ralph Fiennes for Man and Superman and James McAvoy for The Ruling Class.

Returning to the London stage after a 17 year absence, Nicole Kidman is shortlisted for the Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress for her role in Photograph 51, and is joined by Denise Gough for People, Places and Things, Gugu Mbatha-Raw for Nell Gywnn, and Lia Williams for Oresteia.

The Father, written by Florian Zeller and translated by Christopher Hampton - currently playing at Wyndham's Theatre, vies for the Best Play award with Martin McDonagh's Hangmen and The Motherf**ker with the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis. The latter's director Indhu Rubasingham also makes the shortlist for the Milton Shulman Award for Best Director alongside Robert Icke for Oresteia and Jamie Lloyd for Assassins at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

This year for the first time there are three musical awards, in recognition of the contribution of musical theatre to the West End. In the new Best Musical Performance category, Imelda Staunton (Gypsy) is joined by Katie Brayben (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Rosalie Craig (City of Angels) and Killian Donnelly (Kinky Boots). Gemma Arterton (Made in Dagenham), Ellie Bamber (High Society) and Natalie Dew (Bend It Like Beckham) compete for inaugural Newcomer in a Musical Award. The third musical award, is the Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical, is voted for by the Radio 2 listeners, the shortlist for which has already been announced (Assassins, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Bend It Like Beckham, Gypsy and Kinky Boots). The winner of this award will be announced live on the night on BBC Radio 2 by Elaine Paige.

London theatre has once again seen a wealth of new talent across its stages this year, and awards for Most Promising Playwright and Emerging Talent are hotly contested. The Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright sees Molly Davies (God Bless the Child), Alistair McDowall (Pomona) and Diana Nneka Atuona (Liberian Girl) shortlisted; and for the Emerging Talent Award in partnership with Burberry, those shortlisted are Calvin Demba (The Red Lion), Patsy Ferran (Treasure Island) and David Moorst (Violence and Son).

In addition to these categories there will also be presentations for the Editor's Award, given to an individual or organisation for an outstanding contribution to theatre; the Lebedev Award, presented to a writer, performer, director or institution for a specific piece of work or as a lifetime achievement award; and the Beyond the Theatre Award, for a performance, event or production beyond the realms of the stage.

Owner of the London Evening Standard Evgeny Lebedev said today, "This fantastic shortlist bears witness to the fact that Londoners are living through a theatrical golden age. With ground-breaking director-led seasons, visionary new writing dominating the West End and the world¹s finest thespian talent queuing up to perform here, London¹s theatre scene is the envy of the world."

THE 61ST ANNUAL LONDON EVENING STANDARD THEATRE AWARDS SHORTLIST IN FULL

Best Actor:

Simon Russell Beale, Temple, Donmar Warehouse

Kenneth Cranham, The Father, Ustinov Bath, Tricycle & Wyndham's Theatre

Ralph Fiennes, Man and Superman, National Theatre's Lyttelton

James McAvoy, The Ruling Class, Trafalgar Studios

Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress:

Denise Gough, People, Places and Things, National Theatre's Dorfman

Nicole Kidman, Photograph 51, Noel Coward Theatre

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nell Gwynn, Shakespeare's Globe

Lia Williams, Oresteia, Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar Studios

Best Play:

The Motherf**ker with the Hat (Stephen Adly Guirgis), National Theatre's Lyttelton

Hangmen (Martin McDonagh) Royal Court

The Father (Florian Zeller, translated by Christopher Hampton) Ustinov Bath, Tricycle & Wyndham's Theatre

Milton Shulman Award for Best Director:

Robert Icke, Oresteia, Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar Studios

Jamie Lloyd, Assassins, Menier Chocolate Factory

Indhu Rubasingham, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, National Theatre's Lyttelton

Best Design:

Anna Fleischle, Hangmen, Royal Court

Tim Hatley, Temple, Donmar Warehouse

Robert Jones, City of Angels, Donmar Warehouse

Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright:

Molly Davies, God Bless the Child, Royal Court Upstairs

Alistair McDowall, Pomona, Orange Tree Theatre & National Theatre's Temporary Space

Diana Nneka Atuona, Liberian Girl, Royal Court Upstairs (Peckham & Tottenham pop up venues)

Emerging Talent Award in Partnership with Burberry:

Calvin Demba, The Red Lion, National Theatre's Dorfman

Patsy Ferran, Treasure Island, National Theatre's Olivier

David Moorst, Violence and Son, Royal Court Upstairs

Best Musical Performance:

Katie Brayben, Beautiful, Aldwych Theatre

Rosalie Craig, City of Angels, Donmar Warehouse

Killian Donnelly, Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre

Imelda Staunton, Gypsy, Savoy Theatre

Newcomer in a Musical:

Gemma Arterton, Made in Dagenham, Adelphi Theatre

Ellie Bamber, High Society, Old Vic

Natalie Dew, Bend It Like Beckham, Phoenix Theatre

Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical (voted for by the public):

Assassins, Menier Chocolate Factory

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aldwych Theatre

Bend It Like Beckham, Phoenix Theatre

Gypsy, Savoy Theatre

Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre

• The Awards have been presented annually since 1955 and past winners include Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Vanessa Redgrave, Patrick Stewart, Rachel Weisz, Sam Mendes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Helen Mirren and Tom Hiddleston

• This year's Advisory Judging Panel comprises the Daily Mail columnist, Baz Bamigboye; London Evening Standard's Chief Theatre Critic, Henry Hitchings; Guardian culture writer and broadcaster, Mark Lawson; Libby Purves, Times columnist and broadcaster; and Matt Wolf, London Theatre Critic of the International New York Times; alongside the London Evening Standard's Editor, Sarah Sands

• Sean Mathias directs this year's Awards; with Rob Brydon presenting

• In another major new partnership for this year's Theatre Awards, the Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical is announced. BBC Radio 2 ran a public vote to find the winner

• In addition to the partnership with The Ivy, this year the London Evening Standard has formed a new association with Christian Louboutin; and Stanhope Plc become a supporter

• New talent continues to be recognised by the Emerging Talent Award, in a partnership with Burberry that began in 2012

• The Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright is named in honour of the former Editor of the Evening Standard. The Natasha Richardson Best Actress Award is named to honour the late actress. The Milton Shulman Award for Best Director is named in memory of the Evening Standard's late theatre critic

• Lebedev Award can go to a writer, performer, director or institution for a specific piece of work or as a lifetime achievement award

• New productions and performances on the London stage between 22 October 2014 and 16 October 2015 are eligible for consideration at this year's Theatre Awards

• The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards is an invitation only event

www.standard.co.uk/ESTA2015

Twitter: @EStheatreawards