ANGELS IN AMERICA, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, DREAMGIRLS, OSLO and More Make Evening Standard Theatre Awards Shortlist

The London Evening Standard today reveals the shortlist for the 2017 Theatre Awards in association with Qatar Airways, taking place on Sunday, 3 December at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

The annual awards, marking their 63rd year, will be co-hosted by the newspaper's owner, Evgeny Lebedev, American Vogue editor-in-chief, Dame Anna Wintour, star of stage and screen Cate Blanchett and Hamilton creator and original star Lin-Manual Miranda. The on-stage host for the evening is Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

In a spectacular year for the London stage, three theatres dominate the shortlist, the National Theatre, The Royal Court and Islington's Almeida. Each have seven chances of winning awards.

Jez Butterworth's new play, The Ferryman, a collaboration between the Royal Court, where it began its sell out run before transferring to the West End, and Sonia Friedman Productions leads with four mentions. Dominic Cooke's sumptuous revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies and James Graham's witty play about the birth of The Sun newspaper, Ink, are close behind with three each.

This year's shortlist reflects an exceptional year for new writing in London, with recognition in one or more categories for plays from leading writers Jez Butterworth (whose previous play Jerusalem won the Evening Standard Best Play in 2009), James Graham (Ink), Mike Bartlett (Albion), and Lucy Kirkwood (The Children).

The thriving relationship between London's subsided and commercial theatre is also reflected by the number of productions to have achieved successful West End transfers (Hamlet, Ink, The Ferryman, Oslo).

The winners will be announced on Sunday, 3 December.

The Platinum Partner for this year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards is Michael Kors.

"In turbulent and uncertain times which will no doubt inspire a wave of great new plays soon enough, the global preeminence of the London stage is a rare and precious constant. This year, as every year, the short list for our awards illuminates its range, variety and sheer brilliance. It is my privilege to join Dame Anna Wintour in hosting an event that recognises the dazzling array of talent, emerging and established, that perennially confirms London's theatre as the best in the world." Evgeny Lebedev, Owner, London Evening Standard

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THE 2017 LONDON EVENING STANDARD THEATRE AWARDS SHORTLIST

BEST ACTOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Ambassador Theatre Group

Bertie Carvel Ink (Almeida & Duke of York's)

Andrew Garfield Angels in America (National Theatre)

Andrew Scott Hamlet (Almeida & Harold Pinter Theatre)

Natasha Richardson AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Laura Donnelly The Ferryman (Royal Court & Gielgud)

Victoria Hamilton Albion (Almeida)

Glenda Jackson King Lear (Old Vic)

BEST MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

Janie Dee Follies (National Theatre)

Robert Fairchild An American in Paris (Dominion)

Amber Riley Dreamgirls (Savoy)

BEST PLAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HISCOX, OFFICIAL ARTS PARTNER OF THE EVENING STANDARD

The Children Lucy Kirkwood (Royal Court)

The Ferryman Jez Butterworth (Royal Court & Gielgud)

Ink James Graham (Almeida & Duke of York's)

Oslo J. Rogers (National Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre)

MILTON SHULMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR

Dominic Cooke Follies (National Theatre)

Robert Icke Hamlet (Almeida & Harold Pinter)

Sam Mendes The Ferryman (Royal Court & Gielgud)

BEST DESIGN

Jon Bausor Bat Out of Hell - The Musical (Coliseum)

Bunny Christie Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle (Wyndham's)/The Red Barn (National Theatre)/Ink (Almeida &Duke of York's)

Soutra Gilmour Twelfth Night (National Theatre)

CHARLES WINTOUR AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING PLAYWRIGHT

Branden Jacobs-Jenkin An Octoroon (Orange Tree)

A. Smith Harrogate (High Tide Festival & Royal Court)

Katherine Soper Wish List (Royal Exchange Manchester & Royal Court)

EMERGING TALENT AWARD

Sheila Atim Girl from the North Country (Old Vic)

Tom Glynn-Carney The Ferryman (Royal Court & Gielgud)

Luke Thallon Albion (Almeida)

EVENING STANDARD RADIO 2 AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL*

An American in Paris Dominion

Bat out of Hell - The Musical Coliseum

Dreamgirls Savoy

Follies National Theatre

School of Rock New London Theatre

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ The Musical Menier Chocolate Factory

She Loves Me Menier Chocolate Factory

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