The Stage Debut Awards 2017 - full list of winners

The winners of the inaugural The Stage Debut Awards, which celebrate breakthrough successes in theatre, were announced last night at a ceremony in London.

Hosted by actor Ben Forster, the awards were handed out to actors and creatives breaking into the theatre world.

Andrew Polec, who played Strat in the West End production of Bat Out Of Hell, won the public-voted Best West End Debut award, beating the likes of Amber Riley (Dreamgirls), John Boyega (Woyzeck), Audra McDonald (Lady Day...) and Charlie Stemp (Half A Sixpence).

Other winners of note included Dan Gillespie Sells, songwriter for The Feeling who penned the musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie, set to transfer to the Apollo Theatre in November, Samuel Thomas, who won the Best Actor in a Musical award for his role in Allegro at Southwark Playhouse, and Miriam-Teak Lee, who won the Samuel Thomas for On The Town at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

Katherine Soper won the Best Writer award for Wish List (Royal Exchange, Manchester/Royal Court), and Rosie Elnile won Best Designer for her work on The Convert at the Gate Theatre.

Presenters at the ceremony included National Theatre director Rufus Norris, director Michael Grandage, and actors Sharon D Clarke, Noma Dumezweni, Preeya Kalidas and Kenneth Cranham.

Full list of winners

Best Actor in a Play

Abraham Popoola for Othello at Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol

Best Actress in a Play

Grace Molony for The Country Girls at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester

Best Actor in a Musical

Samuel Thomas for Allegro at Southwark Playhouse, London

Best Actress in a Musical

Miriam-Teak Lee for On the Town at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London

Best Director

Lekan Lawal for Betrayal at Derby Theatre, Derby

Best Designer

Rosie Elnile for The Convert at the Gate Theatre, London

Best Composer

Dan Gillespie Sells for Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Best Writer

Katherine Soper for Wish List at the Royal Exchange, Manchester

The Joe Allen Best West End Debut

Andrew Polec for Bat Out of Hell at the London Coliseum