Go Live Theatre Project’s 2023 Best Of London Theatre (BOLT) award nominations have been announced! Sponsored by TodayTix, these awards are primarily run by, and for, the young people of Britain, a forum of which determined categories and nominees, as well as organising, hosting and occasionally performing at the awards ceremony. This year marks the first year this ceremony has taken place since the pandemic, taking place in February, in London.
Several notable nominations in this year’s awards include Zizi Strallen, nominated for Best Performer in a Musical/Play for her portrayal of Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre, as well as Holly Anne Hull as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s Theatre. Gracie McGonigal, currently playing Katie in The Little Big Things at @sohoplace, has been nominated in two categories: Saved the Day for her work on The Crucible, as well as Watch This Face, as a result of the range of roles she has found herself playing in the previous year.
The Phantom of the Opera and Come From Away have each picked up a range of nominations, including Power of the Ensemble, Soundtrack to my Soul and Best Musical, with Come From Away also being nominated for the Bring It Back Award, alongside Get Up, Stand Up!, Prima Facie and My Son’s a Queer, But What Can You Do?, with the latter two transferring to Broadway in 2023 and coming in 2024 respectively.
Away from musicals, the stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro picked up its only nomination in the Best Play category, competing with All of It, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and For Black Boys…, the latter of which has also joined Punchdrunk and perfomer and MusicalCon organiser Shanay Holmes in the Special Recognition for Contribution to Theatre Award.
Voting is now open for the BOLT Awards, with only those aged between 15-29 eligible to vote, with these awards specifically designed to represent the younger members of the theatrical community. Tickets can also be purchased for the awards ceremony in London in February to see your favourites get crowned!
A full list of nominees and voting for the 2024 BOLT Awards is now open and can be found here. The BOLT Awards ceremony will be held at Wonderville, Haymarket in London on February 18th 2024
