WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play

The WhatsOnStage Award for Best Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Play is an annual award presented by WhatsOnStage.com as part of the annual WhatsOnStage Awards. Founded in 2001 as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards, the WhatsOnStage Awards are based on a popular vote recognising performers and productions in London's West End theatre.

This award is given to a person who has performed a leading male identifying role in a play during the eligibility year. Introduced in 2001 as the award for Best Actor in a Play, the category was renamed in 2022 in an effort to be more inclusive. The category was discontinued following the 2022 ceremony and was replaced with the gender-neutral WhatsOnstage Award for Best Performer in a Play.

First presented to Conleth Hill at the inaugural ceremony, Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Spacey and David Tennant are the only actors to have won the award twice.

Wins

 * 2 wins
 * Kenneth Branagh
 * Kevin Spacey
 * David Tennant

Nominations

 * 4 nominations
 * Simon Russell Beale
 * Mark Rylance
 * Kevin Spacey


 * 3 nominations
 * Kenneth Branagh
 * Benedict Cumberbatch
 * James McAvoy
 * David Tennant

• Richard Armitage
 * 2 nominations

• Ben Daniels

• Ralph Fiennes

• David Haig

• Tom Hiddleston

• Conleth Hill

• Rory Kinnear

• Ian McKellen

• Andrew Scott

• Michael Sheen

• Samuel West

• Ben Whishaw