[3] In early 2001, WhatsOnStage.com published the shortlists for that year's Laurence Olivier Awards and invited site visitors to vote online for who they thought should win.
The 2016 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 21 February at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Steve Furst.
[5] The 2017 WhatsOnStage Awards concert and ceremony took place on 19 February 2017 at the Prince of Wales Theatre and were hosted by Simon Lipkin and Vikki Stone.
They did not honour creatives as they traditionally did but instead recognised 21 members of the public who had supported the theatre industry during the pandemic.
Presenters of the WhatsOnStage Awards have included James Corden, Sheridan Smith, Christopher Biggins, Mel Giedroyc, Miranda Hart, Alan Davies, Jenny Eclair, Rufus Hound, Steve Furst, Vikki Stone and Simon Lipkin.
[9] Over the years, guest presenters and performers at the Launch Party have included Graham Norton, Elaine Paige, Michael Ball, Lesley Garrett, Ryan Molloy, James Earl Jones, Jools Holland, Patina Miller, Julian Clary, Jeremy Irons, Simon Russell Beale, Bertie Carvel and Meera Syal.
[9] West End stars who have performed at the Awards Concerts at the Prince of Wales have included Alfie Boe, Sally Ann Triplett, Ryan Molloy, Jodie Prenger, Hannah Waddingham, Leanne Jones, Jill Halfpenny, Hadley Fraser, Ramin Karimloo, Rosemary Ashe, Nancy Sullivan, Samantha Barks, Sarah Lark, Kim Criswell, Siobhan McCarthy, Julie Atherton, Suranne Jones, Elena Roger, Sean Palmer, Clare Foster, Hannah Waddingham, Dean Chisnall, Brian May, Kerry Ellis, Tim Minchin, Melanie C and Sam Tutty.
The inaugural launch party was held at The Venue, before moving to the Dominion Theatre in 2004, Planet Hollywood in 2005 and 2006, and Café de Paris, where it has been every year since with the exception of the 2009 awards, when it was held at the London Hippodrome as part of their campaign to save the venue as a performance space.