Image: courtesy of mytheatremates.com 

New, audience voted theatre awards have been launched, that aim to celebrate often over looked categories in the arts world.

The Also Recognised Awards have been set up as an alternative to the Olivier and WhatsOnStage ceremonies, and are honouring new media in theatre with categories such as ‘Best Twitter Engagement’ and ‘Best Show Trailer.’

Terri Paddock, one of the people behind the ARAs, and the founder of WhatsOnStage, said: “For us, it is simply about providing a platform for recognising these categories.

“And that really is recognition simply for its own sake.

“We don’t have any money and aren’t seeking any sponsorship, so there won’t be a big awards ceremony, expensive gongs or anything like that.”

Nominees for the ‘Theatre Event of the Year’ award include “Lindsay Lohan making stage debut in Speed-the-Plow – and completing the run’, and the “Inaugral #LoveTheatre day on Twitter’.

These new and alternative accolades sit alongside more conventional accolades such as ‘Best Original Music’, ‘Best Solo Performance’ and ‘Best Ensemble Performance’.

Mark Shenton, another involved in setting up the Also Recognised Awards, said: “These will stand out above all because they reach the parts of theatre making and marketing that others don’t.

“And they are being launched as part of a new digital platform that will reach theatre fans and practitioners alike to integrate the multiple voices in the digital world that haven’t been brought together before.

“The other awards have their own place — but the nominees in ours have no place! So these awards offer a unique platform to recognise them.”

Nominees for best Twitter engagement include The Book of Mormon, Urinetown, and Trafalgar Transformed.

Voting for the Also Recognised Awards is currently open, and continues until April 16. For more information and to vote, click here.