Hamilton was the biggest winner at the only major theatre awards decided by the public, but was pipped to the coveted best new musical prize by a show which was only in the West End for 12 weeks.
Heathers the Musical is based on the cult 1988 film which starred Christian Slater and Winona Ryder as teenage misfits who kill off the school bullies.
On paper, it did not seem the most likely material for a musical, but with musical numbers including Freeze Your Brain, a celebration of frozen slush drinks, and the foot-stomping My Dead Gay Son, the show struck a nerve for a generation not even born when the movie came out.
It attracted strikingly young and noisy audiences and they clearly voted in considerable numbers as it was named winner of the best new musical award at the 19th annual WhatsOnStage awards at the Prince of Wales theatre on Sunday evening.
Carrie Hope Fletcher, who plays Veronica, the Ryder role, won best actress in a musical.
Hamilton was numerically the biggest winner with five awards including best actor in a musical for Jamael Westman and best supporting actor in a musical for Jason Pennycooke. The show also won best choreography, lighting design and costume design.
Sophie Okonedo added to her Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle theatre awards by winning the best actress in a play award for Antony and Cleopatra and Aidan Turner, the star of BBC One’s Poldark, won best actor in a play for The Lieutenant of Inishmore.
Last summer’s Regent’s Park Open Air theatre’s production of Little Shop of Horrors won three prizes: best musical revival, best set design and best poster.
The gender-reversed revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Company also did well, winning prizes for director Marianne Elliott and Broadway legend Patti LuPone, who won best supporting actress in a musical.
In the play categories, The Inheritance won two awards including best new play, as did The Madness of King George, including best play revival.
The best off-West End production award went to a show which has become a phenomenon in a similar vein to Heathers – Six the Musical, which is enjoying a sold-out run at the Arts theatre.
