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Former winners Patrick Stewart, Fiona Shaw and Simon Russell Beale will be handing out the honours to new victors at the 55th London Evening Standard Theatre Awards next week.
And two of this triumvirate could end up on stage together, as Russell Beale is in contention for the best actor award against Mark Rylance, Ken Stott and Samuel West - which Shaw will bestow.
He, in turn, will be announcing the winner of best play in a battle between August: Osage County by Tracy Letts at the National, Punk Rock by Simon Stephens at the Lyric Hammersmith and rival Royal productions - Enron by Lucy Prebble and Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth.
Stewart will present the best director award with Rupert Goold, for Enron, Jeremy Herrin, for Tusk Tusk, Ian Rickson, for Jerusalem, and Anna D Shapiro for August: Osage County the fierce rivals.
The musical shortlist includes A Little Night Music, the Menier Chocolate Factory's latest Stephen Sondheim and Hello,Dolly! at the Open Air, Regent's Park.
Anna Friel, Tom Hollander and Vanessa Redrave will present the ceremony on Monday. Evgeny Lebedev, executive director of the Standard, will host proceedings at the Royal Opera House.
