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(New York, NY)
April 15, 2012 — For the first time this year, the most
prestigious event in the UK theatrical calendar, the 36th
Olivier Awards with MasterCard was enjoyed by a global
audience, when the awards ceremony was streamed live,
online, Sunday, April 15, via the Olivier Awards
website
www.olivierawards.com and BBC Radio 2 website
www.bbc.co.uk/radio2.
Also, for the first time, the awards ceremony
had a New York City presence with a live relay of the
ceremony held at the The Allen Room at Frederick P. Rose
Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th
Street, for an invited audience of UK and US theater stars
and professionals and special guests.
Special guests included 2012 Olivier Award nominees
Paulo Szot (Best Actor in a Musical, South Pacific),
Bobby Aitken (Best Sound Design, Ghost The Musical),
Oliver Chris (Best Performance in a Supporting Role,
One Man, Two Guvnors) Rob Howell (Best Set
Design, Matilda The Musical), Nicholas Hytner
(Best Director, One Man, Two Guvnors), Hugh
Vanstone (Best Lighting Design, Ghost The Musical
and Matilda The Musical), and Matthew Warchus
(Best Director, Matilda The Musical). Paul Kieve
(Magic Designer Matilda The Musical and Ghost The
Musical; Magic Consultant, Harry Potter) will
attend as well.
The ceremony offered a star-studded night of awards
and exclusive entertainment at the Royal Opera House in
London, hosted by West End stars Michael Ball and Imelda
Staunton.
For more information, please visit
www.olivierawards.com/news/.
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2012 OLIVIER AWARDS WITH
MASTERCARD AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE LONDON
The winners of the most prestigious event in the UK
theatrical calendar, the 36th Olivier Awards with MasterCard
were announced tonight (15 April 2012) at the Royal Opera
House as part of a glamorous and star-studded night of
entertainment from the West End’s finest talent.
Thanks to live uninterrupted coverage of the awards on the
BBC TV via Red Button, BBC Radio 2 and streaming online,
viewers globally were able to watch the show along with a
starry audience at the Royal Opera House which included Zach
Braff, Jack Davenport, Katherine Kelly, James McAvoy, Tim
Minchin, Sir Patrick Stewart, Kara Tointon, Jodie Whittaker
and Will Young.
Highlights of the evening included a montage celebrating the
work of Olivier Special Award winner Sir Tim Rice led by
Maria Friedman, Siobhan McCarthy, Elaine Paige and the cast
of The Lion King, a performance by The Royal Ballet from
Wayne McGregor’s Limen to mark Dame Monica Mason’s Olivier
Special Award, theatrically-themed entertainment from Ronan
Keating including a duet with Shrek The Musical’s Kimberley
Walsh, and Brian May joining the cast of We Will Rock You
for a special Bohemian Rhapsody. The BBC Concert Orchestra
was conducted by David Charles Abell.
Sweeping the board with seven awards, Matilda the Musical
stole the show with a joint award for Best Actress in a
Musical for young actresses Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram,
Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington-Cox (who at ten becomes
the youngest ever winner of an Olivier Award). Dennis Kelly
and Tim Minchin picked up the show’s award for Best New
Musical, and the musical’s other awards included Bertie
Carvel for Best Actor in a Musical. James Earl Jones
presented Matthew Warchus with the Best Director award via a
live link to an Olivier Awards reception in New York
celebrating the bond between West End theatre and Broadway.
This is a new record number of wins by a single show,
beating the previous best of Nicholas Nickleby, which won in
six categories in 1980.
The National Theatre’s Collaborators by John Hodge was
awarded MasterCard Best New Play Award by Tyne Daly. The
National Theatre also celebrated wins for Benedict
Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller who were awarded Best Actor
for their critically acclaimed roles in Frankenstein,
alternating as Frankenstein and his creature, and Bruno Poet
who won Best Lighting Design for the same play.
Ruth Wilson picked up the Best Actress award for her role in
Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse, with the play also
winning Best Revival.
Following her Best Actress in a Musical award last year,
Sheridan Smith marked a successful transition into straight
drama by extending her winning streak with Best Performance
in a Supporting Role for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal
Haymarket.
Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular musical Les Misérables beat
off tough competition from Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey
Boys and Wicked to win the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience
Award (the only award voted for by the public) thanks to its
legions of devoted fans.
Edward Watson was presented with the Outstanding Achievement
in Dance award for his performance in The Metamorphosis at
the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House, and Best New
Dance Production went to Desh by the Akram Khan Company at
Sadler’s Wells.
English National Opera collected the award for Best New
Opera Production for Castor and Pollux, and the breadth and
diversity of its artistic programme was further recognized
with an Outstanding Achievement in Opera award.
The evening’s show also included a live link to a free
public Olivier Awards celebration in Covent Garden where
hundreds enjoyed live West End performances and a big screen
relay of the show. The Covent Garden event was presented in
conjunction with Magic 105.4, and hosted by breakfast
presenter Neil Fox, alongside West End leading lady Louise
Dearman.
For the latest news, photos and sound bites from the Olivier
Awards plus a full list of winners visit
www.olivierawards.com
and interact at
www.twitter.com/OlivierAwards and
www.facebook.com/OlivierAwards .
WINNERS 2012 OLIVIER AWARDS WITH MASTERCARD
MASTERCARD BEST NEW PLAY
COLLABORATORS at the Cottesloe
This is the first Olivier Award for John Hodge
This was his first play
Screenplays include Trainspotting
Collaborators starred Simon Russell Beale and Alex Jennings.
It returns to the National Theatre later this month
BEST REVIVAL
ANNA CHRISTIE at the Donmar Warehouse
Starred Jude Law and Ruth Wilson, directed by Rob Ashford
Nominated in four categories tonight, including Best Actor
and Best Actress
BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY
DERREN BROWN – SVENGALI at the Shaftesbury
This is Derren Brown’s second Olivier Award win
He first won in 2006 for Something Wicked This Way Comes
Stage credits also include Mind Reader – An Evening Of
Wonders and Derren Brown – Enigma
Svengali returns to the Shaftesbury theatre in July
BEST ACTRESS
RUTH WILSON for Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
Second Olivier Award win (previously won for A Streetcar
Named Desire at the Donmar Warehouse in 2010)
Soon to be seen in film adaptation of Anna Karenina
Previous stage roles include Philistines (National Theatre)
and Through A Glass Darkly (Almeida).
BEST ACTOR
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AND JONNY LEE MILLER for Frankenstein
at the Olivier
First time either has won an Olivier Award
The pair won the Best Actor Award earlier this year at the
Evening Standard Theatre Awards
Cumberbatch: Soon to be seen in film The Hobbit
Lee Miller: previous on-screen roles include US TV series
Eli Stone and Dexter
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
SHERIDAN SMITH for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal,
Haymarket
This is Sheridan Smith’s second Olivier Award win in two
years
Previous win: Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, 2011
Smith was first nominated for an Olivier Award for Little
Shop Of Horrors at the Menier Chocolate Factory
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
THE MATILDAS for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge (Cleo
Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor
Worthington Cox)
Youngest ever winners (aged 10 to12 years old)
The Billy Elliots (aged 13 to 15 years old) shared the 2006
Best Actor in a Musical Award
Each actress performs two shows a week
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
BERTIE CARVEL for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge
This is Carvel’s first Olivier Award win
Won in the same category earlier this year at the Theatre
Awards UK
Previous stage credits include Rope (Almeida), The Pride
(Royal Court), Parade (Donmar)
This marks the third time the Best Actor in a Musical Award
has been awarded to a cross-dressing role (previously:
Douglas Hodge in 2009 for La Cage Aux Folles and Michael
Ball in 2008 in Hairspray)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
NIGEL HARMAN for Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal,
Drury Lane
This is Nigel Harman’s first Olivier Award win and
nomination
He won the Theatregoers’ Choice Award earlier this year for
the role
Shrek The Musical saw him reunite on stage with his Guys And
Dolls co-star Nigel Lindsay
His other credits include The Caretaker, The Common Pursuit,
Public Property and Three Days Of Rain
BEST NEW MUSICAL
MATILDA THE MUSICAL at the Cambridge
Adapted by Dennis Kelly, songs by Tim Minchin, directed by
Matthew Warchus
Nominated in 10 categories
Opens next year on Broadway
BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
CRAZY FOR YOU at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
This is the third Best Musical Revival Olivier Award for
Regent’s Park Open Air in three years
Previous won in 2011’s for Into The Woods and in 2010 for
Hello, Dolly!
Crazy For You starred Sean Palmer and Clare Foster
The show is nominated in three Olivier Awards 2012
categories
BEST DIRECTOR
MATTHEW WARCHUS for Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
This is the first Olivier Award win for Matthew Warchus
Matilda The Musical has been nominated for 10 awards this
year, the maximum number of nominations possible
Warchus also directed the five-time nominated Ghost The
Musical
Warchus won a Tony Award in 2009 for God Of Carnage
His other work in the West End includes Boeing Boeing and
The Norman Conquests.
BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
PETER DARLING for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge
This is the second time Peter Darling has won the Best
Theatre Choreographer Award
He won in 2006 for his work on Billy Elliot The Musical
This award was one of 10 nominations for Matilda The Musical
Matilda The Musical will open on Broadway next spring
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
FRANKENSTEIN designed by Bruno Poet at the Olivier
This was one of three nominations tonight for Frankenstein
This is Bruno Poet’s first Olivier Award
Poet’s work will be seen in production South Downs and The
Browning Version at the Harold Pinter theatre, which begins
previews next week
XL VIDEO AWARD FOR BEST SET DESIGN
MATILDA THE MUSICAL designed Rob Howell at the Cambridge
This is Rob Howell’s third Olivier Award win
The designer previously won in 2000 for the RSC’s Richard
III, Troilus And Cressida and Vassa, and in 2006 for the
Almeida theatre’s Hedda Gabler
This is one of 10 cateogories Matilda The Musical is
nominated for
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
CRAZY FOR YOU designed by Peter McKintosh at the Regent’s
Park Open Air Theatre
This is Peter McKintosh’s first Olivier Award
He was previously nominated in 2010 for the Regent’s Park
Open Air theatre’s Hello, Dolly!
His other work includes current productions Noises Off and
The 39 Steps
BEST SOUND DESIGN
MATILDA THE MUSICAL designed by Simon Baker at the Cambridge
This is Simon Baker’s first Olivier Award
The Sound Designer has worked on over 70 productions
These include West End shows The Lord Of The Rings and Brief
Encounter, both of which earned him Olivier Award
nominations
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE
Theatre Royal, Stratford East in association with the
Barbican and Traverse Theatre for ROADKILL
Conceived and directed by Cora Bissett
This is the second time the Theatre Royal Stratford East has
won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an
Affiliate Theatre
The theatre won in 2007 for Pied Piper
BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
English National Opera’s CASTOR AND POLLUX at the London
Coliseum
Castor And Pollux was the first Rameau opera to be staged by
the ENO
The production marked the London operatic debut of director
Barrie Kosky
Three out of the four nominees in this category were ENO
productions
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
ENO for the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme
The ENO was nominated against its own colleagues, Amanda
Holden for Castor And Pollox and Richard Jones’ for The
Tales Of Hoffmann in this category.
Nominated for five awards in total
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
EDWARD WATSON for his performance in THE METAMORPHOSIS at
the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House
First win for Edward Watson
Principal dancer at the Royal Ballet
Currently appearing in Polyphonia / Sweet Violets / Carbon
Life at the Royal Opera House
BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
DESH by Akram Khan Company at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed
by Akram Khan
This is Akram Khan’s first Olivier Award
The show was inspired by Khan’s homeland Bangladesh
Khan was the only performer in the show
DESH featured music by Olivier Award-winning composer
Jocelyn Pook
BBC RADIO 2 OLIVIER AUDIENCE AWARD
LES MISÉRABLES
Thousands of theatregoers voted to determine this award.
It’s the only award to be decided by the public
They take the award from last year’s winner We Will Rock You
The musical celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010
The musical has been seen by over 60 million people in 42
countries
Established in 1976, the Laurence Olivier Awards celebrate
the world-class status of London’s theatre and are Britain’s
most prestigious stage honours.
The Society of London Theatre welcomes the following
partners for the Olivier Awards with MasterCard 2012:
MasterCard, headline partners Radisson Edwardian and the May
Fair Hotel The Haymarket Hotel, hosts of the nominees
celebration
American Airlines, airline partner MAC cosmetics, make-up
partner
Laurent Perrier, champagne partner Chester Barrie, menswear
partner Audi, car partner CBS, advertising partner.
The event in New York was held at the Frederick P. Rose
Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th
Street, New York City. It took the form of a brunch (from
11.45 NY time) and live relay of the ceremony from London
(from 13.00 NY time) for an invited audience of UK and US
theatre stars and professionals and special guests.
An addition for 2012 was an awards celebration in Covent
Garden piazza, where theatre-lovers gathered to enjoy a free
big-screen live show relay and other entertainment including
live performances from some of the West End’s major shows.
The event was presented in conjunction with Magic 105.4, and
hosted by breakfast presenter Neil Fox, alongside West End
leading lady Louise Dearman.
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· The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is the association
which represents the producers, theatre owners and managers
of the 52 major commercial and grant-aided theatres in
central London. The organisation exists in order to promote
theatregoing, develop audiences, and to serve, protect and
promote the interests of those engaged in theatre across
London, through activities including The Olivier Awards with
MasterCard, tkts ticket booth, the Official London Theatre
guide, Theatre Tokens and the annual promotions Kids Week in
the West End and Get Into London Theatre.
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