NEWS: Nominations announced for this year’s Olivier Awards

The nominations have been announced for this year’s Olivier Awards, which take place on Sunday 5 April at the Royal Albert Hall.

& Juliet, a new British musical using the pop songs of Swedish hitmaker Max Martin to retell Shakespeare’s classic love story, has nine nominations – including Best New Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, Best Set Design and Best Costume Design.

Trevor Nunn’s revival of the 1964 musical Fiddler On The Roof, which opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory before transferring to the West End last year, is nominated eight times, with a Best Director nod for Nunn, as well as acting nominations for Andy Nyman and Judy Kuhn. There are also seven nominations for new musical Dear Evan Hansen, which opened on Broadway in 2016, and six for the Richard Eyre-directed revival of Mary Poppins currently running at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Leading the nominations for plays with five each, including Best Revival, are the Young Vic production of Death Of A Salesman and Rosmersholm at the Duke of York’s Theatre. Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Present Laughter at The Old Vic and Cyrano De Bergerac at the Playhouse Theatre each have four nominations.

This year’s Best New Play nominees include A Very Expensive Poison by Lucy Prebble, based on a book about the murder of Alexander Litvinenko, and Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt, the epic story of a Viennese Jewish family at the start of the 20th century.

In the Best Actor category, Toby Jones is nominated for his performance in Uncle Vanya, James McAvoy for Cyrano De Bergerac (his fourth nomination), Wendell Pierce for his West End debut in Death Of A Salesman, and Andrew Scott for Present Laughter.

In the Best Actress category, Hayley Atwell is nominated for Rosmersholm, Sharon D. Clarke (who has now been nominated six times across all four acting categories) for Death Of A Salesman, and Juliet Stevenson (also now a six-time nominee) for The Doctor, an Almeida Theatre production coming to the West End in April. Phoebe Waller-Bridge receives her first acting nomination for Fleabag, which was Olivier nominated in 2014 for its run at the Soho Theatre.

Petula Clark, last Olivier-nominated in 1981, receives a Best Supporting Actress in a Musical nomination for her role as the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins. She is joined in the musical acting categories by several first-time nominees, including Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet, Zizi Strallen for Mary Poppins, Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen and Jac Yarrow for Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of Society of London Theatre and Executive Producer of the Olivier Awards, said:

‘2020’s nominations demonstrate the range of productions, talent and enterprise on our stages over the last year, with a mix of breadth and diversity that showcases the modern British theatre landscape. We look forward to celebrating all this incredible, world-leading talent on Sunday 5 April.’

The Nominees’ Celebration will take place on Friday 13 March at The May Fair Hotel (part of Edwardian Hotels London, official hotel partner for the Olivier Awards), in association with Olivier Awards partner Cunard.

The Olivier Awards ceremony will be hosted by Jason Manford, and broadcast via official media partners ITV and Magic Radio. Further details to be announced soon.

Full list of Olivier Awards 2020 nominations:

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

• David Bedella for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre            
• Stewart Clarke for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre   
• Jack Loxton for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre
• Rupert Young for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

• Lucy Anderson for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

• Petula Clark for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
• Cassidy Janson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre        
• Lauren Ward for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations

• & Juliet – New Orchestrations by Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro at Shaftesbury Theatre
• Amélie The Musical – Musical Supervisor and Arrangements by Barnaby Race at The Other Palace
• Dear Evan Hansen – Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Orchestration by Alex Lacamoire at Noël Coward Theatre
• Fiddler On The Roof – New Orchestrations by Jason Carr at Playhouse Theatre
• Waitress – Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles at Adelphi Theatre

Best New Dance Production

• La Fiesta by Israel Galván at Sadler’s Wells
• Ingoma by Mthuthuzeli November for Ballet Black at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
• MÁM by Michael Keegan-Dolan for Teaċ Daṁsa at Sadler’s Wells
• Vessel by Damien Jalet & Kohei Nawa at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

• Sara Baras for her choreography and performance in Ballet Flamenco – Sombras at Sadler’s Wells
• Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for her performance in Mitten Wir Im Leben Sind/Bach6Cellosuiten at Sadler’s Wells
• Gisèle Vienne for her choreography of Crowd, presented by Dance Umbrella at
  Sadler’s Wells

Noel Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play

• Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre
• Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre
• Magic Goes Wrong at Vaudeville Theatre
• The Upstart Crow at Gielgud Theatre

Best Theatre Choreographer

• Fabian Aloise for Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
• Jerome Robbins and Matt Cole for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre
• Jennifer Weber for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

• Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre
• Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium
• Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical

• Andy Nyman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre
• Charlie Stemp for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
• Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre
• Jac Yarrow for Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium                                   

Best Actress in a Musical

• Audrey Brisson for Amélie The Musical at The Other Palace
• Judy Kuhn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre         
• Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre
• Zizi Strallen for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre

Cunard Best Revival

• Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre
• Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre
• Present Laughter at The Old Vic
• Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Family Show

• Mr Gum And The Dancing Bear – The Musical! at National Theatre – Dorfman
• Oi Frog & Friends! at Lyric Theatre
• To The Moon And Back at Barbican Theatre
• The Worst Witch at Vaudeville Theatre 

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre

• Baby Reindeer at Bush Theatre
• Blues In The Night at Kiln Theatre
• Our Lady Of Kibeho at Theatre Royal Stratford East
• Seven Methods Of Killing Kylie Jenner at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
• Warheads at Park Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

• Neil Austin for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre
• Paule Constable for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman
• Howard Hudson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre
• Bruno Poet for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre

Royal Albert Hall Award for Best Sound Design

• Gregory Clarke for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre
• Emma Laxton for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre
• Ben and Max Ringham for ANNA at National Theatre – Dorfman
• Ben and Max Ringham for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre

Best Costume Design

• Hugh Durrant for Goldilocks And The Three Bears at The London Palladium
• Jonathan Lipman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre         
• Joanna Scotcher for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre           
• Paloma Young for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

• Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
• Soutra Gilmour for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre         
• Rae Smith for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre
• Rae Smith for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• Arinzé Kene for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic
• Colin Morgan for All My Sons at The Old Vic        
• Adrian Scarborough for Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre
• Reece Shearsmith for A Very Expensive Poison at The Old Vic

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Michele Austin for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre
• Sophie Thompson for Present Laughter at The Old Vic
• Indira Varma for Present Laughter at The Old Vic
• Josie Walker for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman  

Best New Opera Production

• Berenice at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
• Billy Budd at Royal Opera House
• Hansel And Gretel at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

• Jette Parker Young Artists for their performances in Berenice, Death In Venice and Phaedra at Royal Opera House
• The Children’s Ensemble for their performance in Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East
• Martyn Brabbins and James Henshaw for their conducting of The Mask Of Orpheus for English National Opera at London Coliseum

Best Actor

• Toby Jones for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre
• James McAvoy for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre
• Wendell Pierce for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre
• Andrew Scott for Present Laughter at The Old Vic           

Best Actress

• Hayley Atwell for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre         
• Sharon D. Clarke for Death Of A Salesman at Piccadilly Theatre
• Juliet Stevenson for The Doctor at Almeida Theatre        
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

• Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre
• Jamie Lloyd for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre
• Trevor Nunn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre
• Ian Rickson for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre

American Airlines Best New Play

• A Very Expensive Poison at The Old Vic
• The Doctor at Almeida Theatre
• Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre
• The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman

Mastercard Best New Musical

• & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre
• Amélie The Musical at The Other Palace
• Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre
• Waitress at Adelphi Theatre

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