August Wilson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents, Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein were among the winners in the UK’s 40th anniversary Olivier Awards, named after Sir Laurence Olivier. Complete list of winners below.






It’s possible that Americans are always big winners, but this is the first time it’s been broadcast in the United States (Watch it on YouTube. Click here to see it on my page)
Best Revival
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at National Theatre, Lyttelton
Best Entertainment and Family
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical at Apollo Theatre
Best Costume Design
Gregg Barnes for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Anna Fleischle for Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre and Wyndham’s Theatre
White Light Award For Best Lighting Design
Mark Henderson for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Best Sound Design
Tom Gibbons for People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman
Best New Opera Production
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci at Royal Opera House
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
English National Opera Chorus and Orchestra for The Force Of Destiny, Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk and The Queen Of Spades at London Coliseum
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mark Gatiss for Three Days In The Country at National Theatre, Lyttelton
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Dame Judi Dench for The Winter’s Tale at Garrick Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Pat Kinevane and Fishamble for Silent at Soho Theatre
Virgin Atlantic Best New Play
Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre and Wyndham’s Theatre
Best Actor
Kenneth Cranham for The Father at Wyndham’s Theatre
Best Actress
Denise Gough for People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman
Magic Radio Audience Award
The Phantom Of The Opera
Best New Comedy
Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theatre
Best New Dance Production
Woolf Works by Wayne McGregor at Royal Opera House
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Alessandra Ferri for her performances in Chéri and Woolf Works at Royal Opera House
Autograph Sound Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music
In The Heights – Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Orchestrated and Arranged by Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman at King’s Cross Theatre
Best Theatre Choreographer
Drew McOnie for In The Heights at King’s Cross Theatre
Best Director
Robert Icke for Oresteia at Almeida Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
David Bedella for In The Heights at King’s Cross Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Lara Pulver for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Best Musical Revival
Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Best Actor in a Musical
Matt Henry for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Best Actress in a Musical
Imelda Staunton for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
MasterCard Best New Musical
Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Ten Lessons The Tony Awards Could Learn From The Olivier Awards
- The Oliviers described nominated straight plays and also presented scenes from each one of them. (The Tonys just describe nominated plays.)
- The Oliviers have TWO awards for best sound. (The Tonys have eliminated the sound category entirely.)
- The Olivier Awards are not limited to productions of plays and musicals on the West End. (The Tonys are limited to Broadway plays and musicals, with just one exception.)
- The Oliviers offered a tasteful In Memoriam where pictures of those who died filled the screen, and Michael Feinstein’s musical accompaniment (he sang George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin’s “They Can’t Take That Away From Me) did not dominate.
- The (fine) orchestra was not used to cut off winners’ speeches. Best Actor winner Kenneth Cranham for The Father gave a lengthy, somewhat rambling acceptance speech that was all the more affecting for being un-canned.
- There was no (or at least very little) cutesy patter between the presenters.
- They created a musical medley out of Shakespeare’s sonnets, in honor of the 400th anniversary of his death.
- The Olivier Awards included an intermission.
- There were no commercials (except embedded in the names of the individual awards — an idea one hopes that Tonys will NOT borrow.)
- The Olivier Awards is not solely a creature of television (at least not yet.) It began before “prime time” and ended at a civilized hour — 9 p.m. in London.