The Laurence Olivier Awards 2007

Sunday, 18th February, 2007 - Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, W1K 7TN

Hosted by Richard Wilson and Sue Johnston

Please see below for a summarised list of winners and nominees. Winners highlighted in red.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE TRIUMPHS AT AWARDS

The winners of the 2007 Laurence Olivier Awards were announced tonight, 18th February 2007, at a star studded ceremony held at Grosvenor House, Park Lane.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE has swept the board at this year’s Olivier Awards, winning accolades for Outstanding Musical Production, Best Lighting Design and Best Set Design, as well as waltzing away with Best Actress in a Musical for Jenna Russell and Best Actor in a Musical for Daniel Evans.

Other productions which also fared well in the musical categories were Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori’s CAROLINE OR CHANGE winning Best New Musical. CABARET has also received two awards, with Sheila Hancock receiving recognition for her role in the show winning Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Javier De Frutos being awarded Best Theatre Choreographer. 

In the play categories, Tamsin Greig has scooped Best Actress for her performance in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING whilst Rufus Sewell has received Best Actor for his role in ROCK ‘N’ ROLL. Jim Norton has been rewarded for his role in THE SEAFARER, winning Best Performance in a Supporting Role.

In a year when musicals have dominated the theatrical headlines, new writing has also been recognised with David Harrower winning Best New Play for BLACKBIRD at the Albery. John Buchan’s THE 39 STEPS, adapted by Patrick Barlow from an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, has also won a plaudit as Best New Comedy.

THE CRUCIBLE has set the standard for revivals this year winning Best Revival and Best Director for Dominic Cooke at the Gielgud.

The English National Opera also has cause to celebrate as JENUFA wins two awards, Best New Opera Production and Amanda Roocroft has also been singled out for her role in the opera winning Outstanding Achievement in Opera.

This year’s Special Award has been given to Sir John Tomlinson. The Society wished to acknowledge that he was internationally renowned for his definitive interpretations of a wide variety of roles for the bass voice across the operatic repertoire.

Rosemary Squire, President of the Society of London Theatre, commented, “This year’s Laurence Olivier Awards demonstrate that London theatre offers a wealth of talent across new productions and revivals, unparalleled around the world. The enormous variety of shows in London means that there is something for theatre-goers of all ages and interests, proving yet again that the London theatre scene is second to none.”
 
The awards ceremony, hosted by Richard Wilson and Sue Johnston, included special performances from the casts of AVENUE Q, SOUND OF MUSIC, EVITA, CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, SPAMALOT, PORGY AND BESS and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.   Leading names from the theatrical world presented the prestigious awards, including Don Johnson, Samantha Janus, Richard Schiff, Kim Catrall, Laura Michelle Kelly, Lorna Luft and Elaine Paige.  Richard Olivier also made a short speech, in the year that marks the beginning of Olivier's centenary celebrations.

For the first time, exclusive on-line coverage of the night will also be available on the Society of London’s website- www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk.  Presenter Tim McArthur introduces highlights from the ceremony and takes the cameras backstage to meet the stars and talk one-to-one with the winners. Powered by Narrowstep, Inc., the TV on the internet company, the channel will provide preview commentary from leading theatre directors, red carpet highlights and coverage of the ceremony.

Best Actress
Eve Best for A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN at The Old Vic
Sinead Cusack for ROCK ‘N’ ROLL at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court and the Duke of York's
Tamsin Greig for MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at the Novello
Kathleen Turner for WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? at the Apollo

Best Actor
Iain Glen for THE CRUCIBLE at the Gielgud
David Haig for DONKEYS' YEARS at the Comedy
Frank Langella for FROST/NIXON at the Donmar Warehouse and the Gielgud
Rufus Sewell for ROCK 'N' ROLL at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court and the Duke of York's
Michael Sheen for FROST/NIXON at the Donmar Warehouse and the Gielgud

Best Performance In A Supporting Role
Samantha Bond for DONKEYS' YEARS at the Comedy
Deborah Findlay for THE CUT at the Donmar Warehouse
Mark Hadfield for THÉRÈSE RAQUIN at the Lyttelton
Colm Meaney for A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN at The Old Vic
Jim Norton for THE SEAFARER at the Cottesloe

Best New Play
BLACKBIRD by David Harrower at the Albery
FROST/NIXON by Peter Morgan at the Donmar Warehouse and the Gielgud
ROCK 'N' ROLL by Tom Stoppard at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court and at the Duke of York's
THE SEAFARER by Conor McPherson at the Cottesloe

Best New Comedy
John Buchan's THE 39 STEPS adapted by Patrick Barlow from an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon at the Criterion
DON JUAN IN SOHO by Patrick Marber after Molière at the Donmar Warehouse
LOVE SONG by John Kolvenbach at the New Ambassadors

Best Revival
THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller at the Gielgud
DONKEYS’ YEARS by Michael Frayn at the Comedy
A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN by Eugene O'Neill at The Old Vic
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? by Edward Albee at the Apollo
 
Best New Musical
AVENUE Q music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx at the Noël Coward
CAROLINE, OR CHANGE book and lyrics by Tony Kushner, music by Jeanine Tesori at the Lyttelton
MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT a new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail, from the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. Book and lyrics by Eric Idle, music by John Du Prez & Eric Idle at the Palace
The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS a new musical production by George Gershwin, Dubose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin at the Savoy

Outstanding Musical Production
CABARET book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, based on the play by John van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood at the Lyric
EVITA lyrics by Tim Rice, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Adelphi
THE SOUND OF MUSIC music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, suggested by the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp at the London Palladium
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine at Wyndham's

Best Actress In A Musical
Nicola Hughes for The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS at the Savoy
Tonya Pinkins for CAROLINE, OR CHANGE at the Lyttelton
Elena Roger for EVITA at the Adelphi
Jenna Russell for SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at Wyndham's
Hannah Waddingham for MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT at the Palace

Best Actor In A Musical
Tim Curry for MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT at the Palace
Daniel Evans for SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at Wyndham's
Clarke Peters for The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS at the Savoy
Philip Quast for EVITA at the Adelphi

Best Performance In A Supporting Role In A Musical
Anna Francolini for CAROLINE, OR CHANGE at the Lyttelton
Tom Goodman-Hill for MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT at the Palace
Sheila Hancock for CABARET at the Lyric
Summer Strallen for THE BOY FRIEND at the Open Air

Best Director
Sam Buntrock for SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at Wyndham's
Dominic Cooke for THE CRUCIBLE at the Gielgud
Joe Mantello for WICKED at the Apollo Victoria

Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre
PIED PIPER at Theatre Royal, Stratford East
Theatre Royal, Stratford East for a powerful season of provocative work, reaching new audiences
LOVE AND MONEY at the Maria, Young Vic
Roy Dotrice for his performance in THE BEST OF FRIENDS at the Hampstead

Best New Opera Production
English National Opera's JENUFA at the London Coliseum
English National Opera's THE MAKROPULOS CASE at the London Coliseum
English National Opera's ORFEO at the London Coliseum
Opera North's PETER GRIMES at Sadler's Wells

Outstanding Achievement In Opera
John Mark Ainsley for his performance in English National Opera's ORFEO at the London Coliseum
Joyce DiDonato for her performance in Les Arts Florissant's HERCULES at the Barbican
Amanda Roocroft for her performance in English National Opera's JENUFA at the London Coliseum
John Tomlinson for his performance in The Royal Opera's GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG at the Royal Opera House

Best New Dance Production
The Royal Ballet's THE SLEEPING BEAUTY at The Royal Opera House
Kabuki FUJI MUSUME & KASANE at Sadler's Wells
The Royal Ballet's DGV at the Royal Opera House
The Royal Ballet's CHROMA at the Royal Opera House

Outstanding Achievement In Dance
Steven McRae for his performances in The Royal Ballet's HOMAGE TO THE QUEEN and CHROMA at The Royal Opera House
Carlos Acosta for his programme of work and his performances at Sadler's Wells
Marianela Nuñez for her performances in The Royal Ballet's DGV and THE SLEEPING BEAUTY at the Royal Opera House and in Carlos Acosta's programme at Sadler's Wells
Wayne McGregor for his choreography of The Royal Ballet's CHROMA at The Royal Opera House