The 40th anniversary Olivier Awards, presented April 3 at the Royal Opera House, were led by wins for the Broadway musicals Kinky Boots and In the Heights, taking three wins each. Another classic Broadway musical, Gypsy — revived in a production that transferred from Chichester Festival Theatre to the Savoy — won four awards, the most of any single production, and August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, revived at the National who also previously staged its British premiere in 1989, took the prize for Best Revival of a Play.
Kinky Boots was anointed Best New Musical, as well as seeing its star Matt Henry (as Lola) named Best Actor in a Musical and Gregg Barnes also winning for Best Costume Design. Its composer Cyndi Lauper performed in the ceremony, dueting with ceremony host Michael Ball in a rendition of her hit “True Colors.” In the Heights saw awards for Outstanding Achievement in Music to Lin-Manuel Miranda, together with Alex Lacamoirea and Bill Sherman for their orchestrations and arrangements, as well as awards to choreographer Drew McOnie and Supporting Actor David Bedella.
Dame Judy Dench’s accolade for The Winter’s Tale marks her record-breaking eighth Olivier Award.
In addition to Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, other productions to be honored that originated at the National Theatre including People, Places and Things (with actress Denise Gough taking Best Actress and Tom Gibbons for Sound Design) and Mark Gatiss (Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Three Days in the Country).
Martin McDonagh's Hangman, originated at the Royal Court before transferring to the West End, was named Best New Play, with a further award to the production for Anna Fleishle for Best Set Design.
The ceremony featured extracts from all the shows nominated for Best Musical and Best Musical Revival, as well as an appearance by Michael Feinstein (who sang the Gershwin classic "They Can't Take That Away from Me" to accompany a photographic tribute to those who passed in the last year), and a finale of "What I Did for Love?" from A Chorus Line, the show that won the inaugural Olivier for Best Musical in 1976, performed by past winners that include Maria Friedman, Joanna Riding, Samantha Sprio, Katie Brayben, Loran Want, Leanne Jones, Jill Halfpenny and Lesley Mackie.
Award presenters included Dame Shirley Bassey, Uzo Aduba (currently in the West End in The Maids), Vanessa Redgrave and Amber Riley (soon to star in the West End premiere of Dreamgirls).
Shows that included Bend it Like Beckham, Guys and Dolls and Mrs Henderson Presents went home empty-handed.
It was announced that next year's ceremony will take place April 9 at a new venue, the Royal Albert Hall.
Full nominations are shown below, with winners in bold.
Best Revival
Hamlet at Barbican Theatre
Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Donmar Warehouse
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at National Theatre, Lyttelton
The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theatre
Best New Comedy
A Christmas Carol at Noël Coward Theatre
Hand To God at Vaudeville Theatre
Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theatre
Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Apollo Theatre
Best Costume Design
Gregg Barnes for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Hugh Durrant for Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theatre
Jonathan Fensom for Farinelli And The King at Duke of York’s Theatre
Katrina Lindsay for Bend It Like Beckham at Phoenix Theatre
Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Hildegard Bechtler for Oresteia at Almeida Theatre
Es Devlin for Hamlet at Barbican Theatre
Jonathan Fensom for Farinelli And The King at Duke of York's Theatre
Anna Fleischle for Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court & Wyndham's Theatre
White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Neil Austin for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theatre
Natasha Chivers for Oresteia at Almeida Theatre
James Farncombe for People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman
Mark Henderson for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Best Sound Design
George Dennis for The Homecoming at Trafalgar Studios 1
Tom Gibbons for People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman
Christopher Shutt for The Father at Wyndham’s Theatre
Christopher Shutt for Hamlet at Barbican Theatre
Best New Opera Production
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci at Royal Opera House
The Force Of Destiny at London Coliseum
Morgen Und Abend 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
Felicity Palmer for The Queen Of Spades at London Coliseum
Sir Antonio Pappano for his conducting of Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci, Guillaume Tell and Król Roger at Royal Opera House
Tamara Wilson for The Force Of Destiny at London Coliseum
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mark Gatiss for Three Days In The Country at National Theatre, Lyttelton
Michael Pennington for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theatre
Tom Sturridge for American Buffalo at Wyndham's Theatre
David Suchet for The Importance Of Being Earnest at Vaudeville Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Judi Dench for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theatre
Michele Dotrice for Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theatre
Melody Grove for Farinelli And The King at Duke of York's Theatre
Catherine Steadman for Oppenheimer at Vaudeville Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Barbarians at The Clare, Young Vic
Phil Dunster for his role in Pink Mist at Bush Theatre
Pat Kinevane and Fishamble for Silent at Soho Theatre
Violence And Son at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
Virgin Atlantic Best New Play
Farinelli And The King at Duke of York's Theatre
The Father at Wyndham's Theatre
Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court & Wyndham's Theatre
People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman
Best Actor
Kenneth Branagh for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theatre
Kenneth Cranham for The Father at Wyndham's Theatre
Benedict Cumberbatch for Hamlet at Barbican Theatre
Adrian Lester for Red Velvet at Garrick Theatre
Mark Rylance for Farinelli And The King at Duke of York's Theatre
Best Actress
Gemma Arterton for Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theatre
Denise Gough for People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman
Nicole Kidman for Photograph 51 at Noël Coward Theatre
Janet McTeer for Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Donmar Warehouse
Lia Williams for Oresteia at Almeida Theatre
Best Entertainment and Family
Alice's Adventures Underground at The Vaults
Dr. Seuss's The Lorax at The Old Vic
I Want My Hat Back at National Theatre, Temporary Theatre
Peter Pan at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical at Apollo Theatre
Best New Dance Production
He Who Falls (Celui Qui Tombe) by Compagnie Yoann Bourgeois at the Barbican
Romeo Et Juliette by Les Ballets de Monte Carlo at London Coliseum
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
Javier De Frutos for his choreography of Anatomy Of A Passing Cloud at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House
Sasha Waltz for her choreography of Sacre at Sadler’s Wells
Autograph Sound Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music
Bend It Like Beckham – Music by Howard Goodall, Lyrics by Charles Hart and Orchestrations by Howard Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra at Phoenix Theatre
Farinelli And The King – Claire van Kampen for Musical Arrangements, the Musicians and Lestyn Davies and the Singers who alternated the singing role of Farinelli at Duke of York's Theatre
In The Heights – Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda at King’s Cross Theatre
Kinky Boots – Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by Stephen Oremus at Adelphi Theatre
Best Theatre Choreographer
Carlos Acosta and Andrew Wright for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theatre
Drew McOnie for In The Heights at King’s Cross Theatre
Stephen Mear for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Jerry Mitchell for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Best Director
Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theatre
Matthew Dunster for Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court & Wyndham's Theatre
Robert Icke for Oresteia at Almeida Theatre
Jonathan Kent for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
David Bedella for In The Heights at King’s Cross Theatre
Dan Burton for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Peter Davison for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Gavin Spokes for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Preeya Kalidas for Bend It Like Beckham at Phoenix Theatre
Amy Lennox for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Lara Pulver for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Emma Williams for Mrs Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theatre
Best Musical Revival
Bugsy Malone at Lyric Hammersmith
Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theatre
Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Best Actor in a Musical
Ian Bartholomew for Mrs Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theatre
Killian Donnelly for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
David Haig for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theatre
Matt Henry for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Jamie Parker for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theatre
Best Actress in a Musical
Tracie Bennett for Mrs Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theatre
Natalie Dew for Bend It Like Beckham at Phoenix Theatre
Laura Pitt-Pulford for Seven Brides For Seven Brothers at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Imelda Staunton for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre
Sophie Thompson for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theatre
MasterCard Best New Musical
Bend It Like Beckham at Phoenix Theatre
In the Heights at King’s Cross Theatre
Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre
Mrs. Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theatre
Watch the entire Olivier Awards broadcast here: