The nominations for this year's Olivier Awards 2016—the 40th anniversary year of the Awards—were announced February 29 in an event, broadcast live from Rosewood London, co-hosted by Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton.
Staunton emerged herself as a nominee for her performance as Momma Rose in the London revival of Gypsy, which transferred last year from Chichester Festival Theatre to the West End's Savoy, and secured eight nominations overall, the most of any other individual show. Chichester Festival Theatre also saw its West End transfer of Guys and Dolls (moving shortly to the Phoenix Theatre) secure four more nominations to take Chichester's overall tally to 12, the most of any single theatre.
The London production of Kinky Boots was one nomination behind Gypsy with seven nominations, including ones for choreographer Jerry Mitchell and co-stars Killian Donnelly and Matt Henry.
Shakespeare's Globe received ten for its West End transfers of Farinelli and the King that starred Mark Rylance (including a nomination for Rylance, fresh upon his Oscar win for Bridge of Spies, for Best Actor) and Nell Gwynn between them.
The Branagh Company also secured seven nominations overall, including six for A Winter's Tale that embraced its star Kenneth Branagh and supporting star Judi Dench, the latter earning her 15th Olivier Award nomination, having previously won six awards and one special award, the most of any performer.
The National Theatre took seven nominations, including four for People, Places and Things (soon to transfer to the West End's Wyndham's), the Almeida three nominations (all for Oresteia, which transferred to the Trafalgar Studios), the Royal Court three nominations (all for Hangmen) and the RSC a solitary nomination (for its production of Oppenheimer).
Voting for the Magic Radio Audience Award, the only category voted for entirely by members of the public, will close March 11 at noon. This year there are 16 eligible long-running shows and votes can be cast via www.olivierawards.com.
This year's awards will take place April 3 at London's Royal Opera House. They will be broadcast in the U.K. on television on ITV (in an edited highlights show) and on radio on Mellow Magic and on the Olivier Awards' new YouTube channel (youtube.com/OlivierAwards) worldwide outside the U.K.
Full nominations appear below.
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
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
