2019 Olivier Awards Honor ‘Company’, ‘Come From Away’ And ‘The Inheritance’
Come From Away, Company and The Inheritance were the big winners at the 2019 Olivier Awards, taking home four awards each at a ceremony held in London’s Royal Albert Hall tonight and hosted by Jason Manford.
The Laurence Olivier Awards are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in the city. The awards are given to those involved in West End productions and other leading non-commercial theatres based in London and cover plays, musicals, dance, opera and affiliate theatre.
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Come From Away won Best New Musical, as well as Outstanding Achievement in Music, Best Theatre Choreographer (Kelly Devine) and the Royal Albert Hall Award For Best Sound Design (Gareth Owen).
Jonathan Bailey picked up his first Olivier Award, winning Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for his portrayal of Jamie in Company. Company also won Best Musical Revival, the Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design (Bunny Christie) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Patti LuPone.
Matthew Lopez’s play The Inheritance was another winner on the night, winning Best New Play. First-time nominee Kyle Soller won Best Actor for his role in the production. The Inheritance also won the White Light Award for Best Lighting Design (Jon Clark) and the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director (Stephen Daldry).
Eight of the winners were first-time nominees, including Best Actress winner Patsy Ferran, who won for her performance in Summer And Smoke (which also claimed the award for Best Revival).
Other first-time nominee winners included Chris Walley, who won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Lieutenant Of Inishmore, and Kobna-Holdbrook Smith, who won Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Ike in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical.
An actress who also picked up her first Olivier Award was Monica Dolan, who won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in All About Eve. Best Actress in a Musical was won by Sharon D. Clarke for Caroline, Or Change.
Choreographer and director Matthew Bourne was presented with a Special Award by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to dance.
The night featured performances from all the musical nominees: Caroline, Or Change; Come From Away; Company; Fun Home; The King And I; Six; and Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. Disney’s The Lion King, which celebrates its 20th anniversary, opened the show with a special performance.
Acclaimed West End star Beverley Knight performed during the In Memoriam section of the show, paying tribute to those in the theatre industry who have passed away over the last year.
Presenters at the ceremony included Zawe Ashton, Joanne Clifton, Kevin Clifton, Charlie Cox, Arthur Darvill, Danny Dyer, Gloria Estefan, Sally Field, Kelsey Grammer, Tom Hiddleston, Judy Kuhn, Jack McBrayer, Katharine McPhee, Bill Pullman, Shane Richie, Layton Williams, ‘Donna and the Dynamos’ from Mamma Mia (Sara Poyzer, Ricky Butt and Kate Graham), Darcy Bussell and Richard. E Grant.
2019 OLIVIER AWARDS
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Jonathan Bailey for Company at Gielgud Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Patti LuPone for Company at Gielgud Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC
Come From Away – Book, Music and Lyrics: David Hein and Irene Sankoff; Music
Supervisor, Arrangements: Ian Eisendrath; Orchestrations: August Eriksmoen; Musical
Director/UK Music Supervisor: Alan Berry; and the band of Come From Away at Phoenix
Theatre
BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
Blkdog by Botis Seva at Sadler’s Wells
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Akram Khan for his performance in Xenos at Sadler’s Wells
BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY
A Monster Calls at The Old Vic
BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Kelly Devine for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
MAGIC RADIO BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
Company at Gielgud Theatre
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith for Tina – The Tina Turner Musical at Aldwych Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Sharon D. Clarke for Caroline, Or Change at Playhouse Theatre
BEST REVIVAL
Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
BEST NEW COMEDY
Home, I’m Darling at National Theatre – Dorfman and Duke of York’s Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AFFILIATE THEATRE
Flesh And Bone at Soho Theatre
WHITE LIGHT AWARD FOR BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Jon Clark for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
ROYAL ALBERT HALL AWARD FOR BEST SOUND DESIGN
Gareth Owen for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Catherine Zuber for The King And I at The London Palladium
BLUE-I THEATRE TECHNOLOGY AWARD FOR BEST SET DESIGN
Bunny Christie for Company at Gielgud Theatre
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Chris Walley for The Lieutenant Of Inishmore at Noël Coward Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Monica Dolan for All About Eve at Noël Coward Theatre
BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
Katya Kabanova at Royal Opera House
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
The ensemble of Porgy And Bess at London Coliseum
BEST ACTOR
Kyle Soller for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
BEST ACTRESS
Patsy Ferran for Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
SIR PETER HALL AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Stephen Daldry for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
AMERICAN AIRLINES BEST NEW PLAY
The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
MASTERCARD BEST NEW MUSICAL
Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
SOCIETY OF LONDON THEATRE SPECIAL AWARD
Sir Matthew Bourne
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