The Nominees for the 78th Annual Drama League Awards

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced the 2011-2012 Drama League Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Best Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award at a ceremony hosted by Megan Hilty (9 to 5, “Smash”), Justin Long (Seminar) and Raven- Symoné this morning at Sardi’s Restaurant which were streamed live online at www.BroadwayWorld.com.

The Drama League Awards honor distinguished productions, performances, and exemplary career achievements in musical theatre and directing. First awarded in 1922 and formalized in 1935, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They are the only major theatergoer awards chosen by audience members — specifically, by the thousands of Drama League members nationwide who attend Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. 2012 Nominees were selected from over 170 productions.
The nominations announcement begins a month long celebration leading up to the 78th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway) on Friday, May 18, 2012 at noon. Tickets for The Drama League Awards, which includes pre-event cocktails and the star-studded afternoon luncheon ceremony hosted by Stockard Channing (Other Desert Cities) and John Larroquette (Gore Vidal's The Best Man), are available by calling (212) 244-9494 or by visiting www.dramaleague.org.

The Drama League Awards Eligibility Committee recently determined that productions transferring from Off-Broadway to Broadway, or vice versa, in successive years are now eligible for consideration in both seasons.

For more information about the Drama League Awards, please call (212) 244-9494 ext 27, or e-mail events@dramaleague.org, or visit the website at www.dramaleague.org.

2011-2012 DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

• Clybourne Park
• The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
• The Lyons
• One Man, Two Guvnors
• Other Desert Cities
• Tribes
• Seminar
• Septimus and Clarissa
• Venus in Fur

DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A PLAY

• And God Created Great Whales
• Death of a Salesman
• Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
• How I Learned To Drive
• Look Back in Anger
• The Maids
• Wit

DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

• Ghost
• Leap of Faith
• Mission Drift
• Newsies
• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Once
• Queen of The Mist

DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

• Carrie
• Follies
• Evita
• The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
• Jesus Christ Superstar

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD (One winner is selected from this category for which the recipient can only receive the award once during his or her career.)

• Jane Alexander - The Lady From Dubuque
• Nina Arianda - Venus In Fur
• Annaleigh Ashford - Rent
• Angela Bassett - The Mountaintop
• Simon Russell Beale - Bluebird
• Tracie Bennett - End of the Rainbow
• Christian Borle - Peter and the Starcatcher
• Matthew Broderick - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Kim Cattrall - Private Lives
• Heather Christian - Mission Drift
• James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Michael Cristofer - The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
• Tyne Daly - Master Class
• Jesse Eisenberg - Asuncion
• Linda Emond - The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
• Raúl Esparza - Leap of Faith
• Santino Fontana - Sons of the Prophet
• Andrew Garfield - Death of a Salesman
• Russell Harvard - Tribes
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Death of a Salesman
• Samuel L. Jackson - The Mountaintop
• Jeremy Jordan - Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde
• Steve Kazee - Once
• Celia Keenan-Bolger - Peter and the Starcatcher
• Christine Lahti - Dreams of Flying, Dreams of Falling
• Angela Lansbury - Gore Vidal's The Best Man
• John Larroquette - Gore Vidal's The Best Man
• Linda Lavin - The Lyons
• Norm Lewis - The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Judith Light - Other Desert Cities
• Ricky Martin - Evita
• Jan Maxwell - Follies
• Jefferson Mays - Blood and Gifts
• Marin Mazzie - Carrie
• Audra McDonald - The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Ellen McLaughlin - Septimus and Clarissa
• Cristin Milioti - Once
• Jessie Mueller - On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
• Carey Mulligan - Through A Glass Darkly
• Cynthia Nixon - Wit
• Leslie Odom, Jr. - Leap of Faith
• Kelli O'Hara - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Denis O'Hare - An Iliad
• Lily Rabe - Seminar
• Da'Vine Joy Randolph - Ghost
• Molly Ranson - Carrie
• Condola Rashad - Stick Fly
• Matthew Rhys - Look Back In Anger
• Alan Rickman - Seminar
• Elena Roger - Evita
• Jeremy Shamos - Clybourne Park
• Kevin Spacey - Richard III
• Stephen Spinella - An Iliad
• Mary Testa - Queen of the Mist
• Blair Underwood - A Streetcar Named Desire
• Mary Louise Wilson - 4,000 Miles

The Drama League wishes to recognize the superb contributions to the season of its previous Distinguished Performance Award winners including:

• Norbert Leo Butz - How I Learned To Drive
• Zoe Caldwell - Elective Affinities
• Kathleen Chalfant - Painting Churches
• Stockard Channing - Other Desert Cities
• Rosemary Harris - The Road To Mecca
• Hugh Jackman - Hugh Jackman: Back On Broadway
• Sir Derek Jacobi - King Lear
• James Earl Jones - Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
• Frank Langella - Man and Boy
• John Lithgow - The Columnist
• Patti LuPone - An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin
• Bebe Neuwirth - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Bernadette Peters - Follies
• Sam Waterston - King Lear

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSICAL THEATRE

• Alan Menken

UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE THEATRE

• Rosie O’Donnell

FOUNDERS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DIRECTING

• Diane Paulus

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The Nominations for the 62nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators covering New York theater for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway, announced today (April 23, 2012) its nominees for the 2011-12 season in 24 categories. Broadway stars Lily Rabe and Richard Thomas presided over the (11AM) announcement ceremony underwritten by Mark D. Friedman, SVP at Halstead Property LLC at Manhattan’s Friars Club.

In addition, the OCC honored The Public Theater on its 50th Anniversary for presenting free theater at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Alumni of Shakespeare in the Park and Public Theater productions Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara presented the special award to The Public’s Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham.

Celebrating its 62nd season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theater, the Outer Critics Circle is an association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, websites, radio and television stations, and theatre publications in America and abroad. The winners of the following categories will be announced on Monday, May 14th and the annual awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 24th (4PM) at the legendary Sardi’s Restaurant.

2011-2012 Award Nominations

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY

• The Lyons
• One Man, Two Guvnors
• Seminar
• Stick Fly

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL

• Bonnie & Clyde
• Newsies
• Once
• Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

• Blood and Gifts
• The School for Lies
• Sons of the Prophet
• Tribes

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

• Death Takes a Holiday
• Lucky Guy
• Play It Cool
• Queen of the Mist

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• Newsies
• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Once
• Queen of the Mist

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• Bonnie & Clyde
• Death Takes a Holiday
• Newsies
• Queen of the Mist

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• The Best Man
• Death of a Salesman
• The Lady From Dubuque
• Private Lives

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• Carrie
• Evita
• Follies
• Porgy and Bess

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

• Mark Brokaw - The Lyons
• David Cromer - Tribes
• Nicholas Hytner - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Mike Nichols - Death of a Salesman

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL

• Jeff Calhoun - Newsies
• Michael Grandage - Evita
• Kathleen Marshall - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• John Tiffany - Once

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER

• Rob Ashford - Evita
• Christopher Gattelli - Newsies
• Steven Hoggett - Once
• Kathleen Marshall - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN (Play or Musical)

• Bob Crowley - Once
• Derek McLane - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Christopher Oram - Evita
• George Tsypin - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (Play or Musical)

• Gregg Barnes - Follies
• Eiko Ishioka - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• William Ivey Long - Don’t Dress for Dinner
• Martin Pakledinaz - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Play or Musical)

• Neil Austin - Evita
• Donald Holder - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• Brian MacDevitt - Death of a Salesman
• Hugh Vanstone - Ghost: The Musical

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY

• James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Santino Fontana - Sons of the Prophet
• Russell Harvard - Tribes
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Death of a Salesman
• Hamish Linklater - The School for Lies

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

• Tracie Bennett - End of the Rainbow
• Tyne Daly - Master Class
• Linda Lavin - The Lyons
• Nicole Ari Parker - A Streetcar Named Desire
• Laila Robins - The Lady From Dubuque

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

• Danny Burstein - Follies
• Raúl Esparza - Leap of Faith
• Jeremy Jordan - Newsies
• Steve Kazee - Once
• Norm Lewis - Porgy and Bess

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

• Jan Maxwell - Follies
• Marin Mazzie - Carrie
• Audra McDonald - Porgy and Bess
• Cristin Milioti - Once
• Kelli O’Hara - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

• Will Brill - Tribes
• Tom Edden - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Andrew Garfield - Death of a Salesman
• James Earl Jones - The Best Man
• Jefferson Mays - Blood and Gifts

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

• Joanna Gleason - Sons of the Prophet
• Spencer Kayden - Don’t Dress for Dinner
• Angela Lansbury - The Best Man
• Judith Light - Other Desert Cities
• Daphne Rubin-Vega - A Streetcar Named Desire

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

• Phillip Boykin - Porgy and Bess
• Andrew Keenan-Bolger - Newsies
• Michael McGrath - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Patrick Page - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• Chris Sullivan - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

• Jayne Houdyshell - Follies
• Judy Kaye - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Rebecca Luker - Death Takes a Holiday
• Da’Vine Joy Randolph - Ghost: The Musical
• Melissa Van Der Schyff - Bonnie & Clyde

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

• Judy Gold - My Life as a Sitcom
• David Greenspan - The Patsy
• Denis O’Hare - An Iliad
• Stephen Spinella - An Iliad

JOHN GASSNER AWARD (Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)

• Robert Askins - Hand to God
• Gabe McKinley - CQ/CX
• Erika Sheffer - Russian Transport
• Jeff Talbot - The Submission

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EP Being Released of Nick Jonas' Performance in How To Succeed in Business

Broadway Records will release an EP of Nick Jonas performing five tracks from the smash hit musical HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. The CD will be released Tuesday, May 8, 2012, and will be available in the Hirschfeld Theatre the week of May 1. Pre-Order on Amazonnow . Produced by six-time Grammy nominee Robert Sher who produced the Grammy nominated Daniel Radcliffe/John Larroquette HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUR REALLY TRYING cast album, the new Nick Jonas recording is executive produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard of Broadway Consortium (Executive producers of the Radcliffe/Larroquette album) and Ken Mahoney.

The 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING currently stars international superstar Nick Jonas as J. Pierrepont Finch, Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning star of screen, television and stage Beau Bridges as J.B. Biggley, and making his Broadway debut, star of stage and television’s “Ugly Betty,” Michael Urie as Bud Frump, leading a cast of 30.

Track list:

• How To Succeed (Nick Jonas)
• Company Way (Nick Jonas and Rob Bartlett)
• Rosemary (Nick Jonas and Rose Hemingway)
• I Believe In You (Nick Jonas)
• Brotherhood of Man (Nick Jonas)

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2012 Olivier Awards Presented in London

The 2012 Olivier Awards for British theater were given this past weekend in London.

Highlights of the evening included a montage celebrating the work of Olivier Special Award winner Sir Tim Rice led by Maria Friedman, Siobhan McCarthy, Elaine Paige and the cast of The Lion King, a performance by The Royal Ballet from Wayne McGregor’s Limen to mark Dame Monica Mason’s Olivier Special Award, theatrically-themed entertainment from Ronan Keating including a duet with Shrek The Musical’s Kimberley Walsh, and Brian May joining the cast of We Will Rock You for a special Bohemian Rhapsody. The BBC Concert Orchestra was conducted by David Charles Abell.

Sweeping the board with seven awards, Matilda the Musical stole the show with a joint award for Best Actress in a Musical for young actresses Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington-Cox (who at ten becomes the youngest ever winner of an Olivier Award). Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin picked up the show’s award for Best New Musical, and the musical’s other awards included Bertie Carvel for Best Actor in a Musical. James Earl Jones presented Matthew Warchus with the Best Director award via a live link to an Olivier Awards reception in New York celebrating the bond between West End theatre and Broadway. This is a new record number of wins by a single show, beating the previous best of Nicholas Nickleby, which won in six categories in 1980.

The National Theatre’s Collaborators by John Hodge was awarded MasterCard Best New Play Award by Tyne Daly. The National Theatre also celebrated wins for Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller who were awarded Best Actor for their critically acclaimed roles in Frankenstein, alternating as Frankenstein and his creature, and Bruno Poet who won Best Lighting Design for the same play.

Ruth Wilson picked up the Best Actress award for her role in Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse, with the play also winning Best Revival.

Following her Best Actress in a Musical award last year, Sheridan Smith marked a successful transition into straight drama by extending her winning streak with Best Performance in a Supporting Role for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.

Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular musical Les Misérables beat off tough competition from Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys and Wicked to win the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award (the only award voted for by the public) thanks to its legions of devoted fans.

Edward Watson was presented with the Outstanding Achievement in Dance award for his performance in The Metamorphosis at the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House, and Best New Dance Production went to Desh by the Akram Khan Company at Sadler’s Wells.

English National Opera collected the award for Best New Opera Production for Castor and Pollux, and the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme was further recognized with an Outstanding Achievement in Opera award.

The evening’s show also included a live link to a free public Olivier Awards celebration in Covent Garden where hundreds enjoyed live West End performances and a big screen relay of the show. The Covent Garden event was presented in conjunction with Magic 105.4, and hosted by breakfast presenter Neil Fox, alongside West End leading lady Louise Dearman.

For the latest news, photos and sound bites from the Olivier Awards plus a full list of winners visit www.olivierawards.com and interact at www.twitter.com/OlivierAwards and www.facebook.com/OlivierAwards.

WINNERS 2012 OLIVIER AWARDS WITH MASTERCARD

MASTERCARD BEST NEW PLAY
COLLABORATORS at the Cottesloe

• This is the first Olivier Award for John Hodge
• This was his first play
• Screenplays include Trainspotting
• Collaborators starred Simon Russell Beale and Alex Jennings. It returns to the National Theatre later this month

BEST REVIVAL

ANNA CHRISTIE at the Donmar Warehouse

• Starred Jude Law and Ruth Wilson, directed by Rob Ashford
• Nominated in four categories tonight, including Best Actor and Best Actress

BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY

DERREN BROWN – SVENGALI at the Shaftesbury

• This is Derren Brown’s second Olivier Award win
• He first won in 2006 for Something Wicked This Way Comes
• Stage credits also include Mind Reader – An Evening Of Wonders and Derren Brown – Enigma
• Svengali returns to the Shaftesbury theatre in July

BEST ACTRESS

RUTH WILSON for Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse

• Second Olivier Award win (previously won for A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar Warehouse in 2010)
• Soon to be seen in film adaptation of Anna Karenina
• Previous stage roles include Philistines (National Theatre) and Through A Glass Darkly (Almeida).

BEST ACTOR

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AND JONNY LEE MILLER for Frankenstein at the Olivier

• First time either has won an Olivier Award
• The pair won the Best Actor Award earlier this year at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards
• Cumberbatch: Soon to be seen in film The Hobbit
• Lee Miller: previous on-screen roles include US TV series Eli Stone and Dexter

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

SHERIDAN SMITH for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket

• This is Sheridan Smith’s second Olivier Award win in two years
• Previous win: Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, 2011
• Smith was first nominated for an Olivier Award for Little Shop Of Horrors at the Menier Chocolate Factory

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

THE MATILDAS for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge (Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington Cox)

• Youngest ever winners (aged 10 to12 years old)
• The Billy Elliots (aged 13 to 15 years old) shared the 2006 Best Actor in a Musical Award
• Each actress performs two shows a week

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

BERTIE CARVEL for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge

• This is Carvel’s first Olivier Award win
• Won in the same category earlier this year at the Theatre Awards UK
• Previous stage credits include Rope (Almeida), The Pride (Royal Court), Parade (Donmar)
• This marks the third time the Best Actor in a Musical Award has been awarded to a cross-dressing role (previously: Douglas Hodge in 2009 for La Cage Aux Folles and Michael Ball in 2008 in Hairspray)

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

NIGEL HARMAN for Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

• This is Nigel Harman’s first Olivier Award win and nomination
• He won the Theatregoers’ Choice Award earlier this year for the role
• Shrek The Musical saw him reunite on stage with his Guys And Dolls co-star Nigel Lindsay
• His other credits include The Caretaker, The Common Pursuit, Public Property and Three Days Of Rain

BEST NEW MUSICAL

MATILDA THE MUSICAL at the Cambridge

• Adapted by Dennis Kelly, songs by Tim Minchin, directed by Matthew Warchus
• Nominated in 10 categories
• Opens next year on Broadway

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

CRAZY FOR YOU at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

• This is the third Best Musical Revival Olivier Award for Regent’s Park Open Air in three years
• Previous won in 2011’s for Into The Woods and in 2010 for Hello, Dolly!
• Crazy For You starred Sean Palmer and Clare Foster
• The show is nominated in three Olivier Awards 2012 categories

BEST DIRECTOR

MATTHEW WARCHUS for Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge

• This is the first Olivier Award win for Matthew Warchus
• Matilda The Musical has been nominated for 10 awards this year, the maximum number of nominations possible
• Warchus also directed the five-time nominated Ghost The Musical
• Warchus won a Tony Award in 2009 for God Of Carnage
• His other work in the West End includes Boeing Boeing and The Norman Conquests.

BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER

PETER DARLING for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge

• This is the second time Peter Darling has won the Best Theatre Choreographer Award
• He won in 2006 for his work on Billy Elliot The Musical
• This award was one of 10 nominations for Matilda The Musical
• Matilda The Musical will open on Broadway next spring

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

FRANKENSTEIN designed by Bruno Poet at the Olivier

• This was one of three nominations tonight for Frankenstein
• This is Bruno Poet’s first Olivier Award
• Poet’s work will be seen in production South Downs and The Browning Version at the Harold Pinter theatre, which begins previews next week

XL VIDEO AWARD FOR BEST SET DESIGN

MATILDA THE MUSICAL designed Rob Howell at the Cambridge

• This is Rob Howell’s third Olivier Award win
• The designer previously won in 2000 for the RSC’s Richard III, Troilus And Cressida and Vassa, and in 2006 for the Almeida theatre’s Hedda Gabler
• This is one of 10 cateogories Matilda The Musical is nominated for

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

CRAZY FOR YOU designed by Peter McKintosh at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

• This is Peter McKintosh’s first Olivier Award
• He was previously nominated in 2010 for the Regent’s Park Open Air theatre’s Hello, Dolly!
• His other work includes current productions Noises Off and The 39 Steps

BEST SOUND DESIGN

MATILDA THE MUSICAL designed by Simon Baker at the Cambridge

• This is Simon Baker’s first Olivier Award
• The Sound Designer has worked on over 70 productions
• These include West End shows The Lord Of The Rings and Brief Encounter, both of which earned him Olivier Award nominations

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE

Theatre Royal, Stratford East in association with the Barbican and Traverse Theatre for ROADKILL

• Conceived and directed by Cora Bissett
• This is the second time the Theatre Royal Stratford East has won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
• The theatre won in 2007 for Pied Piper

BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION

English National Opera’s CASTOR AND POLLUX at the London Coliseum

• Castor And Pollux was the first Rameau opera to be staged by the ENO
• The production marked the London operatic debut of director Barrie Kosky
• Three out of the four nominees in this category were ENO productions

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA

ENO for the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme

• The ENO was nominated against its own colleagues, Amanda Holden for Castor And Pollox and Richard Jones’ for The Tales Of Hoffmann in this category.
• Nominated for five awards in total

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE

EDWARD WATSON for his performance in THE METAMORPHOSISat the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House

• First win for Edward Watson
• Principal dancer at the Royal Ballet
• Currently appearing in Polyphonia / Sweet Violets / Carbon Life at the Royal Opera House

BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION

DESH by Akram Khan Company at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed by Akram Khan

• This is Akram Khan’s first Olivier Award
• The show was inspired by Khan’s homeland Bangladesh
• Khan was the only performer in the show
• DESH featured music by Olivier Award-winning composer Jocelyn Pook

BBC RADIO 2 OLIVIER AUDIENCE AWARD

LES MISÉRABLES

• Thousands of theatregoers voted to determine this award. It’s the only award to be decided by the public
• They take the award from last year’s winner We Will Rock You
• The musical celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010
• The musical has been seen by over 60 million people in 42 countries

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The Cast Album for the Revival of Evita to Be Released on Masterworks Broadway

Masterworks Broadway has announced that they have signed to record and release the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita. The album will be recorded in April in anticipation of a June 19th 2012 release and is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Producers Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders present the first new production of the seven-time Tony Award-winning Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita, since it debuted on Broadway over 30 years ago. The production stars Grammy-winning international pop icon Ricky Martin as Che, Olivier Award-winning Argentinean actress Elena Roger making her Broadway debut as Eva Peron—a role that earned her critical acclaim in the 2006 production in London's West End—and Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as Juan Peron. The cast also features Max von Essen as Magaldi and Rachel Potter as the Mistress. Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, Evita opened April 5, 2012 at The Marquis Theatre to rave reviews.

The creative team includes Tony Award-winning Scenic and Costume Designer Christopher Oram (Red), Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Neil Austin (Red), Olivier Award-winning Sound Designer Mick Potter (Woman In White), Wig and Hair Designer Richard Mawbey (Frost/Nixon), Projection Designer Zachary Borovay (Rock of Ages), and Music Supervisor/Director Kristen Blodgette (The Phantom of the Opera), Orchestrations are by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Cullen (Sunset Boulevard), and dance arrangements are by David Chase (Billy Elliot).

Evita tells Eva Peron's passionate and tragic story through Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's most dazzling and beloved score, including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" and "High Flying Adored," together with "You Must Love Me," the Oscar-winning hit from the film EVITA.

After researching the life of Eva Peron for many years, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber released Evita in 1976 as a concept album with Julie Covington as Evita and it became a world-wide hit. Soon after, the production debuted on stage in London's West End starring Elaine Paige and directed by Hal Prince. The production transferred to Broadway and opened in 1979 starring Patti LuPone, who went on to win one of the seven 1980 Tony Awards the show earned. A major 1996 film of the musical was made starring Madonna as Evita and Antonio Banderas as Che. Michael Grandage's production of Evita, which opened in 2006, took London by storm and garnered critical acclaim for the show and its leading lady, Elena Roger.

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Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths Cast in London West End Revival of The Sunshine Boys

Neil Simon's 1972 comedy The Sunshine Boys is being revived on the West End Stage with Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths as old Vaudevillians Willie Clark and Al Lewis.

Joining DeVito and  Griffiths in the award-winning comedy are Rebecca Blackstone (Miss MacKintosh), Nick Blakeley (Eddie), Peter Cadden (Voice of TV Director), Johnnie Fiori (Registered Nurse), Adam Levy (Ben Silverman) and William Maxwell (Patient).

Thea Sharrock’s production begins previews at the Savoy Theatre from 27 April with press night on 17 May. The Sunshine Boys, which is booking for a strictly limited run until 28 July 2012, is designed by Hildegard Bechtler with lighting by Neil Austin, music by Adrian Johnston and sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph.
The Sunshine Boys is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Richard Willis and Tulchin Bartner Productions.

Kings of comedy, Willie Clark and Al Lewis aka ‘The Sunshine Boys’ haven’t spoken to each other in years. When CBS call for the vaudevillian greats to be re-united for a television special, past grudges resurface as they take centre stage once more. Ageing ailments aside, can this legendary double-act overcome their differences for one last show? Old rivalry and vintage hilarity abound in this classic comedy of showbiz and friendship.

Full biographies of the principals are after the cut.

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Rodgers & Hammerstein's Pipe Dream to Get New Cast Recording

Rodgers & Hammerstein's PIPE DREAM will be recorded live at New York City Center's Encores! series this week, and released this Summer on Ghostlight Records. Produced by Rodgers & Hammerstein: An Imagem Company, this preservation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1955 Broadway musical rarity marks the first time an Encores! musical has been recorded live.

"In the back of my mind I always had the hope that the Encores! presentation of PIPE DREAM would be good enough to warrant a recording," says Ted Chapin, President of Rodgers & Hammerstein. "Once I heard a run-through and the orchestra rehearsal at the end of last week, I felt we had to find a way to capture the remarkable performances of the cast and orchestra. Through a lot of quick action by a lot of extraordinary people, we were able to push the button to create a live recording. If we get lucky, this could be the way for future recordings of Encores! shows – and more of them."

"We're always thrilled when an Encores! production gets preserved on a cast album," says Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel. "In this case we're doing something new -- a live recording of the actual performance -- that would have been impossible without the spectacular renovation of City Center itself, which included a new sound system that allows for multi-track recording. This particular show is so beautifully sung and played, and the score is so underappreciated, that I'm incredibly grateful to Ted Chapin and the folks at R&H that we'll have it to listen to for years to come -- forever, in fact."

Featuring a cast of 29 under the direction of Marc Bruni, and an orchestra of 30 musicians under the baton of Music Director Rob Berman, this concert staging of PIPE DREAM features the original Robert Russell Bennett orchestrations and John Morris dance arrangements, meticulously restored over the past two years by Bruce Pomahac, Director of Music at Rodgers & Hammerstein, and his team.

Bringing the score gloriously to life, to be captured on the Live album, is the Encores! cast which includes Will Chase as Doc ("All Kinds of People," "All at Once You Love Her," "The Man I Used to Be"), Laura Osnes as Suzy ("Everybody's Got a Home But Me," "The Next Time It Happens"), Leslie Uggams as Fauna ("Sweet Thursday"), Tom Wopat as Mac ("A Lopsided Bus," "The Party That We’re Gonna Have Tomorrow Night") and Stephen Wallem as Hazel ("Thinkin'").

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