Laurence Olivier Awards with MasterCard

Oliviers transfer to Royal Opera House

First published:  20 Jul 2011

London theatre’s most prestigious awards ceremony, the Olivier Awards with MasterCard, will be staged at the Royal Opera House in 2012.

The glamorous ceremony is also moving later in the year and will be staged on Sunday 15 April, with nominations announced on 15 March.

The alteration to dates means that the cut off for show eligibility will not be 31 December, as in recent years, but 16 February 2012.

Mark Rubinstein, the new President of the Society of London Theatre, which runs the Olivier Awards with MasterCard, commented: “Following the huge success of last year’s event under the inspired direction of our Chief Executive Julian Bird, we are delighted to be hosting the 36th Olivier Awards with MasterCard at the beautiful Royal Opera House. We look forward to welcoming the finest theatrical talent to the industry’s premier awards.”

London theatre’s most high profile and well respected theatre awards were relaunched in 2011, when MasterCard added its backing to the internationally renowned accolade, BBC Radio 2 supported the Olivier Audience Award and the event was screened live via the BBC Red Button.

Among the big winners at the ceremony held earlier this year at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane were Legally Blonde The Musical (Best New Musical), Sheridan Smith (Best Actress in a Musical), Roger Allam (Best Actor), We Will Rock You (BBC Radio 2 Audience Award) and Stephen Sondheim (Special Award).  

MA