Nominations announced for the Olivier Awards 2023 with Mastercard

By Kitty Underwood First Published 28 February 2023, Last Updated 19 August 2024

We’ve just announced all the nominees for this year’s Olivier Awards with Mastercard

This year’s most nominated production is My Neighbour Totoro, the new stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s beloved 1988 animated film, with a total of nine nominations including Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, Best Director, Best Theatre Choreographer, Best Original Score and a Best Actress nod for Mei Mac.

Standing At The Sky’s Edge at the National Theatre received the most nominations for a musical with a whopping eight! Other nominations include Best New Musical, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

With seven nominations – including Best Musical Revival – is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Newly transferred to the West End following sell-out runs on Broadway and at the Young Vic, the production has also gained acting nominations for Arthur Darvill, Anoushka Lucas, Liza Sadovy and Marisha Wallace.

With six nominations apiece are A Streetcar Named Desire, with nods for actors Paul Mescal, Anjana Vasan and Patsy Ferran; The Band’s Visit, the Donmar Warehouse musical adapted from the Israeli film; and To Kill A Mockingbird, Bartlett Sher’s staging of Harper Lee’s classic novel which has earnt Rafe Spall, Pamela Nomvete and David Moorst acting nominations. 

Jodie Comer is nominated for Best Actress for her West End debut in Prima Facie, which received five nominations overall. Among the Best Actor nominees are David Tennant, for a new production Good – which is up for four awards – and Tom Hollander for Patriots, a new play set during the fall of the Soviet Union, which is also nominated in three categories. 

In the musical acting categories, Katie Brayben and Andrew Rannells are both in contention for their roles in new musical Tammy Faye; Beverley Knight is nominated for her role in The Old Vic’s new suffragette musical Sylvia, and Clive Rowe for his performance in Sister Act.

The National Theatre has had a very strong year, boasting a total of 16 nominations across six of its productions; Standing At The Sky’s Edge, Blues For An Alabama Sky, The Crucible, Phaedra, The Corn Is Green and Jack Absolute Flies Again!

Shows nominated that you can still see in London include For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?), Disney’s Newsies, Oklahoma!, Patriots and To Kill A Mockingbird.

You can find the fill list of this year’s nominees below.

Commenting on the nominations, Claire Walker and Hannah Essex, co-CEOs of the Society of London Theatre and Executive Producers of the Olivier Awards, said:

‘We would like to congratulate all the nominees for the 2023 Olivier Awards with Mastercard. It is incredible to see such a diverse range of people honoured for their outstanding contributions to the industry.

‘We have no doubt this year’s event will be the ultimate celebration of theatre and are anticipating showstopping performances and an electric atmosphere in the Royal Albert Hall come Sunday 2 April.’

You can still book tickets to the Olivier Awards to brush shoulders with the stars and be the first to hear the winners announced live in the room. Book now exclusively through priceless.com.

Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play 

Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium

My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) at Garrick Theatre and Ambassadors Theatre

One Woman Show at Ambassadors Theatre

Best Family Show

Blippi The Musical at Apollo Theatre

Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show at Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre

Midsummer Mechanicals at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe

The Smartest Giant In Town at St Martin’s Theatre

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Matt Cole for Newsies at Wembley Park Theatre

Lynne Page for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Kate Prince for Sylvia at The Old Vic

Basil Twist for Puppetry Direction for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Best Costume Design

Frankie Bradshaw for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Hugh Durrant for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium

Jean Paul Gaultier for Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show at Roundhouse

Kimie Nakano for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Cunard Best Revival

The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier

Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre

A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

My Fair Lady at London Coliseum

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Sister Act at Eventim Apollo

South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells

d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design

Bobby Aitken for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Tony Gayle for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Drew Levy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic

Ben & Max Ringham for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations

David Yazbek for Music and Lyrics, Jamshied Sharifi for Orchestrations & Andrea Grody for Additional Arrangements for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Joe Hisaishi for Music and Will Stuart for Orchestrations and Arrangements for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Daniel Kluger for Orchestrations and Arrangements and Nathan Koci for Additional Vocal Arrangements for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Richard Hawley for Music and Lyrics and Tom Deering for Orchestrations for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh & Kaine Lawrence for For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre

Will Keen for Patriots at Almeida Theatre

Elliot Levey for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

David Moorst for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Sule Rimi for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Rose Ayling-Ellis for As You Like It at @sohoplace

Pamela Nomvete for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Caroline Quentin for Jack Absolute Flies Again at National Theatre – Olivier

Sharon Small for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

Anjana Vasan for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

Miriam Buether for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Tom Pye for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Ben Stones for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Mark Walters for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

Natasha Chivers for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Lee Curran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Jessica Hung Han Yun for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Tim Lutkin for The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier

Best Actress In A Supporting Role In A Musical

Beverley Knight for Sylvia at The Old Vic

Maimuna Memon for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Liza Sadovy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Marisha Wallace for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Best Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical

Sharif Afifi for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Peter Polycarpou for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Clive Rowe for Sister Act at Eventim Apollo

Zubin Varla for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production

Alcina by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

Least Like The Other by Irish National Opera and Royal Opera at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre

Peter Grimes by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

Sibyl at Barbican Theatre

Outstanding Achievement In Opera

Sinéad Campbell-Wallace for her performance in Tosca by English National Opera at London Coliseum

William Kentridge for his conception and direction of Sibyl at Barbican Theatre

Antony McDonald for his design of Alcina at Royal Opera House

Best Actor In A Musical

Alon Moni Aboutboul for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Arthur Darvill for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Julian Ovenden for South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells

Andrew Rannells for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

Best Actress In A Musical

Katie Brayben for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

Anoushka Lucas for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Miri Mesika for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Faith Omole for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Best New Dance Production

Light Of Passage by Crystal Pite  at Royal Opera House

Pasionaria  by La Veronal  at Sadler’s Wells

Traplord by Ivan Michael Blackstock at 180 Studios (The Strand)

Triptych (The Missing Door, The Lost Room, And The Hidden Floor) by Peeping Tom at Barbican Theatre

Outstanding Achievement In Dance

Manuel Liñán for his choreography of ¡VIVA! at Sadler’s Wells

Dickson Mbi for his choreography of Enowate at Sadler’s Wells

Raquel Meseger Zafe for her dramaturgy of Ruination by Lost Dog at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre

Catrina Nisbett for her performance in Family Honour by Spoken Movement at Sadler’s Wells

Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre

Age Is A Feeling at Soho Theatre

Blackout Songs at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs

The P Word at Bush Theatre

Paradise Now! at Bush Theatre

Two Palestinians Go Dogging at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Rebecca Frecknall for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Robert Hastie for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Justin Martin for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Phelim McDermott for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Bartlett Sher for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Best Actress   

Jodie Comer for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Patsy Ferran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Mei Mac for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Janet McTeer for Phaedra at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Nicola Walker for The Corn Is Green at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Best Actor

Tom Hollander for Patriots at Almeida Theatre

Paul Mescal for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Rafe for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

David Tennant for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

Giles Terera for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Delta Air Lines Best New Play

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Patriots at Almeida Theatre

Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Mastercard Best New Musical

The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Sylvia at The Old Vic

Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

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