Hairspray, Parade Lead London’s Olivier Award Nominations

The London production of Hairspray has received 11 nominations for the Laurence Olivier Awards, London’s equivalent of the Tonys, setting an all-time record for any show. The awards will be bestowed on March 9 at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel in a ceremony hosted by actor Richard E. Grant.

The musical’s nominations include Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical (Michael Ball), Best Actress in a Musical (Leanne Jones), Best Director (Jack O’Brien), Best Choreographer (Jerry Mitchell), Best Supporting Role in a Musical (Tracie Bennett and Elinor Collett) and Best Set Design (David Rockwell).

The Donmar Warehouse’s small-scale production of Parade received seven nominations, while The Drowsy Chaperone and The Lord of the Rings got five nods apiece. The Outstanding Musical Revival category yields a three-way race between Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors and the Young Vic’s South African version of Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute.

Amongst plays, the National Theatre’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s children’s novel War Horse leads the way with six nominations, including Best New Play, followed by the Chichester Festival production of Macbeth and the Donmar Warehouse’s current production of Othello with five and four nominations respectively.

Macbeth star Patrick Stewart and Othello leading man Chiwetel Ejiofor compete for the Olivier Best Actor prize alongside Ian McKellen for his title performance in King Lear, John Simm for Elling, and Mark Rylance for Boeing-Boeing. Meanwhile, the Best Actress race pits Kelly Reilly for Othello opposite Anne-Marie Duff for Saint Joan, Kristin Scott Thomas for The Seagull, Fiona Shaw for Happy Days, and Penelope Wilton for John Gabriel Borkman.

For a complete list of nominees, visit www.whatsonstage.com.