Olivier Awards Winners Include Nicole Scherzinger, Sarah Snook, ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ ‘Stranger Things’

Nicole Scherzinger, Succession star Sarah Snook, Game of Thrones and Sherlock actor Mark Gatiss, a revival of the musical Sunset Boulevard and the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow were among the winners at the 2024 Olivier Awards, which celebrate achievements in London theater. The ceremony at Royal Albert Hall in the British capital was hosted by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham.

The revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Sunset Boulevard, which has starred Scherzinger as Norma Desmond and is set to come to Broadway this year, won the best musical revival award, the best actress honor for the former Pussycat Dolls singer and five other honors after also leading the nominations with 11.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the Netflix hit series, which has hinted at its Broadway ambitions, won the best new entertainment or comedy play award, as well as the Olivier for best set design.

Dear England, a play by James Graham about the English national soccer team’s manager Gareth Southgate, received nine nominations and won two awards. The best new musical honor went to Operation Mincemeat, which also earned Jak Malone the statuette for best actor in a supporting role in a musical.

Snook won the best actress honor for her one-woman take on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, in which she plays all 26 roles. The production also earned a second Olivier Award for best costume design.

Gatiss won the best actor award for his role in The Motive and the Cue. The play, written by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the film Enola Holmes, TV series His Dark Materials) and directed by Sam Mendes (1917, Skyfall, American Beauty), revolves around the history behind the 1964 Broadway modern-dress production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet starring Richard Burton (portrayed by Johnny Flynn) and Elizabeth Taylor (Tuppence Middleton) in a production directed by Sir John Gielgud (Gatiss). As rehearsals progress, two ages of theater collide.

Sarah Snook in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’

Marc Brenner

See the full list of 2024 winners, highlighted in bold, of Olivier Awards below.

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play

Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo & Franca Rame, adapted by Tom Basden at the Lyric Hammersmith & Theatre Royal Haymarket
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at the Gielgud Theatre
Stranger Things: The First Shadow by Kate Trefry at the Phoenix Theatre
Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial, adapted by Liv Hennessy at the Ambassadors Theatre

Best Family Show

Bluey’s Big Play by Joe Brumm at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
Dinosaur World Live by Derek Bond at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
The House With Chicken Legs, book by Sophie Anderson, adapted by Oliver Lansley at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds and the Smoos, book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, adapted by Tall Stories at the Lyric Theatre

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Fabian Aloise for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Ellen Kane & Hannes Langolf for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Arlene Phillips with James Cousins for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Mark Smith for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace
Susan Stroman for Crazy for You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Mithridate Award for Best Costume Design

Bunny Christie & Deborah Andrews for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Ryan Dawson Laight for La Cage Aux Folles at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Hugh Durrant for Peter Pan at The London Palladium
Marg Horwell for The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Cunard Best Revival

The Effect by Lucy Prebble at the National Theatre – Lyttelton
Macbeth by William Shakespeare at the Donmar Warehouse
Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Vanya by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Simon Stephens at the Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Musical Revival

Groundhog Day, music & lyrics by Tim Minchin, book by Danny Rubin at The Old Vic
Guys & Dolls, music & lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows at the Bridge Theatre
Hadestown, music, lyrics & book by Anaïs Mitchell at the Lyric Theatre
Sunset Boulevard, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics & book by Don Black & Christopher Hampton at the Savoy Theatre

D&B Audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design

Paul Arditti for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Dan Balfour & Tom Gibbins for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Adam Fisher for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Gareth Fry for Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse

Outstanding Musical Contribution

Tom Brady for musical supervision and arrangements and Charlie Rosen for orchestrations for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Matt Brind for musical supervision, arrangements and orchestrations for Just for One Day at The Old Vic
Steve Sidwell for orchestrations and Joe Bunker for musical direction for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Alan Williams for musical supervision and musical direction for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Will Close for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Paul Hilton for An Enemy of the People at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Giles Terera for Clyde’s at the Donmar Warehouse
Luke Thompson for A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre & Savoy Theatre
Zubin Varla for A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre & Savoy Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Lorraine Ashbourne for Till the Stars Come Down at the National Theatre – Dorfman
Priyanga Burford for An Enemy of the People at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Haydn Gwynne for When Winston Went to War With the Wireless at the Donmar Warehous
Gina McKee for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier
Tanya Reynolds for A Mirror at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar Theatre

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

Miriam Buether for set design and 59 Productions for video design for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Bunny Christie for set design for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Es Devlin for set design and Ash J Woodward for video design for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Soutra Gilmour for set design and Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom for video design for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

Jon Clark for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Jon Clark for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Paule Constable for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Jack Knowles for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Grace Hodgett Young for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Zoë Roberts for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Amy Trigg for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace
Eleanor Worthington-Cox for Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Jak Malone for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Cedric Neal for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
David Thaxton for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Jack Wolfe for Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production

Blue by the English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Innocence by the Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House
Picture a Day Like This by the Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
The Rhinegold by the English National Opera at the London Coliseum

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

Antonio Pappano for his role as musical director of the Royal Opera House
Belarus Free Theatre Company for King Stakh’s Wild Hunt at the Barbican Theatre
Marina Abramović for her concept and design of 7 Deaths of Maria Callas at the London Coliseum

Best Actor in a Musical

David Cumming for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Daniel Mays for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Charlie Stemp for Crazy for You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical

Natasha Hodgson for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Caissie Levy for Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
Nicole Scherzinger for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Marisha Wallace for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre

Best New Dance Production

“Broken Chord” by Gregory Maqoma & Thuthuka Sibisi at Sadler’s Wells
“The Rite of Spring” by Seeta Patel at Sadler’s Wells
“La Ruta” by Gabriela Carrizo, part of Nederlands Dans Theater – NDT 1 at Sadler’s Wells
“Time Spell” by Michelle Dorrance, Jillian Meyers & Tiler Peck, part of Turn It Out With Tiler Peck & Friends at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

Isabela Coracy for her performance in NINA: By Whatever Means, part of Ballet Black: Pioneers at the Barbican Theatre
Jonzi D for his artistic direction of Breakin’ Convention 2023 International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre at Sadler’s Wells
Rhiannon Faith for her community-focused conception of Lay Down Your Burdens at The Pit at Barbican

Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre

Blue Mist by Mohamed-Zain Dada at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
A Playlist for the Revolution by AJ Yi at the Bush Theatre
Sleepova by Matilda Feyişayo at the Bush Theatre
The Swell by Isley Lynn at the Orange Tree Theatre
The Time Machine: A Comedy by Steven Canny and John Nicholson at the Park Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Stephen Daldry & Justin Martin for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Rupert Goold for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Jamie Lloyd for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Sam Mendes for The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre – Lyttelton & Noël Coward Theatre

Best Actress

Laura Donnelly for The Hills of California at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Sophie Okonedo for Medea at @sohoplace
Sarah Jessica Parker for Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre
Sheridan Smith for Shirley Valentine at the Duke Of York’s Theatre
Sarah Snook for The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Best Actor

Joseph Fiennes for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Mark Gatiss for The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre – Lyttelton & Noël Coward Theatre
James Norton for A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre & Savoy Theatre
Andrew Scott for Vanya at the Duke of York’s Theatre
David Tennant for Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse

The Londoner Award for Best New Play

Dear England by James Graham at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
The Hills of California by Jez Butterworth at the Harold Pinter Theatre
The Motive and the Cue by Jack Thorne at the National Theatre – Lyttelton & Noël Coward Theatre
Till the Stars Come Down by Beth Steel at the National Theatre – Dorfman

Mastercard Best New Musical

The Little Big Things, music by Nick Butcher, lyrics by Nick Butcher & Tom Ling, book by Joe White at @sohoplace
Next to Normal, music by Tom Kitt, book & lyrics by Brian Yorkey at the Donmar Warehouse
Operation Mincemeat, music, lyrics & book by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson & Zoë Roberts at the Fortune Theatre
A Strange Loop, music, lyrics & book by Michael R. Jackson at the Barbican Theatre