In the outstanding achievement in opera category, nominations went to mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly for her performance of Sesto in the ENO's Tito; McVicar for his direction; Minghella and choreographer Carolyn Choa for Butterfly; and baritone Simon Keenlyside for his lead performances in the ENO's Billy Budd and the Royal Opera's premiere of Lorin Maazel's 1984.
The nominations were much-needed good news for ENO, which has seen the departure of its artistic director, chairman, and incoming music director since late November.
Three of the four nominations for best new dance productions went to productions at Sadler's Wells: Rambert Dance Company's Constant Speed (a salute to Einstein and his theory of relativity), Sylvia Guillem and Russell Maliphant's Push, and Akram Khan, Sidi Larbi Cheraoui, Antony Gormley, and Nitin Sawhney's Zero Degrees. The fourth went to Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre's Giselle at the Barbican Centre.
Nominated for outstanding achievement in dance were Maliphant for Push; Ballet Nacional de Cuba's corps de ballet for its performances at Sadler's Wells, choreographer Pina Bausch for Nelken and Palermo Palermo at Sadler's Wells, and dancer Johann Kobborg for his performance in the Royal Ballet's The Lesson and his production of La Sylphide, also at ROH.
The awards, which honor London theater as well as opera and dance, will be presented on February 26 at the London Hilton Park Lane and will be hosted by actor/director Richard Wilson. A complete list of nominations is below. For more information on the Olivier nominations for theater, visit Playbill.com.
Best Actress in a Play
Eve Best for Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's
Clare Higgins for Death of a Salesman at the Lyric
Helen McCrory for As You Like It at Wyndham's
Janet McTeer for Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
Harriet Walter for Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
Best Actor in a Play
Brian Dennehy for Death of a Salesman at the Lyric
Richard Griffiths for Heroes at Wyndham's
Derek Jacobi for Don Carlos at the Gielgud
Con O'Neill for Telstar at the New Ambassadors
David Threlfall for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me at the New Ambassadors
Best Performance in a Supporting Role
David Bradley for Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 at the Olivier
Benedict Cumberbatch for Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's
Noma Dumezweni for A Raisin in the Sun Young Vic at the Lyric Hammersmith
Anne Reid for Epitaph for George Dillon at the Comedy
Paul Ritter for Coram Boy at the Olivier
Best New Play
Coram Boy adapted by Helen Edmundson from a novel by Jamila Gavin at the Olivier
Harvest by Richard Bean at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
On the Shore of the Wide World by Simon Stephens at the Cottesloe
Paul by Howard Brenton at the Cottesloe
Best New Comedy
Glorious! by Peter Quilter at the Duchess
Heroes by G_rald Sibleyras translated by Tom Stoppard at Wyndham's
Shoot the Crow by Owen McCafferty at Trafalgar Studio 1
Best Entertainment
Blue Man Group at the New London
Ducktastic at the Albery
Something Wicked This Way Comes at the Cambridge
Best Revival
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller at the Lyric
Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller in a new adaptation by Mike Poulton at the Gielgud
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Richard Eyre at the Almeida and Duke of York's
Mary Stuart by Friedrich Schiller in a new version by Peter Oswald at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
Best New Musical
Acorn Antiques: The Musical! Book, music and lyrics by Victoria Wood at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
The Big Life written by Paul Sirett, music by Paul Joseph at the Apollo
Billy Elliot: The Musical book and lyrics by Lee Hall, music by Elton John at the Victoria Palace
Outstanding Musical Production
Guys and Dolls based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows at the Piccadilly
HMS Pinafore a new version by Herbert Appleman, music by Arthur Sullivan. Original libretto by W. S. Gilbert at the Open Air
Best Actress in a Musical
Haydn Gwynne for Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace
Jane Krakowski for Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
Jenna Russell for Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
Julie Walters for Acorn Antiques: The Musical! at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
Best Actor in a Musical
Douglas Hodge for Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
Ewan McGregor for Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower for Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Tameka Empson for The Big Life at the Apollo
Tim Healy for Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace
Celia Imrie for Acorn Antiques: The Musical! at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
Scarlett Strallen for HMS Pinafore at the Open Air
Best Director
Stephen Daldry for Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace
Richard Eyre for Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's
Michael Grandage for Don Carlos at the Gielgud
Phyllida Lloyd for Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
Melly Still for Coram Boy at the Olivier
Best Theatre Choreographer
Rob Ashford for Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
Peter Darling for Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace
Best Lighting Design
Billy Elliot: The Musical designed by Rick Fisher at the Victoria Palace
Don Carlos designed by Paule Constable at the Gielgud
Mary Stuart designed by Hugh Vanstone at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
Guys and Dolls designed by Howard Harrison at the Piccadilly
Best Set Design
Billy Elliot: The Musical designed by Ian MacNeil at the Victoria Palace
Don Carlos designed by Christopher Oram at the Gielgud
Hedda Gabler designed by Rob Howell at the Almeida and Duke of York's
Best Costume Design
The Dog in the Manger designed by Es Devlin at the Playhouse
Don Carlos designed by Christopher Oram at the Gielgud
Hedda Gabler designed by Rob Howell at the Almeida and Duke of York's
Mary Stuart designed by Anthony Ward at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
Best Sound Design
Billy Elliot: The Musical designed by Paul Arditti at the Victoria Palace
Coram Boy designed by Christopher Shutt at the Olivier
Guys and Dolls designed by Terry Jardine & Chris Full at the Piccadilly
Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Bloody Sunday : Scenes from the Saville Inquiryat the Tricycle Theatre
Comfor Me with Applesat Hampstead Theatre
My Name Is Rachel Corrie at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
Laura Wade for Breathing Corpses at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court and Colder Than Here at Soho Theatre
Best New Dance Production
Rambert Dance Company's Constant Speed at Sadler's Wells
Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre's Giselle at the Barbican
Sylvie Guillem and Russell Maliphant's Push at Sadler's Wells
Akram Khan/Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui/Antony Gormley/Nitin Sawhney's Zero Degrees at Sadler's Wells
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Ballet Nacional de Cuba's corps de ballet for their season at Sadler's Wells
Pina Bausch for the creation of Nelken and Palermo Palermo at Sadler's Wells
Johan Kobborg for his performance in the Royal Ballet's The Lesson and his production of La Sylphide at the Royal Opera House
Russell Maliphant for his choreography and performance in Push at Sadler's Wells
Best New Opera Production
English National Opera's Billy Budd at the London Coliseum
English National Opera's La Clemenza Di Tito at the London Coliseum
English National Opera's Madam Butterfly at the London Coliseum
English National Opera's On the Town at the London Coliseum
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Sarah Connolly for her performance in English National Opera's La Clemenza Di Tito at the London Coliseum
Simon Keenlyside for his performances in the Royal Opera's 1984 at the Royal Opera House and English National Opera's Billy Budd at the London Coliseum
David McVicar for his direction of English National Opera's La Clemenza Di Tito at the London Coliseum
Anthony Minghella and Carolyn Choa for the direction and choreography of English National Opera's Madam Butterfly at the London Coliseum
