Am 7. Februar 2008 wurden die Nominierungen für die begehrten Olivier Awards bekanntgegeben, am 9. März 2008 ging die Preisverleihung im Londoner Grosvenor House Hotel über die Bühne.

Die Londoner Produktion von “Hairspray” spielte im Rennen um 11 der Preise mit - ein Rekord. Die Donmar Warehouse-Produktion von Jason Robert Browns “Parade” kam auf insgesamt 7 Nominierungen.

“Hairspray” war für folgende Auszeichnungen im Rennen: “Best New Musical”, “Best Actress In A Musical” (Leanne Jones), “Best Actor In A Musical” (Michael Ball), “Best Performance In A Supporting Role In A Musical” (Tracie Bennett and Elinor Collett), “Best Director” (Jack O’Brien), “Best Theatre Choreographer” (Jerry Mitchell) und in allen Design-Kategorien. Mit 11 Nominierungen toppte “Hairspray” die bisherigen Nominierungs-Kaiser “Carousel” (1993), “Oklahoma!” (1999) und “Kiss Me, Kate” (2002), die es auf je 9 Nominierungen brachten.

Die Nominierungen und Gewinner (in fetter Schrift) im Überblick:

MUSICAL
“The Drowsy Chaperone”, Novello
“Hairspray”, Shaftesbury
“The Lord of the Rings”, Theater Royal, Drury Lane
“Parade”, Donmar Warehouse

MUSICAL REVIVAL
“Fiddler on the Roof”, Savoy
“Little Shop of Horrors”, Duke of York’s and Ambassadors
“The Magic Flute — Impempe Yomlingo”, Young Vic

ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Leanne Jones, “Hairspray”
Lara Pulver, “Parade”
Sheridan Smith, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Summer Strallen, “The Drowsy Chaperone”

ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Ball, “Hairspray”
Bertie Carvel, “Parade”
Henry Goodman, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Bob Martin, “The Drowsy Chaperone”

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL
Tracie Bennett, “Hairspray”
Elinor Collett, “Hairspray”
Shaun Escoffery, “Parade”
Alistair McGowan, “Little Shop of Horrors”

DIRECTION
Rob Ashford, “Parade”
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, “War Horse”
Rupert Goold, “Macbeth”
Jack O’Brien, “Hairspray”

CHOREOGRAPHY
Rob Ashford, “Parade”
Jerry Mitchell, “Hairspray”
Casey Nicholaw, “The Drowsy Chaperone”
Toby Sedgwick, “War Horse”

LIGHTING
Kenneth Posner, “Hairspray”
Paul Pyant, “The Lord of the Rings”
Howard Harrison, “Macbeth”
Paule Constable, “War Horse”

SET DESIGN
David Rockwell, “Hairspray”
Rob Howell, “The Lord of the Rings”
Anthony Ward and Lorna Heavey, “Macbeth”
Rae Smith, Basil Jones, Adrian Kohler of Handspring Puppet Company,”War Horse”

COSTUME DESIGN
Gregg Barnes, “The Drowsy Chaperone”
William Ivey Long, “Hairspray”
Rob Howell, “The Lord of the Rings”
Vicki Mortimer, “The Man of Mode”

SOUND DESIGN
Steve C. Kennedy, “Hairspray”
Simon Baker, “The Lord of the Rings”
Terry Jardine und Nick Lidster, “Parade”
Paul Arditti and Jocelyn Pook, “Saint Joan”
Christopher Shutt, Adrian Sutton und John Tams, “War Horse”

ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATER
“The Brothers Size,” Young Vic
“Cinderella,” Theater Royal, Stratford East
“Gone Too Far,” Theater Upstairs, Royal Court
The cast of “That Face,” Theater Upstairs, Royal Court

PLAY
Simon McBurney “A Disappearing Number,” Barbican
Nicholas Wright “The Reporter,” National Theater
Tanya Ronder, “Vernon God Little,” Young Vic
Nick Stafford, “War Horse,” National Theater

COMEDY
Michael Frayn, “The Crimson Hotel,” Donmar Warehouse
Axel Hellstenius, Peter Naess, “Elling,” Trafalgar Studios
Ayub Khan-Din, “Rafta, Rafta,” National Theater
Steve Thompson, “Whipping It Up,” New Ambassadors

REVIVAL
“Boeing-Boeing,” Comedy
“Dealer’s Choice,” Trafalgar Studios
“Macbeth,” Gielgud
“Saint Joan,” National Theater
“The Seagull,” Royal Court

ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Anne-Marie Duff, “Saint Joan”
Kelly Reilly, “Othello,” Donmar Warehouse
Kristin Scott Thomas, “The Seagull”
Fiona Shaw, “Happy Days,” National Theater
Penelope Wilton, “John Gabriel Borkman,” Donmar Warehouse

ACTOR IN A PLAY
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “Othello”
Ian McKellen, “King Lear,” New London
Mark Rylance, “Boeing-Boeing”
John Simm, “Elling”
Patrick Stewart, “Macbeth”

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY
Michelle Fairley, “Othello”
Pam Ferris, “The Entertainer,” Old Vic
Conleth Hill, “Philistines,” National Theater
Rory Kinnear, “The Man of Mode,” National Theater

NEWCOMER IN A PLAY
David Dawson, “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby,” Gielgud
Tom Hiddleston, “Cymbeline,” Barbican
Tom Hiddleston, “Othello”
Stephen Wight, “Dealer’s Choice”

NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
“Agrippina,” English National Opera
“La Fille du Regiment,” Royal Opera House
“Pelleas et Melisande,” Royal Opera House
“The Turn of the Screw,” English National Opera

ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
Natalie Dessay, “La Fille du Regiment”
Gerald Finley, “Pelleas et Melisande”
Angelika Kirchschlager, “Pelleas et Melisande”
David McVicar (Regie), National Opera’s “The Turn of the Screw” & “Agrippina”

NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
“The Bull,” Fabulous Beast Dance, Barbican
“Jewels,” The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House
“Mozart Dances,” Mark Morris Dance Group, Barbican
“The Three Musketeers,” Northern Ballet Theater, Sadler’s Wells

ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Savion Glover, “Live for London,” Sadler’s Wells
Jonathan Goddard, Richard Alston Dance Company,
Sadler’s Wells
The Royal Ballet Company, “Jewels”
Wendy Whelan, “Fool’s Paradise,” Christopher Wheeldon
Company, Sadler’s Wells