Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical

Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical
Awarded for	Best New Musical
Location	England
Presented by	Society of London Theatre
First awarded	1976
Currently held by	Operation Mincemeat (2024)
Website	officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/

The Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor and director Laurence Olivier.

Winners and nominees

1970s

Year	Musical	Book	Music	Lyrics
1976
	A Chorus Line	James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante	Marvin Hamlisch	Edward Kleban
	Ipi Tombi	Bertha Egnos		Gail Lakier
	Side by Side by Sondheim	Ned Sherrin	Various Artists	Stephen Sondheim
	Very Good Eddie	Philip Bartholomae and Guy Bolton	Jerome Kern	Schuyler Green and Herbert Reynolds
1977
	The Comedy of Errors	Trevor Nunn	Guy Woolfenden	Trevor Nunn
	Bubbling Brown Sugar	Loften Mitchell	Eubie Blake
	I Love My Wife	Michael Stewart	Cy Coleman	Michael Stewart
	Something's Afoot	James MacDonald, Davis Vos and Robert Gerlach
1978
	Evita	Tim Rice	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Tim Rice
	Annie	Thomas Meehan	Charles Strouse	Martin Charnin
	Elvis	Jack Good and Ray Cooney	Various Artists
1979
	Songbook	Monty Norman and Julian More	Monty Norman	Monty Norman and Julian More
	Ain't Misbehavin'	Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby	Fats Waller	Various Artists
	Bar Mitzvah Boy	Jack Rosenthal	Jule Styne	Don Black
	Chicago	Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse	John Kander	Fred Ebb

1980s

Year	Musical	Book	Music	Lyrics
1980
	Sweeney Todd	Hugh Wheeler	Stephen Sondheim
	They're Playing Our Song	Neil Simon	Marvin Hamlisch	Carole Bayer Sager
	Tom Foolery	Cameron Mackintosh	Tom Lehrer
	On the Twentieth Century	Betty Comden and Adolph Green	Cy Coleman	Betty Comden and Adolph Green
1981
	Cats	Trevor Nunn	Andrew Lloyd Webber	T. S. Eliot
	Barnum	Mark Bramble	Cy Coleman	Michael Stewart
	One Mo' Time	Vernel Bagneris	Various Artists
	The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas	Larry L. King and Peter Masterson	Carol Hall
1982
	Poppy	Peter Nichols	Monty Norman	Peter Nichols
	Andy Capp	Trevor Peacock	Alan Price	Trevor Peacock and Alan Price
	Underneath the Arches	Patrick Garland, Brian Glanville and Roy Hudd	Various Artists
	Windy City	Dick Vosburgh	Tony Macaulay	Dick Vosburgh
1983
	Blood Brothers	Willy Russell
	Bashville	Benny Green and David William	Denis King	Benny Green
	Little Shop of Horrors	Howard Ashman	Alan Menken	Howard Ashman
	Snoopy	Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw and Michael Grace	Larry Grossman	Hal Hackady
1984
	42nd Street	Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble	Harry Warren	Al Dubin
	The Hired Man	Melvyn Bragg	Howard Goodall
	Pump Boys and Dinettes	Various Artists
	Starlight Express	Trevor Nunn	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Richard Stilgoe
1985
	Me and My Girl	L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber	Noel Gay	L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber
	Les Misérables	Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg	Claude-Michel Schönberg	Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer
1986
	The Phantom of the Opera	Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe
	Chess	Richard Nelson	Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus	Tim Rice and Björn Ulvaeus
	H.M.S. Pinafore	Bill Whelan	Arthur Sullivan	W. S. Gilbert
	Wonderful Town	Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov	Leonard Bernstein	Betty Comden and Adolph Green
1987
	Follies	James Goldman	Stephen Sondheim
	Blues in the Night	Sheldon Epps	Various Artists
	Kiss Me, Kate	Samuel and Bella Spewack	Cole Porter
	Up on the Roof	Simon Moore and Jane Prowse	Various Artists
1988
	Candide	Hugh Wheeler	Leonard Bernstein	Richard Wilbur and Stephen Sondheim
	Babes in Arms	Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart	Richard Rodgers	Lorenz Hart
	Blood Brothers	Willy Russell
	The Wizard of Oz	John Kane	Harold Arlen and Herbert Stothart	E. Y. Harburg
1989/90
	Return to the Forbidden Planet	Bob Carlton
	The Baker's Wife	Joseph Stein	Stephen Schwartz
	Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story	Alan Janes	Various Artists
	Miss Saigon	Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil	Claude-Michel Schönberg	Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr.

1990s

Year	Musical	Book	Music	Lyrics
1991
	Sunday in the Park with George	James Lapine	Stephen Sondheim
	Into the Woods	James Lapine	Stephen Sondheim
1992
	Carmen Jones	Oscar Hammerstein II	Bizet	Oscar Hammerstein II
	Phantom of the Opera	Ken Hill
1993
	Crazy for You	Ken Ludwig	George and Ira Gershwin
	Assassins	John Weidman	Stephen Sondheim
	Grand Hotel	Luther Davis	Robert Wright, George Forrest and Maury Yeston
	Kiss of the Spider Woman	Terrence McNally	John Kander	Fred Ebb
1994
	City of Angels	Larry Gelbart	Cy Coleman	David Zippel
	Sunset Boulevard	Don Black and Christopher Hampton	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Don Black and Christopher Hampton
1995
	Once on This Island	Lynn Ahrens	Stephen Flaherty	Lynn Ahrens
	Copacabana	Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman	Barry Manilow	Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman
	Hot Shoe Shuffle	Larry Buttrose and Kathryn Riding	Various Artists
	Only the Lonely, The Roy Orbison Story	Shirlie Roden and Jon Miller	Keith Strachan
1996
	Jolson	Francis Essex and Rob Bettinson
	Fame	José Fernandez	Steve Margoshes	Jacques Levy
	Hot Mikado	David H. Bell	Rob Bowman	David H. Bell
	Mack & Mabel	Michael Stewart	Jerry Herman
1997
	Martin Guerre	Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil	Claude-Michel Schönberg	Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil
	Nine	Arthur Kopit	Maury Yeston
	Passion	James Lapine	Stephen Sondheim
1998
	Beauty and the Beast	Linda Woolverton	Alan Menken	Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
	Enter the Guardsman	Scott Wentworth	Craig Bohmler	Marion Adler
	The Fix	John Dempsey	Dana P. Rowe	John Dempsey
	Lady in the Dark	Moss Hart	Kurt Weill	Ira Gershwin
1999
	Kat and the Kings	David Kramer	Taliep Petersen	David Kramer
	Rent	Jonathan Larson
	Saturday Night Fever	Various Writers	Bee Gees
	Whistle Down the Wind	Patricia Knop, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gale Edwards	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Jim Steinman

2000s

Year	Musical	Book	Music	Lyrics
2000
	Honk!	Anthony Drewe	George Stiles	Anthony Drewe
	Mamma Mia!	Catherine Johnson	Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus
	Spend Spend Spend	Steve Brown and Justin Greene	Steve Brown	Steve Brown and Justin Greene
	The Lion King	Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi	Elton John	Tim Rice
2001
	Merrily We Roll Along	George Furth	Stephen Sondheim
	Fosse	Richard Maltby Jr. and Ann Reinking	Various Artists
	The Beautiful Game	Ben Elton	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Ben Elton
	The Witches of Eastwick	John Dempsey	Dana P. Rowe	John Dempsey
2003
	Our House	Tim Firth	Madness
	Bombay Dreams	Meera Syal	A. R. Rahman	Don Black
	Chitty Chitty Bang Bang	Jeremy Sams	Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
	Taboo	Mark Davies Markham	Boy George
2004
	Jerry Springer	Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas
	Ragtime	Terrence McNally	Stephen Flaherty	Lynn Ahrens
	Thoroughly Modern Millie	Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan	Jeanine Tesori	Dick Scanlan
2005
	The Producers	Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan	Mel Brooks
	Mary Poppins	Julian Fellowes	Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
	The Woman in White	Charlotte Jones	Andrew Lloyd Webber	David Zippel
2006
	Billy Elliot	Lee Hall	Elton John	Lee Hall
	Acorn Antiques	Victoria Wood
	The Big Life	Paul Sirett	Paul Joseph	Paul Sirett
2007
	Caroline, or Change	Tony Kushner	Jeanine Tesori	Tony Kushner
	Avenue Q	Jeff Whitty	Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx
	Spamalot	Eric Idle	John Du Prez and Eric Idle	Eric Idle
	Porgy and Bess	DuBose Heyward	George Gershwin	DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin
2008
	Hairspray	Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan	Marc Shaiman	Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
	The Drowsy Chaperone	Bob Martin and Don McKellar	Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
	The Lord of the Rings	Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus	A. R. Rahman, Värttinä and Christopher Nightingale	Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus
	Parade	Alfred Uhry	Jason Robert Brown
2009
	Jersey Boys	Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice	Bob Gaudio	Bob Crewe
	Zorro	Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson	Gipsy Kings and John Cameron	Stephen Clark

2010s

Year	Musical	Book	Music	Lyrics
2010
	Spring Awakening	Steven Sater	Duncan Sheik	Steven Sater
	Dreamboats and Petticoats	Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran	Various Artists
	Priscilla, Queen of the Desert	Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott	Various Artists
	Sister Act	Cheri and Bill Steinkellner	Alan Menken	Glenn Slater
2011
	Legally Blonde	Heather Hach	Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin
	Fela!	Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis	Fela Kuti
	Love Never Dies	Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Glenn Slater
	Love Story	Stephen Clark	Howard Goodall	Stephen Clark and Howard Goodall
2012
	Matilda	Dennis Kelly	Tim Minchin
	Betty Blue Eyes	Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman	George Stiles	Anthony Drewe
	Ghost	Bruce Joel Rubin	Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard	Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard and Bruce Joel Rubin
	London Road	Alecky Blythe	Adam Cork	Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork
	Shrek	David Lindsay-Abaire	Jeanine Tesori	David Lindsay-Abaire
2013
	Top Hat	Matthew White and Howard Jacques	Irving Berlin
	Loserville	James Bourne and Elliot Davis
	Soul Sister	John Miller and Pete Brooks	Various Artists
	The Bodyguard	Alexander Dinelaris	Various Artists
2014
	The Book of Mormon	Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory	David Greig	Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
	Once	Enda Walsh	Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
	The Scottsboro Boys	David Thompson	John Kander	Fred Ebb
2015
	Sunny Afternoon	Joe Penhall	Ray Davies
	Beautiful: The Carole King Musical	Douglas McGrath	Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
	Here Lies Love	David Byrne	David Byrne and Fatboy Slim	David Byrne
	Memphis	Joe DiPietro	David Bryan	David Bryan and Joe DiPietro
2016
	Kinky Boots	Harvey Fierstein	Cyndi Lauper
	Bend It Like Beckham	Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges	Howard Goodall	Charles Hart
	In the Heights	Quiara Alegría Hudes	Lin-Manuel Miranda
	Mrs Henderson Presents	Terry Johnson	George Fenton and Simon Chamberlin	Don Black
2017
	Groundhog Day	Danny Rubin	Tim Minchin
	Dreamgirls	Tom Eyen	Henry Krieger	Tom Eyen
	The Girls	Tim Firth and Gary Barlow
	School of Rock	Julian Fellowes	Andrew Lloyd Webber	Glenn Slater
2018
	Hamilton	Lin-Manuel Miranda
	An American in Paris	Craig Lucas	George Gershwin	Ira Gershwin
	Everybody's Talking About Jamie	Tom MacRae	Dan Gillespie Sells	Tom MacRae
	Girl from the North Country	Conor McPherson	Bob Dylan
	Young Frankenstein	Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan	Mel Brooks
2019
	Come from Away	David Hein and Irene Sankoff
	Fun Home	Lisa Kron	Jeanine Tesori	Lisa Kron
	Six	Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss
	Tina	Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins	Tina Turner

2020s

Year	Musical	Book	Music	Lyrics
2020	Dear Evan Hansen	Steven Levenson	Justin Paul	Benj Pasek
	& Juliet	David West Read	Max Martin
	Amélie	Craig Lucas	Daniel Messé	Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen
	Waitress	Jessie Nelson	Sara Bareilles
2021	Not presented due to extended closing of theatre productions during COVID-19 pandemic [A]
2022 [A]	Back to the Future: The Musical	Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis	Alan Silvestri	Glen Ballard
	The Drifters Girl	Ed Curtis and Tina Treadwell	Various Artists
	Frozen	Jennifer Lee	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
	Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical	Lee Hall	Bob Marley
	Moulin Rouge! The Musical	John Logan	Various Artists
2023	Standing at the Sky's Edge	Chris Bush	Richard Hawley
	The Band's Visit	Itamar Moses	David Yazbek
	Sylvia	Kate Prince and Priya Parmer	Kate Prince	Josh Cohen and DJ Walde
	Tammy Faye	James Graham	Elton John	Jake Shears
2024	Operation Mincemeat	David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
	The Little Big Things	Joe White	Nick Butcher	Nick Butcher & Tom Ling
	Next to Normal	Brian Yorkey	Tom Kitt	Brian Yorkey
	A Strange Loop	Michael R. Jackson

1. Due to late March 2020 ^[1] to late July 2021 ^[2] closing of London theatre productions during the COVID-19 pandemic in England, the 2022 awards recognise productions that launched anytime from February 2020 to February 2022 ^[3]

Multiple awards and nominations for Best New Musical

Awards

Five awards

• Stephen Sondheim

Three awards

• Andrew Lloyd Webber

Two awards

• Thomas Meehan
• Tim Minchin
• Trevor Nunn
• Hugh Wheeler

See also

• Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Musical
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
• Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical
• Tony Award for Best Musical

References

1. Johnson, The Rt Hon Boris, MP (23 March 2020). Prime Minister's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 23 March 2020 [transcript] (Speech). Prime Minister's Televised Speech to the United Kingdom. www.gov.uk. London, UK. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2022. From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction — you must stay at home.
2. McPhee, Ryan (14 June 2021). "U.K. Postpones Reopening Roadmap; West End Theatres Will No Longer Reopen in Full in June". Playbill . Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022. Step 4 of the roadmap will allow productions to play without capacity restrictions. June 21 was the goal; now, the government is eyeing July 19.
3. Thomas, Sophie (8 March 2022). "Everything you need to know about the Olivier Awards". londontheatre.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022. Any new production that opened between 19 Feb. 2020 to 22 Feb. 2022 are eligible for categories in the 2022 Olivier Awards. With two years worth of shows set for honours in one year's ceremony, the 2022 Olivier Awards will prove tougher competition than before.

• London Theatre Guide (2008). "The Laurence Olivier Awards: Full List of Winners 1976–2008" (.PDF). The Society of London Theatre. Retrieved 30 August 2008.

External links

• Official website