The nominations for the 2026 Olivier Awards, the Tony Awards in British theatre, have officially been announced today so I’m here with a special edition of my newsletter!

This year’s nominees highlight an exciting mix of new musicals, classic revivals, bold new plays, and standout performances from internationally recognized stars and rising talent alike. The winners will be revealed at the 50th anniversary Olivier Awards ceremony, which will take place Sunday, April 12, 2026, at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Congratulations to all theatermakers nominated — including two our office is a part of, Oh, Mary! and Paranormal Activity!

Cunard Best New Musical

Here We Are, book by David Ives, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Paddington The Musical, music & lyrics by Tom Fletcher & book by Jessica Swale at Savoy Theatre
Shucked, book by Robert Horn, music & lyrics by Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, book by Rachel Joyce, music & lyrics by Passenger at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Best Musical Revival supported by Piper-Heidsieck

American Psycho, book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, music & lyrics by Duncan Sheik, based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis at Almeida Theatre
Evita, lyrics by Tim Rice, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber at The London Palladium
Into The Woods, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine at Bridge Theatre
The Producers, music & lyrics by Mel Brooks, book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan at Garrick Theatre

Best New Play supported by The Londoner

1536 by Ava Pickett at Almeida Theatre
Inter Alia by Suzie Miller at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Kenrex by Jack Holden & Ed Stambollouian at The Other Palace
Punch by James Graham at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

Best Revival

All My Sons by Arthur Miller at Wyndham’s Theatre
Arcadia by Tom Stoppard at The Old Vic
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Duncan Macmillan & Thomas Ostermeier at Barbican Theatre

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play

The Comedy About Spies by Henry Lewis & Henry Shields at Noël Coward Theatre
Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe at @sohoplace
Oh, Mary! by Cole Escola at Trafalgar Theatre
Paranormal Activity by Levi Holloway at Ambassadors Theatre

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett for The Seagull at Barbican Theatre
Marianne Jean-Baptiste for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre
Julia McDermott for Weather Girl at Soho Theatre
Rosamund Pike for Inter Alia at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Rosie Sheehy for Guess How Much I Love You? at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre
Sean Hayes for Good Night, Oscar at Barbican Theatre
Tom Hiddleston for Much Ado About Nothing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Jack Holden for Kenrex at The Other Palace
David Shields for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical

Marc Antolin for The Producers at Garrick Theatre
James Hameed & Arti Shah for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Andy Nyman for The Producers at Garrick Theatre
Jamie Parker for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Diego Andres Rodriguez for Evita at The London Palladium

Best Actress in a Musical

Katie Brayben for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Danielle Fiamanya & Georgina Onuorah for Brigadoon at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Jane Krakowski for Here We Are at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Jenna Russell for The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Rachel Zegler for Evita at The London Palladium

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Isis Hainsworth for Arcadia at The Old Vic
Julie Hesmondhalgh for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre
Lucy Karczewski for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
Hayley Squires for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre
Sophie Thompson for When We Are Married at Donmar Warehouse

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Hammed Animashaun for Dealer’s Choice at Donmar Warehouse
Paapa Essiedu for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre
Zachary Hart for The Seagull at Barbican Theatre
Zachary Hart for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
Giles Terera for Oh, Mary! at Trafalgar Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Trevor Ashley for The Producers at Garrick Theatre
Corbin Bleu for The Great Gatsby – A New Musical at London Coliseum
Tom Edden for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Jo Foster for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Oliver Savile for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Tracie Bennett for Here We Are at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Amy Booth-Steel for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Kate Fleetwood for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Georgina Onuorah for Shucked at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Jordan Fein for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Luke Sheppard for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Ed Stambollouian for Kenrex at The Other Palace
Lyndsey Turner for 1536 at Almeida Theatre
Ivo van Hove for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Fabian Aloise for Evita at The London Palladium
Ellen Kane for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Drew McOnie for Brigadoon at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Lynne Page for American Psycho at Almeida Theatre

Best Costume Design

Enver Chakartash for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
Linda Cho for The Great Gatsby – A New Musical at London Coliseum
Tom Scutt for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Gabriella Slade (Costume Design) & Tahra Zafar (Paddington Design) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

Best Set Design supported by Blue-i Theatre Technology

Paul Tate dePoo III (Scenic & Projection Design) for The Great Gatsby – A New Musical at London Coliseum
Tom Pye (Set Design) & Ash J Woodward (Video Design) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Tom Scutt for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
David Zinn for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Lighting Design

Robbie Butler for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre
Jon Clark for Evita at The London Palladium
Aideen Malone (Lighting Design) & Roland Horvath (Video Design) for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Joshua Pharo for Kenrex at The Other Palace

Best Sound Design supported by d&b audiotechnik

Adam Fisher for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
Gareth Owen for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Ryan Rumery for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
Giles Thomas for Kenrex at The Other Palace

Outstanding Musical Contribution

Matt Brind (Orchestrations & Arrangements) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Will Butler (Original Songs & Orchestrations) & Justin Craig (Orchestrations) for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
John Patrick Elliott (Composition) for Kenrex at The Other Palace
Chris Fenwick (Musical Supervision & Arrangements) & Sean Hayes (Live Piano Performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue) for Good Night, Oscar at Barbican Theatre

Best Family Show

The Boy At The Back Of The Class, adapted by Nick Ahad at Rose Theatre
The Boy With Wings, adapted by Arvind Ethan David at Polka Theatre
The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, adapted by Jude Christian at Polka Theatre
The Three Little Pigs, music by George Stiles, book & lyrics by Anthony Drewe at Unicorn Theatre

Best New Production in Affiliate Theatre

Ben And Imo by Mark Ravenhill at Orange Tree Theatre
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams at The Yard Theatre
The Ministry Of Lesbian Affairs by Iman Qureshi at Kiln Theatre
Miss Myrtle’s Garden by Danny James King at Bush Theatre
The Shitheads by Jack Nicholls at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Best New Dance Production

Into The Hairy by Sharon Eyal for S-E-D at Sadler’s Wells
Mimi’s Shebeen by Alesandra Seutin & KVS at Sadler’s Wells East
Random Taranto by María del Mar Suárez (La Chachi) as part of Dance Umbrella: Change Tempo at The Pit at Barbican
She’s Auspicious by Mythili Prakash at Sadler’s Wells East

Best New Opera Production supported by TAIT

Dead Man Walking by English National Opera at London Coliseum
The Makropulos Case by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Tosca by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Die Walküre by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

Watch the nominations being announced below.