Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical

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

Awards and nominations

1970s

• 1976: A Chorus Line – by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante; Marvin Hamlisch, music; Edward Kleban, lyrics
  • Ipi Tombi – music; Bertah Egnos, lyrics; Gail Lakier
  • Side by Side by Sondheim – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and others
  • Very Good Eddie – Guy Bolton and Jerome Kern, lyrics by P.G. Wodehouse

• 1977: The Comedy of Errors – by William Shakespeare, adapted by Trevor Nunn; Guy Woolfenden, music
  • Bubbling Brown Sugar – book by Loften Mitchell, lyrics and music by Eubie Blake
  • I Love My Wife – book by Michael Steward, music by Cy Coleman
  • Something's Afoot – book, music and lyrics by James MacDonald, Davis Vos and Robert Gerlach

• 1978: Evita – Andrew Lloyd Webber, music; Tim Rice, lyrics
  • Annie – Thomas Meehan and Charles Strouse
  • Elvis – Jack Good and Ray Cooney

• 1979: Songbook – by Monty Norman and Julian More
  • Ain't Misbehavin' – Murray Horwitz, Richard Maltby and Luther Henderson
  • Bar Mitzvah Boy – book by Jack Rosenthal, lyrics by Don Black, music by Julie Styne
  • Chicago – book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander

1980s

• 1980: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler
  • They're Playing Our Song – book by Neil Simon, music by Marvin Hamlisch
  • Tom Foolery – Tom Lehrer
  • On the Twentieth Century – Betty Comden, Adolph Green, music by Cy Coleman

• 1981: Cats – music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by T. S. Eliot and Trevor Nunn, book by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Trevor Nunn and Gillian Lynne
  • Barnum – book by Mark Bramble, songs by Cy Coleman
  • One Mo' Time – book by Vernon Bagneris, music and lyrics by various
  • The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – Larry L. King and Peter Masterson, music and lyrics by Carol Hall

• 1982: Poppy – music by Monty Norman, lyrics and book by Peter Nichols
  • Andy Capp – book and lyrics by Trevor Peacock, music and lyrics by Alan Price
  • Underneath the Arches – Patrick Garland, Brian Glanville and Roy Hudd in association with Chesney Allen
  • Windy City – book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh, music by Tony Macaulay, based on the play The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur

• 1983: Blood Brothers – music, lyrics and book by Willy Russell
  • Bashville – Denis King, lyrics and adaptation by Benny Green, from The Admirable Bashville by George Bernard Shaw
  • Little Shop of Horrors – book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken
  • Snoopy! The Musical – music by Alan Grossman, lyrics by Hal Hackady

• 1984: 42nd Street – music by Harry Warren, lyrics by Al Dubin, book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble
  • The Hired Man – book by Melvyn Bragg, lyrics and music by Howard Goodall
  • Pump Boys and Dinettes – conceived and written by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann
  • Starlight Express – lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

• 1985: Me and My Girl – music by Noel Gay, lyrics and book by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber
  • Les Misérables – Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, music by Claude-Michel Schönberg

• 1986: The Phantom of the Opera – music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, book by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Richard Stilgoe
  • Chess – Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice
  • H.M.S. Pinafore – lyrics by WS Gilbert, music by Arthur Sullivan, musical adaptation and arrangements by Bill Whelan
  • Wonderful Town – book by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green

• 1987: Follies – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Goldman
  • Blues in the Night – conceived and originally directed by Sheldon Epps
  • Kiss Me, Kate – music and lyrics by Cole Porter
  • Up on the Roof – written and directed by Simon Moore and Jane Prowse

• 1988: Candide – music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Richard Wilbur and Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler
  • Babes in Arms – music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart
  • Blood Brothers – book, music and lyrics by Willy Russell
  • The Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum, adapted by John Kane, music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg

• 1989/1990: Return to the Forbidden Planet – music, lyrics and book by Bob Carlton
  • The Baker's Wife – music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Joseph Stein
  • Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story – written by Alan Janes
  • Miss Saigon – music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.

1990s

• 1991: Sunday in the Park with George – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine
  • Into the Woods – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine

• 1992: Carmen Jones – music by Bizet, lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II
  • The Phantom of the Opera – adapted by Ben Hill

• 1993: Crazy for You – music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, book by Ken Ludwig
  • Assassins – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman
  • Grand Hotel – book by Luther Davis, songs by Robert Wright and George Forrest
  • Kiss of the Spider Woman – book by Terence McNally, music by John Kander lyrics by Fred Ebb

• 1994: City of Angels – book by Larry Gelbart, music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel
  • Sunset Boulevard – book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

• 1995: Once on This Island – music by Stephen Flaherty, book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
  • Copacabana – by Barry Manilow, Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman
  • Hot Shoe Shuffle – by Larry Buttrose and Kathryn Riding
  • The Roy Orbison Story – Only the Lonely – book by Shirlie Roden and Jon Miller, and music directed and arranged by Keith Strachan

• 1996: Jolson The Musical – lyrics, music and book by Francis Essex and Rob Bettinson
  • Fame – book by Jose Fernandez, lyrics by Jacques Levy, music by Steve Margoshes
  • Hot Mikado – book and lyrics by David H. Bell, music adapted and arranged by Rob Bowman
  • Mack & Mabel – book by Michael Stewart, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman

• 1997: Martin Guerre – lyrics and book by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
  • Nine – book by Arthur Kopit, music and lyrics by Maury Yeston
  • Passion – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine

• 1998: Beauty and the Beast – music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, book by Linda Woolverton
  • Enter the Guardsman – book by Scott Wentworth, music by Craig Bohmer, lyrics by Marian Adler
  • The Fix – book and lyrics by John Dempsey, music by Dana P. Rowe
  • Lady in the Dark – by Moss Hart, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and music by Kurt Weill

• 1999: Kat and the Kings – music, lyrics and book by David Krammer and Taliep Peterson
  • Rent – by Jonathan Larson
  • Saturday Night Fever – based on a story by Nik Cohn, screenplay by Norman Wexler, stage adaptation by Nan Knighton
  • Whistle Down the Wind – by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Jim Steinman

2000s

• 2000: Honk! – by Anthony Drewe; George Stiles, music; Anthony Drewe, lyrics
  • Mamma Mia! – music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, book by Catherine Johnson
  • Spend Spend Spend – book and lyrics by Steve Brown and Justin Greene, music by Steve Brown
  • The Lion King – music and lyrics by Elton John and Tim Rice

• 2001: Merrily We Roll Along – by George Furth; Stephen Sondheim, music and lyrics
  • Fosse – conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr., Chet Walker and Ann Reinking
  • The Beautiful Game – music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, book and lyrics by Ben Elton
  • The Witches of Eastwick – book and lyrics by John Dempsey, music by Dana P. Rowe

• 2003: Our House – by Tim Firth; Madness, music and lyrics
  • Bombay Dreams – music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black, book by Meera Syal
  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sams
  • Taboo – music and lyrics by Boy George, book by Mark Davies

• 2004: Jerry Springer: The Opera – by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas
  • Ragtime – book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
  • Thoroughly Modern Millie – book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, new music by Jeanine Tesori, new lyrics by Dick Scanlan

• 2005: The Producers – by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan; Mel Brooks, music and lyrics
  • Mary Poppins – book by Julian Fellowes, new songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
  • The Woman in White – music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel, book by Charlotte Jones

• 2006: Billy Elliot the Musical – by Lee Hall; Elton John, music; Lee Hall, lyrics
  • Acorn Antiques: The Musical! – book, music and lyrics by Victoria Wood
  • The Big Life – written by Paul Sirett, music by Paul Joseph

• 2007: Caroline, or Change – by Tony Kushner, music by Jeanine Tesori
  • Avenue Q – music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty
  • Spamalot – book and lyrics by Eric Idle, music by John Du Prez & Eric Idle
  • Porgy and Bess – by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin

• 2008: Hairspray – by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan; Marc Shaiman, music; Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, lyrics
  • The Drowsy Chaperone – music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar
  • The Lord of the Rings – book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä and Christopher Nightingale
  • Parade – book by Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

• 2009: Jersey Boys – by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice; Bob Gaudio, music; Bob Crewe, lyrics
  • Zorro – book & lyrics by Stephen Clark, music by The Gipsy Kings

2010s

• 2010: Spring Awakening – music by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater
  • Dreamboats and Petticoats – book by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran
  • Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott
  • Sister Act – music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner

• 2011: Legally Blonde – book by Heather Hach, music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin
  • Fela! – book by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, music and lyrics by Fela Kuti
  • Love Never Dies – music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater and later Charles Hart
  • Love Story – book by Stephen Clark, music by Howard Goodall and lyrics by Clark and Goodall

• 2012: Matilda the Musical – book by Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
  • Betty Blue Eyes – book by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, music by George Stiles and lyrics by Anthony Drewe
  • Ghost the Musical – book and lyrics by Bruce Joel Rubin, music and lyrics by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard
  • London Road – book and lyrics by Alecky Blythe, music and lyrics by Adam Cork
  • Shrek the Musical – book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Jeanine Tesori

• 2013: Top Hat – book by Matthew White and Howard Jacques, music and lyrics by Irving Berlin
  • Loserville – book, music and lyrics by James Bourne and Elliot Davis
  • Soul Sister – book by John Miller and Pete Brooks
  • The Bodyguard – book by Alexander Dinelaris

See also

• Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
• Tony Award for Best Musical

References

• 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

• The Laurence Olivier Awards official website