Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical
| Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best Actress in a Musical |
| Location |
 United Kingdom |
| Presented by | The Society of London Theatre |
| Currently held by | Imelda Staunton for Gypsy (2016) |
| Official website | Olivier Awards.com |
The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by The Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial British 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.
The Olivier Awards are the most prestigious theatrical awards in the United Kingdom and are the UK equivalent of the Tony Awards. In both 1977 and 1978, the Oliviers presented an award for Best Performance in a Musical, this was won by a female performer on both occasions. The 1977 winner was Anna Sharkey for Maggie, while in 1978 it was won by Elaine Paige for Evita. The following year, they created the category for Best Actress in a Musical.
Winners and nominees
1970s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | |||
| Virginia McKenna | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | |
| Carol Channing | Hello, Dolly! | Dolly Levi | |
| Antonia Ellis | Chicago | Velma Kelly | |
| Liz Robertson | My Fair Lady | Eliza Doolittle |
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
Multiple awards for Best Actress
- Three awards
- Imelda Staunton
- Two awards
- Barbara Dickson
- Maria Friedman
- Julia McKenzie
- Joanna Riding
- Samantha Spiro
Multiple nominations for Best Actress
- Six nominations
- Maria Friedman
- Imelda Staunton
- Five nominations
- Ruthie Henshall
- Julia McKenzie
- Four nominations
- Elaine Paige
- Joanna Riding
- Three nominations
- Elena Roger
- Jenna Russell
- Hannah Waddingham
- Two nominations
- Barbara Dickson
- Haydn Gwynne
- Patricia Hodge
- Nicola Hughes
- Maureen Lipman
- Patti LuPone
- Siân Phillips
- Sheridan Smith
- Samantha Spiro
- Summer Strallen
- Sophie Thompson
- Charlotte Wakefield
- Emma Williams
Multiple awards for a character
- 2 awards
- Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady
- Miss Adelaide from Guys and Dolls
- Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd
- The Baker's Wife from Into the Woods
Multiple nominations for a character
- 5 nominations
- Miss Adelaide from Guys and Dolls
- 4 nominations
- Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard
- 3 nominations
- Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady
- Lilli Vanessi / Katharine from Kiss Me, Kate
- Mrs. Johnstone from Blood Brothers
- Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd
- 2 nominations
- Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors
- Desirée Armfeldt from A Little Night Music
- Dolly Levi from Hello, Dolly!
- Dot / Marie from Sunday in the Park with George
- Eva Perón from Evita
- Fosca from Passion
- Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music
- Mary Flynn from Merrily We Roll Along
- Roxie Hart from Chicago
- Sarah Brown from Guys and Dolls
- The Baker's Wife from Into the Woods
- Velma Kelly from Chicago
See also
References
- London Theatre Guide (2008). "The Laurence Olivier Awards: Full List of Winners, 1976-2008" (.PDF). 1976-2008. The Society of London Theatre: 20. Retrieved 2008-08-30.