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Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical
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| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| name | Laurence Olivier Award | |
| for Best Actress in a Musical | ||
| image | Imelda_Staunton,_October_2019.jpg | |
| caption | 2025 Recipient: Imelda Staunton | |
| awarded_for | Best Actress in a Musical | |
| presenter | Society of London Theatre | |
| location | England | |
| year | 1979 | |
| holder | Imelda Staunton for Hello, Dolly! (2025) | |
| website |
for Best Actress in a Musical
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 professional 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.
This award was introduced in 1979, along with the award for Best Actor in a Musical. In 1977 and 1978, there had been a commingled actor/actress award for Best Performance in a Musical, won both times by an actress.
Winners and nominees
1970s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia McKenna | *The King and I* | Anna Leonowens | ||
| Carol Channing | Hello, Dolly! | Dolly Gallagher Levi | ||
| Antonia Ellis | Chicago | Velma Kelly | ||
| Liz Robertson | My Fair Lady | Eliza Doolittle |
1980s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989/90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemma Craven | *They're Playing Our Song* | Sonia Walsk | |||||||||||
| Sheila Hancock | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Mrs. Lovett | |||||||||||
| Julia McKenzie | On the Twentieth Century | Lily Garland | |||||||||||
| Siân Phillips | Pal Joey | Vera Simpson | |||||||||||
| Carlin Glynn | *The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas* | Mona Stangley | |||||||||||
| Petula Clark | The Sound of Music | Maria von Trapp | |||||||||||
| Patricia Hodge | The Mitford Girls | Nancy Mitford | |||||||||||
| Sylvia Kuumba Williams | One Mo' Time | "Big Bertha" Williams | |||||||||||
| Julia McKenzie | *Guys and Dolls* | Miss Adelaide | |||||||||||
| Val McLane | Andy Capp | Florrie | |||||||||||
| Imelda Staunton | The Beggar's Opera | Lucy Lockit | |||||||||||
| Marti Webb | Song and Dance | Emma | |||||||||||
| Barbara Dickson | *Blood Brothers* | Mrs. Johnstone | |||||||||||
| Ellen Greene | Little Shop of Horrors | Audrey | |||||||||||
| Stephanie Lawrence | Marilyn | Marilyn Monroe | |||||||||||
| Sarah Payne | Singin' in the Rain | Lina Lamont | |||||||||||
| Natalia Makarova | *On Your Toes* | Vera Barnova | |||||||||||
| Julia Hills | The Hired Man | Emily | |||||||||||
| Clare Leach | 42nd Street | Peggy Sawyer | |||||||||||
| Sheila White | Little Me | Belle | |||||||||||
| Patti LuPone | *Les Misérables* | Fantine | |||||||||||
| *The Cradle Will Rock* | Moll | ||||||||||||
| Betsy Brantley | Guys and Dolls | Miss Adelaide | |||||||||||
| Carol Sloman | Lennon | Performer | |||||||||||
| Elisabeth Welch | Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood | Performer | |||||||||||
| Lesley Mackie | *Judy* | Judy Garland | |||||||||||
| Maureen Lipman | Wonderful Town | Ruth Sherwood | |||||||||||
| Elaine Paige | Chess | Florence | |||||||||||
| Angela Richards | Side by Side by Sondheim | Herself | |||||||||||
| Nichola McAuliffe | *Kiss Me, Kate* | Lilli Vanessi / Katharine | |||||||||||
| Dee Dee Bridgewater | Lady Day | Billie Holiday | |||||||||||
| Julia McKenzie | Follies | Sally Durant Plummer | |||||||||||
| Carol Woods | Blues in the Night | Performer | |||||||||||
| Patricia Routledge | *Candide* | Old Lady | |||||||||||
| Kiki Dee | Blood Brothers | Mrs. Johnstone | |||||||||||
| Ann Miller | Sugar Babies | Ann | |||||||||||
| Imelda Staunton | The Wizard of Oz | Dorothy Gale | |||||||||||
| Lea Salonga | *Miss Saigon* | Kim | |||||||||||
| Patricia Hodge | Noël and Gertie | Gertie | |||||||||||
| Judy Kuhn | Metropolis | Maria / Futura | |||||||||||
| Elaine Paige | Anything Goes | Reno Sweeney |
1990s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imelda Staunton | *Into the Woods* | The Baker's Wife | ||||||||||
| Sally Burgess | Show Boat | Julie | ||||||||||
| Maria Friedman | Sunday in the Park with George | Dot / Marie | ||||||||||
| Julia McKenzie | Into the Woods | The Witch | ||||||||||
| Wilhelmenia Fernandez | *Carmen Jones* | Carmen | ||||||||||
| Sharon Benson | Carmen Jones | Carmen | ||||||||||
| Linzi Hateley | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Narrator | ||||||||||
| Miriam Margolyes | Dickens' Women | Various Characters | ||||||||||
| Joanna Riding | *Carousel* | Julie Jordan | ||||||||||
| Kim Criswell | Annie Get Your Gun | Annie Oakley | ||||||||||
| Ruthie Henshall | Crazy for You | Polly Baker | ||||||||||
| Kelly Hunter | The Blue Angel | Lola | ||||||||||
| Julia McKenzie | *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* | Mrs. Lovett | ||||||||||
| Haydn Gwynne | City of Angels | Oolie / Donna | ||||||||||
| Patti LuPone | Sunset Boulevard | Norma Desmond | ||||||||||
| Elaine Paige | Piaf | Édith Piaf | ||||||||||
| Ruthie Henshall | *She Loves Me* | Amalia | ||||||||||
| Betty Buckley | Sunset Boulevard | Norma Desmond | ||||||||||
| Sally Dexter | Oliver! | Nancy | ||||||||||
| Judi Dench | *A Little Night Music* | Desirée Armfeldt | ||||||||||
| Elizabeth Mansfield | Marie | Marie Lloyd | ||||||||||
| Caroline O'Connor | Mack & Mabel | Mabel | ||||||||||
| Elaine Paige | Sunset Boulevard | Norma Desmond | ||||||||||
| Maria Friedman | *Passion* | Fosca | ||||||||||
| B.J. Crosby | Smokey Joe's Café | Performer | ||||||||||
| Joanna Riding | Guys and Dolls | Sarah Brown | ||||||||||
| Imelda Staunton | Guys and Dolls | Miss Adelaide | ||||||||||
| Ute Lemper | *Chicago* | Velma Kelly | ||||||||||
| Maria Friedman | Lady in the Dark | Liza Elliott | ||||||||||
| Ruthie Henshall | Chicago | Roxie Hart | ||||||||||
| Siân Phillips | Marlene | Marlene Dietrich | ||||||||||
| Sophie Thompson | *Into the Woods* | The Baker's Wife | ||||||||||
| Krysten Cummings | Rent | Mimi Márquez | ||||||||||
| Maria Friedman | Chicago | Roxie Hart | ||||||||||
| Josefina Gabrielle | Oklahoma! | Laurey |
2000s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara Dickson | *Spend Spend Spend* | Viv Nicholson | |||||||||||
| Josette Bushell-Mingo | The Lion King | Rafiki | |||||||||||
| Rachel Leskovac | Spend Spend Spend | Young Viv Nicholson | |||||||||||
| Siobhan McCarthy | Mamma Mia! | Donna Sheridan | |||||||||||
| Samantha Spiro | *Merrily We Roll Along* | Mary Flynn | |||||||||||
| Nicola Hughes | Fosse | Performer | |||||||||||
| Joanna Riding | The Witches of Eastwick | Jane Smart | |||||||||||
| Josie Walker | The Beautiful Game | Mary | |||||||||||
| Martine McCutcheon | *My Fair Lady* | Eliza Doolittle | |||||||||||
| Barbara Cook | Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim | Herself | |||||||||||
| Ruthie Henshall | Peggy Sue Got Married | Peggy Sue | |||||||||||
| Marin Mazzie | Kiss Me, Kate | Lilli Vanessi / Katharine | |||||||||||
| Joanna Riding | *My Fair Lady* | Eliza Doolittle | |||||||||||
| Janie Dee | My One and Only | Edith Herbert | |||||||||||
| Elaine Stritch | Elaine Stritch at Liberty | Herself | |||||||||||
| Sarah Wildor | Contact | Wife | |||||||||||
| Maria Friedman | *Ragtime* | Mother | |||||||||||
| Amanda Holden | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Millie Dilmount | |||||||||||
| Alison Jiear | Jerry Springer | Shawntel | |||||||||||
| Maureen Lipman | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Mrs. Meers | |||||||||||
| Laura Michelle Kelly | *Mary Poppins* | Mary Poppins | |||||||||||
| Maria Friedman | The Woman in White | Marian | |||||||||||
| Leigh Zimmerman | The Producers | Ulla | |||||||||||
| Jane Krakowski | *Guys and Dolls* | Miss Adelaide | |||||||||||
| Haydn Gwynne | Billy Elliot | Mrs. Wilkinson | |||||||||||
| Jenna Russell | Guys and Dolls | Sarah Brown | |||||||||||
| Julie Walters | Acorn Antiques | Mrs. Overall | |||||||||||
| Jenna Russell | *Sunday in the Park with George* | Dot / Marie | |||||||||||
| Nicola Hughes | Porgy and Bess | Bess | |||||||||||
| Tonya Pinkins | Caroline, or Change | Caroline Thibodeaux | |||||||||||
| Elena Roger | Evita | Eva Perón | |||||||||||
| Hannah Waddingham | Spamalot | Lady of the Lake | |||||||||||
| Leanne Jones | *Hairspray* | Tracy Turnblad | |||||||||||
| Lara Pulver | Parade | Lucille Frank | |||||||||||
| Sheridan Smith | Little Shop of Horrors | Audrey | |||||||||||
| Summer Strallen | The Drowsy Chaperone | Janet Van Der Graaf | |||||||||||
| Elena Roger | *Piaf* | Édith Piaf | |||||||||||
| Sofia Escobar | West Side Story | Maria | |||||||||||
| Kathryn Evans | Sunset Boulevard | Norma Desmond | |||||||||||
| Ruthie Henshall | Marguerite | Marguerite | |||||||||||
| Emma Williams | Zorro | Luisa |
2010s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samantha Spiro | *Hello, Dolly!* | Dolly Levi | |||||||||||
| Melanie C | Blood Brothers | Mrs. Johnstone | |||||||||||
| Patina Miller | Sister Act | Deloris Van Cartier | |||||||||||
| Hannah Waddingham | A Little Night Music | Desirée Armfeldt | |||||||||||
| Charlotte Wakefield | Spring Awakening | Wendla | |||||||||||
| Sheridan Smith | *Legally Blonde* | Elle Woods | |||||||||||
| Sierra Boggess | Love Never Dies | Christine Daaé | |||||||||||
| Elena Roger | Passion | Fosca | |||||||||||
| Emma Williams | Love Story | Jenny | |||||||||||
| Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely, Eleanor Worthington Cox | *Matilda* | Matilda Wormwood | |||||||||||
| Kate Fleetwood | London Road | Julie | |||||||||||
| Sarah Lancashire | Betty Blue Eyes | Joyce Chilvers | |||||||||||
| Scarlett Strallen | Singin' in the Rain | Kathy Seldon | |||||||||||
| Imelda Staunton | *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* | Mrs. Lovett | |||||||||||
| Heather Headley | The Bodyguard | Rachel Marron | |||||||||||
| Summer Strallen | Top Hat | Dale Tremont | |||||||||||
| Hannah Waddingham | Kiss Me, Kate | Lilli Vanessi / Katharine | |||||||||||
| Zrinka Cvitešić | *Once* | Girl | |||||||||||
| Rosalie Craig | The Light Princess | The Light Princess | |||||||||||
| Jenna Russell | Merrily We Roll Along | Mary Flynn | |||||||||||
| Charlotte Wakefield | The Sound of Music | Maria von Trapp | |||||||||||
| Katie Brayben | *Beautiful* | Carole King | |||||||||||
| Gemma Arterton | Made in Dagenham | Rita O'Grady | |||||||||||
| Tamsin Greig | Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown | Pepa Marcos | |||||||||||
| Beverley Knight | Memphis | Felicia Farrell | |||||||||||
| Imelda Staunton | *Gypsy* | Mama Rose | |||||||||||
| Tracie Bennett | Mrs Henderson Presents | Laura Henderson | |||||||||||
| Natalie Dew | Bend It Like Beckham | Jess Bhamra | |||||||||||
| Laura Pitt-Pulford | Seven Brides for Seven Brothers | Milly | |||||||||||
| Sophie Thompson | Guys and Dolls | Miss Adelaide | |||||||||||
| Amber Riley | *Dreamgirls* | Effie White | |||||||||||
| Glenn Close | Sunset Boulevard | Norma Desmond | |||||||||||
| Debbie Chazen, Sophie-Louise Dann, Michele Dotrice, Claire Machin, Claire Moore and Joanna Riding | The Girls | The Girls | |||||||||||
| Sheridan Smith | Funny Girl | Fanny Brice | |||||||||||
| Shirley Henderson | **Girl from the North Country** | Elizabeth Lane | |||||||||||
| Janie Dee | Follies | Phyllis Rogers Stone | |||||||||||
| Imelda Staunton | Sally Durant Plummer | ||||||||||||
| Josie Walker | Everybody's Talking About Jamie | Margaret New | |||||||||||
| Sharon D. Clarke | *Caroline, or Change* | Caroline Thibodeaux | |||||||||||
| Rosalie Craig | Company | Bobbie | |||||||||||
| Kelli O'Hara | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | |||||||||||
| Adrienne Warren | Tina | Tina Turner |
2020s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miriam-Teak Lee | *& Juliet* | Juliet Capulet | |||||||
| Audrey Brisson | Amélie | Amélie Poulain | |||||||
| Judy Kuhn | Fiddler on the Roof | Golde | |||||||
| Zizi Strallen | Mary Poppins | Mary Poppins | |||||||
| Not presented due to extended closing of theatre productions during COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||
| Jessie Buckley | *Cabaret* | Sally Bowles | |||||||
| Sutton Foster | Anything Goes | Reno Sweeney | |||||||
| Beverley Knight | The Drifters Girl | Faye Treadwell | |||||||
| Stephanie McKeon | Frozen | Anna | |||||||
| Katie Brayben | *Tammy Faye* | Tammy Faye Messner | |||||||
| Anoushka Lucas | Oklahoma! | Laurey Williams | |||||||
| Miri Mesika | The Band's Visit | Dina | |||||||
| Faith Omole | Standing at the Sky's Edge | Joy | |||||||
| Nicole Scherzinger | *Sunset Boulevard* | Norma Desmond | |||||||
| Natasha Hodgson | Operation Mincemeat | Ewen Montagu & Others | |||||||
| Caissie Levy | Next to Normal | Diana Goodman | |||||||
| Marisha Wallace | Guys and Dolls | Miss Adelaide | |||||||
| Imelda Staunton | *Hello, Dolly!* | Dolly Gallagher Levi | |||||||
| Chumisa Dornford-May | Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | Natasha Rostova | |||||||
| Lauren Drew | Titanique | Celine Dion | |||||||
| Clare Foster | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | Elowen Keene | |||||||
| Lara Pulver | Fiddler on the Roof | Golde |
Multiple awards and nominations for Best Actress in a Musical
Awards
;Four awards
- Imelda Staunton
;Two awards
- Barbara Dickson
- Maria Friedman
- Julia McKenzie
- Joanna Riding
- Samantha Spiro
- Katie Brayben
Nominations
;Seven nominations
- Imelda Staunton
;Six nominations
- Maria Friedman
;Five nominations
- Ruthie Henshall
- Julia McKenzie
- Joanna Riding
;Four nominations
- Elaine Paige
;Three nominations
- Elena Roger
- Jenna Russell
- Sheridan Smith
- Hannah Waddingham
;Two nominations
- Katie Brayben
- Rosalie Craig
- Janie Dee
- Barbara Dickson
- Haydn Gwynne
- Patricia Hodge
- Nicola Hughes
- Beverley Knight
- Judy Kuhn
- Maureen Lipman
- Patti LuPone
- Siân Phillips
- Samantha Spiro
- Summer Strallen
- Sophie Thompson
- Charlotte Wakefield
- Josie Walker
- Emma Williams
Multiple awards and nominations for a character
Awards
;2 awards
- Dolly Levi from Hello, Dolly!
- Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady
- Miss Adelaide from Guys and Dolls
- Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- The Baker's Wife from Into the Woods
Nominations
;6 nominations
- Miss Adelaide from Guys and Dolls
- Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard
;3 nominations
- Dolly Levi from Hello, Dolly!
- Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady
- Lilli Vanessi / Katharine from Kiss Me, Kate
- Mrs. Johnstone from Blood Brothers
- Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
;2 nominations
- Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors
- Caroline Thibodeaux from Caroline, or Change
- Desirée Armfeldt from A Little Night Music
- Dot / Marie from Sunday in the Park with George
- Édith Piaf from Piaf
- Eva Perón from Evita
- Fosca from Passion
- Laurey Williams from Oklahoma!
- Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music
- Mary Flynn from Merrily We Roll Along
- Mary Poppins from Mary Poppins
- Reno Sweeney from Anything Goes
- Roxie Hart from Chicago
- Sally Durant Plummer from Follies
- Sarah Brown from Guys and Dolls
- The Baker's Wife from Into the Woods
- Velma Kelly from Chicago
References
References
- Johnson, The Rt Hon Boris, MP. (2020-03-23). "Prime Minister's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 23 March 2020 [transcript]".
- McPhee, Ryan. (2021-06-14). "U.K. Postpones Reopening Roadmap; West End Theatres Will No Longer Reopen in Full in June". [[Playbill]].
- Thomas, Sophie. (2022-03-08). "Everything you need to know about the Olivier Awards". londontheatre.co.uk.
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