(EMAILWIRE.COM, April 19, 2012 ) London, UK -- After the success of last year’s glittering ceremony, this year’s Olivier Awards with MasterCard, which are being held on Sunday April 15, will be the most extravagant and ambitious ever staged since the awards began in 1976.
The evening is organised by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), and the illustrious setting for the ceremony is the Royal Opera House, where a host of theatrical royalty - actors, agents, producers and an invited audience of VIP guests - will be in attendance.
But the theatre-loving public has not been forgotten, as a free event to celebrate the Olivier Awards 2012, presented by Sweeney Todd stars Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, will take place at London’s Covent Garden with a live stream of the ceremony being screened.
On the other side of the Atlantic, actors and theatre fans will have the chance to enjoy the event via a live link-up to New York, giving the extravaganza a truly international feel.
The timeline for the Olivier Awards with MasterCard has been meticulously planned, with the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award Shortlist nominations being announced on Elaine Paige’s radio show on March 11.
On March 15, the full list of nominees for all the other awards will be announced at London’s Mayfair Hotel at noon, and fans will have the chance to watch the event live online on the Olivier Awards website.
Anyone who can’t make it to Covent Garden on April 15 can also follow the glamorous ceremony via BBC Radio 2, on the BBC Red Button and online, so no one need miss out.
This year’s Olivier Awards with MasterCard promises to be spectacular, with gongs being given in every category for shows that have captivated audiences throughout 2011, ranging from rip-roaring comedies to fabulous musicals to heart-stopping dramas.
So dig out the finest evening wear, put the champagne on ice and prepare for the most glittering night in the theatre capital of the world.
About the Oliver Awards:
British theatre’s most sought-after awards have been a mark of theatrical greatness since they were inaugurated in 1976 as the Society of West End Theatre Awards. The society is now known as the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and its glittering awards are now the Laurence Olivier Awards in honour of the theatrical legend.
