A major new exhibition inspired by the 40th anniversary of the Olivier Awards with MasterCard in 2016 will open at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum next February before travelling to New York later that year.
The hugely exciting collaboration between Society of London Theatre – the arts organisation behind both Official London Theatre and the Olivier Awards – the V&A and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will celebrate the staggering creative theatrical talent on both sides of the Atlantic, and the unique relationship between Broadway and the West End.
Provisionally titled Curtain Up!, the exhibit will see the much acclaimed Tom Piper follow his incredible success with last year’s seminal installation Blood Swept Land And Seas Of Red to design the exhibition alongside RFK Architects.
While Piper will forever be etched in the public’s memory for his poignant World War I tribute, in which 888,246 ceramic poppies floated the moat at the Tower of London, he has earned his theatrical stripes as an Associate Designer for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Curtain Up! will draw on the incredible resources of its organisers and venues to present a never been seen before theatrical collection to highlight how the multi-million pound sector has developed and flourished in the past 40 years both in London and New York.
The exhibition will showcase numerous past Olivier Award winners’ work across all aspects of performance and design, as well as strive to inspire the next generation of theatremakers with a multi-strand educational programme to be presented alongside the exhibit.
One of the most celebrated stage performers of our time, Olivier Award-winning actor Dame Helen Mirren, today commented on her excitement ahead of the historic event, saying: “Having been fortunate to work on both West End and Broadway stages, I am delighted that the exhibition Curtain Up!, marking 40 years since the Olivier Awards were inaugurated, honours the shared artistic heritage which binds London and New York and showcases the alchemy of creative talent necessary to bring great productions to the stage on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The news will be announced in New York today by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson as part of visit to the US to promote the capital and strengthen cultural and business links between the countries.
Describing theatre as “an essential part of the fantastic mix of culture and creativity that makes London and New York such exciting and dynamic places to live, work and visit”, he explained: “This exciting new exhibition will celebrate the unique creative relationship that has blossomed between our great cities, with talented people on the stage and behind the scenes moving back and forth across the Atlantic to bring pleasure and insight to theatregoers in their millions.”
Curtain Up! will open at the V&A Museum in February 2016 and follow in the footsteps of numerous West End hits to travel over to New York in autumn 2016.