The Laurence Olivier Awards 2011 will be celebrated on BBC television and radio this year, as Theatreland’s most prestigious prize teams up with MasterCard for a revitalised ceremony.
On Sunday 13 March the cream of London theatre will gather at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to hear the winners of the Laurence Olivier Awards announced live in a star-studded ceremony featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra.
In a new broadcast partnership with the BBC, red carpet arrivals will be televised live on BBC News, with a results and reaction programme after the ceremony presented by Jane Hill and arts editor Will Gompertz. In between, for the very first time, live coverage of the whole event will be available to viewers on the Red Button.
In addition, the event’s radio partners BBC Radio 2 will broadcast direct from Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 17:30 to 21:30 in a special programme hosted by Olivier winner and Radio 2 presenter Michael Ball. The show will include live coverage of the ceremony as it happens, including all performances from the stage and red carpet interviews from Jodie Prenger.
The Laurence Olivier Awards have been celebrating the best of London’s theatre since 1976. This year’s relaunched event sees Olivier Awards organiser the Society of London Theatre enter a strategic three-year partnership with MasterCard which will provide investment in the development of the global profile of the Laurence Olivier Awards and underline the capital’s status as a world centre for theatre.
Julian Bird, Chief Executive of the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), which produces the Olivier Awards, said: “On behalf of London’s great theatres, we are proud to announce this major new partnership with MasterCard today. There has never been a more important time to work together in promoting London’s status as a world-class centre for theatre, our greatest creative industry. We are absolutely delighted that the BBC is joining us at this important time to bring the excitement and glamour of the Olivier Awards to millions of viewers and listeners across the country.”
Rita Broe, European Head of Marketing at MasterCard Worldwide, said: “We are very pleased to announce our partnership with SOLT for the Laurence Olivier Awards. We know that our cardholders in London and throughout the world find the arts and theatre experience to be Priceless, and we are glad to support SOLT who honour and encourage excellence in this area.”
The nominations for the 2011 Laurence Olivier Awards are announced today and include the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award, in which members of the public can vote for their favourite long-running show from a shortlist of 18 shows. Last year won by Wicked, the winner of this year’s award will be announced at the ceremony on 13 March by Radio 2 presenter and star of stage and screen Elaine Paige.
Join www.olivierawards.com on Sunday 13 March for exclusive photographs from the red carpet and ceremony, news stories and video footage. Plus, join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
CB