Regent’s Park Open Air theatre is celebrating its third Best Musical Revival Olivier Award in as many years, taking home the 2012 accolade for Crazy For You.
The 1993 Olivier Award-winning musical was revived at the alfresco venue last summer with Sean Palmer and Clare Foster starring as unlikely lovers Bobby Child, a well-to-do 1930s banker with theatrical ambitions sent to Nevada on unpleasant business, and local tomboy Polly Baker.
Timothy Sheader’s critically acclaimed hit transferred into the West End later in the year for a six month run allowing more theatregoers to enjoy George and Ira Gershwin’s memorable score, which includes iconic show tunes I Got Rhythm and Someone To Watch Over Me, Ken Ludwig’s witty book, Stephen Mear’s acclaimed choreography and Peter McKintosh’s colourful design.
Nominated in three categories in tonight’s ceremony, the Regent’s Park Open Air’s classic production was described by Official London Theatre as “fabulous escapism of the highest order” and received five stars from the Evening Standard which fittingly concluded its review “who could ask for anything more?”.
The award hattrick follows the venue’s Olivier Award success in the same category with last year’s Into The Woods and 2010’s Hello, Dolly!.
Sheader described the achievement as “Quite unbelievable but amazing. It feels slightly greedy!” Adding: “I don’t think we can even look at the nominations list next year; we’ve had our turn that’s it.”