The nominees for the 2026 Oliver Awards have been announced and a lovable bear from Peru and a musical revival have tied for the most nominations with eleven.
“Into the Woods” and “Paddington The Musical” are joined by “All My Sons”, “Kenrex”, “Stereophonic”, “Evita”, “The Producers”, “Punch”, “Here We Are”, “The Great Gatsby”, and “The Seagull” for multiple nominations.
Nick Mohammed will host the awards gala for the Olivier Awards (London’s version of the Tonys) on April 12.
Bringing “Paddington” to the stage required some innovative stage craft, a diminutive performer, and some cutting-edge animatronic puppetry.
Shows and performers frequently cross the pond to appear on both the West End in London and Broadway in New York City. So, it is no surprise that a number of the artists and productions being nominated for this year’s Oliver Awards are veterans of both stages.
The 2026 Olivier Awards nominees:
Best New Musical:
“Here We Are”
“Paddington The Musical”
“Shucked”
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”
Best Musical Revival:
“American Psycho”
“Evita”
“Into the Woods”
“The Producers”
Best New Play:
“1536”
“Inter Alia”
“Kenex”
“Punch”
Best Revival of a Play:
“All My Sons”
“Arcadia”
“Much Ado About Nothing”
“The Seagull”
Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play:
“The Comedy About Spies”
“Every Brilliant Thing”
“Oh, Mary!”
“Paranormal Activity”
Best Actress in a Play:
Cate Blanchett in “The Seagull”
Marianne Jean-Baptiste in “All My Sons”
Julia McDermott in “Weather Girl”
Rosamund Pike in “Inter Alia”
Rosie Sheehy in “Guess How Much I Love You?”
Best Actor in Play:
Bryan Cranston in “All My Sons”
Sean Hayes in “Good Night, Oscar”
Tom Hiddleston in “Much Ado About Nothing”
Jack Holden in “Kenrex”
David Shields in “Punch”
Best Actor in a Musical:
Marc Antolin in “The Producers”
James Hameed & Arti Shah in “Paddington The Musical”
Andy Nyman in “The Producers”
Jamie Parker in “Into the Woods”
Diego Andres Rodriguez in “Evita”
Best Actress in a Musical:
Katie Brayben in “Into the Woods”
Danielle Fiamanya & Georgina Onuorah in “Brigadoon”
Jane Krakowski in “Here We Are”
Jenna Russell in “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”
Rachel Zegler in “Evita”
Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
Isis Hainsworth in “Arcadia”
Julie Hesmondhalgh in “Punch”
Lucy Karczewski in “Stereophonic”
Hayley Squires in “All My Sons”
Sophie Thompson in “When We Are Married”
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Hammed Animashaun in “Dealer’s Choice”
Paapa Essiedu in “All My Sons”
Zachary Hart in “The Seagull”
Zachary Hart in “Stereophonic”
Giles Terera in “Oh, Mary!”
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical:
Trevor Ashley in “The Producers”
Corbin Bleu in “The Great Gatsby – A New Musical”
Tom Edden in “Paddington The Musical”
Jo Foster in “Into the Woods”
Oliver Savile in “Into the Woods”
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical:
Tracie Bennett in “Here We Are”
Amy Booth-Steel in “Paddington The Musical”
Kate Fleetwood in “Into the Woods”
Victoria Hamilton-Barrit in, “Paddington The Musical”
Georgina Onuorah in “Shucked”
Best Director:
Jordan Fein for “Into the Woods”
Luke Sheppard for “Paddington The Musical”
Ed Stambollouian for “Kenrex”
Lyndsey Turner for “1536”
Ivo van Hove for “All My Sons”
Best Theatre Choreographer:
Fabian Aloise for “Evita”
Ellen Kane for “Paddington The Musical”
Drew McOnie for “Brigadoon”
Lynne Page for “American Psycho”
Best Costume Design:
Enver Chakartash for “Stereophonic”
Linda Cho for “The Great Gatsby – A New Musical”
Tom Scutt for “Into the Woods”
Gabriella Slade (Costume Design) and Tahra Zafar (Paddington Design) for “Paddington The Musical”
Best Set Design:
Paul Tate dePoo III (Scenic & Projection Design) for “The Great Gatsby – A New Musical”
Tom Pye (Set Design) and Ash J Woodward (Video Design) for “Paddington The Musical”
Tom Scutt for “Into the Woods”
David Zinn for “Stereophonic”
Best Lighting Design:
Robbie Butler for “Punch”
Jon Clark for “Evita”
Aideen Malone (Lighting Design) & Roland Horvath (Video Design) for “Into the Woods”
Joshua Pharo for “Kenrex”
Best Sound Design:
Adam Fisher for “Into the Woods”
Gareth Owen for “Paddington The Musical”
Ryan Rumery for “Stereophonic”
Giles Thomas for “Kenrex”
Outstanding Musical Contribution:
Matt Brind (Orchestrations and Arrangements) for “Paddington The Musical:
Will Butler (Original Songs and Orchestrations) & Justin Craig (Orchestrations) for “Stereophonic”
John Patrick Elliott (Composition) for “Kenrex”
Chris Fenwick (Musical Supervision and Arrangements) & Sean Hayes (Live Piano Performance) for “Good Night, Oscar”
Best Family Show:
“The Boy at the Back of the Class” adapted by Nick Ahad
“The Boy With Wings” adapted by Arvind Ethan David
“The Firework-Maker’s Daughter” adapted by Jude Christian
“The Three Little Pigs”
Best New Production in Affiliate Theatre:
“Ben and Imo” by Mark Ravenhill
“The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams
“The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs” by Iman Qureshi
“Miss Myrtle’s Garden” by Danny James King
“The Shitheads” by Jack Nicholls
Best New Dance Production:
“Into the Hairy” by Sharon Eyal for S-E-D
“Mimi’s Shebeen” by Alesandra Seutin & KVS
“Random Taranto” by María del Mar Suárez (La Chachi) as part of Dance Umbrella: Change Tempo
“She’s Auspicious” by Mythili Prakash
Best New Opera Production:
“Dead Man Walking” by the English National Opera
“The Makropulos Case” by The Royal Opera
“Tosca” by The Royal Opera
“Die Walküre” by The Royal Opera