The 2020 Olivier nominations are here and among the star-studded line up of musicals, operas, and dramas is Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner , a new play by young black playwright Jasmine Lee-Jones.
Seven Methods, which debuted at Royal Court Theatre in London in 2019, is the first play by Londoner Lee-Jones and has been nominated in the Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre, proving there’s some serious black girl magic happening this year among the Olivier nominations. The play centres on cultural appropriation, misogynoir, online culture, and queerness.
Last year Lee-Jones won the Best Writer and Stage Debut Award . Speaking to Vogue in July 2019, Lee- Jones said she was inspired to write the play because “there aren't that many contemporary theatre representations of black women that aren’t revivals of work from the 1990s.” She added, "even though I wrote the play, I feel like it's been written by all the young black women in my life."
Lee-Jones is one of a number of black creatives and actors being recognised this year for an Olivier award. Sharon D Clarke was nominated for Best Actress for her role as Linda in Death of Salesman at the Young Vic (she also stars in Blues in the Night, nominated for Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre). From the same cast, Arinze Arinzé is nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Wendell Pierce for Best Actor. And Death of Salesman 's Miranda Cromwell, who identifies as mixed-race , is nominated for Best Director alongside her co-director Marianne Elliott. Mariam-Teak Lee picked up a nomination for best actress in a musical for her performance in & Juliet (which has a total of nine nominations). And Ballet Black at Royal Opera received a nomination for Our Lady of Kibeho.
Winners will be announced on April 5 at the Royal Albert Hall. See below for the full list of nominations.
Best Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical David Bedella for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre Stewart Clarke for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre Jack Loxton for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre Rupert Young for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre
Best Actress In A Supporting Role In A Musical Lucy Anderson for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre Petula Clark for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre Cassidy Janson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre Lauren Ward for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre
Best Original Score Or New Orchestrations & Juliet - New Orchestrations by Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro at Shaftesbury TheatreAmélie The Musical - Musical Supervisor and Arrangements by Barnaby Race at The Other PalaceDear Evan Hansen - Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Orchestration by Alex Lacamoire at Noël Coward TheatreFiddler On The Roof – New Orchestrations by Jason Carr at Playhouse TheatreWaitress - Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles at Adelphi Theatre
Best New Dance Production La Fiest a by Israel Galván at Sadler’s WellsIngoma by Mthuthuzeli November for Ballet Black at Royal Opera House - Linbury TheatreMÁM by Michael Keegan-Dolan for Teaċ Daṁsa at Sadler’s WellsVessel by Damien Jalet & Kohei Nawa at Sadler’s Wells
Outstanding Achievement In Dance Sara Baras for her choreography and performance in Ballet Flamenco – Sombras at Sadler’s Wells Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for her performance in Mitten Wir Im Leben Sind/Bach6Cellosuiten at Sadler’s Wells Gisèle Vienne for her choreography of Crowd , presented by Dance Umbrella at Sadler’s Wells
Best Entertainment Or Comedy Play Emilia at Vaudeville TheatreFleabag at Wyndham’s TheatreMagic Goes Wrong at Vaudeville TheatreThe Upstart Crow at Gielgud Theatre
Best Theatre Choreographer Fabian Aloise for Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre Jerome Robbins and Matt Cole for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre Jennifer Weber for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre
Best Musical Revival Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air TheatreFiddler On The Roof at Playhouse TheatreJoseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London PalladiumMary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
Best Actor In A Musical Andy Nyman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre Charlie Stemp for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre Jac Yarrow for Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium
Best Actress In A Musical Audrey Brisson for Amélie The Musical at The Other Palace Judy Kuhn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre Zizi Strallen for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
Best Revival Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse TheatreDeath Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly TheatrePresent Laughter at The Old VicRosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre
Best Family Show Mr Gum And The Dancing Bear - The Musical! at National Theatre - DorfmanOi Frog & Friends! at Lyric TheatreTo The Moon And Back at Barbican TheatreThe Worst Witch at Vaudeville Theatre
Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre Baby Reindeer at Bush TheatreBlues In The Night at Kiln TheatreOur Lady Of Kibeho at Theatre Royal Stratford EastSeven Methods Of Killing Kylie Jenner at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court TheatreWarheads at Park Theatre
Best Lighting Design Neil Austin for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre Paule Constable for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman Howard Hudson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre Bruno Poet for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre
Best Sound Design Gregory Clarke for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre Emma Laxton for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre Ben and Max Ringham for ANNA at National Theatre - Dorfman Ben and Max Ringham for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre
Best Costume Design Hugh Durrant for Goldilocks And The Three Bears at The London Palladium Jonathan Lipman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre Joanna Scotcher for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre Paloma Young for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre
Best Set Design Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre Soutra Gilmour for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre Rae Smith for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre Rae Smith for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre
Best Actor In A Supporting Role Arinzé Kene for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic Colin Morgan for All My Sons at The Old Vic Adrian Scarborough for Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre Reece Shearsmith for A Very Expensive Poison at The Old Vic
Best Actress In A Supporting Role Michele Austin for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre Sophie Thompson for Present Laughter at The Old Vic Indira Varma for Present Laughter at The Old Vic Josie Walker for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre - Dorfman
Best New Opera Production Berenice at Royal Opera House - Linbury TheatreBilly Budd at Royal Opera HouseHansel & Gretel at Regent’s Park Open Air TheatreNoye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East
Outstanding Achievement In Opera Jette Parker Young Artists for their performances in Berenice, Death In Venice and Phaedra at Royal Opera House The Children’s Ensemble for their performance in Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East Martyn Brabbins and James Henshaw for their conducting of The Mask Of Orpheus for English National Opera at London Coliseum
Best Actor Toby Jones for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre James McAvoy for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre Wendell Pierce for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre Andrew Scott for Present Laughter at The Old Vic
Best Actress Hayley Atwell for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre Sharon D. Clarke for Death Of A Salesman at Piccadilly Theatre Juliet Stevenson for The Doctor at Almeida Theatre Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre
Best Director Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre Jamie Lloyd for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre Trevor Nunn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre Ian Rickson for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre
Best New Play A Very Expensive Poison at The Old VicThe Doctor at Almeida TheatreLeopoldstadt at Wyndham’s TheatreThe Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman
Best New Musical & Juliet at Shaftesbury TheatreAmélie The Musical at The Other PalaceDear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward TheatreWaitress at Adelphi TheatreGet The Very Best Of Bustle/UK
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