The Producers and The History Boys Win Big at 2005 Oliviers

The 2005 Laurence Olivier Awards, honoring the best in West End theater, dance and opera, were given out at the London Hilton on Park Lane February 20.

Of the musicals, The Producers came out on top, beating out Mary Poppins and The Woman in White for the Best New Musical trophy. Of its nominated performers, Nathan Lane won an Olivier to go with the Tony Award that he won for portraying Max Bialystock in the Broadway production in 2002 and Conleth Hill triumphed in the featured category for playing Roger De Bris. The other big musicals of the West End season did not come up empty handed, however. Laura Michelle Kelly seen on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof won the Best Actress in a Musical prize for creating the title role in Mary Poppins which also took a choreography prize and Mick Potter was honored for his sound design for The Woman in White.

Alan Benett's The History Boys, set in a boy's boarding school, took home the prize for Best New Play. In addition, Olivier voters honored director Nicholas Hytner and leading man Richard Griffiths. Clare Higgins won in the category of Best Actress for her work in Hecuba at the Donmar Warehouse.

Here's a complete list of this year's winners:

BEST NEW PLAY
The History Boys by Alan Bennett at the Lyttelton

BEST NEW MUSICAL
The Producers—Book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan; music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and by special arrangement with StudioCanal at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

BEST REVIVAL
Hamlet by William Shakespeare at The Old Vic

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL PRODUCTION
Grand Hotel—Book by Luther Davis, music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest; additional music and lyrics by Maury Yeston; based on Vicki Baum's Grand Hotel at the Donmar Warehouse

BEST ACTOR
Richard Griffiths for The History Boys at the Lyttelton

BEST ACTRESS
Clare Higgins for Hecuba at the Donmar Warehouse

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amanda Harris for Othello at Trafalgar Studios

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Nathan Lane for The Producers at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Michelle Kelly for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Conleth Hill for The Producers at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

BEST DIRECTOR
Nicholas Hytner for The History Boys at the Lyttelton

BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward

BEST SET DESIGN
His Dark Materials designed by Giles Cadle at the Olivier

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
All's Well That Ends Well designed by Deirdre Clancey at the Gielgud

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
His Dark Materials designed by Paule Constable at the Olivier

BEST SOUND DESIGN
The Woman in White designed by Mick Potter at the Palace

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT OR PERFORMANCE IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE
Andrew Scott for his performance in A Girl in a Car with a Man at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court

BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
The Royal Opera's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at the Royal Opera House

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
Thomas Adès and the Royal Opera House for the world premiere of The Tempest

BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
Rambert Dance Company's Swamp at Sadler's Wells

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
San Francisco Ballet for their season at Sadler's Wells