Billy Elliot and Guys and Dolls Revival Top List of 2006 Olivier Award Nominations

Billy Elliot–The Musical topped the list of 2006 Olivier Awards nominations with nine nods. Following close behind was the revival of Guys and Dolls with eight nominations. Both shows are rumored for a Broadway berth next season.

In an unusual situation, all three boys James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower that rotated in the title role in Billy Elliot when the show opened were nominated together for Best Actor in a Musical. Broadway faced a similar situation a few seasons back with the three rotating lead couples in La Bohème, but instead of choosing the actors individually or nominating the actors in groups, the Tony Administration Committee gave the show's entire principal ensemble Special Tony Awards. For the Oliviers, the Billy boys will be up against Guys and Dolls stars Douglas Hodge and Ewan McGregor.

All four leads of Guys and Dolls received nominations, with Jane Krakowski and Jenna Russell competing in the Best Actress in a Musical category. They will be up against Haydn Gwynne for Billy Elliot and Julie Walters for Acorn Antiques–The Musical. As an interesting note, Gwynne is nominated for playing Mrs. Wilkinson in Billy Elliot–the same role Walters played in the film of that name.

Brian Dennehy, who won a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway mounting of Death of a Salesman, is up for an Olivier for the same show. He faces competition from last year's winner, Richard Griffiths, who is nominated for his work in Heroes, and Don Carolos' Derek Jacobi, Telstar's Con O'Neill and Someone Who'll Watch Over Me's David Threlfall.

The Olivier Awards will be handed out on February 26 at the Hilton, Park Lane. A complete list of the 2006 Olivier Award nominees follows:

Best New Play
– Coram Boy adapted by Helen Edmundson from a novel by Jamila Gavin at the Olivier
– Harvest by Richard Bean at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
– On the Shore of the Wide World by Simon Stephens at the Cottesloe
– Paul by Howard Brenton at the Cottesloe

Best New Comedy
– Glorious! by Peter Quilter at the Duchess
– Heroes by Gérald Sibleyras translated by Tom Stoppard at Wyndham's
– Shoot the Crow by Owen McCafferty at Trafalgar Studio 1

Best Revival
– Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller at the Lyric
– Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller in a new adaptation by Mike Poulton at the Gielgud
– Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Richard Eyre at the Almeida and Duke of York's
– Mary Stuart by Friedrich Schiller in a new version by Peter Oswald at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo

Best New Musical
– Acorn Antiques–The Musical!; Book, music and lyrics by Victoria Wood at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
– The Big Life; Written by Paul Sirett, music by Paul Joseph at the Apollo
– Billy Elliot–The Musical; Book and lyrics by Lee Hall, music by Elton John at the Victoria Palace

Outstanding Musical Production
– Guys and Dolls; Based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows at the Piccadilly
– HMS Pinafore; A new version by Herbert Appleman, music by Arthur Sullivan. Original libretto by W. S. Gilbert at the Open Air

Best Entertainment
– Blue Man Group at the New London
– Ducktastic at the Albery
– Something Wicked This Way Comes at the Cambridge

Best Actress
– Eve Best, Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's
– Clare Higgins, Death of a Salesman at the Lyric
– Helen McCrory, As You Like It at Wyndham's
– Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
– Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo

Best Actor
– Brian Dennehy, Death of a Salesman at the Lyric
– Richard Griffiths, Heroes at Wyndham's
– Derek Jacobi, Don Carolos at the Gielgud
– Con O'Neill, Telstar at the New Ambassadors
– David Threlfall, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me at the New Ambassadors

Best Performance in a Supporting Role
– David Bradley, Henry IV Parts I & II at the Olivier
– Benedict Cumberbatch, Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's
– Noma Dumezweni, A Raisin in the Sun at the Lyric Hammersmith
– Anne Reid, Epitath for George Dillon at the Comedy
– Paul Ritter, Coram Boy at the Olivier

Best Actress in a Musical
– Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace
– Jane Krakowski, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
– Jenna Russell, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
– Julie Walters, Acorn Antiques–The Musical! at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket

Best Actor in a Musical
– Douglas Hodge, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
– Ewan McGregor, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
– James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
– Tameka Empson, The Big Life at the Apollo
– Tim Healy, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace
– Celia Imrie, Acorn Antiques–The Musical! at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
– Scarlett Strallen, HMS Pinafore at the Open Air

Best Director
– Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace
– Richard Eyre, Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's
– Michael Grandage, Don Carlos at the Gielgud
– Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
– Melly Still, Coram Boy at the Olivier

Best Theatre Choreographer
– Rob Ashford, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly
– Peter Darling, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace

Best Lighting Design
– Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace
– Paule Constable, Don Carlos at the Gielgud
– Hugh Vanstone, Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo
– Howard Harrison, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly

Best Set Design
– Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace
– Christopher Oram, Don Carlos at the Gielgud
– Rob Howell, Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's

Best Costume Design
– Es Devlin, The Dog in the Manger at the Playhouse
– Christopher Oram, Don Carlos at the Gielgud
– Rob Howell, Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York's
– Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse and Apollo

Best Costume Design
– Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot–The Musical at the Victoria Palace
– Christopher Shutt, Coram Boy at the Olivier
– Terry Jardine & Chris Full, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
– Bloody Sunday–Scenes from the Saville Inquiry at the Tricycle
– Comfort Me With Applues at Hampstead
– My Name is Rachel Corrie at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
– Laura Wade for Breathing Corpses at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court and Colder than Here at Soho

Best New Dance Production
– Rambert Dance Company's Constant Speed at Sadler's Wells
– Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre's Giselle at the Barbican
– Sylvie Guillem and Russell Maliphant's Push at Sadler's Wells
– Akram Khan/Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui/Antony Gormley/Nitin Sawhney's Zero Degrees at Sadler's Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance
– Ballet Nacional de Cuba's corps de ballet for their season at Sadler's Wells
– Pina Bausch for the creation of Nelken and Palermo Palermo at Sadler's Wells
– Johan Kobborg for his performance in the Royal Ballet's The Lesson and his production of La Sylphide at the Royal Opera House
– Russell Maliphant for his choreography and performance in Push at Sadler's Wells

Best New Opera Production
– English National Opera's Billy Budd at the London Coliseum
– English National Opera's La Clemenza Di Tito at the London Coliseum
– English National Opera's Madam Butterfly at the London Coliseum
– English National Opera's On the Town at the London Coliseum

Outstanding Achievement in Opera
– Sarah Connolly for her performance in English National Opera's La Clemenza Di Tito at the London Coliseum
– Simon Keenlyside for his performances in the Royal Opera's 1984 at the Royal Opera House and English National Opera's Billy Budd at the London Coliseum
– David McVicar for his direction of English National Opera's La Clemenza Di Tito at the London Coliseum
– Anthony Minghella and Carolyn Choa for the direction and choreography of English National Opera's Madam Butterfly at the London Coliseum