The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of the "world-class status of London theatre." The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor and director Laurence Olivier.
This award was introduced in 1979, along with the award for Best Actor in a Musical. In 1977 and 1978, there had been a commingled actor/actress award for Best Performance in a Musical, won both times by an actress.
Winners and nominees 1970s Year Actress Musical Character 1979 Virginia McKenna The King and I Anna Leonowens Carol Channing Hello, Dolly! Dolly Gallagher Levi Antonia Ellis Chicago Velma Kelly Liz Robertson My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle
1980s Year Actress Musical Character 1980 Gemma Craven They're Playing Our Song Sonia Walsk Sheila Hancock Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Mrs. Lovett Julia McKenzie On the Twentieth Century Lily Garland Siân Phillips Pal Joey Vera Simpson 1981 Carlin Glynn The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Mona Stangley Petula Clark The Sound of Music Maria von Trapp Patricia Hodge The Mitford Girls Nancy Mitford Sylvia Kuumba Williams One Mo' Time "Big Bertha" Williams 1982 Julia McKenzie Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide Val McLane Andy Capp Florrie Imelda Staunton The Beggar's Opera Lucy Lockit Marti Webb Song and Dance Emma 1983 Barbara Dickson Blood Brothers Mrs. Johnstone Ellen Greene Little Shop of Horrors Audrey Stephanie Lawrence Marilyn Marilyn Monroe Sarah Payne Singin' in the Rain Lina Lamont 1984 Natalia Makarova On Your Toes Vera Barnova Julia Hills The Hired Man Emily Clare Leach 42nd Street Peggy Sawyer Sheila White Little Me Belle 1985 Patti LuPone Les Misérables Fantine The Cradle Will Rock Moll Betsy Brantley Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide Carol Sloman Lennon Performer Elisabeth Welch Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood Performer 1986 Lesley Mackie Judy Judy Garland Maureen Lipman Wonderful Town Ruth Sherwood Elaine Paige Chess Florence Angela Richards Side by Side by Sondheim Herself 1987 Nichola McAuliffe Kiss Me, Kate Lilli Vanessi / Katharine Dee Dee Bridgewater Lady Day Billie Holiday Julia McKenzie Follies Sally Durant Plummer Carol Woods Blues in the Night Performer 1988 Patricia Routledge Candide Old Lady Kiki Dee Blood Brothers Mrs. Johnstone Ann Miller Sugar Babies Ann Imelda Staunton The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Gale 1989/90 Lea Salonga Miss Saigon Kim Patricia Hodge Noël and Gertie Gertie Judy Kuhn Metropolis Maria / Futura Elaine Paige Anything Goes Reno Sweeney
1990s Year Actress Musical Character 1991 Imelda Staunton Into the Woods The Baker's Wife Sally Burgess Show Boat Julie Maria Friedman Sunday in the Park with George Dot / Marie Julia McKenzie Into the Woods The Witch 1992 Wilhelmenia Fernandez Carmen Jones Carmen Sharon Benson Carmen Jones Carmen Linzi Hateley Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Narrator Miriam Margolyes Dickens' Women Various Characters 1993 Joanna Riding Carousel Julie Jordan Kim Criswell Annie Get Your Gun Annie Oakley Ruthie Henshall Crazy for You Polly Baker Kelly Hunter The Blue Angel Lola 1994 Julia McKenzie Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Mrs. Lovett Haydn Gwynne City of Angels Oolie / Donna Patti LuPone Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond Elaine Paige Piaf Édith Piaf 1995 Ruthie Henshall She Loves Me Amalia Betty Buckley Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond Sally Dexter Oliver! Nancy 1996 Judi Dench A Little Night Music Desirée Armfeldt Elizabeth Mansfield Marie Marie Lloyd Caroline O'Connor Mack & Mabel Mabel Elaine Paige Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond 1997 Maria Friedman Passion Fosca B.J. Crosby Smokey Joe's Café Performer Joanna Riding Guys and Dolls Sarah Brown Imelda Staunton Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide 1998 Ute Lemper Chicago Velma Kelly Maria Friedman Lady in the Dark Liza Elliott Ruthie Henshall Chicago Roxie Hart Siân Phillips Marlene Marlene Dietrich 1999 Sophie Thompson Into the Woods The Baker's Wife Krysten Cummings Rent Mimi Márquez Maria Friedman Chicago Roxie Hart Josefina Gabrielle Oklahoma! Laurey
2000s Year Actress Musical Character 2000 Barbara Dickson Spend Spend Spend Viv Nicholson Josette Bushell-Mingo The Lion King Rafiki Rachel Leskovac Spend Spend Spend Young Viv Nicholson Siobhan McCarthy Mamma Mia! Donna Sheridan 2001 Samantha Spiro Merrily We Roll Along Mary Flynn Nicola Hughes Fosse Performer Joanna Riding The Witches of Eastwick Jane Smart Josie Walker The Beautiful Game Mary 2002 Martine McCutcheon My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle Barbara Cook Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim Herself Ruthie Henshall Peggy Sue Got Married Peggy Sue Marin Mazzie Kiss Me, Kate Lilli Vanessi / Katharine 2003 Joanna Riding My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle Janie Dee My One and Only Edith Herbert Elaine Stritch Elaine Stritch at Liberty Herself Sarah Wildor Contact Wife 2004 Maria Friedman Ragtime Mother Amanda Holden Thoroughly Modern Millie Millie Dilmount Alison Jiear Jerry Springer Shawntel Maureen Lipman Thoroughly Modern Millie Mrs. Meers 2005 Laura Michelle Kelly Mary Poppins Mary Poppins Maria Friedman The Woman in White Marian Leigh Zimmerman The Producers Ulla 2006 Jane Krakowski Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide Haydn Gwynne Billy Elliot Mrs. Wilkinson Jenna Russell Guys and Dolls Sarah Brown Julie Walters Acorn Antiques Mrs. Overall 2007 Jenna Russell Sunday in the Park with George Dot / Marie Nicola Hughes Porgy and Bess Bess Tonya Pinkins Caroline, or Change Caroline Thibodeaux Elena Roger Evita Eva Perón Hannah Waddingham Spamalot Lady of the Lake 2008 Leanne Jones Hairspray Tracy Turnblad Lara Pulver Parade Lucille Frank Sheridan Smith Little Shop of Horrors Audrey Summer Strallen The Drowsy Chaperone Janet Van Der Graaf 2009 Elena Roger Piaf Édith Piaf Sofia Escobar West Side Story Maria Kathryn Evans Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond Ruthie Henshall Marguerite Marguerite Emma Williams Zorro Luisa
2010s Year Actress Musical Character 2010 Samantha Spiro Hello, Dolly! Dolly Levi Melanie C Blood Brothers Mrs. Johnstone Patina Miller Sister Act Deloris Van Cartier Hannah Waddingham A Little Night Music Desirée Armfeldt Charlotte Wakefield Spring Awakening Wendla 2011 Sheridan Smith Legally Blonde Elle Woods Sierra Boggess Love Never Dies Christine Daaé Elena Roger Passion Fosca Emma Williams Love Story Jenny 2012 Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely, Eleanor Worthington Cox Matilda Matilda Wormwood Kate Fleetwood London Road Julie Sarah Lancashire Betty Blue Eyes Joyce Chilvers Scarlett Strallen Singin' in the Rain Kathy Seldon 2013 Imelda Staunton Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Mrs. Lovett Heather Headley The Bodyguard Rachel Marron Summer Strallen Top Hat Dale Tremont Hannah Waddingham Kiss Me, Kate Lilli Vanessi / Katharine 2014 Zrinka Cvitešić Once Girl Rosalie Craig The Light Princess The Light Princess Jenna Russell Merrily We Roll Along Mary Flynn Charlotte Wakefield The Sound of Music Maria von Trapp 2015 Katie Brayben Beautiful Carole King Gemma Arterton Made in Dagenham Rita O'Grady Tamsin Greig Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Pepa Marcos Beverley Knight Memphis Felicia Farrell 2016 Imelda Staunton Gypsy Mama Rose Tracie Bennett Mrs Henderson Presents Laura Henderson Natalie Dew Bend It Like Beckham Jess Bhamra Laura Pitt-Pulford Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Milly Sophie Thompson Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide2017 Amber Riley Dreamgirls Effie White Glenn Close Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond Debbie Chazen, Sophie-Louise Dann, Michele Dotrice, Claire Machin, Claire Moore and Joanna Riding The Girls The Girls Sheridan Smith Funny Girl Fanny Brice2018Shirley HendersonGirl from the North CountryElizabeth LaneJanie DeeFolliesPhyllis Rogers StoneImelda StauntonSally Durant PlummerJosie WalkerEverybody's Talking About JamieMargaret New2019Sharon D. ClarkeCaroline, or ChangeCaroline ThibodeauxRosalie CraigCompanyBobbieKelli O'HaraThe King and IAnna LeonowensAdrienne WarrenTinaTina Turner
2020s Year Actress Musical Character2020Miriam-Teak Lee& JulietJuliet CapuletAudrey BrissonAmélieAmélie PoulainJudy KuhnFiddler on the RoofGoldeZizi StrallenMary PoppinsMary Poppins 2021 Not presented due to extended closing of theatre productions during COVID-19 pandemic2022Jessie BuckleyCabaretSally BowlesSutton FosterAnything GoesReno SweeneyBeverley KnightThe Drifters GirlFaye TreadwellStephanie McKeonFrozenAnna2023Katie BraybenTammy FayeTammy Faye Messner Anoushka Lucas Oklahoma! Laurey Williams Miri Mesika The Band's Visit Dina Faith Omole Standing at the Sky's Edge Joy2024Nicole ScherzingerSunset BoulevardNorma DesmondNatasha HodgsonOperation MincemeatEwen Montagu & OthersCaissie LevyNext to NormalDiana GoodmanMarisha WallaceGuys and DollsMiss Adelaide2025Imelda StauntonHello, Dolly!Dolly Gallagher LeviChumisa Dornford-MayNatasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812Natasha RostovaLauren DrewTitaniqueCeline DionClare FosterThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonElowen KeeneLara PulverFiddler on the RoofGolde2026Rachel ZeglerEvitaEva PerónKatie BraybenInto The WoodsThe Baker's WifeDanielle Fiamanya and Georgina Onuorah BrigadoonFiona MacLarenJane KrakowskiHere We AreMarianne BrinkJenna RussellThe Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold FryMaureen Fry
Multiple awards and nominations for Best Actress in a Musical Awards Four awards Imelda Staunton
Two awards Barbara Dickson Maria Friedman Julia McKenzie Joanna Riding Samantha Spiro Katie Brayben
Nominations Seven nominations Imelda Staunton
Six nominations Maria Friedman
Five nominations Ruthie Henshall Julia McKenzie Joanna Riding
Four nominations Elaine Paige Jenna Russell
Three nominations Elena Roger Sheridan Smith Hannah Waddingham Katie Brayben
Two nominations
Multiple awards and nominations for a character Awards 2 awards Dolly Levi from Hello, Dolly! Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady Miss Adelaide from Guys and Dolls Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street The Baker's Wife from Into the Woods
Nominations 6 nominations Miss Adelaide from Guys and Dolls Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard
3 nominations Dolly Levi from Hello, Dolly! Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady Lilli Vanessi / Katharine from Kiss Me, Kate Mrs. Johnstone from Blood Brothers Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2 nominations
See also Best Actress Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Lists of acting awards Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actress in a Musical
References
External links