The Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Contribution 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 2014 as Outstanding Achievement in Music, and was renamed to Best Original Score or New Orchestrations from 2020 to 2023.
Since 2024, the award was given its current name and reconfigured to honor librettists (book, lyrics and score) alongside Best New Musical, while other music elements (arrangements, music direction, music supervision and orchestrations) honored in this category.
Winners and nominees 2010s Year Production Recipient 2014 Once Martin Lowe, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová Merrily We Roll Along The Orchestra The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone The Scottsboro Boys John Kander and Fred Ebb 2015 Sunny Afternoon Ray Davies Beautiful The Orchestra Here Lies Love David Byrne and Fatboy Slim Memphis David Bryan, Joe DiPietro, Tim Sutton and the Band 2016 In the Heights Lin-Manuel Miranda Bend It Like Beckham Howard Goodall, Charles Hart and Kuljit Bhamra Farinelli and the King Claire van Kampen, the Orchestra, Iestyn Davies and the Farinelli Singers Kinky Boots Cyndi Lauper and Stephen Oremus 2017 School of Rock Three children's bands who play live every night Dreamgirls Henry Krieger Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Imogen Heap Jesus Christ Superstar The Band and Company2018HamiltonAlex Lacamoire and Lin-Manuel MirandaEverybody's Talking About JamieDan Gillespie SellsFolliesThe orchestra, under the musical supervision of Nicholas Skilbeck and music director Nigel LilleyGirl from the North CountryBob Dylan and Simon Hale2019Come from AwayDavid Hein, Irene Sankoff, Ian Eisendrath, August Eriksmoen, Alan Berry and the BandA Monster CallsBenji Bower and Will BowerFun HomeLisa Kron and Jeanine TesoriThe InheritancePaul EnglishbySix Joe Beighton, Tom Curran, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss
2020s Year Production Recipient2020Dear Evan HansenAlex Lacamoire, Benj Pasek, and Justin PaulWaitressSara BareillesFiddler on the Roof Jason Carr& Juliet Dominic Fallacaro and Bill Sherman AmélieBarnaby Race 2021 Not presented due to extended closing of theatre productions during COVID-19 pandemic2022Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley MusicalSimon Hale (orchestrations)Anything GoesDavid Chase, Bill Elliott and Rob Fisher (orchestrations)Back to the Future: The MusicalAlan Silvestri and Glen Ballard (music and lyrics), Bryan Crook and Ethan Popp (orchestrations)Life of PiAndrew T. Mackay (music)2023Standing at the Sky's EdgeRichard Hawley (music and lyrics), Tom Deering (orchestrations)The Band's VisitDavid Yazbek (music and lyrics), Jamshied Sharifi (orchestrations), Andrea Grody (additional arrangements)My Neighbour TotoroJoe Hisaishi (music), Will Stuart (orchestrations and arrangements)Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!Daniel Kluger (orchestrations and arrangements), Nathan Koci (additional vocal arrangements)2024Sunset BoulevardAlan Williams (music direction and music supervision)Guys and DollsTom Brady (arrangements and music supervision), Charlie Rosen (orchestrations)Just for One DayMatt Brind (arrangements, music supervision, and orchestrations)Operation MincemeatJoe Bunker (music direction), Steve Sidwell (orchestrations)2025The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonDarren Clark and Mark Aspinall (musical direction, music supervision, orchestration and arrangements)Fiddler on the RoofMark Aspinall (music supervision and additional orchestrations)Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812Dave Malloy (orchestration) and Nicholas Skilbeck (music supervision)Ballet ShoesGavin Sutherland (dance arrangement and orchestration) and Asaf Zohar (composition)
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