HAMILTON Breaks Olivier Nomination Record; Audra McDonald, Andrew Garfield, and More Nominated; Full List!

Today, Elaine Paige and Alexandra Burke announced the nominations for the Olivier Awards 2018 with Mastercard, UK's most prestigious stage honours. The 2018 awards are set to be an exciting occasion with original new work dominating the categories and a significant number of artists receiving their first ever Olivier nominations. Catherine Tate will host the Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 8 April and they will be broadcast to the UK and worldwide.

Hamilton's record-breaking thirteen nominations make it the most nominated production in Oliviers history replacing Harry Potter And The Cursed Child (2017) and Hairspray (2008) who jointly held the record with eleven nominations. Lin-Manuel Miranda's tale about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton is nominated in the following categories: 2 nominations in Best Actor in a Musical category, 3 nominations in Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical category, Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Mastercard Best New Musical, White Light Award for Best Lighting Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Design, Best Director, Best Theatre Choreographer and Outstanding Achievement in Music.

In the play categories, Jez Butterworth's Northern Irish drama, The Ferryman, leads with 8 nominations including Best Actor, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress, 2 nominations in Best Actress in a Supporting Role category, Best New Play, Best Set Design and Best Director. The National Theatre's production of Angels In America, currently playing on Broadway, follows with 6 nominations.

Other musicals which have performed strongly include the National Theatre's production of Stephen Sondheim's Follies with 10 nominations. The Old Vic's production of Conor McPherson's Girl From The North Country, which features classic songs from Bob Dylan received 5 nominations, and Sheffield Theatre's new British musical hit Everybody's Talking About Jamie, currently playing at the Apollo Theatre, also received 5 nominations.

In the Best Actor category, Paddy Considine, Bryan Cranston and Andrew Garfield receive their first Olivier Award nominations for their performances in The Ferryman, Network and Angels In America respectively. Previous Olivier Award winner, Andrew Scott, receives a nomination for his portrayal of Hamlet.

In the Best Actress category, Northern Irish actress Laura Donnelly, and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald receive their first nominations for their performances in The Ferryman and Lady Day At Emerson's Bar And Grill respectively. Previous Olivier Award winner and this year's Oscar nominee for Best Supporting Actress, Lesley Manville, receives a nomination for her performance in Long Day's Journey Into Night. Four times Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton receives a Best Actress nomination for her role in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? as well as Best Actress in a Musical for Follies.

The Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre category demonstrates fresh, contemporary new writing in London's off-West End theatres, and a strong producing relationship between London and other UK-based theatre makers. The B*easts at Bush Theatre, produced by Something For The Weekend in association with the Bush Theatre; Killology at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at The Royal Court Theatre, a co-production with the Sherman Theatre; The Red Lion at Trafalgar Studios 2, a transfer from Newcastle's Live Theatre; and The Revlon Girl at Park Theatre, an Independence Shows production in association with Park Theatre, all received nominations.

The Best New Opera Production nominations are La Bohème at Trafalgar Studios 2 produced by King's Head Theatre, Joe C Brown, In Your Face Theatre and Making Productions, and two nominations for the Royal Opera House with The Exterminating Angel, a co-production with Salzburg Festival, The Metropolitan Opera, New York, and The Royal Danish Opera; and Semiramide, a co-production with Bavarian State Opera.

In Best New Dance Production, Flight Pattern by Crystal Pite at Royal Opera House; Goat by Ben Duke for Rambert Dance Company at Sadler's Wells; Grand Finale by Hofesh Shechter at Sadler's Wells; and Tree Of Codes by Wayne McGregor and The Paris Opera Ballet at Sadler's Wells all receive nominations.

For Outstanding Achievement in Dance, Rocío Molina has been nominated for pushing the boundary of flamenco in Fallen From Heaven (Caída Del Cielo) at Barbican Theatre. Francesca Velicu has been nominated for her performance in English National Ballet's production of Pina Bausch's Le Sacre Du Printemps at Sadler's Wells, and Zenaida Yanowsky has been nominated for her performance in Liam Scarlett's Symphonic Dances at Royal Opera House.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of Society of London Theatre and Executive Producer of the Olivier Awards, said:

"This year's Olivier nominations reflect a strong and exciting performing arts scene in the UK with fresh, new work coming to the fore. It is wonderful to see so many first time nominees and we look forward to welcoming everyone to this celebratory occasion on Sunday 8 April".

Mastercard continues its partnership with Society of London Theatre and its headline sponsorship of the Olivier Awards, bringing cardholders with a passion for theatre closer to the genre they love. Tickets to theatre's biggest night are available exclusively for Mastercard cardholders and are available via priceless.com.

Full broadcast details will be announced at a later date.

Full List of Nominees:

Best Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical:

Michael Jibson for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Ross Noble for Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre
Jason Pennycooke for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Cleve September for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre

Best Actress In A Supporting Role In A Musical

Sheila Atim for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Tracie Bennett for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
Rachel John for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Lesley Joseph for Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre

Outstanding Achievement In Music

Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Music and Orchestrations by Dan Gillespie Sells, his debut as a musical theatre composer and orchestrator at Apollo Theatre

Follies - The Orchestra, under the Music Supervision of Nicholas Skilbeck and Music Director Nigel Lilley at National Theatre - Olivier

Girl From The North Country - Music & Lyrics by Bob Dylan, Original Orchestrations & Arrangements by Simon Hale at The Old Vic

Hamilton - Composer-Lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda at Victoria Palace Theatre

Best New Dance Production

Flight Pattern by Crystal Pite at Royal Opera House
Goat by Ben Duke for Rambert Dance Company at Sadler's Wells
Grand Finale by Hofesh Shechter at Sadler's Wells
Tree Of Codes by Wayne McGregor and The Paris Opera Ballet at Sadler's Wells

Outstanding Achievement In Dance

Rocío Molina for pushing the boundary of flamenco in Fallen From Heaven (Caída Del Cielo) at Barbican Theatre

Francesca Velicu for her performance in English National Ballet's production of Pina Bausch's Le Sacre Du Printemps at Sadler's Wells

Zenaida Yanowsky for her performance in Liam Scarlett's Symphonic Dances at Royal Opera House

Best Entertainment And Family

David Walliams' Gangsta Granny at Garrick Theatre
Derren Brown: Underground at Playhouse Theatre
Dick Whittington at London Palladium
Five Guys Named Moe at Marble Arch Theatre

Best Theatre Choreographer

Andy Blankenbuehler for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Bill Deamer for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
Kate Prince for Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Randy Skinner for 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Christopher Wheeldon for An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
On The Town at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Best Actor In A Musical

Ciarán Hinds for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
John McCrea for Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Giles Terera for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Jamael Westman for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre

Best Actress In A Musical

Janie Dee for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
Shirley Henderson for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Imelda Staunton for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
Josie Walker for Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre

Best Revival

Angels In America at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre
Witness For The Prosecution at London County Hall

Best New Comedy

Dry Powder at Hampstead Theatre
Labour Of Love at Noël Coward Theatre
Mischief Movie Night at Arts Theatre
The Miser at Garrick Theatre

Outstanding Achievement In Affiliate Theatre

The B*easts at Bush Theatre
Killology at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
The Red Lion at Trafalgar Studios 2
The Revlon Girl at Park Theatre

White Light Award For Best Lighting Design

Howell Binkley for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Paule Constable for Angels In America at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Paule Constable for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
Jan Versweyveld for Network at National Theatre - Lyttelton

Best Sound Design

Tom Gibbons for Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
Gareth Owen for Bat Out Of Hell The Musical at London Coliseum
Eric Sleichim for Network at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Nevin Steinberg for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre

Best Costume Design

Hugh Durrant for Dick Whittington at London Palladium
Roger Kirk for 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Vicki Mortimer for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
Paul Tazewell for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award For Best Set Design

Bunny Christie for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions for An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
Rob Howell for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Vicki Mortimer for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

Bertie Carvel for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
John Hodgkinson for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
James McArdle for Angels In America at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Peter Polycarpou for Oslo at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

Bríd Brennan for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Denise Gough for Angels In America at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Dearbhla Molloy for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Imogen Poots for Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best New Opera Production

La Bohème at Trafalgar Studios 2
The Exterminating Angel at Royal Opera House
Semiramide at Royal Opera House

Outstanding Achievement In Opera

Paul Brown for his set and costume designs for Iolanthe at London Coliseum

Joyce DiDonato and Daniela Barcellona for their performances in Semiramide at Royal Opera House

Roderick Williams for his performance in The Royal Opera's The Return Of Ulysses at the Roundhouse

Best Actor

Paddy Considine for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Bryan Cranston for Network at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Andrew Garfield for Angels In America at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Andrew Scott for Hamlet at Almeida Theatre

Best Actress

Laura Donnelly for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Lesley Manville for Long Day's Journey Into Night at Wyndham's Theatre
Audra McDonald for Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill at Wyndham's Theatre
Imelda Staunton for Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best Director

Dominic Cooke for Follies at National Theatre - Olivier
Marianne Elliott for Angels In America at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Rupert Goold for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
Thomas Kail for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Sam Mendes for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre

American Airlines Best New Play

The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
Network at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Oslo at Harold Pinter Theatre

Mastercard Best New Musical

An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre

Established in 1976, the Olivier Awards celebrate the world-class status of London theatre and are Britain's most prestigious stage honours. For further information visit: OlivierAwards.com

Be Inspired is a UK-wide initiative set up in 2017 to celebrate individuals who have inspired a love of theatre. For further information: OfficialLondonTheatre.com/olivier-awards/be-inspired

Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is the not-for-profit organisation representing the London theatre industry. SOLT runs the Olivier Awards with Mastercard, Official London Theatre, West End LIVE, TKTS, Theatre Tokens, Kids Week and London Theatre's New Year Sale. For further information: SOLT.co.uk