36TH OLIVIER AWARDS TO STREAM GLOBALLY ONLINE

Posted on | By London Theatre Direct

The upcoming 2012 Olivier Awards, widely acknowledged as the highest honours in British Theatreland, will be broadcast live online at both the Olivier Awards official website and that of BBC Radio 2.  The ceremony is set to be a star-studded affair and will be presented by Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton currently wowing the critics in Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi Theatre.

A who's-who of celebrities have been lined up to present the individual awards on the night including James McAvoy, Sir Patrick Stewart, Elaine Paige, Agyness Dean, Kara Tointon, Laurie Metcalf, Tyne Daly, Zach Braff and Barbara Windsor.   The event is to be held this year at the Royal Opera House on Sunday 15th April and promises to be bigger and better than ever before.  As well as the online streaming the show will air uninterrupted on the BBC on the red button option from 6 to 9pm on the night, with Treasure Hunt glamazon Anneka Rice grilling the plethora of stars in red carpet interviews from 5.30pm.  Ken Bruce will also spearhead BBC Radio 2 coverage.

For the first time in the event's history there will also be an open-air tie-in with the public invited to the Covent Garden piazza from 4pm on the day for a free event in conjunction with Magic 105.4 hosted by radio DJ Neil Fox and West End darling Louise Dearman.  As well as a big screen showing of the awards there will be live performances by all the four shows nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award - Billy Elliot, Les Miserables, Jersey Boys and Wicked, as well as a few surprises.  The public can also gather outside the Royal Opera House to see the stars walk the red carpet from 4.30pm.

Online streaming can be found at www.olivierawards.com or www.bbc.co.uk/radio2

Book Sweeney Todd tickets with Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton online now.

[posted by James, 11/04/2012]