Download Voting is now open for the This Morning Audience

Press Release: Tuesday 17 February 2015
Voting is now open for the This Morning Audience Award
As of midday today, Tuesday 17 February, theatre fans from across the UK are able to vote
for their favourite long-running West End show to win the much coveted This Morning
Audience Award. Three time Olivier winner Imelda Staunton was live in the This Morning
studio to launch the public vote for Theatreland’s most sought-after prize.
To see which of the 16 eligible shows is crowned winner, tune into ITV on the evening of
Sunday 12 April to watch highlights of the Olivier Awards with MasterCard’s star-studded
ceremony at the Royal Opera House.
Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, hosts of ITV's flagship daytime show This Morning,
will be there on the night to present the award to the winning production.
Ruth said: “The variety of shows to choose from is just astounding, from spectacular West
End musicals to incredible plays, and everything in between! British theatre audiences really
are spoilt for choice. I can’t wait to see which one will win the vote.”
Eamonn added: “Ruth and I love the theatre. A perfect night out would include a top West
End show, so we are especially thrilled to be presenting the This Morning Audience Award
at this year’s Oliviers.”
The Olivier Awards with MasterCard celebrate the world-class status of London’s theatre
and are Britain’s most prestigious stage honours.
The This Morning Audience Award is the only Olivier Award decided entirely by members
of the public. Shows have until midday on Thursday 5 March to vie for votes. A shortlist of
the four shows which receive the most votes will then be announced on Monday 9 March,
after which voting will re-open until 17:00 on Friday 10 April.
All first round voters will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win a pair of tickets
to the Olivier Awards with MasterCard ceremony. To vote for your favourite long-running
West End show go to www.olivierawards.com
Press Contact for the Olivier Awards with MasterCard
 Hannah Clapham / 020 7557 6729 / [email protected]
Press Contact for This Morning
 Sarah Hitching / 0207 157 4150 / [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS:

Established in 1976, the Olivier Awards with MasterCard celebrate the world-class
status of London’s theatre and are the UK’s most prestigious stage honours.

The awards include 23 categories, although they are not all given each year: 18 for
theatre, two for opera, two for dance and one for productions presented by Society of
London Theatre’s affiliate members.

In order to be eligible for the This Morning Audience Award, a show must have
opened in the West End before 15 February 2014 and must still be running on 12
April 2015.

The 16 eligible shows for this year’s This Morning Audience Award are: The 39
Steps, Billy Elliot The Musical, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, The
Commitments, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, Disney’s The
Lion King, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia!, Matilda The Musical, The Mousetrap, The
Phantom Of The Opera, Stomp, Thriller Live, War Horse, Wicked and The Woman In
Black.

As Les Misérables won the Audience Award in 2014 it is not eligible for 2015’s
award.

Votes from round one (17 February to 5 March) will automatically be carried over if a
show is shortlisted to round two (9 March to 10 April). Voters do not need to vote
again as their vote will not be counted. However, voters can vote again if the show
they voted for in round one did not make it into the shortlist in round two.

For more information about the Olivier Awards with MasterCard go to
www.olivierawards.com

Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is the not-for-profit organisation which provides
a collective voice for the theatre owners, producers and managers of all the major
commercial and grant-aided theatres across London. As well as protecting the
interests of all its member theatres, SOLT promotes theatregoing through activities
including the Olivier Awards with MasterCard, the TKTS ticket booth, the Official
London Theatre website and its printed fortnightly listings guide, Theatre Tokens
and the popular annual celebration West End LIVE in association with MasterCard.
It also administers the audience development initiatives Kids Week and Get Into
London Theatre, and supports a number of theatrical charities including Stage One
and Mousetrap Theatre Projects.