Laurence Olivier Awards

The Laurence Olivier Awards, also commonly known as the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) in recognition of the "world-class status of London theatre." The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Awards, but they were renamed in honour of the English actor of the same name in 1984. The awards are given annually to individuals involved in West End productions and other leading non-commercial theatres based in London across a range of categories covering plays, musicals, dance, opera and affiliate theatre. A discretionary non-competitive Special Olivier Award is also given each year. The Olivier Awards are widely recognised as the highest honour in British theatre and drama, equivalent to the BAFTA Awards for film and television, and the Brit Awards for music.