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The second round of voting for the Laurence Olivier Awards is now open with many West End shows competing for honours. This year sees the introduction of a brand new category - The Audience Award for Favourite Long-Running Show. 

The first round of voting ended at the beginning of February when the twenty shows eligible were reduced to just five (Billy Elliot, Phantom, War Horse, We Will Rock You and Wicked) The award is chosen solely by the theatre going public, with voting open until 17 March.

Who are the Contenders?

War Horse is the only non-musical left in the category. The First World War drama uses a brilliant mix of puppets and actors to tell the story of a young man’s adventures as he tries to find his beloved horse that was sold to the cavalry and sent to France.

Billy Elliot the Musical is a strong contender, winning the 2006 Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Based on the hit film of the same title, the show tells the story of a working class boy who dreams of being a dancer and escaping the life of a tough North East mining community.

The Phantom of the Opera is one of the West End’s longest running shows. It has played for over twenty years at Her Majesty’s Theatre. A spectacular set recreates the Paris Opera House where Swedish soprano Chrstine Daaé is taken under the wing of a mercurial mentor.

The much anticipated Phantom sequel Love Never Dies is due to open at the Adelphi Theatre later this month.

We Will Rock You has played at the Dominion Theatre since 2002. The musical, based around the songs of rock legend’s ‘Queen’, has proved incredibly popular with audiences despite some early critical reviews.

Wicked completes the excellent line up. The musical tells the hidden story of the witches of Oz. A fantastic script and stunning production values have lit up the Apollo Victoria Theatre since the show opened in 2006.

The Laurence Olivier Awards