MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARDS

The Laurence Olivier Awards are to be streamed live for the first time, in 2010.

Members of the public are to have live access to this exclusive event Anthony Head announced as host of the 2010 awards. Voting is still open for the new Audience Award for the most popular show.

The Society of London Theatre announced today, Friday 26 February, that this year’s Laurence Olivier Awards will be shown live via www.olivierawards.co.uk.

It is the first time the awards have been shown as and when they happen. Theatre, dance and opera lovers will have the opportunity to be part of the ceremony and to watch the winners take the stage at the awards, which will be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday 21 March.

The live streaming will start at 6.30pm via a player on the Laurence Olivier Awards website. As well as the winners, viewers can enjoy performances from London’s best productions including some of the 2010 nominated shows plus a showcase from photographer Simon Annand’s exhibition The Half.

Philippa Salvoni, Head of Publishing at The Society of London Theatre, comments: “This is a very exciting development for both the Laurence Olivier Awards and The Society of London Theatre. We are delighted that visitors to our website will be able to enjoy the atmosphere and glamour of this prestigious event.”

The Society of London Theatre also confirmed today the host of the 34th Laurence Olivier Awards as actor Anthony Head. Currently appearing in Six Degrees of Separation at the Old Vic, Anthony is also well-known for his roles in TV series Merlin, Little Britain and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Online voting is now in the final stages for the Audience Award for Most Popular Show, a new award for 2010.

It is the only category voted for entirely by the public and the five shows on the shortlist are: Billy Elliot The Musical, The Phantom of the Opera, War Horse, We Will Rock You and Wicked.

Audience members can vote for their favourite at the Olivier Awards website here where up-to-the-minute news about the awards can also be found.