Olivier Short-List 09

The Guardian reports on the nominations for this year's Laurence Olivier Awards for theatrical achievement in London.

A full list of the nominees is on the web site, but here are categories of particular interest to our membership:

Best new play

• August: Osage County by Tracy Letts at the Lyttelton
• Black Watch by Gregory Burke at the Barbican
• The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall at the Cottesloe
• That Face by Polly Stenham at the Duke Of York's

Best new comedy

• Fat Pig by Neil LaBute at the Comedy
• The Female of the Species by Joanna Murray-Smith at the Vaudeville
• God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, at the Gielgud

Best new musical

• Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe at the Prince Edward
• Zorro, book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, music by The Gipsy Kings, original story by Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson, music co-composed and adapted by John Cameron at the Garrick