Paddington stage musical wins big with 7 trophies at London’s Olivier Awards

LONDON (AP) – “Paddington The Musical” has won big at London’s Olivier Awards, winning seven trophies including best new musical. The awards, akin to Broadway’s Tonys, celebrate theater, opera, and dance. Based on Michael Bond’s beloved stories, the musical opened in November and has charmed audiences with its blend of live acting and puppetry to bring the central character alive. James Hameed and Arti Shah jointly won best actor for their portrayal of Paddington. The show also took home awards for supporting performers, director, and design. Rachel Zegler was named best actress in a musical for “Evita” and Rosamund Pike won best actress in a play for “Inter Alia.”