Excitement over this Sunday’s Laurence Olivier Awards is mounting as we reveal that more than 58,000 votes were cast in the brand new Audience Award for most popular long-running show.

Five shows – We Will Rock You, Wicked, War Horse, Billy Elliot The Musical and The Phantom Of The Opera – have been battling it out on Official London Theatre for your votes. The winner will be revealed along with the other Laurence Olivier Awards in Sunday’s ceremony, when the cream of London’s Theatreland will be stepping onto the red carpet at the Grosvenor House Hotel to celebrate a record-breaking year in theatre.

You are all invited to join us from 18:30 to watch the Oliviers live and unedited right here. It is the only place you can see the ceremony in its entirety, as it happens.

See the frocks, watch the speeches, enjoy the performances and soak up the atmosphere as this year’s nominees mingle with presenters and industry guests at the most prestigious theatrical event of the year. Nominees this year include Jude Law, Mark Rylance, Keira Knightley, Patina Miller, Hannah Waddingham, Sheila Hancock, Maureen Lipman, Melanie C, Rupert Goold, Rachel Weisz, James McAvoy, Samuel West, Ken Stott, Ruth Wilson, Imelda Staunton, Gillian Anderson and Mackenzie Crook.

As well as the award presentations, the night’s entertainment includes special performances from nominated shows Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical, Sister Act, A Little Night Music, Spring Awakening, Oliver! and Hello, Dolly! as well as former Spice Girl Melanie C singing Easy Terms from her award-nominated performance in Blood Brothers.

The ceremony will culminate with the biggest ever performance in the awards’ history, with 53 performers from the London and UK touring productions of Les Misérables on stage together to celebrate the show’s 25th birthday.

Nominations are led by Spring Awakening with seven, followed by Royal Court productions Enron and Jerusalem, which both have six. Other multi-nominated shows include A Little Night Music (five), Sister Act, Hello, Dolly! and A View From The Bridge (four each), A Streetcar Named Desire and The Misanthrope (three apiece)

Anthony Head hosts the ceremony, with stars including Arlene Phillips, Lesley Sharp, Rosamund Pike, Aled Jones, Adam Cooper, Kerry Ellis, Duncan James, Barbara Windsor, David Essex, Kim Cattrall, Tamsin Greig, Rupert Friend, Jill Halfpenny and Russell Watson lined up as presenters.

In addition to Official London Theatre’s exclusive live streaming of the ceremony, we will be reporting, photographing and tweeting from the event all evening. Join the conversation by following us on Twitter now.

CB