Foundation to support Laurence Olivier Bursaries Programme

July 2024

This year’s Laurence Olivier Bursaries recipients Photo: SOLT

The Foundation has joined with the Laurence Olivier Bursaries programme helping to support talented students studying at drama school.

Now in its 37th year, the bursaries were established by the Society of London Theatres (SOLT) in 1987 to mark Laurence Olivier’s 80th birthday, with the aim of supporting exceptional students entering their final year of drama school who are facing financial difficulties that might jeopardize their studies.

This year a total of £80,000 has been distributed amongst 18 drama school students thanks to donations from the Theatre Development Trust, The Estate of Sir Peter and Lady Saunders, The Clothworkers’ Foundation, The Behrens Foundation, Barry Burnett, The Casting Directors’ Guild and for the first time the Lynne and Land Foundation, who are sponsoring the Gillian Lynne Bursary.

The Bursaries programme has had much success since its inception and previous bursary holders have included Michaela Coel, Denise Gough, Bryony Hannah, Paterson Joseph, Ewan McGregor, Daniel Rigby, Vinette Robinson, and Michael Sheen.

Nominees, put forward by drama schools across the UK, are auditioned on a West End stage and interviewed by a panel of theatre industry professionals, led by West End producer and Chair of the Laurence Olivier Bursaries Committee, Lee Menzies. This year’s auditions took place at St Martin’s Theatre earlier this month.

The full list of 2024 Olivier Bursary recipients can be seen below:

The Sir Peter and Lady Saunders Laurence Olivier Bursary
(Donated by the Estate of Sir Peter and Lady Saunders)

Thomas Barrett (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

The Clothworkers’ Laurence Olivier Bursary
(Given in conjunction with the Laurence Olivier Bursary, donated by The Clothworkers’ Foundation)

Erin Findlay (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)

Behrens Foundation Bursary
(Given in conjunction with the Laurence Olivier Bursary, donated by The Behrens Foundation)

Peter Devlin (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School)
Daniel Forbes (Mountview)
Elise Lawson (Midlands Academy of Dance & Drama)

Carmen Silvera Bursary
(Given in conjunction with the Laurence Olivier Bursary, donated by the agent Barry Burnett)

Nico Minott (Oxford School of Drama)

Gillian Lynne Bursary
(Given in conjunction with the Laurence Olivier Bursary, donated by the Lynne & Land Foundation)

Cara Thomas (Urdang City University Of London)

Laurence Olivier & Casting Directors’ Guild Bursary
(Donated by the Theatre Development Trust with additional donation by the Casting Directors’ Guild)

Cormac McAlinden (The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama)

Laurence Olivier Bursary
(Donated by the Theatre Development Trust)

Georgia Clements (Laine Theatre Arts)
Carys Clempner (Rose Bruford College)
Claira Gayer (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)
Rónán Evan Johnson (Performance Preparation Academy)
Joseph Kinch (East 15)
Lynsharon Lako (The Hammond)
Alistair Linn (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art)
Lewis Stevenson (Guildford School of Acting)
Tolia Uwalaka (Italia Conti)
Gabriel Whalley (Rose Bruford College)