title: Laurence Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play
text: # Laurence Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play
  
  The Laurence Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play was an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor and director Laurence Olivier.
  
  This award was presented from 1976 to 1984, then in 1985 the award was combined with the Actress of the Year in a Revival award to create the Best Actress award. The original Actress of the Year in a New Play award returned one last time, for the 1988 ceremony.
  
  ## Winners and nominees
  
  ### 1970s
  
  | Year | Actor | Play | Character |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1976 |
  | 1976 | Peggy Ashcroft | Old World | Lidya Vasilyevna |
  | 1976 | Pauline Collins | Engaged | Belinda Trehern |
  | 1976 | Penelope Keith | Donkeys' Years | Lady Driver |
  | 1976 | Joan Plowright | The Bed Before Yesterday | Alma |
  | 1977 |
  | 1977 | Alison Fiske | Dusa, Fish, Stats and Vi | Fish |
  | 1977 | Glenda Jackson | Stevie | Stevie Smith |
  | 1977 | Glynis Johns | Cause Célèbre | Alma |
  | 1977 | Rosemary Leach | Just Between Ourselves | Vera |
  | 1978 |
  | 1978 | Joan Plowright | Filumena | Filumena Marturano |
  | 1978 | Yvonne Bryceland | The Woman | Hecuba |
  | 1978 | Sylvia Miles | Vieux Carré | Mrs. Wire |
  | 1978 | Kate Nelligan | Plenty | Susan |
  | 1979 |
  | 1979 | Jane Lapotaire | Piaf | Édith Piaf |
  | 1979 | Constance Cummings | Wings | Emily Stilson |
  | 1979 | Gemma Jones | And a Nightingale Sang | Helen |
  | 1979 | Jessica Tandy | The Gin Game | Fonsia Dorsey |
  
  ### 1980s
  
  | Year | Actor | Play | Character |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1980 |
  | 1980 | Frances de la Tour | Duet for One | Stephanie |
  | 1980 | Shelagh Holliday | A Lesson from Aloes | Gladys |
  | 1980 | Glenda Jackson | Rose | Rose |
  | 1980 | Joan Plowright | Enjoy | Connie Craven |
  | 1981 |
  | 1981 | Elizabeth Quinn | Children of a Lesser God | Sarah |
  | 1981 | Eileen Atkins | Passion Play | Nell |
  | 1981 | Janet Dale | The Accrington Pals | May |
  | 1981 | Maggie Smith | Virginia | Virginia Woolf |
  | 1982 |
  | 1982 | Rosemary Leach | 84, Charing Cross Road | Narrator |
  | 1982 | Judy Davis | Insignificance | The Actress |
  | 1982 | Judi Dench | Other Places | Deborah |
  | 1982 | Anna Massey | Summer | Xenia |
  | 1983 |
  | 1983 | Judi Dench | Pack of Lies | Barbara Jackson |
  | 1983 | Sara Kestelman | The Custom of the Country | Zenocia |
  | 1983 | Maureen Lipman | Messiah | Rachel |
  | 1983 | Janet Suzman | Cowardice | Nina |
  | 1984 |
  | 1984 | Thuli Dumakude | Poppie Nongena | Poppie |
  | 1984 | Brenda Blethyn | Benefactors | Sheila |
  | 1984 | Julie Covington | Tom & Viv | Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot |
  | 1984 | Julie Walters | Fool for Love | May |
  | 1988 |
  | 1988 | Pauline Collins | Shirley Valentine | Shirley Valentine-Bradshaw |
  | 1988 | Gillian Barge | Mrs. Klein | Melanie Klein |
  | 1988 | Saskia Reeves | Separation | Sarah |
  | 1988 | Penelope Wilton | The Secret Rapture | Marion French |
  