Sir Tim Rice to Receive Special Olivier Award

Sir Tim Rice, the British lyricist whose works include collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Elton John, will receive a special Olivier Award for his contribution to musical theater. The awards which honor outstanding work in London theater will be presented on April 15 at the Royal Opera House. The ceremony will be hosted by West End stars Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton.

This season, Rice will have three of his shows running on Broadway simultaneously - "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Evita," and "The Lion King." The revival of "Superstar" originated in Stratford, Ontario at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and opens at the Neil Simon Theatre on March 22. "Evita," an American version of director Michael Grandage's 2006 hit London staging, opens at the Marquis Theatre on April 5. "The Lion King" has been running since 1997 and is now at the Minskoff Theatre. Rice's additional credits include "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Chess," and "Wuthering Heights." 

In addition to winning Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony, and Grammy awards, Rice has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame, and was been made a Knight Bachelor in 1994.