Composer Sondheim to receive London theatre award

US composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim will receive the Olivier Special Award when top theatre honours are awarded on March 13 in London.

The 80-year-old composer of hit shows including "A Little Night Music" and "Sweeney Todd" will attend the ceremony at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London's West End.

The ceremony will conclude with a tribute to Sondheim by performers including Adrian Lester, who starred in Sondheim's "Company," and other guests.

The Special Award is chosen by the board of the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and there have been 24 recipients in total including Alec Guinness, Judi Dench, Sam Mendes, Peter Hall and Laurence Olivier, after whom the awards are named.

Among the performers on the night will be Barry Manilow, as SOLT attempts to raise the profile of the awards and compete with the more influential Tonys in the United States.

Organisers are hoping a red carpet before the show will attract more stars to the event and the public can watch the awards live on digital television. They announced a new sponsorship deal with MasterCard earlier this year.