“Once” Dominates the Tony Awards

Tonight, the best of Broadway was celebrated on the 66th Annual Tony Awards hosted by the always brilliant Neil Patrick Harris. He, and the show, were excellent with wonderful performances from all the nominated musicals (big ups to Newsies, Once, Ghost, Follies, Porgy & Bess and Ricky Martin with Evita for my favorite numbers) and clips from the nominated plays. The musical adaptation of the Oscar-winning film Once was the big winner with 7 trophies included Best Musical and Best Actor for Steve Kazee who had the best and most emotional speech of the night. Audra MacDonald also gave a very emotional and lovely speech as she won her 5th Tony for Porgy which also won best Revival of a Musical. Taking the Featured Actor in a Musical wins were Nice Work if You Can Get It stars Judy Kaye and Michael McGrath… On the play side, Clybourne Park took home best play while best revival went to Death of a Salesman and its lauded director Mike Nichols. Other big winners included the wonderful Judith Light for Featured Actress in a Play, Smash’s Christan Borle for Featured Actor in a Play, Nina Arianda for Lead Actress in a Play and the hilarious James Corden for Lead Actor in a Play. Take a look at all the winners below and head to the Tony website for more on this fantastic show and the wonderful theatre of Broadway.

2012 Tony Award Winners~

Best Musical
Nominees: Leap of Faith; Newsies; Nice Work if You can Get it; Once
WINNER: Once

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Nominees: Audra McDonald (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess); Cristin Milioti (Once); Kelli O’Hara (Nice Work If You Can Get It); Laura Osnes (Bonnie & Clyde)
WINNER: Audra McDonald (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nominees: Nina Arianda (Venus in Fur); Tracie Bennett (End of the Rainbow); Stockard Channing (Other Desert Cities); Linda Lavin (The Lyons); Cynthia Nixon (Wit)
WINNER: Nina Arianda (Venus in Fur)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Nominees: James Corden (One Man, Two Guvnors); Philip Seymour Hoffman (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman); James Earl Jones (Gore Vidal’s The Best Man); Frank Langella (Man and Boy); John Lithgow (The Columnist)
WINNER: James Corden (One Man, Two Guvnors)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Nominees: Danny Burstein (Follies); Jeremy Jordan (Newsies); Steve Kazee (Once); Norm Lewis (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess); Ron Raines (Follies)
WINNER: Steve Kazee (Once)

Best Revival of a Musical
Nominees: Evita; Follies; The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess; Jesus Christ Superstar
WINNER: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Best Play
Nominees: Clybourne Park, Other Desert Cities, Peter and the Starcatcher; Venus in Fur

WINNER: Clybourne Park
Best Revival of a Play
Nominees: Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman; Gore Vidal’s The Best Man; Master Class; Wit
WINNER: Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Best Original Score
Nominees: Bonnie & Clyde (music by Frank Wildhorn and Lyrics by Don Black; Newsies (Music by Alan Menken and Lyrics by Jack Feldman); One Man, Two Guvnors (Music & Lyrics by Grant Olding); Peter and the Starcatcher (Music by Wayne Barker and Lyrics by Rick Elice)
WINNER: Newsies (Music by Alan Menken and Lyrics by Jack Feldman)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Nominees: Elizabeth A. Davis (Once); Jayne Houdyshell (Follies); Judy Kaye (Nice Work If You Can Get It); Jessie Mueller (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever); Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Ghost the Musical)
WINNER: Judy Kaye (Nice Work If You Can Get It)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Nominees: Michael Cumpsty (End of the Rainbow); Tom Edden (One Man, Two Guvnors); Andrew Garfield (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman); Jeremy Shamos (Clybourne Park)
WINNER: Christian Borle (Peter and the Starcatcher)
Best Direction of a Play

Nominees: Nicholas Hytner (One Man, Two Guvnors); Pam MacKinnon (Clybourne Park); Mike Nichols (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman); Roger Rees and Alex Timbers (Peter and the Starcatcher)
WINNER: Mike Nichols (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman)

Best Direction of a Musical
Nominees: Jeff Calhoun (Newsies); Kathleen Marshall (Nice Work if You Can Get It); Diane Paulus (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess); John Tiffany (Once)
WINNER: John Tiffany (Once)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nominees: Linda Emond (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman); Spencer Kayden (Don’t Dress for Dinner); Celia Keenan-Bolger (Peter and the Starcatcher); Judith Light (Other Desert Cities); Condola Rashad (Stick Fly)
WINNER: Judith Light (Other Desert Cities)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Nominees: Phillip Boykin (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess); Michael Cerveris (Evita); David Alan Grier (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess); Michael McGrath (Nice Work If You Can Get It); Josh Young (Jesus Christ Superstar)
WINNER: Michael McGrath (Nice Work If You Can Get It)

Best Choreography
Nominees: Rob Ashford (Evita); Christopher Gattelli (Newsies); Steven Hoggett (Once); Kathleen Marshall (Nice Work If You Can Get It)
WINNER: Christopher Gattelli (Newsies)

Best Orchestration
Nominees: William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess); Bill Elliott (Nice Work If You Can Get It); Martin Lowe (Once); Danny Troob (Newsies)
WINNER: Martin Lowe (Once)

Best Book of a Musical
Nominees: Newies (Harvey Fierstein); Nice Work if You can Get it (Joe DiPietro); Once (Edna Walsh); Lysistrata Jones (Douglas Carter Beane)
WINNER: Once (Edna Walsh)

Best Costume Design of a Play
Nominees: William Ivey Long (Don’t Dress for Dinner); Paul Tazewell (A Streetcar Named Desire); Mark Thompson (One Man, Two Guvnors); Paloma Young (Peter and the Starcatcher)
WINNER: Paloma Young (Peter and the Starcatcher)

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Nominees: John Lee Beatty (Other Desert Cities); Daniel Ostlin (Clybourne Park); Mark Thompson (One Man, Two Guvnors); Donyale Werle (Peter and the Starcatcher)
WINNER: Donyale Werle (Peter and the Starcatcher)

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Nominees: Bob Crowley (Once); Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll (Ghost the Musical); Tobin Obst and Sven Ortel (Newsies); George Tsypin (Spider-Man Turn off the Dark)
WINNER: Bob Crowley (Once)

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Nominees: Gregg Barnes (Follies); ESosa (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess); Eiko Ishioka (Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark); Martin Pakledinaz (Nice Work If You Can Get It)
WINNER: Gregg Barnes (Follies)

Best Sound Design of a Play
Nominees: Paul Arditti (One Man, Two Guvnors); Scott Lehrer (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman), Gareth Owen (End of the Rainbow), Darron L. West (Peter and the Starcatcher)
WINNER: Darron L. West (Peter and the Starcatcher)

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Nominees: Acme Sound Partners (The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess); Clive Goodwin (Once), Kai Harada (Follies); Brian Ronan (Nice Work If You Can Get It)
WINNER: Clive Goodwin (Once)

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Nominees: Jeff Croiter (Peter and the Starcatcher); Peter Kaczorowski (The Road to Mecca); Brian MacDevitt (Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman); Kenneth Posner (Other Desert Cities)
WINNER: Jeff Croiter (Peter and the Starcatcher)

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Nominees: Christopher Akerlind (The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess); Natasha Katz (Follies); Natasha Katz (Once); Hugh Vastone (Ghost the Musical)
WINNER: Natasha Katz (Once)

Actor’s Equity Association Award
WINNER: Hugh Jackman
Isabelle Stevenson Award
WINNER: Bernadette Peters
Regional Theater Award
WINNER: Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, D.C.
Special Tony Award For Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
WINNER: Emanuel Azenberg

Will “Carnage” make Mincemeat out of the Oscars?

Adapting a four character play set in one location for the big screen is a pretty daunting task, and when you realize the play is the Tony winning smash God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, it seems practically impossible. However, Hollywood is giving it a try of course. And Sony Pictures Classics has attached some big guns to the project now titled Carnage  to ensure its success. The film is directed by Oscar winner Roman Polanski (The Pianist) and stars Oscar winners Jodie Foster (The Accused, The Silence of the Lambs), Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds), Kate Winslet (The Reader) and Oscar nominee John C. Reilly (Chicago). That’s a strong pedigree which will hopefully make for a great picture. The movie is a dark comedy about two sets of parents clashing together after their sons get in a fight at school and it presents a lot of opportunity for scenery chewing. Just check out the trailer below. We may see all four actors in the Oscar race again. It will be interesting to see if they campaign them in separate categories with Foster and Reilly going Lead while Waltz and Winslet go Supporting as some pundits have suggested. We will know about its kudos chances after it premieres at the upcoming Venice Film Festival. Until then, check out your first taste of Carnage below.

Carnage trailer

Broadway on the Fourth

Sure there were fireworks everywhere and Beyonce had a big special, but my favorite performance from all of the televised Fourth of July specials was a little gift from the Great White Way. Performing at the Capital, three-time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara (The Pajama Game, South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza) and her former co-star, Emmy nominated Glee star and Tony nominee Matthew Morrison (The Light in the Piazza), sang the iconic ballad “Tonight” from West Side Story. It was simply gorgeous. Check it out below.

Kelli O’Hara & Matthew Morrison “Tonight”

“Company” is the Best Movie of 2011~ See it while you can!

What does it say about the state of affairs in the movie biz when I state that the best movie of 2011 so far is a staged musical? Yes, it’s a filmed stage production not a mega blockbuster or a thoughtful indie. Instead, it’s the utterly brilliant, moving and hilarious New York Philharmonic filmed presentation of Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical Company starring a wonderful Neil Patrick Harris who brings a deep emotional resonance to his role along with his usual comic genius. The Emmy winning  actor and recent Tony host plays Bobby, a confirmed bachelor who can’t commit to a relationship who is surrounded by his best friends all of whom are married. The show takes place during his surprise 35th birthday party and features vignette flashbacks to Bobby’s past with three girlfriends and each of the couples. All of the interactions, songs and bits are seamlessly woven together by a brilliant ensemble cast including Tony winner Anika Noni Rose (Caroline or Change, Dreamgirls), Emmy winner Jon Cryer (Two and A Half Men) and Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report), plus Tony nominees Craig Bierko (The Music Man), Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope), a hilarious Jennifer Laura Thompson (Urinetown) and Emmy nominee Christina Hendricks (Mad Men). However the two standout supporting cast members are a hysterical Katie Finneran (two-time Tony winner for Promises, Promises and Noises Off) and the iconic Patti LuPone (two-time Tony winner for Gypsy and Evita) who utterly destroys the classic tune “The Ladies who Lunch”. I can’t say enough about this amazing production with great direction by Lonny Price and a wonderful book by George Furth. I only wish it were playing in theatres longer. It currently only has two more days on-screen: 6/19 and 6/21. I urge you to rush out and see this incredible theatrical experience at your local theatre ASAP. You won’t regret it. For more on the show and to get tickets, click here and check out the trailer for Company below.
Company~ grade: A+

Company

My Big Bold 2011 Tony Award Winner Predictions!

Broadway’s biggest night is upon us this Sunday with the 2011 Tony Awards. This year they will be hosted by the brilliant Emmy Award winner (and Broadway vet) Neil Patrick Harris who was fantastic the last time he hosted two years ago (for which he won an Emmy thank you very much). The show will feature performances from all the big musical nominees: Anything Goes, The Book of Mormon, Sister Act, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (featuring snubbed Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe himself!), Catch Me If You Can and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. There will also be a performance from the most maligned show on Broadway~ Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark and last year’s Best Musical winner Memphis. Plus, the cast of the limited run Broadway reprise of Company featuring Harris, Steven Colbert, Martha Plimpton, Anika Noni Rose, Jon Cryer, Christina Hendricks, Patti LuPone and more will do a number that is sure to be hilarious and fantastic. (FYI~ watch for the taped version of Company to hit movie theatres for a brief run starting next weekend!) For more on the show, head to the Tony website here. And for now, let’s take a look at just who I think is gonna take home the big awards. Hint hint~ if there’s a Mormon involved it’s probably gonna win…

My Big Bold 2011 Tony Award Winner Predictions:

Best Musical:
The Book of Mormon, Catch Me If You Can, Sister Act, The Scottsboro Boys
Will & Should win: The Book of Mormon

Best Play:
Good People, Jerusalem, The Motherfucker with the Hat, War Horse
Will & Should win: War Horse
~spoiler: Jerusalem

Best Musical Revival:
Anything Goes, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Will & Should win: Anything Goes

Best Play Revival:
Arcadia, The Importance of Being Earnest, the Merchant of Venice, The Normal Heart
Will & Should win: The Normal Heart

Best Director Musical:
Rob Ashford (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes), Casey Nicholaw & Trey Parker (The Book of Mormon), Susan Stroman (The Scottsboro Boys)
Will & Should win: The Book of Mormon
~spoiler: Anything Goes

Best Director Play:
Marianne Elliott & Tom Morris (War Horse), Joel Grey & George C. Wolfe (The Normal Heart), Anna D. Shapiro (The Motherfucker with the Hat), Daniel Sullivan (The Merchant of Venice)
Will & Should win: The Normal Heart
~spoiler: War Horse

Best Actor in a Leading Role, Musical:
Norbert Leo Butz (Catch Me if You Can), Josh Gad (The Book of Mormon), Joshua Henry (The Scottsboro Boys), Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon), Tony Sheldon (The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert)
Will & Should win: Tony Sheldon
~spoiler: Norbert Leo Butz
-This should be a really tight race between Butz, Gad, and Sheldon by the way. So we could see a surprise.

Best Actress in a Leading Role, Musical:
Beth Levell (Baby It’s You), Sutton Foster (Anything Goes), Patina Miller (Sister Act), Donna Murphy (The People in the Picture)
Will & Should win: Sutton Foster
~spoiler: Patina Miller

Best Actor in a Leading Role, Play:
Brian Bedford (The Importance of Being Earnest), Bobby Cannavale (The Motherfucker with the Hat), Joe Mantanello (The Normal Heart), Mary Rylance (Jerusalem), Al Pacino (The Merchant of Venice)
Will & Should win: Joe Mantello
~spoiler: Mark Rylance

Best Actress in a Leading Role, Play:
Nina Arianda (Born Yesteday), Frances McDormand (Good People), Lily Rabe (The Merchant of Venice), Vanessa Redgrave (Driving Miss Daisy), Hannah Yelland (Brief Encounter)
Will & Should win: Frances McDormand
~spoiler: Nina Arianda

Best Actor in a Featured Role, Musical:
Colman Domingo (The Scottsboro Boys), Adam Godley (Anything Goes), John Larroquette (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), Forrest McClendon (The Scottsboro Boys), Rory O’Malley (The Book of Mormon)
Will & Should win: Rory O’Malley
~spoiler: John Larroquette

Best Actress in a Featured Role, Musical:
Laura Benanti (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Tammy Blanchard (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), Victoria Clark (Sister Act), Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon), Patti LuPone (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown)
Will win: Laura Benanti
Should win: Nikki M. James
~spoiler: Victoria Clark

Best Actor in a Featured Role, Play:
Mackenzie Crook (Jerusalem), Billy Crudup (Arcadia), John Benjamin Hickey (The Normal Heart), Arian Moayed (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), Yul Vazquez (The Motherfucker with the Hat)
Will & Should win: John Benjamin Hickey
~spoiler: Yul Vazquez

Best Actress in a Featured Role, Play:
Ellen Barkin (The Normal Heart), Edie Falco (The House of Blue Leaves), Judith Light (Lombardi), Joanna Lumley (La Bete), Elizabeth Rodriguez (The Motherfucker with the Hat)
Will & Should win: Ellen Barkin
~spoiler: Edie Falco

Best Book of A Musical:
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Book of Mormon, The Scottsboro Boys, Sister Act
Will & Should win: The Book of Mormon

Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics):
The Book of Mormon, The Scottsboro Boys, Sister Act, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Will & Should win: The Book of Mormon
~spoiler: The Scottsboro Boys

Best Choreography:
Anything Goes, The Book of Mormon, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Scottsboro Boys
Will win & Should win: Anything Goes
~spoiler: The Scottsboro Boys

Inception, Harry Potter and Twilight Eclipse lead the MTV Movie Award Nominations

Following the very tony news of the Tony Award nominations this morning, we got more news of some, um, prestigious kudos doling out their nominees…. This time it was from the pretty meaningless but super entertaining MTV Movie Awards. As they have for the last few years, the woeful Twilight series lead the noms again with the latest Eclipse, followed by the awesome Oscar juggernauts Inception, The Social Network and the second to last Harry Potter. Take a look at all the nominees (go Emma Stone!) and vote at MTV.com here. Watch for the show to be hosted by SNL’s Jason Sudekis on June 5th.

Best Movie:
Black Swan
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1
Inception
The Social Network
Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Best Female Performance:
Emma Stone (Easy A)
Emma Watson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1)
Jennifer Aniston (Just Go With It) … Um, what???
Kristen Stewart (Twilight Saga: Eclipse)… double what???
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

Best Male Performance:
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Robert Pattinson (Twilight Saga: Eclipse)… blerg
Taylor Lautner (Twilight Saga: Eclipse) … oy vey…
Zac Efron (Charlie St. Cloud)

Best Breakout Star
Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)
Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick Ass)
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Jay Chou (The Green Hornet)
Olivia Wilde (Tron Legacy)
Xavier Samuel (Twilight Saga: Eclipse)

Best Comedic Performance
Emma Stone (Easy A)
Ashton Kutcher (No Strings Attached)
Adam Sandler (Just Go With It)
Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek)
Zach Galifnakis (Due Date)

Best Villain:
Christoph Watlz (The Green Hornet)
Leighton Meester (The Roommate)
Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2)
Ned Beatty (Toy Story 3)
Tom Felton (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1)

Best Kiss
Ellen Page & Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception)
Emma Watson & Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1)
Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson (Twilight Saga: Eclipse)
Kristen Stewart & Taylor Lautner (Twilight Saga: Eclipse)… oooh, so she’s a slut! hehe
Natalie Portman & Mila Kunis (Black Swan) … the obvious winner to be…

Best Fight:
Amy Adams v. The Sister (The Fighter)… Ok, awesome choice
Chloe Grace Moretz v. Mark Strong (Kick Ass)
Harry, Ron & Hermione v. The Deatheaters (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1)
Joseph Gordon Levitt v. Hallway attacker (Inception)
Robert Pattison v. Bryce Dallas Howard & Xavier Samuel (Twilight Saga Eclipse)

Biggest Jaw Dropping Moment
James Franco (127 Hours)
Justin Bieber (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never)… Ok, I’m gonna be sick
Leonardo DiCaprio & Ellen Page (Inception)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Steve-O (Jackass 3D)

Best Scared as Shit Performance
Ashley Bell (The Last Exorcism)
Minka Kelly (The Roommate)
Ellen Page (Inception)
Jessica Schor (Piranha 3D)
Ryan Reynolds (Buried)

Best Line from a Movie
“I Want to Get Chocolate Wasted” (Grown Ups)
“There’s a higher power that will judge you for your indecency… Tom Cruise?” (Easy A)
“If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you’d have invented Facebook.” (The Social Network)
“A million dollars isn’t cool. You know what is cool? A billion dollars. And that shut everybody up.” (The Social Network)
“You musn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger darling.” (Inception)

The Book of Mormon preaches at the Tony Award Nominations

The incredibly funny and totally awesome new musical from the creators of South Park, The Book of Mormon, led the Tony Award nominations this morning with a big 14 nods including Best Musical. The big surprise though was the now closed musical The Scottsboro Boys which came close behind with 12 nominations. Those two shows will compete against Catch Me if You Can and Sister Act for Best Musical while Good People, Jerusalem, The Motherfucker with the Hat and War Horse will square off for Best Play…. This year the acting nominees were a little less starry than last year when movie stars Scarlett Johanson, Viola Davis, Alfred Molina and Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Catharine Zeta Jones were among the winners. Instead we have only one three big  movie stars, Oscar winners Al Pacino, Vanessa Redgrave and Frances McDormand in the running, but several notable TV vets are up for awards including Emmy winners John Laroquette (Night Court), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Bobby Cannavale (Will & Grace) plus John Benjamin Hickey (The Big C), Judith Light (Ugly Betty) and screen vets Ellen Barkin and Billy Crudup…. Some big surprises were the omission of Priscilla Queen of the Desert in the Best Musical category and no Harry Potter, ahem, Daniel Radcliffe (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) in Best Actor Musical…. Check out the full list of nominations below… and head to Broadway in NYC before June 5th to see all the nominees.

Best Play
“Good People”
“Jerusalem”
“The Motherf**ker With the Hat”
“War Horse”

Best Musical
“The Book of Mormon”
“Catch Me If You Can”
“The Scottsboro Boys”
“Sister Act”

Best Book of a Musical
Alex Timbers, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”
Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone, “The Book of Mormon”
David Thompson, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner, and Douglas Carter Beane, “Sister Act”

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
“The Book of Mormon,” music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone
“The Scottsboro Boys,” music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb
“Sister Act,” music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater
“Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” music and lyrics by David Yazbek

Best Revival of a Play
“Arcadia”
“The Importance of Being Earnest”
“The Merchant of Venice”
“The Normal Heart”

Best Revival of a Musical
“Anything Goes”
“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Brian Bedford, “The Importance of Being Earnest”
Bobby Cannavale, “The Motherf**ker With the Hat”
Joe Mantello, “The Normal Heart”
Al Pacino, “The Merchant of Venice”
Mark Rylance, “Jerusalem”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda, “Born Yesterday”
Frances McDormand, “Good People”
Lily Rabe, “The Merchant of Venice”
Vanessa Redgrave, “Driving Miss Daisy”
Hannah Yelland, “Brief Encounter”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz, “Catch Me If You Can”
Josh Gad, “The Book of Mormon”
Joshua Henry, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Andrew Rannells, “The Book of Mormon”
Tony Sheldon, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sutton Foster, “Anything Goes”
Beth Leavel, “Baby It’s You!”
Patina Miller, “Sister Act”
Donna Murphy, “The People in the Picture”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Mackenzie Crook, “Jerusalem”
Billy Crudup, “Arcadia”
John Benjamin Hickey, “The Normal Heart”
Arian Moayed, “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo”
Yul Vázquez, “The Motherf**ker With the Hat”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Ellen Barkin, “The Normal Heart”
Edie Falco, “The House of Blue Leaves”
Judith Light, “Lombardi”
Joanna Lumley, “La Bête”
Elizabeth Rodriguez, “The Motherf**ker With the Hat”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Colman Domingo, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Adam Godley, “Anything Goes”
John Larroquette, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Forrest McClendon, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Rory O’Malley, “The Book of Mormon”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Laura Benanti, “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”
Tammy Blanchard, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Victoria Clark, “Sister Act”
Nikki M. James, “The Book of Mormon”
Patti LuPone, “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Todd Rosenthal, “The Motherf**ker With the Hat”
Rae Smith, “War Horse”
Ultz, “Jerusalem”
Mark Wendland, “The Merchant of Venice”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Derek McLane, “Anything Goes”
Scott Pask, “The Book of Mormon”
Donyale Werle, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”

Best Costume Design of a Play
Jess Goldstein, “The Merchant of Venice”
Desmond Heeley, “The Importance of Being Earnest”
Mark Thompson, “La Bête”
Catherine Zuber, “Born Yesterday”

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”
Martin Pakledinaz, “Anything Goes”
Ann Roth, “The Book of Mormon”
Catherine Zuber, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, “War Horse”
David Lander, “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo”
Kenneth Posner, “The Merchant of Venice”
Mimi Jordan Sherin, “Jerusalem”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Howell Binkley, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Peter Kaczorowski, “Anything Goes”
Brian MacDevitt, “The Book of Mormon”

Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners and Cricket S. Myers, “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo”
Simon Baker, “Brief Encounter”
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Jerusalem”
Christopher Shutt, “War Horse”

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Steve Canyon Kennedy, “Catch Me If You Can”
Brian Ronan, “Anything Goes”
Brian Ronan, “The Book of Mormon”

Best Direction of a Play
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, “War Horse”
Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe, “The Normal Heart”
Anna D. Shapiro, “The Motherf**ker With the Hat”
Daniel Sullivan, “The Merchant of Venice”

Best Direction of a Musical
Rob Ashford, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Kathleen Marshall, “Anything Goes”
Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, “The Book of Mormon”
Susan Stroman, “The Scottsboro Boys”

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Kathleen Marshall, “Anything Goes”
Casey Nicholaw, “The Book of Mormon”
Susan Stroman, “The Scottsboro Boys”

Best Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Larry Hochman, “The Scottsboro Boys”
Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, “The Book of Mormon”
Marc Shaiman and Larry Blank, “Catch Me If You Can”

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-Competitive Categories

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Athol Fugard
Philip J. Smith

Regional Theatre Tony Award
Lookingglass Theatre Company (Chicago)

Isabelle Stevenson Award
Eve Ensler

Special Tony Award
Handspring Puppet Company

Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre
William Berloni
The Drama Book Shop
Sharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts

I’m off to Broadway!

I’m off on vacation this week headed to NYC and Broadway. I thought I’d give you a taste of at least two of the shows I’m seeing, the Tony Award winning revival of La Cage Aux Folles and the Tony Award winning Green Day musical American Idiot. I will be seeing something else while I’m there (hopefully Billy Elliott or Promises, Promises) and will update ya when I’m back. Not sure what I can get in to see yet… Nonetheless, after you watch these vids, I bet you’ll want to head to the Great White Way for a little vacay yourself!

La Cage Aux Folles on the Tonys…

Green Day and the American Idiot Cast “21 Guns”

Fantasia gets “Back to Me” on her 3rd Album.

American Idol and multiple Grammy nominee Fantasia is finally ready to release her 3rd album, Back to Me, which drops on my birthday July 27. What a nice lil gift ‘Tasia! … Anywho, the album features her current leadoff single “Bittersweet” which is already in the top 20 of the Urban AC and R & B charts and two tracks previously heard on her VH1 Fantasia For Real reality show, “Even Angels” and “Move on Me”. She worked with a host of big names on this release including Cee-Lo, Claude Kelley (who’s written hits for everyone from Britney to Kelly to Katy) and Ne Yo. The album even includes her stirring performance of “I’m Here” from the musical The Color Purple. Looks like ‘Tasia could have a big hit on her hands. For more on the album and Fantasia, click here. And check out the first single and her amazing performance of “I’m Here” from the 2008 Tony Awards below.

Here’s the full track listing of Back to Me:

1. I’m Doin’ Me
2. Bittersweet
3. Man Of The House
4. Who’s Been Lovin’ You
5. Collard Greens & Cornbread
6. Teach Me
7. Move On Me
8. Trust Him
9. The Thrill Is Gone Featuring Cee-Lo Green
10. Falling In Love Tonight
11. Even Angels
12. I’m Here (From ‘The Color Purple’ Musical

Fantasia “Bittersweet” on American Idol (PS- note the Justin Bieber hair, hehe!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFzIOxHpskA

Fantasia does “I’m Here” on the Tony Awards

Tony’s Top TV Stars

The annual Tony Awards honoring the best on Broadway air this Sunday on CBS. The show has been a tradition for the network for years and it not only will be celebrating the best of theatre, but also showcasing a number of TV stars who are stretching their legs on the boards. The show is hosted by Emmy winning Will & Grace star and Tony nominee Sean Hayes and features several TV faces as nominees this year including Laura Linney (Showtime’s upcoming The Big C), Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), Valerie Harper (Rhoda, etc), Linda Lavin (Alice), David Alan Grier (In Living Color), and 5 time winner Angela Landsbury (Murder She Wrote). All of these honorees had me wondering just what current TV stars have won Tony Awards. So, I did some digging. Take a look at the list of Tony Winning and Tony Nominated stars from some your favorite TV programs below. Now, I’m sure I’m missing some, so head over to the Tony’s website if you want to check and call me out.

Current TV Stars who’ve won Tony Awards:

Glenn Close (Damages)~ she has 3 Tonys including Best Actress in a Musical for Sunset Boulevard
Sara Ramirez (Greys Anatomy)~ won Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Spamalot
Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)~ won Best Actor in a Musical for Cabaret
Audra McDonald (Private Practice)~ she has 4 Tony Awards!
Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)~ she won Featured Actress in a Musical for Grand Hotel
Kristen Chenowith (Glee)~ She won Featured Actress in a Musical for You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown
Idina Menzel (Glee)~ the original Elphaba in Wicked, she landed the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the role (beating costar Kristen Chenowith)

Other TV Actors who’ve won in Plays include: Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Eve Best (Nurse Jackie), B.D. Wong (Law & Order: SVU) and Mary Louise Parker (Weeds)

And here are a bunch of your fave TV Actors who’ve landed Tony nominations…
Laura Linney (The Big C) has 3 Tony noms to her credit, Oliver Platt (Th Big C), Matthew Morrison (Glee) nomm’d for A Light in the Piazza, Jonathan Groff (Glee) nomm’d for Spring Awakening, and Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) nomm’d for Into the Woods.

That’s just a sampling of your TV talent Tony nominated stars. I’m not even gonna start with Tony-nominated movie stars. This year alone we have a ton (Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Liev Shcriber, Christopher Walken, Jude Law, Scarlett Johannson). In the meantime, watch the Tonys this Sunday on CBS at 8pm and enjoy the brilliant Sara Ramirez in her big Tony winning performance from Spamalot below.

Sara Ramirez in Spamalot