Yes, the biggest night on the Broadway calendar is upon us. And, this year, winners will need a little extra strength to raise their Tony statue high into the air: The award is now taller and heavier than in previous years. The statuette now stands at five inches tall (it was previously 3.25 inches in height) and weighs three-and-a-half pounds (prior awards weighed only one pound).
Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes, who is nominated for a 2010 Tony Award for his performance in the revival of Promises, Promises, hosts this year's Tony telecast, which is again being held at Radio City Music Hall.
The Tony festivities actually begin two hours before the CBS telecast with the Red Carpet arrivals and the presentation of the Creative Arts Awards. Both of these events will be broadcast in the New York metropolitan area on NY1 and simulcast to the Clear Channel Spectacolor HD Screen in Times Square. Constantine Maroulis, who earned a 2009 Tony Award nomination for his performance in Rock of Ages, will host the Times Square simulcast, which will take place rain or shine.
Fans in Times Square will be treated to NY1's pre-show — hosted by Roma Torre, Donna Karger and guest host Blake Ross (editor of Playbill magazine) — beginning at 6 PM.
At Radio City, just after 7 PM, Tony Award winners Karen Olivo and Greg Jbara will host the aforementioned Creative Arts Tony Awards. Although the Tony folk are staying mum on which awards will be presented prior to the CBS telecast, they may include Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design of a Play, Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Best Costume Design of a Play, Best Costume Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Play, Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Best Sound Design of a Play, Best Sound Design of a Musical, Best Direction of a Play, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations, Regional Theatre Tony and the Special Tony Awards.
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And, the evening will be chock full of entertainment: Catherine Zeta-Jones, nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Desiree in the current Broadway production of A Little Night Music, will sing the Stephen Sondheim classic "Send in the Clowns" from that Tony-nominated revival.
In addition to Night Music, the revivals of La Cage aux Folles and Ragtime will also be featured. The cast of La Cage, which includes 2010 Tony nominees Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge, will perform the toe-tapping Jerry Herman tune, "The Best of Times." Christiane Noll, nominated for her performance in the short-lived revival of Ragtime, will perform a portion of the Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty ballad "Back to Before."
Million Dollar Quartet, the Tony-nominated Best Musical that puts Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins in the same 1956 recording studio, will feature its entire cast — Eddie Clendening, Lance Guest, Tony nominee Levi Kreis, Rob Lyons, Hunter Foster and Elizabeth Stanley — performing a medley of "Down by the Riverside," "Party" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On."
The cast of Fela!, which tells the story of late Nigerian musician and political figure Fela Anikulapo Kuti, will offer a montage of songs and scenes written especially for the Tony telecast by Fela! librettist, director and choreographer Bill T. Jones; librettist Jim Lewis; and Aaron Johnson, who penned additional music for the musical.
Memphis Tony nominees Montego Glover and Chad Kimball will lead the cast of the acclaimed musical about a white radio DJ who falls in love with a black singer in the 1950s in a medley of Joe DiPietro and David Bryan's "Radio" and "Steal Your Rock 'n' Roll."
The high-energy cast of American Idiot, the Tony-nominated musical inspired by the 2004 Green Day punk album of the same name, will belt out their show's title tune, and the rock group Green Day will also lend their talents to the evening.
The show's opening pop-song medley will include 2010 Tony nominee Sherie Rene Scott performing a portion of "Up the Ladder," the cast of Million Dollar Quartet performing "Blue Suede Shoes" and more. "Glee" stars Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison will also perform, as will cast members from Come Fly Away and Promises, Promises.
The telecast will also feature a presentation of the Tony-nominated Best Play and Best Play revivals. The presentation will feature Denzel Washington and Viola Davis from Fences; Justin Bartha, Anthony LaPaglia and Tony Shalhoub from Lend Me a Tenor; Jan Maxwell and Rosemary Harris of The Royal Family; Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson from A View from the Bridge; Laura Benanti and Michael Cerveris from In the Next Room or the vibrator play; Patrick Breen and Patrick Heusinger of Next Fall; Laura Linney and Brian d’Arcy James from Time Stands Still; and Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne from Red.
The Tony Awards Administration Committee previously announced this year's recipients for the Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Isabelle Stevenson Award, which will all be presented June 13.
The 2010 Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will be presented to playwright and director Sir Alan Ayckbourn, and Tony Award-winning actress Marian Seldes.
The recipient of the Isabelle Stevenson Award is Tony Award winner David Hyde Pierce. The Isabelle Stevenson Award recognizes an individual from the theatre community "who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations, regardless of whether such organizations relate to the theatre."
The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT, is the recipient of the 2010 Tony Award for Regional Theatre.
The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were presented June 12 at a Tony Eve Cocktail Party. The awards were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have "demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories." This year's Tony Honors were presented to The Alliance of Resident Theatres New York, B.H. Barry, BC/EFA executive director Tom Viola and the Midtown North and South New York City Police Precincts.
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"Glee" and Spring Awakening star Lea Michele and God of Carnage's Jeff Daniels announced the nominations for the 64th Annual Tony Awards May 4 at the The New York Public Library for Performing Arts.
The new musical Fela!, which began life Off-Broadway, and the revival of La Cage aux Folles, earned 11 nominations a piece, the most of any production of the season.
Nominees for the 64th Annual Tony Awards follow:
Best Play
In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play
Author: Sarah Ruhl
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten
Next Fall
Author: Geoffrey Nauffts
Producers: Elton John and David Furnish, Barbara Manocherian, Richard Willis, Tom Smedes, Carole L. Haber/Chase Mishkin, Ostar, Anthony Barrile, Michael Palitz, Bob Boyett, James Spry/Catherine Schreiber, Probo Productions, Roy Furman, Naked Angels
Red
Author: John Logan
Producers: Arielle Tepper Madover, Stephanie P. McClelland, Matthew Byam Shaw, Neal Street, Fox Theatricals, Ruth Hendel/Barbara Whitman, Philip Hagemann/Murray Rosenthal, The Donmar Warehouse
Time Stands Still
Author: Donald Margulies
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Nelle Nugent/Wendy Federman
Best Musical
American Idiot
Producers: Tom Hulce & Ira Pittelman, Ruth and Steven Hendel, Vivek J. Tiwary and Gary Kaplan, Aged in Wood and Burnt Umber, Scott Delman, Latitude Link, HOP Theatricals and Jeffrey Finn, Larry Welk, Bensinger Filerman and Moellenberg Taylor, Allan S. Gordon/Elan V. McAllister, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Awaken Entertainment, John Pinckard and John Domo
Fela!
Producers: Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Roy Gabay, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Edward Tyler Nahem, Slava Smolokowski, Chip Meyrelles/Ken Greiner, Douglas G. Smith, Steve Semlitz/Cathy Glaser, Daryl Roth/True Love Productions, Susan Dietz/Mort Swinsky, Knitting Factory Entertainment
Memphis
Producers: Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag, Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff, Latitude Link, Jim and Susan Blair, Demos Bizar Entertainment, Land Line Productions, Apples and Oranges Productions, Dave Copley, Dancap Productions, Inc., Alex and Katya Lukianov, Tony Ponturo, 2 Guys Productions, Richard Winkler, Lauren Doll, Eric and Marsi Gardiner, Linda and Bill Potter, Broadway Across America, Jocko Productions, Patty Baker, Dan Frishwasser, Bob Bartner/Scott and Kaylin Union, Loraine Boyle/Chase Mishkin, Remmel T. Dickinson/Memphis Orpheum Group, ShadowCatcher Entertainment/Vijay and Sita Vashee
Million Dollar Quartet
Producers: Relevant Theatricals, John Cossette Productions, American Pop Anthology, Broadway Across America, James L. Nederlander
Best Book of a Musical
Everyday Rapture
Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott
Fela!
Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones
Memphis
Joe DiPietro
Million Dollar Quartet
Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Addams Family
Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Enron
Music: Adam Cork
Lyrics: Lucy Prebble
Fences
Music: Branford Marsalis
Memphis
Music: David Bryan
Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan
Best Revival of a Play
Fences
Producers: Carole Shorenstein Hays and Scott Rudin
Lend Me a Tenor
Producers: The Araca Group, Stuart Thompson, Carl Moellenberg, Rodney Rigby, Olympus Theatricals, Broadway Across America, The Shubert Organization, Wendy Federman/Jamie deRoy/Richard Winkler, Lisa Cartwright, Spring Sirkin, Scott and Brian Zeilinger
The Royal Family
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove
A View from the Bridge
Producers: Stuart Thompson, The Araca Group, Jeffrey Finn, Broadway Across America, Olympus Theatricals, Marisa Sechrest, The Weinstein Company, Jon B. Platt, Sonia Friedman Productions/Robert G. Bartner, Mort Swinsky/Joseph Deitch, Adam Zotovich/Ruth Hendel/Orin Wolf, Shelter Island Enterprises, The Shubert Organization
Best Revival of a Musical
Finian's Rainbow
Producers: David Richenthal, Jack Viertel, Alan D. Marks, Michael Speyer, Bernard Abrams, David M. Milch, Stephen Moore, Debbie Bisno/Myla Lerner, Jujamcyn Theaters, Melly Garcia, Jamie deRoy, Jon Bierman, Richard Driehaus, Kevin Spirtas, Jay Binder, StageVentures 2009 Limited Partnership
La Cage aux Folles
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani, Barry and Fran Weissler and Edwin W. Schloss, Bob Bartner/Norman Tulchin, Broadway Across America, Matthew Mitchell, Raise The Roof 4 Richard Winkler/Bensinger Taylor/Laudenslager Bergrère, Arelene Scanlan/John O'Boyle, Independent Presenters Network, Olympus Theatricals, Allen Spivak, Jerry Frankel/Bat-Barry Productions, Nederlander Presentations, Inc/Harvey Weinstein, Menier Chocolate Factory
A Little Night Music
Producers: Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, The Menier Chocolate Factory, Roger Berlind, David Babani, Sonia Friedman Productions, Andrew Fell, Daryl Roth/Jane Bergere, Harvey Weinstein/Raise the Roof 3, Beverly Bartner/Dancap Productions, Inc., Nica Burns/Max Weitzenhoffer, Eric Falkenstein/Anna Czekaj, Jerry Frankel/Ronald Frankel, James D. Stern/Douglas L. Meyer
Ragtime
Producers: Kevin McCollum, Roy Furman, Scott Delman, Roger Berlind, Max Cooper, Tom Kirdahy/Devin Elliott, Jeffrey A. Sine, Stephanie P. McClelland, Roy Miller, Lams Productions, Jana Robbins, Sharon Karmazin, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, RialtoGals Productions, Independent Presenters Network, Held-Haffner Productions, HRH Foundation, Emanuel Azenberg, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Michael Kaiser, Max Woodward
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| Fences Tony Award nominees Viola Davis and Denzel Washington | ||
| photo by Joan Marcus |
Jude Law, Hamlet
Alfred Molina, Red
Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge
Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane
Denzel Washington, Fences
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Viola Davis, Fences
Valerie Harper, Looped
Linda Lavin, Collected Stories
Laura Linney, Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles
Sean Hayes, Promises, Promises
Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles
Chad Kimball, Memphis
Sahr Ngaujah, Fela!
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow
Montego Glover, Memphis
Christiane Noll, Ragtime
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
David Alan Grier, Race
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Fences
Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts
Stephen Kunken, Enron
Eddie Redmayne, Red
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| A View from the Bridge Tony Award nominees Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber | ||
| photo by Joan Marcus |
Maria Dizzia, In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play
Rosemary Harris, The Royal Family
Jessica Hecht, A View from the Bridge
Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge
Jan Maxwell, Lend Me a Tenor
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesús, La Cage aux Folles
Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow
Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Barbara Cook, Sondheim on Sondheim
Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
Karine Plantadit, Come Fly Away
Lillias White, Fela!
Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty, The Royal Family
Alexander Dodge, Present Laughter
Santo Loquasto, Fences
Christopher Oram, Red
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici, Fela!
Christine Jones, American Idiot
Derek McLane, Ragtime
Tim Shortall, La Cage aux Folles
Best Costume Design of a Play
Martin Pakledinaz, Lend Me a Tenor
Constanza Romero, Fences
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play
Catherine Zuber, The Royal Family
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici, Fela!
Paul Tazewell, Memphis
Matthew Wright, La Cage aux Folles
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, Hamlet
Neil Austin, Red
Mark Henderson, Enron
Brian MacDevitt, Fences
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, American Idiot
Donald Holder, Ragtime
Nick Richings, La Cage aux Folles
Robert Wierzel, Fela!
Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners, Fences
Adam Cork, Enron
Adam Cork, Red
Scott Lehrer, A View from the Bridge
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, La Cage aux Folles
Robert Kaplowitz, Fela!
Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen, A Little Night Music
Dan Moses Schreier, Sondheim on Sondheim
Best Direction of a Play
Michael Grandage, Red
Sheryl Kaller, Next Fall
Kenny Leon, Fences
Gregory Mosher, A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Memphis
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Terry Johnson, La Cage aux Folles
Bill T. Jones, Fela!
Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Promises, Promises
Bill T. Jones, Fela!
Lynne Page, La Cage aux Folles
Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away
Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr, La Cage aux Folles
Aaron Johnson, Fela!
Jonathan Tunick, Promises, Promises
Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis
The 2010 Tonys are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Paul Libin is chairman, and Charlotte St. Martin is executive director. At the American Theatre Wing, Theodore S. Chapin is chairman, and Howard Sherman is executive director. For Tony Award Productions, Alan Wasser and Allan Williams of Alan Wasser Associates are the general managers.
Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment are executive producers of the 2010 Tony Awards. Weiss also serves as director of the 2010 Tony Awards.
