Published: May 15, 2007
In a season rich with contenders, "Spring Awakening," a dark rock musical based on a 19th century German play about sexually anguished teenagers, led the field of Tony Award nominations this morning with 11, including chances at awards for best musical, director and best actor for two of its cast.The show moved uptown from Off Broadway, a move that originally seemed risky. But in the musical category, it is closely followed this year by another Off-Broadway transfer: "Grey Gardens," about the eccentric Little and Big Edie Beales, which received 10 nominations, including shots at best director and acting nods for two of its performers.
The other shows in the top Tony category are "Curtains," a Kander and Ebb musical about a backstage murder in a Boston theater, and "Mary Poppins," about, well, exactly what you think it's about.
The nominations were announced this morning by Jane Krakowski, a Tony winner herself, and Taye Diggs at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center.
The awards ceremony will be held on June 10 at Radio City Music Hall, and broadcast live on CBS.
Though the straight-play category was robust this year, there were few surprises: "The Coast of Utopia," Tom Stoppard's sprawling trilogy of 19th century Russian intelligentsia, picked up a whopping 10 nominations, including best original play. Others nominated for best play are "The Little Dog Laughed," Douglas Carter Beane's comedy about a closeted film actor; "Frost/Nixon," Peter Morgan's play about the 1977 interview of Richard Nixon by David Frost; and "Radio Golf," the last play in August Wilson's 10-play cycle on the black American experience in the 20th century.
The major acting categories on the play side are some of the hottest races this year. Among the men, the contest is among Liev Schreiber, playing a self-aggrandizing radio D.J. in "Talk Radio"; Christopher Plummer, making a case as Henry Drummond in the revival of "Inherit the Wind"; Frank Langella, channeling Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon"; Brian F. O'Byrne, channeling Alexander Herzen in "The Coast of Utopia"; and Boyd Gaines, as an avuncular lieutenant trying to hold it together in "Journey's End."
The leading actress in a play category includes Broadway royalty — Vanessa Redgrave playing Joan Didion in "The Year of Magical Thinking"; Angela Lansbury as a retired tennis pro in "Deuce"; and Swoosie Kurtz as the dryly witty Hesione Hushabye from "Heartbreak House" — and some neophytes: Eve Best, making her Broadway debut as the lovelorn Josie Hogan in "A Moon for the Misbegotten," and Julie White, in her breakout role as the agent Diane in "The Little Dog Laughed."
The leading actress in a musical category is strong, even though Christine Ebersole, portraying Little and Big Edie Beale in "Grey Gardens," is considered a front runner.
She has stiff competition, though, from Audra McDonald, playing an unhappily unmarried woman in the revival of "110 in the Shade"; Laura Bell Bundy playing the blonde in "Legally Blonde"; Donna Murphy playing Lotte Lenya in "LoveMusik"; and Debra Monk playing a money hungry theater producer (insert cynical joke here) in "Curtains."The leading actor in a musical is not a category that has attracted as much buzz, but on the other hand there is no clear frontrunner yet. The nominees include Raul Esparza, as Bobby in John Doyle's revival of "Company"; Michael Cerveris, as Kurt Weill in "LoveMusik"; David Hyde Pierce as a showbiz-smitten detective in "Curtains"; Gavin Lee as a chimney sweep Burt in "Mary Poppins" and Jonathan Groff as the precocious Melchior in "Spring Awakening."
There's a little déjà vu in the musical revival category: John Doyle, whose stripped-down, re-envisioned "Sweeney Todd" lost in an upset to "The Pajama Game" last year, will have another chance when his stripped-down, re-envisioned "Company" goes up against "A Chorus Line," "The Apple Tree" and "110 in the Shade."
Mr. Doyle, who won best director of a musical category last year, is back in the category again, alongside Michael Mayer ("Spring Awakening"), Michael Greif ("Grey Gardens") and Scott Ellis ("Curtains").
In the play revival category, "Journey's End," will be competing against "Talk Radio," "Inherit the Wind" and "Translations."
David Grindley, the director of "Journey's End" was nominated for best director of a play, along with Michael Grandage ("Frost/Nixon"), Melly Still ("Coram Boy") and Jack O'Brien ("The Coast of Utopia").
The featured actress in a play category includes Jennifer Ehle and Martha Plimpton, both from "The Coast of Utopia"; Xanthe Elbrick and Jan Maxwell, both from "Coram Boy"; and Dana Ivey from "Butley."
The featured actor in a play category includes Billy Crudup and Ethan Hawke, both from "The Coast of Utopia"; Anthony Chisholm and John Earl Jelks, both from "Radio Golf" and Stark Sands from "Journey's End."
On the musical side, the featured actors nominated are Brooks Ashmanskas ("Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me"), Christian Borle ("Legally Blonde"), John Cullum ("110 in the Shade"), John Gallagher, Jr. ("Spring Awakening") and David Pittu ("LoveMusik"). The featured actresses are Rebecca Luker ("Mary Poppins"), Charlotte d'Amboise ("A Chorus Line"), Orfeh ("Legally Blonde"), Mary Louis Wilson ("Grey Gardens") and Karen Ziemba ("Curtains").
(Source: The New York Times | Theater | 'Spring Awakening' Gets 11 Tony Nominations)
Want to watch "Curtains"? CHECK WHERE IT IS ON!!!
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.Want to watch "Grey Gardens"? CHECK WHERE IT IS ON!!!
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.Want to watch "Mary Poppins"? CHECK WHERE IT IS ON!!!
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.Want to watch "Spring Awakening"? CHECK WHERE IT IS ON!!!
Or, BUY A CD OF THIS SHOW
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