Tony Awards 2011

As is a tradition in the theatre, nominations for the American Theatre Wing’s 65th Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards were announced at the beginning of May. The nominees are selected by an independent committee of theatre professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee.
Many great shows will be honored as well as great performers. This would be a tough year, in my opinion, to narrow it down and pick just one from the categories.

Legitimate theatrical productions opening in any of the 40 eligible Broadway theatres during the current season may be considered for Tony nominations. The 2010/2011 eligibility season runs from April 30, 2010 and goes to April 28, 2011. The Tony Awards will be voted in 26 competitive categories.

The “Tony” Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.
Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement will also be presented as well as the Isabelle Stevenson Award. The Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented, The Drama Book Shop and Sharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts too.

Each year, the Tony Awards Administration Committee, presents a Tony Award to a regional theatre on the recommendation of the American Theatre Critics Association.
The ballot will be as follows (in case you want to follow along):

Best Play

 Good People
Author: David Lindsay-Abaire

 Jerusalem
Author: Jez Butterworth

 The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Author: Stephen Adly Guirgis

 War Horse
Author: Nick Stafford

Best Musical

 The Book of Mormon

 Catch Me If You Can

 The Scottsboro Boys

 Sister Act


Best Book of a Musical

 Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Alex Timbers

 The Book of Mormon
Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone

 The Scottsboro Boys
David Thompson

 Sister Act
Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane


Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

 The Book of Mormon
Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone

 The Scottsboro Boys
Music & Lyrics: John Kander & Fred Ebb

 Sister Act
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Glenn Slater

 Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Music & Lyrics: 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 Direction of a Play

 Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris
War Horse

 Joel Grey & 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 & Stephen Oremus
The Book of Mormon

 Marc Shaiman & Larry Blank
Catch Me If You Can



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 & 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



The Tony Awards will be broadcast live from the Beacon Theatre on CBS, Sunday, June 12th, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.