Tony Nominees 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 8:37AM
NATHANIEL R in Anika Noni Rose, Broadway and Stage, Catch Me If You Can, Daniel Radcliffe, Kerry Butler, Matthew Broderick, Prisciilla, Sutton Foster, Tony Awards, Women on the Verge

Matthew Broderick and Anika Noni Rose announce the nominees

Bright and early, that's how all awards nominations are announced. Tony winners Matthew Broderick and Anika Noni Rose, read the names at 8:30 AM. Broderick, who had a very famous run as a movie star in the 80s, actually won his Tony in 1996 for the musical revival of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Sixteen years later, another revival of that same musical opens with another famous young movie actor, the boy wizard himself Daniel Radcliffe. But he wasn't nominated so no history repeating itself this time.

New musicals The Book of Mormon (from the South Park guys), The Scottsboro Boys and the raved revival of Anything Goes with Sutton Foster and Joel Grey (still doing 8 shows a week at 79 years of age) lead the nomination tally with 14, 12 and 9 nominations respectively.

Notable Celebrity Snubs: The Tony nominating committee has gotten a lot of flak over the years for valuing performers with off-stage celebrity over those with impressive Broadway credits. But this year maybe they're slightly working against the FAME trend. Celebrities Robin Williams (Benghal Tiger) and Kathleen Turner (High) were both left off their category's lineups and obviously Harry Potter fans won't be happy to see Radcliffe snubbed. James Earl Jones was also snubbed for his Driving Miss Daisy performance. 

Swenson, Butler and Radcliffe. All snubbed for roles you've seen at the movies!

Stage-Star Snubs: Will Swenson (Priscilla) and Aaron Tveit (Catch Me If You Can) were undone by competing against their co-leads (who were nominated). Future movie star Benjamin Walker, who ruled the nation onstage with huge charisma inBloody Bloody Andrew Jackson should have been recognized. Former Xanadu headliner Kerry Butler, who is always a joy to watch, did not win a nomination for Catch Me If You Can (she was in the Amy Adams role) continuing her rough relationship with Tony. Xanadu aside, she's been snubbed the other three times she's been eligible despite well received work or hit shows. What's that about?

Triple Crown Alerts? None that I see on first run through. Vanessa Redgrave, nominated for Jessica Tandy's Oscar winning Driving Miss Daisy role, already has the Oscar-Emmy-Tony triple. So does Al Pacino who is nominated again for The Merchant of Venice. Frances McDormand, nominated for Good People, only has the Oscar so she'd still need an Emmy if she wins this year's Lead Drama Actress prize.

Sutton Foster Break! I'm sorry but I just l-o-v-e her. Seeing her onstage is always a thrill. Here she is rehearsing with Oscar and Tony winner Joel Grey.

 

A complete list of nominations is after the jump divvied up into Plays and Musicals.

THE PLAYS

Best Play

Best Revival of a Play

Best Direction of a Play

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Lot of fine actors here. Pacino last won in 1977. Can he do it again or with the excruciating drama of The Normal Heart carry Mantello to glory. Or maybe Mark Rylance, a sensational actor?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Oscar winners McDormand and Redgrave are both up for Best Actress

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Best Costume Design of a Play

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Best Sound Design of a Play

 

THE MUSICALS

Best Musical
This was bad news for Priscilla, not placing. But can you believe it's half movies-to-musicals? Should be an easy win for The Book of Mormon given the sales and the hype.

Best Revival of a Musical
This will be won by Anything Goes I think

Best Direction of a Musical

Best Book of a Musical

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

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Love Butz in Catch Me... but might Sheldon win? That Terence Stamp "Bernadette" role in Priscilla is a great one.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sutton, Beth and Donna have all won Tony's before. Will Patina Miller in Whoopi Goldberg's singing faux-nun role win? Or maybe Sutton wins her second?

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Interesting that two women from a flop made it in. Benanti stole Women on the Verge from everyone but wins don't often come from flops. Tammy Blanchard, recently seen in Rabbit Hole, has an Emmy but lost the Tony last time.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical


Best Costume Design of a Musical
Three Oscar winners are nominated in this category: Chappel, Gardiner and Anne Roth (who recently did Mildred Pierce)

Best Choreography

Best Orchestrations

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

 

Best Sound Design of a Musical

SPECIALS


Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

Regional Theatre Tony Award

Isabelle Stevenson Award

Special Tony Award


Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre

 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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