BWAY: Sean Hayes to host TONY's

Sean Hayes, former co-star of the hit show "Will and Grace," will host the Tony Awards on CBS on June 13, 2010.  Sean is also nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for his work in the revival of PROMISES, PROMISES.


Source: http://www.TonyAwards.com

55th DRAMA DESK AWARDS Winners (and Surprises)

The 55th Drama Desk Awards handed a bevy of awards to the best in New York theatre last night.  An unusal award, the Drama Desk Awards combine Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway together to arrive at the nominations for the best in the theatre as a whole.

Hosted by legendary singer and Tony-winner, Patti LuPone, the awards were shown live online via TheatreMania.com.  A running joke throughout the night began with an innocent comment of Mitzi Gaynor complementing Martha Plimpton's shoes, which snowballed to Matthew Modine supposedly complimenting women on their Spanx.

And the Musical Theatre (and Music oriented) winners are...


Outstanding Musical:
American Idiot
Everyday Rapture
**Memphis ** WINNER
The Addams Family
The Scottsboro Boys
Yank!

Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
A Little Night Music
Finian's Rainbow
**La Cage Aux Folles** WINNER
Promises, Promises
Ragtime

Outstanding Actor in a Musical:
Brandon Victor Dixon, The Scottsboro Boys
**Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER
Cheyenne Jackson, Finian's Rainbow
Chad Kimball, Memphis
Nathan Lane, The Addams Family
Bobby Steggert, Yank!

Outstanding Actress in a Musical (tie):
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow
**Montego Glover, Memphis ** WINNER
Jayne Houdyshell, Coraline
Christiane Noll, Ragtime
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
**Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music** WINNER

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:
Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesus, La Cage Aux Folles
Jeffry Denman, Yank!
**Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow** WINNER
Jeremy Morse, Bloodsong of Love
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:
Carolee Carmello, The Addams Family
Carrie Cimma, Lizzie Borden
**Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises ** WINNER
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
Kenita Miller, Langston in Harlem
Terri White, Finian's Rainbow

Outstanding Director of a Musical:
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Igor Goldin, Yank!
Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles
**Michael Mayer, American Idiot ** WINNER
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Outstanding Choreography:
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
**Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away** WINNER
Sergio Trujillo, Memphis

Outstanding Music:
**David Bryan, Memphis** WINNER
Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
Joseph Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Lyrics:
Rick Crom, Newsical The Musical
Kevin Del Aguila, Click, Clack, Moo
**John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys** WINNERS
Dillie Keane and Adèle Anderson, Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous!
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Book of a Musical:
Joe DiPietro, Memphis
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love
Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
David Thompson, The Scottsboro Boys
**Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson** WINNER
David Zellnik, Yank!

Outstanding Orchestrations:
Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys
Tom Kitt, American Idiot
Tom Kitt, Everyday Rapture
John Oddo, All About Me
**Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis** WINNERS

Outstanding Musical Revue:
Fascinating Aïda: Absolutely Miraculous!
Million Dollar Quartet
Newsical The Musical
Simon Green: Traveling Light
**Sondheim on Sondheim** WINNER

Outstanding Music in a Play:
Adam Cochran, A Play on War
Adam Cork, Red
Gaines, A Lie of the Mind
Philip Glass, The Bacchae
Hem, Twelfth Night
**Branford Marsalis, Fences** WINNER

Outstanding Set Design:
Sandra Goldmark, The Boys in the Band
**Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist, The Addams Family ** WINNERS
Derek McLane, Ragtime
Christopher Oram, Red Jay Rohloff, Underground
Karen Tennent, Hansel and Gretel

Outstanding Costume Design:
Antonia Ford-Roberts & Bob Flanagan, The Emperor Jones
Clint Ramos, So Help Me God!
Bobby Frederick Tilley II, Lizzie Borden
**Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles ** WINNER
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical:
**ACME Sound Partners, Ragtime ** WINNER
Jonathan Deans, La Cage Aux Folles
Ashley Hanson, Kurt Eric Fischer & Brian Ronan, Everyday Rapture
Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys
Scott Lehrer, Finian's Rainbow
Brian Ronan, Promises, Promises

http://www.dramadesk.com/

Macy's Invites You to Sing Your Way to the Tony Awards

Ever wanted to be surrounded by the best of Broadway all at once?

Macy's and CBS want to hear YOU sing your Broadway best for a chance to win a trip to the 64th Annual Tony Awards in New York.

The Tonys will be aired live on CBS, June 13th, at 8 pm EDT/ 7 pm CDT.

Song Choices:

• "96,000" - IN THE HEIGHTS
• "Gimme, Gimme" - THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLE 
• "Good Morning, Baltimore" - HAIRSPRAY
• "I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right Outa my Hair" - SOUTH PACIFIC
• "Lonely Goatherd" - THE SOUND OF MUSIC
• "Maybe" - ANNIE
• "One" - A CHORUS LINE
• "Stars" - LES MISERABLES
• "Ya Got Trouble" - THE MUSIC MAN

Music clearances facilitated by Music Theatre International, The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, and Tams-Witmark Music Library. Songs provided courtesy of copyright holders.

Get Started by going to http://www.cbs.com/specials/tony_awards/upload:
1. Upload your video by May 27th noon PT
2. Vote on yor favorites from May 27th to June 1st to help determine the top 5 videos.
3. Return on June 3rd noon PT to view and vote for your favorite of the top 5.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. See Official Rules for details.

BREAK A LEG!

BWAY: Special TONY for NYPD

The peeps at the Tony Awards announced today that they will award a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre to the Midtown North and South New York City Police Precincts for outstanding service to Manhattan’s Theatre District.  Though the NYPD was instrumental in protecting the Times Square Theatre District from the recent car bomb, it is the job they do everyday that earned the precints this special award.


The Broadway League's Executive Director, Charlotte St. Martin, explained,

"We had decided on this particular Tony Honor well before the May 1st incident in Broadway/Times Square which brought the NYPD's skills to the forefront of a very public stage, so our desire to award them for their consistent day-to-day dedication proved even more appropriate."

The 2010 Tony Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall on June 13, 2010 on CBS, beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET with a red carpet interviews.

Source:  http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/news/articles/2010-05-17/201005161274068041878.html?promo?facebook0517

BWAY: PRISCILLA -- 2 out of 3 ain't bad

The Broadway version of PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT is another step closer to reality.  Two of the three leads were announced to include HAIR's Will Swenson and West End version's Tony Sheldon.  The release also said the move across the pond will have a go in Toronto before the big plunge on the Great White Way in Spring 2011.

With LA CAGE, the upcoming HEDWIG, and now PRISCILLA, it will be interesting to see just how many drag queen shows Broadway can support at one time?!  More mascara and shaving cream, anyone?

For more information on PRISCILLA, go to http://www.priscillathemusical.com. 

BWAY: FELA to launch European tour

The mostly-dance exploration of activism and the Afrobeat, FELA!, will go on tour for at least 12 weeks in late 2011.  Presented by the National Theatre of London, this tour will mark the European premiere of FELA!  

Nominated for 11 Tonys and a winner of an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Choreographer (Bill T. Jones), FELA! has surprised everyone with its collection of awards, acclaim, and longevity on the Great White Way (so far).

For more information on FELA!, to get tickets, or check out the long list of commendations, go to http://www.felaonbroadway.com.

BWAY: LA CAGE announces Nat'l Tour for 2011

The production team of the smash Broadway hit, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, has announced a national tour based on the current revival to be launched in 2011.  Currently nominated for 11 Tony Awards, this morning brought news that LA CAGE had garnered 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards, tying with MEMPHIS, for most wins.  Composer Jerry Herman has been named the recipient of a special Drama Desk Award for his career as a Musical Theatre composer.

The original Broadway production of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES opened on August 21, 1983 at the Palace Theatre, wowing audiences with its daring material.  That production won 4 Tony Awards in 1984 and went on to become a staple in regional theatres.

Casting and design details will be forthcoming on the main LA CAGE website, and for more information on national tours, go to http://www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE announces 2009-2010 awards

The Outer Critics Circle has announced the recipients of the 2009-10 Awards.  MEMPHIS and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES both won in 4 categories, with a shocking 3 unprecedented ties in the categories for "New Off-Broadway Musical," "Actress in a Musical," and "Choreographer. 

Movie stars Denzel Washington and Catherine Zeta-Jones won trophies for their work in FENCES and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, respectively.

With history-making wins and lots of surprises, the winners are... 

NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
* Memphis
 

NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
* Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
* The Scottsboro Boys
 

 NEW SCORE - (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
* Memphis
 

REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL - (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
* La Cage aux Folles
 

 DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
* Terry Johnson  - La Cage aux Folles
 

 CHOREOGRAPHER
* Bill T. Jones - Fela!
* Sergio Trujillo - Memphis

SET DESIGN - (Play or Musical)
* Phelim McDermott & Julian Crouch - The Addams Family
 

COSTUME DESIGN - (Play or Musical)
* Matthew Wright - La Cage aux Folles
 

LIGHTING DESIGN - (Play or Musical)
* Kevin Adams - American Idiot
   

ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
* Douglas Hodge - La Cage aux Folles

ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
* Montego Glover - Memphis
* Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night Music
 

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
* Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet
 

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
* Katie Finneran - Promises, Promises

Source:  http://www.outercritics.org/

BLOG: R.I.P. Lena Horne

Lena Horne was a Broadway performer before she ventured into Hollywood, singing and dancing in a litany of movie musicals.  During World War II, she spoke out against the discrimination against black servicemen, and worked with leaders of the 1960's Civil Rights Movement, acting as a well-known star standing for change with Medgar Evers, John F. Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

She won numerous awards for her rich, sultry singing, but more importantly, she helped break down race barriers in the film and television industry. 

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