Tonys tension as Broadway bitches back

It’s interesting to read that there has been much grumbling from some sections of Broadway about the invasion of Hollywood at this year’s Tony Awards (Variety: 18 June). Even a Facebook group called “Give the Tonys Back to Broadway” has been formed by Broadway actor Hunter Foster, and now has over 7,000 members.

It can seem like sour grapes when “legit” stage performers moan about Hollywood stars outshining them at their own awards ceremony, particularly when it’s said stars that help to bring the world’s attention to their industry.

The Olivier Awards committee must watch and weep at the enormous star count at the Tonys, even if reasons for being there range from the legitimate – treading the Broadway boards (Denzel Washington, Scarlett Johansson), producing a Broadway show (Will Smith) – to the slightly random (Katie Holmes, Paula Abdul, Raquel Welch…).

With a softening of fim production and a desire to legitimise their acting careers with stage work, film stars on both sides of the Atlantic have been taking to the stage in increasing numbers, with recent British examples including Keira Knightley and Jude Law.

Which seems fair enough when theatre is increasingly turning to cinema and TV to broaden its audience, from the Met and the National Theatre’s international cinema programmes, to Glee’s parade of Broadway stars and TV talent shows such as Five’s forthcoming Don’t Stop Believing featuring Sweet Charity’s Tamsin Outhwaite. It’s a two-way street and theatre stars are benefitting from the screen.

In terms of the Tonys, a high star count does at least mean that a major US network, in this case CBS, is willing to televise the awards. In the UK there is no single channel willing to pick  up the Oliviers, a fact put very nicely by Douglas Hodge in his Winners Circle interview after winning his Tony award.

If the Tonys weren’t televised at all, then maybe Hunter et al would have much more to complain about.

Our Top Ten Tony Moments

We are determined to completely over compensate for this year’s lack of UK press coverage and general excitement over the Tony Awards by forcing them down your throats!

It’s been a week since the 13 June ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York saw the Brits trail a blaze through the event, including the two best director gongs going to Michael Grandage for Red and Terry Johnson for La Cage Aux Folles. Plus wins for darling of the Mumbles Catherine Zeta Jones, Mrs Douglas Hodge, Eddie “Red”mayne etc etc etc.

Hoorah!

To reminisce we’ve put together our Top 10 Tony Moments.

Read more

Videos: Tony Awards 2010

The 64th annual Tony Awards, held at Radio City Music Hall on 13 June 2010, proved a big night for UK theatre.

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 1

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 2

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 3

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 4

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 5

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 6

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 7

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 8

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 9

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 10

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 11

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 12

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 12A – Matthew Morrison – Glee

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 12B – Lea Michele – Glee

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 13

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 14

TONY AWARDS 2010 – PART 15

Brits wow Tonys on Broadway

British talent makes its presence felt at this year’s Tony Awards. Douglas Hodge and Catherine Zeta Jones win awards.

It was a great night for the UK at a star-studded ceremony at Radio City Music Hall last night, Sunday 13 June,  for the annual Tony Awards.

Directors Michael Grandage (Red) and Terry Johnson (La Cage Aux Folles) both won best director awards, and UK actors Catherine Zeta Jones (A Little Night Music), Douglas Hodge (La Cage Aux Folles) and Eddie Redmayne (Red) all took away best actor gongs.

The Donmar production of Red won an astonishing 6 awards – including Best Play, with La Cage taking three including Best Revival of a Musical.

It was also a good night for Hollywood stars as Scarlett Johansson and Denzel Washington won acting awards.

See a full list of award winners here

Tony Award Winners 2010

Awards announced: 13 June 2010

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Scarlett Johansson, “A View From the Bridge.”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Eddie Redmayne, “Red.”

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Michael Grandage, “Red.”

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Terry Johnson, “La Cage aux Folles.”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Katie Finneran, “Promises, Promises.”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Levi Kreis, “Million Dollar Quartet.”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Viola Davis, “Fences.”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Denzel Washington, “Fences.”

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: “La Cage aux Folles.”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Catherine Zeta-Jones, “A Little Night Music.”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Douglas Hodge, “La Cage aux Folles.”

BEST MUSICAL: “Memphis.”

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Bill T. Jones, “Fela!”

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: “Fences.”

BEST PLAY: “Red.”

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL: “Memphis.”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATER: “Memphis”

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS: Daryl Waters and David Bryan, “Memphis.”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Christopher Oram, “Red.”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Christine Jones, “American Idiot.”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Catherine Zuber, “The Royal Family.”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Marina Draghici, “Fela!”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Neil Austin, “Red.”

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Kevin Adams, “American Idiot.”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Adam Cork, “Red.”

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Robert Kaplowitz, “Fela!”

——

SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATER: Alan Ayckbourn and Marian Seldes.

REGIONAL THEATER TONY AWARD: The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Conn.

ISABELLE STEVENSON AWARD: David Hyde Pierce.

TONY HONORS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATER: B.H. Barry and Tim Viola.

Tony Award Nominations 2010

Nominations announced: 4 May 2010

Awards to be announced: 13 June 2010

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/Devlin 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

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

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

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

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!
Santo Loquasto, Ragtime
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

*     *     *

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

Alan Ayckbourn
Marian Seldes

Regional Theatre Tony Award
The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Connecticut

Isabelle Stevenson Award
David Hyde Pierce

Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre
Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York
B.H. Barry
Tom Viola