Tony Award Nominations Announced:‘Billy Elliott’ Garners 15 Noms!

Hey World Family,
Falocn here will your Broadway news! Here are the Tony Award Nominations, and there are some surprises, but also some expected delights.

First of all, Billy Elliot: The Musical got a whoping 15 mons, and I am personally delighted since this musical rocks! The three young boys who play Elliot are immensely talented and the show is a winner. Let's see how it does on the big night.

A new version of Mary Stuartgot a nomination, and there are also some Shrek: the Musical noms. In the Revival of a Musical category, there are some real heavy hitters: West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Hair (Falcon actually has been in all three of these at different points of her high school and college youth), Pal Joey rounds out the category.

The big surprise to us was the nomination of You’re Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush . We saw this and it was extremely entertaining, we just didn't think it would make the final cut.

Equus also got 2 nominations. Rock of Ages, The Norman Conquests, Blithe Spirit, and 33 Variations also made strong appearances in nomination.

PLAY
"Dividing the Estate" - Author: Horton Foote; Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, Bernard Gersten, André Bishop, Primary Stages
"God of Carnage" - Author: Yasmina Reza; Producers: Robert Fox, David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers, Stuart Thompson, Scott Rudin, Jon B. Platt, The Weinstein Company, The Shubert Organization
"Reasons to Be Pretty" - Author: Neil LaBute; Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, MCC Theater, Gary Goddard Entertainment, Ted Snowdon, Doug Nevin/Erica Lynn Schwartz, Ronald Frankel/Bat-Barry Productions, Kathleen Seidel, Kelpie Arts, LLC, Jam Theatricals, Rachel Helson/Heather Provost
"33 Variations" - Author: Moisés Kaufman; Producers: David Binder, Ruth Hendel, Goldberg/Mills, Latitude Link, Arielle Tepper Madover, Bill Resnick, Eric Schnall, Jayne Baron Sherman, Wills/True Love Productions, Tectonic Theater Project, Greg Reiner, Dominick Balletta, Jeffrey LaHoste

MUSICAL
"Billy Elliot, The Musical" - Producers: Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions, Weinstein Live Entertainment
"Next to Normal" - Producers: David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Second Stage Theatre, Carole Rothman, Ellen Richard
"Rock of Ages" - Producers: Matthew Weaver, Carl Levin, Jeff Davis, Barry Habib, Scott Prisand, Relativity Media, Corner Store Fund, Janet Billig Rich, Hillary Weaver, Toni Habib, Paula Davis, Simon and Stefany Bergson/Jennifer Maloney, Charles Rolecek, Susanne Brook, Israel Wolfson, Sara Katz/Jayson Raitt, Max Gottlieb/John Butler, David Kaufman/Jay Franks, Mike Wittlin, Prospect Pictures, Laura Smith/Bill Bodnar, Happy Walters, Michele Caro, The Araca Group
"Shrek The Musical" - Producers: Dreamworks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions

BOOK OF A MUSICAL
"Billy Elliot, The Musical" - Lee Hall
"Next to Normal" - Brian Yorkey
"Shrek The Musical" - David Lindsay-Abaire
"[Title of Show]" - Hunter Bell

ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE
"Billy Elliot, The Musical" - Music: Elton John; Lyrics: Lee Hall
"Next to Normal" - Music: Tom Kitt; Lyrics: Brian Yorkey
"9 to 5: The Musical" - Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton
"Shrek The Musical" - Music: Jeanine Tesori; Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire

REVIVAL OF A PLAY
"Joe Turner’s Come and Gone" - Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten
"Mary Stuart" - New Version: Peter Oswald; Producers: Arielle Tepper Madover, Debra Black, Neal Street Productions/Matthew Byam Shaw, Scott Delman, Barbara Whitman, Jean Doumanian/Ruth Hendel, David Binder/CarlWend Productions/Spring Sirkin, Daryl Roth/James L. Nederlander/Chase Mishkin, The Donmar Warehouse
"The Norman Conquests" - Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Dede Harris, Tulchin/Bartner/Lauren Doll, Jamie deRoy, Eric Falkenstein, Harriet Newman Leve, Probo Productions, Douglas G. Smith, Michael Filerman/Jennifer Manocherian, Richard Winkler, Dan Frishwasser, Pam Laudenslager/Remmel T. Dickinson, Jane Dubin/True Love Productions, Barbara Manocherian/Jennifer Isaacson, The Old Vic Theatre Company
"Waiting for Godot" - Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Elizabeth Ireland McCann

REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
"Guys and Dolls" - Producers: Howard Panter and Ambassador Theatre Group, Tulchin/Bartner, Bill Kenwright, Northwater Entertainment, Darren Bagert, Tom Gregory, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., David Mirvish, Michael Jenkins/Dallas Summer Musicals, Independent Presenters Network, Olympus Theatricals, Sonia Friedman Productions
"Hair" - Producers: The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Andrew D. Hamingson, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Gary Goddard Entertainment, Kathleen K. Johnson, Nederlander Productions, Inc., Fran Kirmser Productions/Jed Bernstein, Marc Frankel, Broadway Across America, Barbara Manocherian/Wencarlar Productions, JK Productions/Terry Schnuck, Andy Sandberg, Jam Theatricals, The Weinstein Company/Norton Herrick, Jujamcyn Theaters, Joey Parnes, Elizabeth Ireland McCann
"Pal Joey" - Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Marc Platt
"West Side Story" - Producers: Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller, Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman/Jill Furman Willis, Freddy DeMann, Robyn Goodman/Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller, The Weinstein Company, Broadway Across America

SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT
"Liza’s at The Palace - Producers: John Scher and Metropolitan Talent Presents, LLC; Jubilee Time Productions, LLC
"Slava’s Snowshow - Producers: David J. Foster, Jared Geller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Judith Marinoff Cohn, John Pinckard
"Soul of Shaolin - Producers: Nederlander Worldwide Productions, LLC; Eastern Shanghai International Culture Film & Television Group; China on Broadway
"You’re Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush - Producer: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Steve Traxler, Home Box Office Inc., Gary Sanchez Productions, Bat-Barry Productions, Ken Davenport, Ergo Entertainment, Ronald Frankel, Jon B. Platt, James D. Stern, The Weinstein Company, Tara Smith/b. Swibel, Dede Harris/Sharon Karmazin, Arny Granat

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY Jeff Daniels, "God of Carnage"
Raúl Esparza, "Speed-the-Plow"
James Gandolfini, "God of Carnage"
Geoffrey Rush, "Exit the King"
Thomas Sadoski, "Reasons to Be Pretty"

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Hope Davis, "God of Carnage"
Jane Fonda, "33 Variations"
Marcia Gay Harden, "God of Carnage"
Janet McTeer, "Mary Stuart"
Harriet Walter, "Mary Stuart"

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Gavin Creel, "Hair"
Brian d’Arcy James, "Shrek The Musical"
Constantine Maroulis, "Rock of Ages"
J. Robert Spencer, "Next to Normal"

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Stockard Channing, "Pal Joey"
Sutton Foster, "Shrek The Musical"
Allison Janney, "9 to 5: The Musical"
Alice Ripley, "Next to Normal"
Josefina Scaglione, "West Side Story"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
John Glover, "Waiting for Godot"
Zach Grenier, "33 Variations"
Stephen Mangan, "The Norman Conquests"
Paul Ritter, "The Norman Conquests"
Roger Robinson, "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Hallie Foote, "Dividing the Estate"
Jessica Hynes, "The Norman Conquests"
Marin Ireland, "Reasons to Be Pretty"
Angela Lansbury, "Blithe Spirit"
Amanda Root, "The Norman Conquests"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
David Bologna, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Gregory Jbara, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Marc Kudisch, "9 to 5: The Musical"
Christopher Sieber, "Shrek The Musical"
Will Swenson, "Hair"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICALJennifer Damiano, "Next to Normal"
Haydn Gwynne, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Karen Olivo, "West Side Story"
Martha Plimpton, "Pal Joey"
Carole Shelley, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"

SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
Dale Ferguson, "Exit the King"
Rob Howell, "The Norman Conquests"
Derek McLane, "33 Variations"
Michael Yeargan, "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone"

SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Robert Brill, "Guys and Dolls"
Ian MacNeil, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Scott Pask, "Pal Joey"
Mark Wendland, "Next to Normal"

COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Dale Ferguson, "Exit the King"
Jane Greenwood, "Waiting for Godot"
Martin Pakledinaz, "Blithe Spirit"
Anthony Ward, "Mary Stuart"

COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Gregory Gale, "Rock of Ages"
Nicky Gillibrand, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Tim Hatley, "Shrek The Musical"
Michael McDonald, "Hair"

LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
David Hersey, "Equus"
David Lander, "33 Variations"
Brian MacDevitt, "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone"
Hugh Vanstone, "Mary Stuart"

LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Kevin Adams, "Hair"
Kevin Adams, "Next to Normal"
Howell Binkley, "West Side Story"
Rick Fisher, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"

SOUND DESIGN FOR A PLAY
Paul Arditti, "Mary Stuart"
Gregory Clarke, "Equus"
Russell Goldsmith, "Exit the King"
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg, "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone"

SOUND DESIGN FOR A MUSICAL
Acme Sound Partners, "Hair"
Paul Arditti, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Peter Hylenski, "Rock of Ages"
Brian Ronan, "Next to Normal"

DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Phyllida Lloyd, "Mary Stuart"
Bartlett Sher, "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone"
Matthew Warchus, "God of Carnage"
Matthew Warchus, "The Norman Conquests"

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Stephen Daldry, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Michael Greif, "Next to Normal"
Kristin Hanggi, "Rock of Ages"
Diane Paulus, "Hair"

CHOREOGRAPHY
Karole Armitage, "Hair"
Andy Blankenbuehler, "9 to 5: The Musical"
Peter Darling, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Randy Skinner, "Irving Berlin’s White Christmas"

ORCHESTRATIONS
Larry Blank, "Irving Berlin’s White Christmas"
Martin Koch, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, "Next to Normal"
Danny Troob and John Clancy, "Shrek The Musical"

SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE
Jerry Herman

REGIONAL THEATRE TONY AWARD
Signature Theatre, Arlington, Va.

ISABELLE STEVENSON AWARD
Phyllis Newman

TONY HONOR FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATRE
Shirley Herz


TONY NOMINATIONS BY PRODUCTION

"Billy Elliot, The Musical" - 15
"Next to Normal" - 11
"Hair" - 8
"Shrek The Musical" - 8
"Mary Stuart" - 7
"The Norman Conquests" - 7
"God of Carnage" - 6
"Joe Turner’s Come and Gone" - 6
"Rock of Ages" - 5
"33 Variations" - 5
"Exit the King" - 4
"9 to 5: The Musical" - 4
"Pal Joey" - 4
"West Side Story" - 4
"Reasons to Be Pretty" - 3
"Waiting for Godot" - 3
"Blithe Spirit" - 2
"Dividing the Estate" - 2
"Equus" - 2
"Guys and Dolls" - 2
"Irving Berlin’s White Christmas" - 2
"Liza’s at The Palace" - 1
"Slava’s Snowshow" - 1
"Soul of Shaolin" - 1
"Speed-the-Plow" - 1
"[Title of Show]" - 1
"You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush" - 1