The 64th Annual Tony Awards were held on Sunday, June 13, 2010 at Radio City Music Hall and was hosted by Broadway newcomer, Sean Hayes, whom most television viewers will remember from the hit sitcom, Will and Grace.
The Tonys are given out each year in New York City by the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League in order to recognize achievement and excellence in American theatre. Except for a single award given to a regional theatre, all Tonys are given to Broadway productions. They are named for Mary Antoinette Perry, the co-founder of the American Theatre Wing.
In spite of the fact that the Tonys attract a far smaller audience than other major awards shows such as the Oscars – the audience for the Oscars tends to be about six times the number of people that tune in to the Tonys – the telecast is still highly prized by CBS, the network that has broadcast the awards for decades, as well as advertisers because the demographic of the telecast skews "rich and smart," making these premium viewers quite coveted. However, because of its admittedly limited appeal, the awards are telecast in June after the regular television season has ended.
Although the plays and musicals on Broadway often run for multiple seasons the way hit television shows do, the Tony Awards are more reminiscent of the Oscars in that only new productions in the eligibility period are allowed to be nominated for an award whereas a television show or actor can be nominated year after year for an Emmy Award. However, productions coming to Broadway after having run off-Broadway are eligible because they are new to Broadway. The eligibility period for a production is determined by the Tony Award Administration Committee, and for the 2009-2010 season, it consisted of plays or musicals that opened between May 1, 2009 until approximately April 30, 2010. Further, the production must have opened in an eligible Broadway theatre, which, among other requirements, must seat at least 500 people. There are 40 theatres in Manhattan that qualify as official Broadway theatres.
Eligibility of plays and musicals (and their actors and craftspeople) for Tony Award nomination is also under the purview of the 24-member Tony Award Administration Committee, who selects the 30-member Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee consists of theatre professionals who serve three-year terms and are required to see every new Broadway production. It is they who will determine the plays, musicals and talent that get a Tony Award nomination, which is voted on by a larger body of approximately 700 people. These 700 voters include the board of directors and designated members of the advisory committee of the American Theatre Wing; members of the governing boards of Actors' Equity Association, the Dramatists Guild, the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, United Scenic Artists, and the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers; members of the Theatrical Council of the Casting Society of America; and voting members of The Broadway League.
The tally of multiple award winners was as follows:
Red - 6 Tonys (out of 7 nominations) including Best Play, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play, Best Direction of a Play
Memphis - 4 Tonys (out of 8 nominations) including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical
Fences - 3 Tonys (out of 10 nominations): Best Revival of a Play, Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play, Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play
La Cage aux Folles - 3 Tonys (out of 11 nominations) : Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical
Fela! - 3 Tonys (out of 11 nominations)
American Idiot - 2 Tonys (out of 3 nominations)
Among the highlights of the telecast:
|
- Sean Hayes was excellent as host and once again reminded us what a gifted comic talent he is. At different points during the awards, he came out dressed as Billy Elliot (complete with leotard), Little Orphan Annie (complete with dress and curly red wig), and even as Spider-Man. Additionally, he showed off his musical skills by performing on piano in the opening sequence with both the cast of Million Dollar Quartet and then with his Promises, Promises co-star, Kristin Chenoweth.
|
- Daniel Radcliffe (star of the Harry Potter series of films) co-presented the first award of the evening, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play, with Mrs. Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes. If you thought Katie towered over Tom in photos, she made the 20 year old Radcliffe look positively dimunitive, appearing at least a half a head taller than he. Daniel is set to return to the Broadway stage soon in a new production of How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.
|
|
|
- Kelsey Grammer along with co-star Douglas Hodge (who appeared in his full La Cage drag) performed a number, "The Best of Times," from their hit musical revivial of La Cage aux Folles. Hodge camped it up by going into the audience and flirting with Glee star, Matthew Morrison.
|
- Ted Chapin, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Theatre Wing, announced that Angela Lansbury was named the first-ever Honorary Chairman of the American Theatre Wing. As Honorary Chairman, Ms. Lansbury will be involved with helping the American Theatre Wing fulfill its mission of recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre. Angela Lansbury has won five Tony Awards during her long theatre career, four of which were for Best Actress in a Musical (for Mame, Dear World, Gypsy, and Sweeny Todd). Of course, television viewers will remember her for her long-running role on the hit series, Murder, She Wrote, where she received a record-setting twelve consecutive nominations for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Ms. Lansbury's speech was gracious and moving as she recounted how she arrived in New York City after being evacuated from war-torn London and was given a scholarship to study drama in New York, which led to a "wonderful career," as she put it. She also advised young hopeful actors who were watching to take advantage of the free programs on the American Theatre Wing's website and to learn all they can about their craft because there really is no such thing as a person becoming a star overnight.
|
|
|
- Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce reunited on stage as presenters for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Kelsey revealed that earlier that evening David was honored with the Isabelle Stevenson award for his humanitarian work in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
|
- Most memorable speeches came from Katie Finneran who won for the aforementioned Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for Promises, Promises and Viola Davis (accepting her second Tony) who won for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for Fences. Katie talked to the audience about the importance of believing in one's dreams and holding onto them no matter what anyone else says until they become reality. Viola spoke from the heart about the presence of God in her life and how her belief has helped her through the circumstances of her early life.
- Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele from Glee returned to the Manhattan stage to perform, albiet separately. Morrison did a song and dance number, "All I Need is the Girl" from Gypsy, while Michele belted out the Barbra Streisand standard, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl, which she had also performed on the Glee midseason finale episode, "Sectionals." After the commercial break, Sean Hayes did a muffled reprise of "Parade" in full Spider-Man mask and getup in order to announce that the Spider-Man musical will be coming to Broadway during the upcoming season.
- Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane, currently starring together in The Addams Family muscial, presented the awards for Best Actor and Actress in a musical. They elicited much laughter from the audience poking fun at themselves because neither Broadway vet was nominated for their Addams' roles. Lane remarked that the Tonys are referred to as "Passover" at his house, a nod to a famous Bob Hope one-liner at the 1968 Oscars.
|
|
- Both Best Actor and Actress in a musical were won by European actors making their Broadway debuts in musical revivals. Welch actress Catherine Zeta-Jones won the Tony for Best Actress for her Broadway debut role in the revival of A Little Night Music, while British actor Douglas Hodge won for Best Actor – also his Broadway debut – for his role in the revival of La Cage aux Folles.
Following is the complete list of winners for the 64th Annual Tony Awards:
AWARDS FOR PLAYS
|
AWARDS FOR MUSICALS |
BEST PLAY: Red (Author: John Logan)
Other nominees:
- In the Next Room or the vibrator play (Author: Sarah Ruhl)
- Next Fall (Author: Geoffrey Nauffts)
- Time Stands Still (Author: Donald Margulies)
|
BEST MUSICAL: Memphis
Other nominees:
- American Idiot
- Fela!
- Million Dollar Quartet
|
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: Fences
Other nominees:
- Lend Me a Tenor
- The Royal Family
- A View from the Bridge
|
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: La Cage aux Folles
Other nominees:
- Finian's Rainbow
- A Little Night Music
- Ragtime
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Denzel Washington (Fences)
Other nominees:
- Jude Law (Hamlet)
- Alfred Molina (Red)
- Liev Schreiber (A View from the Bridge)
- Christopher Walken (A Behanding in Spokane)
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Douglas Hodge (La Cage aux Folles)
Other nominees:
- Kelsey Grammar (La Cage aux Folles)
- Sean Hayes (Promises, Promises)
- Chad Kimball (Memphis)
- Sahr Ngaujah (Fela!)
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Viola Davis (Fences)
Other nominees:
- Valerie Harper (Looped)
- Linda Lavin (Collected Stories)
- Laura Linney (Time Stands Still)
- Jan Maxwell (The Royal Family)
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Little Night Music)
Other nominees:
- Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow)
- Montego Glover (Memphis)
- Christiane Noll (Ragtime)
- Sherie Rene Scott (Everyday Rapture)
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Eddie Redmayne (Red)
Other nominees:
- David Alan Grier (Race)
- Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences)
- John Michael Hill (Superior Donuts)
- Stephen Kunken (Enron)
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Levi Kreis (Million Dollar Quartet)
Other nominees:
- Kevin Chamberlin (The Addams Family)
- Robin De Jesús (La Cage aux Folles)
- Christopher Fitzgerald (Finian's Rainbow)
- Bobby Steggert (Ragtime)
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Scarlett Johansson (A View from the Bridge)
Other nominees:
- Maria Dizzia (In the Next Room or the vibrator play)
- Rosemary Harris (The Royal Family)
- Jessica Hecht (A View from the Bridge)
- Jan Maxwell (Lend Me a Tenor)
|
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Kate Finneran (Promises, Promises)
Other nominees:
- Barbara Cook (Sondheim on Sondheim)
- Angela Lansbury (A Little Night Music)
- Karine Plantadit (Come Fly Away)
- Lillias White (Fela!)
|
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Michael Grandage (Red)
Other nominees:
- Sheryl Kaller (Next Fall)
- Kenny Leon (Fences)
- Gregory Mosher (A View from the Bridge)
|
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Terry Johnson (La Cage aux Folles)
Other nominees:
- Christopher Ashley (Memphis)
- Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime)
- Bill T. Jones (Fela!)
|
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY (not televised): Christopher Orham (Red)
Other nominees:
- John Lee Beatty (The Royal Family)
- Alexander Dodge (Present Laughter)
- Santo Loquasto (Fences)
|
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (not televised): Christine Jones (American Idiot)
Other nominees:
- Marina Draghici (Fela!)
- Derek McLane (Ragtime)
- Tim Shortall (La Cage aux Folles)
|
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY (not televised): Catherine Zuber (The Royal Family)
Other nominees:
- Martin Pakledinaz (Lend Me a Tenor)
- Costanza Romero (Fences)
- David Zinn (In the Next Room or the vibrator play)
|
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (not televised): Marina Draghici (Fela!)
Other nominees:
- Paul Tazewell (Memphis)
- Matthew Wright (La Cage aux Folles)
|
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY (not televised): Neil Austin (Red)
Other nominees:
- Neil Austin (Hamlet)
- Mark Henderson (Enron)
- Brian MacDevitt (Fences)
|
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (not televised): Kevin Adams (American Idiot)
Other nominees:
- Donald Holder (Ragtime)
- Nick Richings (La Cage aux Folles)
- Robert Wierzel (Fela!)
|
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY (not televised): Adam Cork (Red)
Other nominees:
- Acme Sound Partners (Fences)
- Adam Cork (Enron)
- Scott Lehrer (A View from the Bridge)
|
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (not televised): Robert Kaplowitz (Fela!)
Other nominees:
- Jonathan Deans (La Cage aux Folles)
- Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen (A Little Night Music)
- Dan Moses Schreier (Sondheim on Sondheim)
|
|
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (not televised): Memphis (Joe DiPietro)
Other nominees:
- Fela! (Bill Lewis & Bill T. Jones)
- Million Dollar Quartet (Colin Escott & Floyd Mutrux)
- Everyday Rapture (Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott)
|
SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE (not televised): Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Marian Seldes
|
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE (not televised): Memphis (Music: David Bryan Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan)
Other nominees:
- The Addams Family (Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa)
- Enron (Music: Adam Cork, Lyrics: Lucy Prebble)
- Fences (Music: Branford Marsalis)
|
REGIONAL THEATRE TONY AWARD (not televised): The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Waterford, CT
|
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Bill T. Jones (Fela!)
Other nominees:
- Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises)
- Lynne Page (La Cage aux Folles)
- Twyla Tharp (Come Fly Away)
|
ISABELLE STEVENSON AWARD (not televised): David Hyde Pierce
|
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS (not televised): Daryl Waters & David Bryan (Memphis)
Other nominees:
- Jason Carr (La Cage aux Folles)
- Aaron Johnson (Fela!)
- Jonathan Tunick (Promises, Promises)
|
TONY HONORS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATRE (not televised):
- Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York - B.H. Barry - Midtown North & South New York City Police Precincts - Tom Viola |
|