The 1998 Tony Awards are developing into close heats between two shows for Best Musical -- Ragtime and The Lion King, and two shows for Best Play -- Art and The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
Any of there competitors may win the top awards for Broadway achievement June 7, but here's how those four productions have done so far in other recent New York theatre awards:
Ragtime -- winner of Best Musical from: Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle.
The Lion King -- winner of Best Musical from: NY Drama Critics Circle.
Art -- winner of Best Play from: NY Drama Critics Circle. The Beauty Queen of Leenane -- winner of Best Play from: Drama Desk; Drama League; Lucille Lortel (for its Off-Broadway incarnation); Outer Critics Circle.
It should be noted that The Lion King has been doing strongly in directing (Julie Taymor) and design awards, while Art's UK incarnation won the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy.
