Although both Suzanne Somers' short-lived The Blonde in the Thunderbird and Sarah Jones' one-woman show Bridge & Tunnel had been deemed eligible for nomination in the Special Theatrical Event category, that category has been eliminated. Instead, the Committee voted to award a Special Tony to Jones, whose Bridge & Tunnel is currently enjoying an extended Broadway run after a hit Off-Broadway engagement.
Another major decision concerned the Broadway production of Richard Greenberg's Three Days of Rain, which marks the Broadway debut of Academy Award winner Julia Roberts. Although the play had not been seen on Broadway before, it has been deemed eligible in the Best Revival of a Play category rather than the Best Play category. The work was previously seen at Manhattan Theatre Club in 1997.
Other decisions on the play front: Actors who will be eligible for nomination in the Leading Actor/Actress in a Play categories include The History Boys' Richard Griffiths, The Lieutenant of Inishmore's David Wilmot and Shining City's Brían F. O'Byrne and Oliver Platt. Those who will be eligible for nomination in the Featured Actor/Actress in a Play categories include Three Days of Rain's Bradley Cooper, Faith Healer's Cherry Jones and Ian McDiarmid and The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial's Tim Daly.
Decisions on the musical front: Actors who will be eligible for nomination in the Leading Actor/Actress in a Musical categories include Lestat's Hugh Panaro, The Wedding Singer's Laura Benanti and Stephen Lynch, The Drowsy Chaperone's Sutton Foster and Bob Martin and Tarzan's Jenn Gambatese and Josh Strickland. Those who will be eligible for nomination in the Featured Actor/Actress in a Musical categories include The Threepenny Opera's Jim Dale, Ana Gasteyer and Cyndi Lauper.
All other decisions, according to a press statement, were consistent with the opening-night credits. That is, only actors whose names appear above the title are eligible for nomination in the Leading Actor/Actress categories. Producers must petition the Administration Committee in order to change actors' eligibility status. The Administration Committee previously met in January and April 2006 and September 2005. The 2006 Tony Award nominations will be announced May 16 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Bruno Walter Auditorium. Nominations will be read by Tony Award winners Phylicia Rashad, Natasha Richardson and Liev Schreiber at approximately 8:45 AM ET.
The 2006 Tony Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on CBS-TV on June 11, from 8-11 PM ET.
Visit www.TonyAwards.com for more information.
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Decisions from the Administration Committee's three previous meetings follow.
Musicals: The Woman in White’s Maria Friedman, The Color Purple’s LaChanze, Jersey Boys’ John Lloyd Young and In My Life’s Jessica Boevers and Christopher J. Hanke will be the only actors in their shows eligible for nominations in the Leading Actor/Actress in a Musical categories. Pajama Game's Michael McKean will be eligible for nomination in the Best Featured Actor in a Musical category. And, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, which features a book by Terrence McNally, will be eligible for nomination in the Best Musical category.
Plays: Rabbit Hole's Cynthia Nixon and John Slattery, Well's Lisa Kron and Festen's Larry Bryggman and Michael Hayden will be the only actors in their shows eligible for nomination in the Leading Actor/Actress in a Play categories. Barefoot in the Park's Jill Clayburgh and Tony Roberts will be eligible for nomination in the Best Featured Actress/Actor in a Play categories And, the recent limited engagement of Latinologues will be eligible for nomination in the Best Play category.
