By Playbill Staff
30 Apr 2013

	Carolee Carmello
	Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Carolee Carmello, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (playing "Aimee Semple McPherson"), Scandalous: I was watching the live stream from my computer. I woke up at like 8:15 AM, and I didn't know what time the nominations were coming out. I checked the website, and I saw that it was 8:30 AM, and I thought, "Oh, I'm never getting back to sleep now, my stomach is churning!" [Laughs.] So I might as well watch and get it over with, so I watched, sitting by myself in my pajamas—cried a bit, and started getting some congratulatory texts. It was very exciting! It's really flattering to be remembered. You know, I'm lucky because I've had three nominations now, and all three have been for shows that have been closed by the time the nominations came out, so I'm used to this feeling, but it's still really hard because you get to this point in the season, and you're thrilled to be acknowledged, but at the same time, you're kind of sad because you want to be doing the show still. It's bittersweet. And, it was really the role of a lifetime for me. I'd been working on it for seven or so years, on and off, with readings and out-of-town productions and all that, so it was a culmination of a lot of years of work—not just by me, but the whole team. It was thrilling to make it to New York, and this is really just the icing on the cake.

Scott Ellis, Best Direction of a Musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood: I have two kids—two twins, two-and-a-half year olds—and I sat them on the couch and said, "Maybe you'll hear Daddy's name; maybe you won't hear Daddy's name." So when my name came up, they turned around and said, "That's your name!" I said, "It is," and they sort of got up and went and played, and I thought, "And, there it is!" You know what I mean? "So that's your name? So what!" But I just figured, if it worked out, that would be great. If it didn't, I'd still be sitting here with my kids and move on. So it was very lovely... I'm in rehearsals for a new play that I started yesterday, and that's where I'm heading—to rehearsals—and I just think I'm very grateful that I get to continue what I do, and something like Drood was just a wonderful experience from the moment we started til the end, so for the show to be recognized after it closed is very special. It's all plus, plus, plus.

	Billy Magnussen
	photo by T. Charles Erickson

Billy Magnussen, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (playing "Spike"), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike: My mom woke me up [and] I wanted to go back to sleep. [Laughs.] I don't think I really have registered it, you know. I think [the nomination] just means that what I've been doing for the past 12 years – it's been an homage to that, in a sense. If he wins? I'll probably just lose it. I'll probably just leave it somewhere. The dogs will probably eat it!

Judith Ivey, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (playing "Lavinia Penniman"), The Heiress: My agent called me this morning. I had forgotten what was happening today, and he called to say, "You were nominated." I said, "Oh my gosh! I forgot that was happening!" I just moved into a new apartment, so I'm a little discombobulated, and I had clothes at an old apartment, so I don't quite no where I am! [Laughs.] I have a history [of being nominated for shows that already closed]. That has been true every time I've been nominated, the show has been closed or I wasn't in it any longer. For instance, Hurlyburly I had left the show months before, and Steaming had closed, and if I remember correctly, Park Your Car in Harvard Yard had closed, so I don't really know what it's like to be nominated and actually be doing it at the same time! [Laughs.] I'm only flattered that you get the nomination because they couldn't run out and see you again, so hopefully they had the great memory of you, that's why they decided to nominate you.

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