Where were they when they heard that they were nominated? What were they doing? What was their reaction? We asked, they answered.

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	Matt Stone and Trey Parker
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Matt Stone, Composer-Lyricist-Librettist, Best Score and Best Book (Co-Nominee With Trey Parker and Robert Lopez), The Book of Mormon
"I rolled over in bed, and opened up my laptop. [Laughs.] We're in LA, so we're a little late. I was so excited to…read in

Listen to Matt Stone's reaction to his nominations.

print what Trey and I have really been saying, whether to press or other people: This has just been such a collaborative experience. It's the most collaborative thing Trey and I have ever done, just because what the art form kind of demands. I am over the moon because of that. The show just wouldn't be what the show is without all of these different people."

Norbert Leo Butz, Best Actor in a Musical, Catch Me If You Can

Listen to Norbert Leo Butz's reaction to his nomination.

"My manager called me. I was walking my dog in the woods and she called me and I let out a yelp. I was very, very excited. The show's been — it's had a long, long journey — a difficult one for me, personally, and artistically. It's a difficult story to tell. It spans years and many, many locations. There's a tremendous amount of back-story to tell in the show, so it's sort of difficult to get that all on stage, and figure out how to do it. And the part — I'm out there running around like I'm still 25, but it's just more about body maintenance, and aerobic [laughs] energy. But I've loved the part for a long time. I first got the script — oh my God — five years ago, an old version, none of which is really there. It's changed so much, but I still really connected to the part way back then, and have always loved the music, and really believed in it, and there's been some really, really difficult setbacks along the way, so it's just completely ebullient today. I just feel overjoyed. I'm so thrilled that I survived." [Laughs.]

	Rory O'Malley
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Rory O'Malley, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, The Book of Mormon
"My boyfriend woke me up and got me to watch it live and I just — my jaw was on the floor [when]…The Book of Mormon kept being said over and over again. I am just so, so thrilled that everyone is being recognized for their work in this show because people have worked so hard to make this show what it is, and I am just totally, totally shocked and excited. Honestly, I started with this show three years ago and this part didn't exist and it's just kind of grown over the last three years to what it is now, so the fact that this has happened today is truly, truly unexpected. I've been speechless. It took me an hour to stop shaking and start making sense and articulating words, but it was great. I called my

Listen to Rory O'Malley's reaction to his nomination.

mom to tell her, and I think she's told the entire city of Cleveland by now, and it's unbelievable — being a kid and growing up in Cleveland, the Tonys were how you saw Broadway shows, you got to hear from each show and that's what inspired me to live my dream, and the fact that I am getting recognition from them, it's mind-blowing."

Jez Butterworth, Playwright, Best Play, Jerusalem

Listen to Jez Butterworth's reaction to his nomination.

"I was told on the phone by Sonia [Friedman] , our producer. I'm actually back in Somerset on our farm at the moment, so I was sitting in the Wendy house having tea with my two-year-old when I was told. I'm thrilled because it's such a very, very exciting time for new writing in the States. Suddenly, there are all these plays. It's thrilling for me. I've been to New York, this is the fourth time I've been in New York doing a play, first time on Broadway, and it's just great to see so many other shows around you doing so well. It's a very exciting time to be nominated."

	Andrew Rannells
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Andrew Rannells, Best Actor in a Musical, The Book of Mormon

Listen to Andrew Rannells' reaction to his nomination.

"I watched the nominations on television. I will not lie. I will not try to be cool about that. I turned it on, and I watched them. It's ridiculous. I was so happy to hear Josh's name, and then to hear mine in addition was really fantastic. I was so happy that we're both recognized, and the whole show, oh my God! I don't think we could've asked for a better outcome. [Getting 14 nominations is] insane. I mean, we obviously were optimistic, but you never know how these things are going to play out, so I think we were all cautiously optimistic, but this is fantastic."

Paule Constable, Best Lighting Design of a Play, War Horse
"It was fabulous to hear the news that so many of us have been nominated in this year's awards. War Horse is a huge team effort and the nominations reflect this. It was an amazing experience making the show in New York; the company are wonderful and their hard work makes us all look good. The fact that New York has welcomed us is thrilling."

	Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tom Morris and Marianne Elliot, Best Direction of a Play, War Horse
"We are thrilled that so many members of our superb creative team have been recognized for their astonishing work on War Horse. From the beginning it's been a collaborative effort, with all members of the creative team operating so far outside our comfort zone everyone has contributed to everyone else's work — often by accident! We were additionally thrilled that Drama Desk Awards recognized this with a combined award for the whole creative team. The value of a truly collaborative creative team is too rarely celebrated in theatre awards. We’d also like to thank the National Theatre for believing in the project so supportively from the start when no one else would have. The idea of doing an epic show where the leading character was played by a puppet and couldn't speak would have hit the trash bin in any other theatre we know. But Nick Hytner was able to point us to the National Theatre Studio where we could test the idea until it started to make some kind of sense. And we'd like to acknowledge the Lincoln Center Theater staff and wonderful cast for working so unstintingly and with such dedication to make it so alive in New York. They understood that we weren't just remounting the show and resourced our rehearsals and production time accordingly. As a result our wonderful New York company have truly made the show afresh. They are a true ensemble, selfless and gifted. They have made the show their own and it has ended up different from the London show in many respects."

Rob Ashford, Best Direction and Choreography, How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

Listen to Rob Ashford's reaction to his nominations.

"I got a call from Joe Machota, my agent and one of my best friends. I was thrilled with the honor. I couldn't be happier. The show is such a joy to work on from beginning to end, and to get this recognition as well is just really, really thrilling. Really thrilling."

	Donna Murphy
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Donna Murphy, Best Actress in a Musical, The People in the Picture
"I found out on my iPhone. [Laughs.] I had kissed my daughter as she left for school, for kindergarten, and mommy went back to sleep, daddy brought her to school, and then I did hear the phone making all kinds of sounds in the next room, and I was sort of in a semi-dream state, and finally I got up about 9:15, and the first message I listened to was Todd Haimes, from the Roundabout, our artistic director, who left me a really beautiful message, and my phone had a lot of texts and emails. That was how I found out. …Part of me feels a little embarrassed that I've never been awake any time [that nomination news has broken]. ...I've always

Listen to Donna Murphy's reaction to her nomination.

been grabbing every bit of sleep I could. [Laughs.] … I don't want to really be waiting for the 'yay' or the 'nay,' and I've never had expectations — it's not a good way to go through life. It's nice to have goals, but not expectations, I think." [Laughs.] I was just really, really happy."

Colman Domingo, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, The Scottsboro Boys

Listen to Colman Domingo's reaction to his nomination.

"I found out — I'm in L.A. right now — and I found out in my hotel bed watching the live feed online. [Laughs.] And Anika Noni Rose is my best friend and...she kept reading...and then she said my name, I almost passed out. [Laughs.] I pretty much, I think, imploded. [Laughs.] I think it's one of those things, you know, I've been in the theatre for 20 years and you hope for something like this, but you don't really put all your chips into it — but the idea of it being said was so surreal, and just the fact, hearing my name, and almost not believing it, and then seeing my photo being flashed behind her was significant. It was like, 'Oh, okay.' It's almost like you need it twice, the recognition, to know that it really happened. [Laughs.] Or to know that you're not going crazy." [Laughs.]

	Hannah Yelland
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Hannah Yelland, Best Actress in a Play, Brief Encounter

Listen to Hannah Yelland's reaction to her nomination.

"I was just really so thrilled, so excited. Obviously, it's a huge sort of compliment, personally, but I am so thrilled our wonderful play has been given such a boost, and has been recognized through me, in a way, because we were all just so proud of it, and we had such a wonderful time in New York, on Broadway, doing Brief Encounter. It's really wonderful to sort of represent everybody who gave so much to the piece. In England, you grow up and watch the Tonys, and…you never imagine you're going to be actually there, especially nominated amongst such extraordinary actresses as I have been. So I'm just overwhelmed, really, at the moment."

Brian Bedford, Best Actor in a Play, The Importance of Being Earnest

Listen to Brian Bedford's reaction to his nomination.

"Very disappointed. [Laughs.] I was absolutely thrilled, of course. It's happened to me a few times, you know, but it never stops being absolutely thrilling, and, of course, it is particularly thrilling, this one, because this is my baby. I directed it, and gave myself [laughs] a very good part in it, and so we started out, as you know, quite modestly in Canada, at Stratford, Ontario, and here we are at the top of the hill — which is what the Tonys really amounts to, don't you think? [The challenge] is this crazy thing of directing the play that you are also acting in. [It] was increased here because of playing a woman, which I have never done before…"

	Robert Lopez
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Robert Lopez, Composer-Lyricist-Librettist, Best Score and Best Book (Co-Nominee With Trey Parker and Matt Stone), The Book of Mormon

Listen to Robert Lopez's reaction to his nominations.

"From NY1, hello! I was up with my two daughters, and me and [my wife] Kristen set up a little tea party to keep the girls distracted — we had chocolate milk and M&Ms. I was blown away. I am still not really able to process — 14 seems like too high a number. I'm thrilled beyond belief. I'm really grateful to be a part of the show. …I'm sure that I'll write something that flops one day, but I'm really kind of shaking my head." [Laughs.]

Victoria Clark, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Sister Act
"My manager, Danielle Thomas, called me from California. She woke up at five. She congratulated me and she goes, 'Now I'm going back to sleep.' I said, 'Cool.' Actually my son, who hasn't shown any interest in theatre in the last three years [laughs], ... he's like, 'What time do they announce the Tony Awards?' And I was shocked, I was like, 'What?' He goes, 'It's today, isn't it?' I was like, 'I don't know. I don't know. Let's not worry about it.' And he goes right over to the television set and turned it on, and it was just in time for — we heard Patina Miller — and I was so happy for her, but we thought we had missed my category, so we turned it off after a few minutes.

Listen to Victoria Clark's reaction to her nomination.

So I really didn't know until Danielle called. I'm delighted, are you kidding? I'm over the moon, and I'm so excited that we have five nominations. I'm thrilled for Patina. She is so spectacular in the show and carries the whole thing so gracefully…"

	Patti LuPone
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Patti LuPone, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
"I was watching the news because I am kind of obsessed with what's happening in the recent events in the world and I went, 'Who's calling me [laughs] in the morning?' I totally forgot. I was thrilled. First of all, I was thrilled when it was the Outer Critics, because that's the first one, and then thrilled

Listen to Patti LuPone's reaction to her nomination.

when it was the Drama Desk, and then thrilled when it was the Tony. We're — Laura and I — I'm so thrilled for both of us, and for David…because it was a long time ago and I'm very proud to have been part of the production. Very proud to have been a member of that cast in that bold, original musical that didn't deserve to close. We were brokenhearted when it closed. I think that anything original needs to be supported — all of our composers and lyricists and playwrights that turn in original material need to be supported. They need to be allowed to grow. We need to be able to learn and be enriched by their new ideas and so I'm thrilled beyond belief that the nominating committee of these awards have not forgotten and acknowledged the production, the music, the performances — I'm really, really thrilled."

	David Yazbek
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

David Yazbek, Composer-Lyricist, Best Score, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
"I can't remember who I heard from first. I actually think Drew Cohen at MTI sent me a text and my phone buzzed and I looked at the text and that's how I found out. Sort of pleasantly surprised. I'm very happy that people acknowledge the quality of our show, you know. [Laughs.] And it makes me feel like that the show itself will have some legs. …I think that when we opened we weren't quite ready, but that still doesn't excuse the vituperative climate that certain critics had engendered. I feel like this show is pretty bold and in ways that aren't easy — similar to Scottsboro Boys, another high-high

Listen to David Yazbek's reaction to his nomination.

quality show that didn't get appreciated in the critical community the way it should have. I think both shows are going to show that they have a lot of substance and staying power."

	Laura Benanti
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Laura Benanti, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
"I'm so excited and surprised. I got a call from my mom. Yeah, my mom called me. I was thrilled. I started laughing. I was totally surprised. I genuinely was surprised because our show closed so long ago, I didn't know if we'd be remembered. I was thrilled that it was me and Patti [LuPone], and [composer-lyricist David] Yazbek, and I was just so happy that our show has been acknowledged, and it was great to hear from my mom. I think the tricky thing about doing theatre is that it's ephemeral. It's not like a movie or a TV show where you can

Listen to Laura Benanti's reaction to her nomination.

go back and watch footage of it, it has to live in people's minds. The idea that this character lived in people's minds that long is tremendously gratifying."

Nikki James, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, The Book of Mormon

Listen to Nikki James' reaction to her nomination.

"I was asleep — well I wasn't sleeping, but I was in bed — I was too nervous to get up and watch it myself. My best friend, Tommar Wilson, who is also in the show with me — he's in the ensemble, and we made our Broadway debut together in 2001 doing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which did not get 14 Tony nominations…he called me first thing. It was 8:49 when he called. That's how I found out. I started jumping up and down. First I screeched, and then I cried a little, honestly. I feel really blessed and grateful, and totally, totally, stupidly excited. This is the most exciting thing that has happened to me in a long time or possibly ever. This is everything that I've ever worked for, and thought about, and dreamed about as a little girl. I've seen every single Tony Awards that's been aired since I was able to know about it, and have never been [to the ceremony], so this is a good reason to go for first time. I'm really excited about that."

	Sutton Foster
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Sutton Foster, Best Actress in a Musical, Anything Goes
"I thought for some reason that they were going to be announced at nine and so I had set my alarm for nine, and I rolled over and looked at my phone and there was a text from my brother, and then my mom had emailed me, so I knew from my email. I immediately wanted to see what else the show was nominated for, and it's just a thrill. This whole experience has been a whirlwind, and very overwhelming, and I can't even… I don't even know… it's just all icing. My mom said, she wrote, "Congratulations on your nomination.

Listen to Sutton Foster's reaction to her nomination.

Now go find a pretty dress and get your hair cut." [Laughs.] So I think that's what I'm going to try to do. I'm going to get my haircut and find something really pretty to wear."

	Josh Gad

Josh Gad, Best Actor in a Musical, The Book of Mormon
"I was actually in bed with the baby, and we were burping her — pretty unromantic way to find out — but it's good because she got the gas out, and I got a call from my manager who was screaming — couldn't really make out what she was saying, but I had a feeling, I understood. Then the dog started going nuts, the baby started crying, and the baby sh** herself, and I had to change her diaper so I didn't have much time to celebrate, but it was great while it lasted. …I mean, the problem was that my reaction was that of a surprised squeal, and so that set the dominoes into effect that would shake the foundations of the Gad household. [The show's 14 nominations] really is the greatest part. I mean, honestly, it's such an honor to be nominated, but to be sharing it with pretty much every single possible person that I could be sharing it with from the ensemble to my longtime friend and college roommate

Listen to Josh Gad's reaction to his nomination.

Rory O'Malley, to my co-stars Andrew [Rannells] and Nikki [M. James], to Trey [Parker] and Matt [Stone], Bobby [Lopez] and [producers] Scott Rudin [and] Anne Garefino to Casey [Nicholaw], it really is a dream come true. Leave nobody behind. It's pretty amazing. …Every night I get to go to the theatre and perform this show is an honor in and of itself, but to be recognized by my peers is truly something special. I'm very excited."

Tony Sheldon, Best Actor in a Musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Listen to Tony Sheldon's reaction to his nomination.

"Oh, I had to be sitting up in front of the TV because my mother's in Australia, and she never would have forgiven me if I hadn't been broadcasting it through to her live. So I had to be sitting holding the phone up to the television. [Laughs.] [I was] just so thrilled to be an ambassador for the show in any way. It's been an incredible journey of five years. Joining what was a ten-day workshop, suddenly here I am on Broadway with a Tony nomination. It's the stuff of dreams. I come from a show business family. We're all in the theatre and this is what we've all aspired to since I was a baby. [Laughs.] So, of course it's — I'm living the dream. I will never ever forget this experience as long as I live."

	Douglas Carter Beane
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Douglas Carter Beane, Librettist, Best Book (Co-Nominee With Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner), Sister Act
"Are you gathering [reactions]? [Laughs.] 'Where were you?' Whoever has the most interesting story, say I was right behind them, stalking them. [Laughs.] I was right behind Joshua Henry while he was folding his laundry. [Laughs.] Where was I? I was just on my way to walk my daughter to nursery school — that's very boring, isn't it? I put the TV on and they started reading them and my daughter just sighed and said, 'No clips?' And I was like, 'They should have clips.' [Laughs.] 'Shh. Wait, it's my category.' Yeah, so that was it. I was on the way and we put our coats on, and went to nursery school, and that was it.

Listen to Douglas Carter Beane's reaction to his nomination.

"In the middle of October I didn't have this job. I didn't even know about it. I didn't even know… I kind of heard that it was coming in. Like, I saw — I almost went to see it when I was in London last year at this time — but then there was a ticket for Oliver! [Laughs.] That's like my level of involvement with the production. I was like, "Oh, I want to see the prostitute with the orphan." [Laughs.] I identify with that somehow. And now, suddenly to throw myself into it and be so involved, and to have it, and then to go into rehearsal. I'm in rehearsal with Lysistrata Jones right now — so maybe I can take this Tony nomination, slap some of these know-it-all underage actors into perhaps listening to my point-of-view on some things — 'Shut up! I have a Tony nomination!'" [Laughs.]

	Casey Nicholaw
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Casey Nicholaw, Best Direction of a Musical (Co-Nominee With Trey Parker) and Choreography, The Book of Mormon
"I saw [the nomination announcement] on TV. [Laughs.] Oh, I was so excited, I can't even tell you, and just for everybody. I was absolutely thrilled that [co-stars] Andrew [Rannells] and Josh [Gad] had both been nominated. Of course I was excited about me — but that was next. [Laughs.] I was so thrilled for the two of them, really, because I know that it would be hard for one of them to go through this period without it… I was blown away [by the 14 nominations]. I was thrilled with that. Rory [O'Malley] and Nikki [M. James], and [scenic designer] Scott Pask and [costume designer] Ann Roth…I think that their work so served the show. It's maybe not

Listen to Casey Nicholaw's reaction to his nomination.

as showy as some [design work], but I was just absolutely thrilled for them, and just thrilled for everybody. You know, a show ends up being your baby, and you work so hard on it, so to get recognized like this is fantastic.

Frances McDormand, Best Actress in a Play, Good People
"F**king A! I am very proud to represent the company of Good People in any way."

	Yul Vázquez
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Yul Vázquez, Best Featured Actor in a Play, The Motherf**ker With the Hat
"My feeling was, you know — this is a complicated set of feelings — but joy, obviously, and a certain, I don't know… I felt for the collective play — for everyone in it, for the show — a sense [that] we belong here, you know what I mean? It's a play that nobody knew would be done on Broadway. Originally, we thought we'd do this downtown. It's got a crazy title with a curse word. You can't even say it to people. You can't even advertise it. It's complete insanity. [Laughs.] And here we are. And the unit — this really was a unit thing — [director] Anna Shapiro was a huge part of this show, all the pieces were really part of the puzzle.

Listen to Yul Vázquez's reaction to his nomination.

"The challenge for me tackling this part was that I always, from the beginning…I wanted all of the layers of this man to come through — the sort of complexity. It just couldn't be, 'Oh, he's just a quirky gay guy.' You know what I mean? So a lot of work was done on that and the way the text was structured. We really wanted to present this sort of complicated human being, and I think we succeeded in doing that."

	Edie Falco
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Edie Falco, Best Featured Actress in a Play, The House of Blue Leaves
"I was waiting for the book fair to begin at my son's school when my manager and friend Richie Jackson called with the news of my Tony nomination. I am deeply honored to have been acknowledged in this way — for theatre in New York City — this is a very big thrill for me."

David Lindsay-Abaire, Playwright, Best Play, Good People
"It's a good morning. I was already so thrilled and honored to be part of such an extraordinary season, to get Tony nominations is the cherry on the sundae. I'm so proud and happy for [Best Actress nominee] Fran McDormand, and the entire cast and crew, and [director] Dan Sullivan [who was nominated for The Merchant of Venice], and everyone at Manhattan Theatre Club. This production has been one of the most amazing experiences of my career."

	Kathleen Marshall
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Kathleen Marshall, Best Direction and Choreography of a Musical, Anything Goes
"My husband and I were feeding breakfast to our 11-month-old twins. [Laughs.] So we had them in their high-chairs and between bites of peach squash yogurt [laughs], we were watching, so it was kind of fun. It's just wonderful. It's always just a gift, you know. I say we have no control over these kinds of things — reviews, and nominations, and awards, and so all we have control over is what we present to an audience, and it's just lovely when it's recognized. Especially for a classic show like this to be recognized in a season with all of these wonderful new and daring musicals is just really lovely.

Listen to Kathleen Marshall's reaction to her nomination.

"It's always a little heartbreaking when — no matter what — there is somebody that is overlooked. In this case, Joel Grey, although he got a nomination for directing Normal Heart, with George Wolfe, so that's wonderful… and Colin Donnell — our wonderful Billy. Of course, the best thing is to get a nomination for Best Revival because it means everybody in the show, everybody in billing is nominated."

	Stephen Adly Guirgis
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Stephen Adly Guirgis, Playwright, Best Play, The Motherf**cker With the Hat
"Man, I watched NY1 with my dog this morning and it was surreal. It really felt surreal. I had no emotion until I heard [cast members] Yul Vázquez and then Elizabeth Rodriguez, and then all of the emotion came out, because those are guys I've been working with for 20 years — and not just work, but life. When my father died, it was my sister, Elizabeth and me in the room. When I found out my mother was dying and I had to go tell her, it was Yul in the room with the priest and me. So these are people that I love. I think when I heard their names, that's when I guess I allowed the happiness to come out. I am grateful that the only one who had to witness it was my dog.  It was cool, you know, it's whatever — it's an award. But it means something, I know, to them, and I know it means something to me, but it's just great. It's just amazing.

Listen to Stephen Adly Guirgis' reaction to his nomination.

I gotta say, it was a great feeling to see the Tony committee acknowledge Jerusalem. We all saw Jerusalem and we all just have this feeling like there's something good happening on 45th Street — and we are right across the street from each other, and I was really happy for that show. But, I am just really happy for my people — [producers] Scott Rudin and Oskar [Eustis] — and people that let us come to Broadway. I don't want to chew your ear off, but the emotion came when I heard my friends' names."

Tom Stoppard, Playwright, Best Revival of a Play, Arcadia
"The nomination for Best Revival is a deserved compliment to David Leveaux who directed Arcadia and to an exceptional company of actors. I'm thrilled with Billy [Crudup]'s nomination. It's the third time I've worked with him and he's been one of my favorite actors for years."

	Alan Menken
	photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Alan Menken, Composer, Best Score, Sister Act
I got a call… NO! [Laughs.] Actually, I got a text message from our company manager - she just said, 'Congratulations!' And I thought they weren't coming out until like nine o'clock New York time — I'm in London now — so I thought it was like two o'clock London time, so it was earlier than I thought, which surprised me, because I really wasn't thinking too much about it, and then my daughter called me and gave me the full list, which was very nice, and then I came up to my room, and I'm looking at the list now. It means a lot. It's a great year when you're nominated for an Oscar [for 'Tangled'] and a Tony. That's kind of cool, and I'm

Listen to Alan Menken's reaction to his nomination.

really proud of the work, I have to say that. I feel like my peers respect me, as I respect them. It's nice to have that feeling of acceptance and acknowledgment from your fellow artists, and producers, and all of the people that work in theatre. That's kind of what makes it all worthwhile — it's those moments where you really feel a part of it that are the true blessings. The heights of winning an award or being the best is very heady, but being among… knowing that we're all veterans and we've all been through the wars, and all kind of are in this field together, that's what really gives you the strength to go on."

Arian Moayed, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Bengal at the Baghdad Zoo

Listen to Arian Moayed's reaction to his nomination.

"How did I find out? You know, I wish I had a f**cking awesome story to tell you, but I don't have a great story to tell you. The way that I found out was the probably how other people found out — on the internet via TonyAwards.com. [Laughs.] It was — I've got to be honest — it was a very bittersweet moment. It was amazing to be nominated and recognized in such an immensely talented group of people, but it was also… the bitter part was that we didn't get nominated for Best Play. And it was a very hard thing to — I'm very ecstatic — but it's a very hard thing to like juxtapose those ideas. …It's just a pleasure to show up to work and get to say [playwright] Rajiv Joseph's beautiful, historic words."

Glenn Slater, Lyricist, Best Score, Sister Act

Listen to Glenn Slater's reaction to his nomination.

"I listened to the announcement with my wife when it was being made, then jumped up and down with excitement. Just happiness for ourselves, for the show — it was fantastic hearing so many people of the show be recognized in so many important categories. This show has gone through many permutations, and really the biggest challenge was sort of having to rethink it every couple of years and put it through the mental grinder over and over again to try and get it exactly right. I think we ended up in a fantastic place, but it certainly took a lot of thinking, and rethinking and writing — and rewriting, and revising together."

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