Actors Brad Garrett (The Odd Couple) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus helped announce the nominees for the television honors. Winners will be announced on the 58th Annual Emmy Awards telecast Aug. 27 on NBC hosted by Conan O'Brien.
Hugh Jackman earned an Emmy nomination for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for his hosting duties at the 59th Annual Tony Awards (2005). The Tony ceremony also received nods for Outstanding Music Direction (Elliot Lawrence) — where it will vie against PBS' Great Performances presentation of South Pacific in Concert from Carnegie Hall (Paul Gemignani).
The concert version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical will also compete in the Outstanding Special Class Program.
Disney Channel's "High School Musical" earned Emmy noms for Outstanding Choreography and Directing for a Miniseries (Kenny Ortega) as well as for Music and Lyrics for its songs "Get’cha Head in the Game" and "Breaking Free." In the latter category, it competes with the ABC-TV musical "Once Upon a Mattress" song "That Baby of Mine."
Most of the acting categories include nominees who have trod the boards. Stockard Channing (Joe Egg, Six Degrees of Separation) earns a nomination in the Lead Actress in a Comedy category for "Out of Practice." Frances Conroy (The Ride Down Mt. Morgan) and Allison Janney (A View from the Bridge) are up for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for their work in "Six Feet Under" and "The West Wing," respectively. For Lead Actor in a Comedy, "Monk" star Tony Shalhoub (Conversations With My Father) is among the nominees. "Six Feet Under" star Peter Krause (After the Fall) competes with "The West Wing" president Martin Sheen (The Subject Was Roses) in the Lead Actor in a Drama category.
Kathy Bates ('night, Mother) — for "Ambulance Girl" — and Annette Bening (The Cherry Orchard) — for "Mrs. Harris" — will battle for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries Or a Movie.
Oliver Platt, currently starring in Shining City,was noted for his "Huff" performance in the Supporting Actor in a Drama category. He will vie for the honor with "The Sopranos" star and Studio Dante founder Michael Imperioli and recent Glengarry Glen Ross actor Alan Alda for his work on "The West Wing."
Alfre Woodard (Drowning Crow) gets a nomination for her work on "Desperate Housewives" in Actress in a Comedy while Megan Mullally (How To Succeed in Business...) also takes one for her final season in "Will & Grace." Woodard is also nominated in the Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries category for "The Water is Wide."
Current Off-Broadway stars Sandra Oh (Satellites) and Kate Burton (The Water's Edge) — for Guest Actress in a Drama — were named for their work on "Grey's Anatomy." Oh and her co-star Chandra Wilson (Caroline, or Change) placed with Blythe Danner (Follies) for "Huff" and fellow stage star Jean Smart (The Man Who Came to Dinner) for "24" in the Supporting Actress in a Drama category.
Danner is also nominated as Guest Actress in a Comedy for "Will & Grace," where Steppenwolf Theatre Company actress Laurie Metcalf earns a nod for "Monk."
The Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series ballot reads like a theatre program with Patrick Stewart (The Ride Down Mt. Morgan), Ben Stiller (This is How It Goes), both for turns on "Extras," as well as Martin Sheen for "Two And A Half Men" and "Will & Grace" guest Alec Baldwin (Entertaining Mr. Sloane) in the category.
Other Emmy nominees of interest to theatre folk include Jeremy Irons (A Little Night Music), Ellen Burstyn (Same Time, Next Year), Cloris Leachman (South Pacific), Swoosie Kurtz (Frozen) and Patricia Clarkson (Eastern Standard).
The complete list of Primetime Emmy nominations and other Academy news and information is available at the Academy's website, located at http://www.emmys.tv.
