Tony Nominees of 2013 React: Including Tom Hanks, Nathan Lane, Diane Paulus, Rob McClure, Bertie Carvel, Judith Light, Keala Settle, Carolee Carmello, Andrea Martin, Pasek & Paul, Annaleigh Ashford and More | Playbill

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News Tony Nominees of 2013 React: Including Tom Hanks, Nathan Lane, Diane Paulus, Rob McClure, Bertie Carvel, Judith Light, Keala Settle, Carolee Carmello, Andrea Martin, Pasek & Paul, Annaleigh Ashford and More Playbill.com reached out to the 2013 Tony Award nominees on April 30, shortly after they learned that they were nominated for Broadway's biggest award. Here's what they had to say.

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Lauren Ward in Matilda. Photo by Manuel Harlan

Read Playbill.com's full list of the 2013 Tony Award nominees here. Make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Tom Sturridge, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, (playing "Phillip") Orphans: "I feel an inexplicable mingling of disbelief and delight. It is an honor beyond words to be named alongside four such exceptional actors. Most of all I am so proud that the immense hard work and talent of every single person involved with Orphans has been recognized with the production being nominated for Best Revival. A very beautiful day."

Dennis Kelly, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre, Matilda The Musical: I was in a local café having a coffee and a very sort of fatty sandwich, and Jackie from the press office called up and told us. I was pleased. I mean, I was quietly pleased because it was a very small café, and it doesn't do to go around shouting, "Oh my God, I've been nominated for a Tony." [Laughs.] But it was nice. It was not something I ever really expected. It's… To be honest with you, even having a production on Broadway is a bizarre and far-off thing for me. I never really expected something like that. It's not somewhere I thought I'd be, so it's an amazing sort of thing, and to be nominated for a Tony, it's crazy really.

Lauren Ward, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (playing "Miss Honey"), Matilda The Musical: I do kind of live in a box, which I always tell people because I'm so busy with my kids all the time, that I was actually doing my school run, then I went into a school meeting because my daughter is transitioning to fourth grade and had my phone on vibrate... I saw all these texts saying, "Congratulations," and I was like, "Oh, yes… The Tony nominations must have come out," and I thought we must have done well, so I would quietly text back saying, "Oh great, we must have done pretty well." And, they were like, "Yeah, you did really well, and you got a nomination," and I was like, "Really?" [Laughs.] Sort of quietly surprised, but I couldn't quite deal with it until about 10:30 AM because I had to finish being in this meeting at the school. It's just lovely for me. It's been great just coming back to New York after being away so much for such a long time, and it means a great deal to even come back with this show. I love playing this part, so the fact that it was recognized in this fashion is just icing on the cake for me. It's really a lovely homecoming. I feel very flattered and very blessed.

Shalita Grant, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play, (playing Cassandra) Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike: So my publicist went to the Actors' Fund Gala last night. We briefly talked about it, but from how she talked about it, I just kind of figured she knew something that I didn't, and she didn't want to let me down, so I was like, "Alright, this isn't going to happen!" So I went out last night and partied to 3-something in the morning, and right after we left, she texted me and was like, "I'll call you in the morning if it's a personal nomination. I'll email you if it's for the show." Cool. So 8-something this morning—my alarm was set for 10:30 AM —I got a phone call, and it's Lisa, and I'm like, "Why is this girl calling me? She told me she was going to email me." I answer the phone, and she's losing her mind. She was like, "Are you asleep?" I was like, "Yeah." She was like, "Wake up! You've got stuff to do. Get up. You've got five minutes. You've got to call all these people." I think it took me a while to wake up, you know, like I did a bunch of sleepy interviews. [Laughs.] I think I've been on the same spot on my couch since 8:45. [Laughs.] I don't know, man. I'm just like, "Dude." I looked at the full list. I didn't even know who was nominated from my show. I had no idea—like being shot out of a cannon. I'm just so honored to be a part of such a great, talented group of people. To be included in that is such out-of-this-world validation, man. It's just incredible. I'm still dealing, like part of me… My blinds aren't even open yet. I don't even know if this is actually happening, but man, if it is, this is the best life ever. [Laughs.]

Rob McClure as Chaplin.
photo by Joan Marcus
Nicholas Martin, Best Direction of a Play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike: I couldn't be more surprised… I slept til noon on purpose. I drugged myself, so that I didn't have to worry about phones ringing or not ringing, and then I woke up, and there were 62 calls between my messages and emails, so I knew something good had happened. When you're my age—I'm going to be 75—I gave up waiting a long, long time ago, and I didn't want to get swept up in the sleepless nights and so forth, and who deserved what and so forth. It's just a great thing to happen, and particularly at this age, where, you know, you're sort of ending things and trying to do it in a good way.

Rob McClure, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (playing "Charlie Chaplin"), Chaplin: My wife and I were watching the live streaming in our house in Philadelphia, and the honest version of the story—I was sitting there, and they said my name, and my wife gasped, and I said, "Holy sh*t!" And, my phone—I got a text message, and my phone went, "Bling!"—and I looked and it was a text from my mother that said, "Holy sh*t!" I was sort of very ecstatic, but the message that actually sent me over the edge... I go back to my old high school a lot to help with their theatre program whenever I can—it's the New Milford High School in New Jersey—and I had just gone back to do the lighting for their production of Spelling Bee in March. I just went and did the lights for them, and I got a text from a group of those kids, who said that they had just heard the entire school erupt because they were all in their Period 1 classes watching the nominations come out live. And, that's what sent me over. I was in a happy place, and then I was a big puddle mess! [Laughs.] I've been overwhelmed all morning from the love and support from my family and my friends. It just keeps coming, and I can't even keep up with it. It's trying to send the love back as much as I'm getting it. It's overwhelming! [Laughs.] When I look back at the time playing Chaplin, there are so many people and so much work—starting with Chris Curtis and then to La Jolla Playhouse, and the among of nurturing they gave to that piece, and then giving to the Broadway team and the creative team and the casts along the way… To be the representative of that work and those people is a real honor for me. I not only love those people, but I admire them, and I admire their work, so to be the one representing us is such a treat—to be an advocate for the work that was done and the love in that building, it's overwhelming. It really is.

Andy Blankenbuehler, Best Choreography, Bring It On: The Musical: I was so thrilled. I mean, Bring It On has been really important to me, and it's been a really heartfelt investment, so it was great to have my work recognized, but really, importantly, to have the show recognized as Best Musial. I just felt so thrilled for the whole company and whole creative team. It feels really good. It's not that I'm going out there to break ground or anything, but I like to say things in original ways, and the fact that we brought a cheerleading world—a whole new world of young people—to the stage, and people have remembered its impact, and also that the very language of the show became about movement was really important to me, and it means a lot to me that people are having faith, not only in the work, but in the belief that dance can continue to generate emotion, so it means a lot to me.

Annaleigh Ashford
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Charl Brown, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (playing "Smokey Robinson"), Motown The Musical: I actually watched it live on my couch. [Laughs.] It was utter joy to say the least. I don't think I ran, I think I flew off the couch, running around my tiny apartment, crying actually. I started doing theatre when I was a teenager. I went to a performing arts school in San Diego, and so the Tonys and Broadway have always been this big, seemingly unattainable, dream of mine. And now, to be on my third Broadway show, and my first leading role on Broadway, and to get nominated for a Tony, it means the absolute world to me. It truly does.

Annaleigh Ashford, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (playing "Lauren"), Kinky Boots: Oh my gosh, my fiancé came in our bedroom and told me, and we both cried and hugged each other! [Laughs.] You know, my whole life, I've wanted to sing and dance and act, and this is like the ultimate recognition that you are an actor in the theatre, so I am just so grateful that I am representing our show, and I'm so grateful that my mom drove me to dance class every night. It's crazy! It's so amazing. It's such a treat when you're doing something that you really believe in, and I feel like our show has so much heart, and we always feel like it's reaching every seat in the theatre, but it's amazing to be recognized for something that we believe in so much.

Judith Light, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (playing "Faye"), The Assembled Parties: What a wonderful honor it is to be nominated. A special thanks to my incredible ensemble and amazing director. You make me grateful to be a part of this Broadway company and community.

Nathan Lane, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (playing "Chauncey Miles"), The Nance: I'm absolutely thrilled to be nominated for The Nance, and that our entire brilliant design team was nominated as well. I was sad that Doug Carter Beane and Jack O'Brien were not included, since I wouldn't be here without them, but it doesn't change the fact that they've done extraordinary work on this beautiful play, as well as our stellar company of actors. I'm so proud of everyone involved and grateful that audiences have responded so positively to the play.

Tom Hanks
photo by Joan Marcus
Tom Hanks, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (playing "Mike McAlary"), Lucky Guy: Lucky Guy is an apt title – for George C. Wolfe and Courtney B. Vance and all of us who meet up 8 times a week. It is a privilege to be in Nora's play and an honor to be included with the other nominees and I would go nuts celebrating but I have a show tonight. Valisia LeKae, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (playing "Diana Ross"), Motown: I was snuggled in my bed, with my heating pad on, and I didn't want to watch it, and we couldn't get the computer to work, and my phone hasn't been working properly. I knew that if anything were to happen, my agent was going to call me, so by 8:35 AM, I hadn't heard anything. I just looked at my phone, and it had seven or eight phone calls on it, and finally my agent got through, and he told me the news. I was screaming, and I kept saying to him, "Are you sure? Are you really sure they said my name?" And then I said, "Did they pronounce it correctly?" And, he said, "They were close, but they really didn't get it right." I said, "That's okay. I had never been so happy about my name being mispronounced ever in my life." But this was the moment, so that's how I found out. It really, really means a lot because it feels like my 10,000 hours [of work] have paid off. I didn't go to school for performing arts, and I didn't go to college for theatre or drama, and the years spent on Broadway have literally served for me as a conservatory — learning from the best like Audra McDonald and Alan Cumming and Ana Gasteyer. So I really feel like all those years of watching them and listening have paid off now that I get to step into my own leading-lady role! [Laughs.] It's really kind of funny just to even say it, but I feel so honored about it. I really, really do.

Diane Paulus, Best Direction of a Musical, Pippin: I was actually sitting at LaGuardia waiting to board a plane to come up to Boston to the A.R.T. [American Repertory Theater] and I had several people texting me every 30 seconds, so I found out right as I was boarding the plane. I was so excited, so thrilled for the show. Gosh, a musical is just a team effort, and to see the show recognized in so many categories was so deeply rewarding for the whole team and so thrilling for the show. I was ecstatic. It is such a great honor. You know, you try not to think about awards when you're making a show. You're just putting your head down and making the best possible work you can and making it better and better and working hard. And, you come up for air, and when this recognition comes, it's so encouraging. It's a great moment, and especially for the A.R.T., where we birthed this show. It's a great recognition for the theatre and every effort that was made by my whole team here at the A.R.T. that gave birth to Pippin.

Pam MacKinnon, Best Direction of a Play, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: I'm in Los Angeles right now, and so I woke up early, knowing what was happening on the East Coast, and tried to do some sort of lame attempt of a Google search on my phone to know what was going on, and while I was trying to sift through that, some dear friends started to text me—generic, but pretty clear things like, "Wow!" [Laughs.] So that's how I knew. It's so great. I mean, I was sort of at once relieved and so proud of everyone's work and just happy. I was nominated last year. To have back-to-back nominations on projects that are so close to my heart, written by true, true friends, who I'm marching through my career with. I've known Edward [Albee] for 13 years, I've known Bruce [Norris] for about 16 years. I will continue to do both of their plays. It's really fantastic and feels incredibly, incredibly gratifying to just keep on going to work and work with people that you adore.

Kristine Nielsen, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play, (playing "Sonia"), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike: My good friend and agent called me this morning and woke me up. I just started crying and then laughing. [Laughs.] It's the two reactions you can have. It's wonderful, and it's terrifying at the same time. It just means so much to me because it's a recognition from the community, and I've certainly loved the theatre. It's where I put all my little eggs in a basket. And, I love it very much, and I'm very happy to have received any kind of recognition from it, so it's very nice…very nice.

Bertie Carvel
photo by Joan Marcus
Bertie Carvel, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (playing "Miss Trunchbull"), Matilda The Musical: I'm out of town up at Lake George staying with some friends, and I had been warned that this was the [day] and to be on the phone, so I [had to] stand in the only place in the mountains where I get reception on my phone, and waited for the phone to ring with good or bad news, and happily it was good news! [I feel] a mixture of joy and relief, I suppose. I mean, it would have been relief either way. It was a relief that I was nominated, but I mean all these things are such huge distractions from the job at hand—nice distractions! [Laughs.] But we've got to get out and make sure that everybody continues to get the show that we're passionate about and believe in and always have done… It's quite difficult not to get distracted by all the praise. It's nice to kind of have that moment done, and I'm really, really thrilled.

Keala Settle, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (playing "Norma Valverde"), Hands on a Hardbody: I knew it was going to happen today, but I didn't want to think about it. You don't want to set yourself up, so I kind of went to sleep. All of a sudden, my phone rang, and I picked it up, and I went, "Hello?" And, I heard, "Is this the Tony nominee?" And, I found out it was my agent. I was like, "Oh my God! Are you serious?" And then not even a second passed before my friends in the house came running past my door and saying, "Girl! Get up, girl! You just got nominated for a Tony!" And, that was it. I just got up, and it felt like Christmas Day, literally. Like, you wake up, I'm washing my eyes, and they're like, "Let's take a picture." I'm going, "Well, what time is it? I've got to go to the bathroom. What's happening?" It's amazing. It's kind of overwhelming... It's very humbling because I know that we're not open anymore. I also know that the show that we did had a message, and we worked our tail ends off, and just the fact that we got nominations for it—those three nominations that we got—it was just proof that we did have a piece of theatre that said something, that meant something... We're not open, but we told a story, and there are nominations to prove it. Just that alone is enough for me—just incredible. And, in such great company! I mean, Andrea Martin—come one! She's a genius. She's a comic female genius.

Carrie Coon, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (playing "Honey"), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: What a wonderful New York reception. I'm so proud of our production and looking forward to celebrating alongside my fellow nominees. I've received so many calls and texts and messages – especially from friends in my Chicago and Wisconsin communities – and my father in Ohio made a martini at 8:35 AM.

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.

Richard Greenberg, Best Play, The Assembled Parties: Working with this amazing group of kind, intelligent, dedicated, stupendously gifted and unfalteringly generous people has been one of the great experiences of my professional life. And then to get nominated for it – that's just fantastic.

Joseph Robinette, Best Book of a Musical, A Christmas Story, The Musical: Well, we were watching TV this morning and saw that the musical itself had been nominated. They only dealt with the shows that were nominated and the acting nominations, so we still didn't know, and then we got an email from our publicist, Brett Obermann, who said congratulations, and that's how I found out. My first reaction was I find it hard to believe, and then I decided to believe it. Felt pretty good about that. As I've had time to kind of dwell on it a little bit, I really feel—and I mean this, it's going to sound like a cliché, but—this award, both the musical and the writing award and the music award is a tribute to everybody who had anything to do with this show. It was just a fantastic producing crew—the director, the choreographer, the actors, the designers, everybody. This is really for them because it was a real team effort from the get-go.

Douglas Carter Beane
Photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Douglas Carter Beane, Best Book of a Musical, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella: I've got two shows this season. I was up all night, tossing and turning, couldn't sleep. And, I wasn't worried about me. I was worried about everybody else. Then you gotta get up and get the kids off to school, and I was sitting there having my bagel and my cup of tea, and I watched NY1, and I just have a little tablet and pen, and I check 'em off as it happens, and I quick email or text friends as they get nominated, so the word gets out. Then, Lord willing, by 11 o'clock, crawl back into bed and go to sleep. That's my day! [Laughs.] I came up with this philosophy last year that if you get nominated or win something, you have to be really happy and enjoy it, but if you don't get nominated or win something, it can't matter. So it was sort of like, "Oh! The Nance didn't get nominated for Best Play, but [there were] Best Book and Best Revival for Cinderella! And, oh! There's Nathan [Lane]!" It happened so fast coming at me—all this information—and every one of those nominations have a story behind it. Ann Roth is nominated for Best Play for Costumes. She's in her 80s, and she's never won a Tony Award, so it's like, "Ann! You better win this!" And then it's Santino [Fontana] and Laura [Osnes]—working with them—and Vicki [Clark], and getting Vicki to fly. And, Nathan—getting his schedule together for The Nance. It was all so crazy and wonderful. It's very exciting. It's a very exciting roller-coaster ride.

Andrea Martin, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (playing "Berthe"), Pippin: I'm so honored to be nominated alongside these exceptionally talented ladies. I was at my desk paying bills when I got the news this morning. The first call came from my manager Perry Zimel in Toronto, then text messages from my dear friends Jessica Stone and Justin Bohon, and then I spoke to my fabulous New York agent Gary Gersh. We opened just last week, so I still have family in town visiting. My son got up, and I was immediately torn between taking calls or making him bacon and eggs. I made him bacon and eggs. I love the role of Berthe and I truly can't wait to perform it each and every night. Working with this incredible ensemble of actors, acrobats, dancers and singers has been one of the greatest experiences of my career. I'm particularly thrilled we were nominated in the Musical Revival category – it's a testament to the contribution of every single person who has worked on and continues to bring their own magic to this extraordinary show.

Justin Paul and Benj Pasek
photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre, A Christmas Story: JP: I didn't want to get my hopes up. I sort of was playing it cool this morning, and I just slept in, and I was like, "You know, maybe I'll watch," and then around like 8:25 AM, I just freaked out, and thought, "I have to watch! I'm going to turn on the TV!" So I sat by my wife, and I sprang out of bed, we put on our bathrobes, and we're just sitting in front of the TV screaming, freaking out, jumping up and down when it happened. We weren't together. Benj was separate, so we called each other on the phone.

BP: Yeah, I was freaking out because I was by myself, and so a friend of mine texted me last night and was like, "What are you doing?" He was in town, and I said, "I don't know, but I can't be alone right now because I don't want to wake up and be like crazy, and I need somebody to watch these things with." So I slept on my friend's couch last night, and we woke up this morning, and I had my mom on speakerphone and my entire extended family watching together, and it was magical!

BP: We were musical theatre majors. We studied this in college. This is what we did with our lives. And so the fact that we would wake up to watch the Tony nominations regardless of if we ever had a show involved... The possibility that we were included, let alone the fact that we were nominated, is mind-blowing to us! And, it's also so amazing, too, that there are people who we've known, coming up in New York, and they're reading our friends' names on the Tony nominations telecast! It's unbelievable for us that we get to be a part of it.

David Rockwell, Best Scenic Design of a Play for Lucky Guy and Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Kinky Boots: Well, when I heard I got nominated, my first reaction was, "For which show?" And, when I found out I got nominated for both… The truth is, every one of those nominees is someone whose work I admire and follow as someone who loves theatre. So it's corny to say, but being in a group with those artists—and I think theatre is so collaborative—so in the case of both of the shows I did that got nominated, the set is so integrated to lighting, and in both cases Jules [Fisher] and Peggy [Eisenhauer] and Kenny [Posner] were nominated. In direction, every molecule of those sets is in service of some idea that is collaborative with the director, and they both got nominated, too… So, it's unbelievably thrilling to be doing the work with these people, have the work up and running, and then have it be acknowledged. I guess surreal is the name—the main thing to describe it. As opposed to architecture, theatre is ephemeral. Productions come and go, and you build these amazing families together with the people you are working with, and then to take a moment out to congratulate each other when it opens or to have a party or to celebrate the acknowledgements of other people is, I think, just incredible.

Stephanie J. Block
Will Chase, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (playing "John Jasper/Mr. Clive Paget"), The Mystery of Edwin Drood: Surreal morning... Not gonna pretend I didn't know the nominations were today, or that I had to be woken by a text from my agent or Mom!!! (I love you, agent and Mom, by the way). Just sat here and watched NY1 with my lady and my puppy, holding a hand and a paw. It was surreal! And to see Stephanie Block get the nod as well... so, so happy! Just really looking forward to luncheons and playdates with Terry [Terrence] Mann.

 

Stephanie J. Block, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (playing "Edwin Drood/Miss Alice Nutting"), The Mystery of Edwin Drood: I was sitting in traffic with Sebastian. My phone was "blowing up" with love and congratulations. We, literally, had to stop at a rest stop on the NJ Turnpike to buy a phone charger... I am a lucky and grateful lady!! Still weeping...

Danny Burstein, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (playing "Tokio"), Golden Boy: I just got up, literally at 8:25, and I looked at the clock, and I thought, "What the hell? Let me go watch." But I never expected to see my name up there. In all honesty, I was shocked. I thought they said the wrong name! [Laughs.] And then I had to look at the board, in fact, to make sure he said my name, and it was my picture on the wall, because I didn't expect them to remember Golden Boy as much as they did. But, when they were going through all the nominations, Golden Boy was getting a lot of love, and it was a lovely thing. I'm really shocked, but I'm not taking it for granted at all. It's my fourth one, and I'm absolutely thrilled. And, completely over-the-moon happy... I'm very, very proud of Golden Boy and that show. And, the entire cast was just spectacular, but from Day One it was like that. I'm honored that Tony [Shalhoub] and I can represent them in the acting department. Of course, my heart wanted for both Seth Numrich and Yvonne Strahovski to get one as well, but I'm just thrilled that this has happened and our show is recognized. I just never, never expected to be making these kinds of phone calls, or talking to people, or getting all these emails and texts and calls. It's wonderful; it really is.

Patina Miller
photo by Joan Marcus
Patina Miller, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (playing "The Leading Player"), Pippin: My boyfriend—actually, I keep saying my boyfriend, I have to get used to saying my fiancé. He came in, and he woke me up and told me the news. [Laughs.] And then my manager called me at the same time. It's been a very eventful morning so far! I was just excited. I mean, to be recognized by the Broadway community for something that you love to do, and to be in a show like I am in, it's just kind of crazy, and I've just been so happy to be recognized by the Tony Awards in a category of so many amazing women—it's a lot. It's mind-blowing, and I just feel so humbled and so excited. Watch video of the nominations below:

 
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