Both The Drowsy Chaperone's Sutton Foster and The Pajama Game's Kelli O'Hara, who picked up 2006 nominations for Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Musical, were nominated last season. Foster received a 2005 Tony nomination for her performance as Jo March in the short-lived musical Little Women, while O'Hara was nominated in the Featured Actress in a Musical category for her portrayal of Clara in the still-running Adam Guettel-Craig Lucas musical The Light in the Piazza.

It has also been a rewarding time for directors Bartlett Sher and Casey Nicholaw. Sher received a Best Direction of a Play nomination this season for the Lincoln Center Theater revival of Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing!, and last season he was nominated for his direction of the aforementioned Piazza. Nicholaw was just nominated for his direction and choreography of The Drowsy Chaperone, which picked up 13 nominations in all; last season, his choreography for Monty Python's Spamalot was recognized.

And, several designers received both 2006 and 2005 Tony nominations: John Lee Beatty (2006: Scenic Design for Rabbit Hole and The Color Purple; 2005: Scenic Design for Doubt); Santo Loquasto (2006: Scenic Design for Three Days of Rain and Costume Design for A Touch of the Poet; 2005: Scenic Design for Glengarry Glen Ross); Michael Yeargan (2006: Scenic Design for Awake and Sing!; 2005: Scenic Design for The Light in the Piazza); Catherine Zuber (2006: Costume Design for Awake and Sing! and Seascape; 2005: Costume Design for The Light in the Piazza); Christopher Akerlind (2006: Lighting Design for Awake and Sing!; 2005: Lighting Design for The Light in the Piazza); Mark Henderson (2006: Lighting Design for Faith Healer and The History Boys; 2005: Lighting Design for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Brian MacDevitt (2006: Lighting Design for The Color Purple; 2005: Lighting Design for The Pillowman).

Those 2005 and 2006 nominees who won Tonys last season include Michael Yeargan, Catherine Zuber and Christopher Akerlind, all for their Light in the Piazza designs, and Brian MacDevitt for his Pillowman work. Whether these artists will add another Tony to their mantle will be decided June 11 when the 60th Annual Tony Awards are presented at Radio City Music Hall.

Visit www.tonyawards.com for more information.