The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced on the Aug. 27 telecast on NBC as hosted by Conan O'Brien. As usual, the Creative Arts portion for the annual television honors was held the week before.
Cloris Leachman (South Pacific) and Patricia Clarkson (Eastern Standard, Three Days of Rain) were honored in the Guest Actress categories — comedy and drama, respectively. Leachman earned her award for her turn in "Malcolm in the Middle" while Clarkson took home her prize for "Six Feet Under." Stage actor Leslie Jordan (Like a Dog on Linoleum) won the Guest Actor in a Comedy honor for his work as Beverley Leslie on NBC's "Will & Grace."
Music director and conductor Paul Gemignani earned an Emmy for his work on PBS' Great Performances presentation of South Pacific in Concert from Carnegie Hall. The concert version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical will also compete in the Outstanding Special Class Program.
Disney Channel's popular "High School Musical" won an Emmy honor for Kenny Ortega's Outstanding Choreography for a Miniseries (with fellow choreographers Charles Klapow and Bonnie Story) as well as for Outstanding Children's Program.
* Among the honors yet to be revealed, 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).
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, recent star of 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."
Recent Off-Broadway star Sandra Oh (Satellites) and her "Grey's Anatomy" 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.
Other Emmy nominees of interest to theatre folk include Jeremy Irons (A Little Night Music), Ellen Burstyn (Same Time, Next Year) and Swoosie Kurtz (Frozen).
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.
