Tony Awards 2013 nominees announced
The nominees for the 2013 Tony Awards were announced Tuesday morning from The New York Public Library for Performing Arts by Tony winner Sutton Foster and "Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
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The Cyndi Lauper-scored "Kinky Boots" has earned a leading 13 Tony Award nominations, with the British import "Matilda: The Musical" close behind with 12. The haul did not match the record number of nominations for a musical, which is 15, set by "The Producers" in 2001 and "Billy Elliot" in 2009. "The Book of Mormon" nabbed 14 Tony nods in 2011.
Up for best musical this year are "Bring It On: The Musical," "A Christmas Story, The Musical," "Kinky Boots" and "Matilda The Musical."
Two stories born in Britain are vying for America's biggest theater prize: "Kinky Boots" and "Matilda." "Kinky Boots" is based on the 2005 British movie about a real-life shoe factory that struggles until it finds new life in fetish footwear. Songs by Lauper and a story by Harvey Fierstein have made it a crowd-pleaser, albeit in open-minded New York. Touring potential is key for Tony voters. "Kinky Boots" also earned Fierstein a nod for best book, David Rockwell got one for sets, Jerry Mitchell for directing and for choreography, and its two leading men - for Billy Porter and Stark Sands. Annaleigh Ashford earned a featured role nomination.
"Matilda," the import from London, is a witty musical adaptation of the beloved novel by Roald Dahl and is true to his bleak vision of childhood as a savage battleground. It has proven it can find audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. "Matilda" earned nominations for choreography, Matthew Warchus' directing, Chris Nightingale's orchestrations, best book by Dennis Kelly, Tim Minchin for lyrics and songs, and Bertie Carvel for best leading role in a musical.
The best play nominees are "The Assembled Parties," "Lucky Guy," "The Testament of Mary" and "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike."
Tom Hanks received a best actor in a play nod for "Lucky Guy." He's up against Nathan Lane in "The Nance," Tom Sturridge in "Orphans," "Tracy Letts" in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and David Hyde Pierce in "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike." Pierce's co-star, Sigourney Weaver, didn't get a best actress in a play nomination. Instead, the best actress play nominees of 2013 are Laurie Metcalf in "The Other Place," Amy Morton in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Kristine Nielson in "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," Holland Taylor in "Ann" and Cicely Tyson in "The Trip to Bountiful."
The Tony committee also said playwright Larry Kramer, author of "The Normal Heart" and co-founder of the Gay Men's Health Crisis, will receive the Isabelle Stevenson Award for his "substantial contribution" on behalf of a charity or social service organization.
About 870 voters will choose the winners. Only Broadway shows that opened since April 26, 2012, are eligible. The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, joint producers of the show, will host the glittery ceremony from Radio City Music Hall on June 9. It will be broadcast live by CBS.