2012 Tony Awards Rehearsal - LIVE Blog!

The big day is here! Follow our LIVE coverage starting from Tony Rehearsals starting at approximately 10am. Want to know who's performing what? What order to expect the awards in and other tidbits? Spoil yourself!

Then, check back at 6:00 PM when we'll be showing the red carpet live, and when all of our full coverage will begin! Keep checking BroadwayWorld.com on Tony night, well into the early morning hours, and in the days ahead for EVERYTHING Tonys...

1:30 PM - Thanks to all who followed along - more to come! RD

1:27 PM - Neil is back onstage for his closing number...for the specifics, you will need to tune in. We will be back with more live coverage starting at 5, keep tuned to BWW all day.

1:23 PM - Stand-ins for Trey Parker and Matt Stone are here to present Best Musical. 

1:17 PM - Hilarious moment where they gave him the wrong card, of Actors instead of Actresses to which he read out 3 before going "Wait, this isn't right? They're all lesbians? Well, why not" to laughter and applause. Now, they are back on track. Very quick on his feet. 

1:11 PM - Christopher Plummer is here in the flesh to give out Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play / Musical. 

1:10 PM - Broadway previews now being show for KING KONG (2013), A CHRISTMAS STORY (with a cute video 'searching for their Ralphie') and REBECCA (Fall 2012). 

1:08 PM - That was just a great perfomance of 'Rise Up'... now, back to commercial!

1:04 PM - Closed, but not forgotten. The whole company of LEAP OF FAITH is on stage, led by Raul Esparza. He's here to "save some souls in this houseful of sinners". A nice showcase for the hard working cast. 

1:00 PM - Neil Patrick Harris is back onstage introducing the next presenter - Candice Bergen, who is here to present Best Performance be a Leading Actor in a Musical and Play.

12:59 PM - Loud applause now ... for Hugh's stand-in. 

12:58 PM - Onstage now is Ashley Schaeffer (sp?) here to present a Special Tony Award to "her buddy and business partner" Hugh Jackman. She is talking now about Hugh's incredible record-breaking work for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. 

12:56 PM - There's now a clip package for the awards given out pre-show to Bernadette Peters, Actors Equity, the Shakespeare Theatre Company of DC, etc.

12:51 PM - Norbert and Beth are back onstage -- they have no more Tonys to give out, but a few announcements. 1) The show won't end after Best Musical, NPH has a surprise at the end. 2) Reminding Best Musical producers to once again NOT crowd the stage. Lead producers to the stage, everyone else to the Winner's Circle. 

12:47 PM - 5-time Tony Winner Harvey Fierstein is on stage to introduce the Royal Caribbean's production of HAIRSPRAY as "Broadway hits the high seas" as they go live to the ship for the cast on video.  

12:43 PM - Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin are on stage to a thunderous ovation - here to present Best Revival of a Musical. The pair have a cute bit singing little snippets from each of the musical revivals. A lot of fun. 

12:41 PM - Back from brake, it's Corbin Bleu and the company of GODSPELL here with a little 'Day By Day' going out into the audience for "Salt of the Earth" and "Light of the World". A well put together taste of the production that ends with a confetti bang. 

12:36 PM - A very high energy performance by the cast of EVITA and back into a break here with Beth back for Best Lighting Design of a Play. She and Norbert will be keeping busy tonight with a TON of awards in the commercial breaks. 

12:31 PM - Cote De Pablo, last seen on stage in Measure for Measure and on the small screen in NCIS is now here to introduce the cast of EVITA, led by Ricky Martin and Elena Roger - it's "And the Money Kept Rolling In..."  

12:30 PM - Post-package, he will present the award for Best Play as well. One of the tightest races for sure. 

12:25 PM - Back from another commercial break, Neil Patrick Harris is stage right and joking with the crew. Now, he's here to introduce Jim Parsons. Jim does a clever introduction to introduce the nominees for 'Best Play' - describing nominated plays that are then shown off with clip packages. Beter presentation than usual I think. 

12:21 PM - In house, we're being treated to a video package of Broadway dancers strutting their stuff to Michael Jackson's "Beat It". Fun. 

12:20 PM - Norbert Leo Butz is back on stage, using his best Irish accent to introduce the nominees for Best Lighting Design of a Musical. 

12:19 PM - Steve Kazee leads the company in a rousing 'Gold' and the crowd here is going wild for the cast as we go back into break. 

12:14 PM - Josh Groban will next appear on stage to introduce the cast of ONCE for their performance. Josh isn't here either, lots of rehearsal stand-ins this year. 

12:11 PM - Back from commercial again, now it's time for Neil Patrick Harris to introduce Tyler Perry (stand-in again) who will present Best Revival of a Play. 

12:09 PM - Best to the 'in commercial' awards - Best Scenic Design of a Musical.

12:08 PM - Now Norbert and Beth are back to remind producers that they'd been told that there will be a "winners circle" where producers are designated to go, with only those designated to accept coming to the stage. They've warned that the cameras will only be covering the winner's circle AND the designated acceptors and NOT to rush the stage. 

12:07 PM - A perfectly executed medley did a great job of showing off the entire production. Kudos to the staging, cuts and talented cast. 

12:02 PM - 6 Time Grammy-Winner Bebe Winans is here (well, a stand-in) to introduce the performance from the revival of THE GERSHWIN'S PORGY AND BESS.  

11:57 AM - Back from break again to Neil Patrick Harris on stage to honor those who have won Best Score over the years over the years with a wonderful medley of some of the stage's greatest hit songs. There is nothing he can't do, as he sings his intro that leads into Sheryl Crow here to present Best Original Score. Neil's # is going to be a highlight tonight for sure. 

11:53 AM - Beth returned for Best Scenic Design of a Play and now it's the In Memorium segment. Boy did we lose a lot of greats this year. Internet a little flaky, but seems to be back.

11:51 AM - Great numbers and a great way to show at least a tiny taste of this year's plays. Back to commercial now here in the house. 

11:45 AM - Ellen Barkin is now here (herself) where she will introduce the segment honoring plays, which will both video and live performances from END OF THE RAINBOW, ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS and PETER IN THE STARCATCHER. Now, the year in plays!

11:43 AM - Looks like they fixed the console and we're now back in business, with a standin for James Marsden here to present Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. 

11:38 AM - Great video during the brake honoring Equity, and Neil Patrick Harris is center stage now as we come back to ... the console needing to be rebooted while Neil vamps...

11:35 AM - After that rousing number, it's another commercial break and Norbert is back to present Best Costume Design of a Musical. 

11:29 AM - BroadwayWorld favorite Matthew Morrison is on stage now, back in town JUST for the day to introduce the cast of NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT. Let's hope Broadway gets him back sooner rather than later. Now, it's Kelli O'Hara, Matthew Broderick and the uber-talented cast. 

11:27 AM - Now here is Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain, who will be seen on Broadway in THE HEIRESS and she is here to present Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play. 

11:25 AM - Back from commercial again, Neil Patrick Harris makes a special SPIDER-MAN themed entrance onto the stage, to introduce the American Theatre Wing's Ted Chapin and honorary chair - Angela Lansbury. This is one of those special bits I won't spoil, but you're going to have to see it to believe it. 

11:21 AM - The number finishes with the whole cast and was brilliant. Whew. That's a number that will definitely sell tickets. Beth Leavel is now back to present Best Costume Design of a Play. 

11:16 AM - Josh Young is here, feeling the theatre with his booming voice and the iconic title song from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Some great video work here too.

11:15 AM - Now onstage is Ben Vereen, being introduced as "returning to Broadway next season" and he is here to introduce the new cast of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR after reminding us that's what he won his first Tony for in 1971. 

11:11 AM - Now it's John Larroquette, who spent the last two seasons on Broadway and is here to present 'Best Direction of a Musical' and 'Best Direction of a Play'.

11:09 AM - Oh My Love... It's Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy singing 'Unchained Melody' into the show's powerful Act 1 finale also featuring Bryce Pinkham in front of a city backdrop. 

11:08 AM - Prepping on stage to perform when we're back from break is GHOST. 

11:06 AM - It's another commercial and Norbert is back to present Best Sound Design of a Play. 

10:59 AM - Two time Tony-winner Bernadette Peters is now onstage to a screaming ovation and she is here to introduce the performance by Best Revival Nominee - FOLLIES. She is introducing her "Tony nominated BUDDY Danny Burstein" and his girls from FOLLIES, now performing Buddy's Blues.

10:56 AM - Soon to be seen on the big screen in LES MISERABLES, Amanda Seyfried is here to present Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. Can't wait to see her Cossette too.

10:54 AM - The unmistakeable chords of Jesus Christ Superstar are ringing out to welcome us back from the commercial and Neil Patrick Harris is here to present some tips. 

10:53 AM - Now a film is being show about the earlier honor presented (last night) to Freddie Gershon, the beloved head of MTI and producer Artie Siccardi. 

10:50 AM - A rousing ovation for NEWSIES which had the audience screaming. Now Norbert and Beth are back on stage to present Best Sound Design of a Musical (during what would be the commercial). 

10:47 AM - The cast is in great shape for this early in the morning (or anytime really). 

10:45 AM - Now it's Nick Jonas (who's here) the ambassador for Kids Night on Broadway, to introduce the cast of NEWSIES for the first performance, led by Jeremy Jordan. Now's the time to Seize the Day!

10:43 AM - On stage to present the first award is a stand-in for Paul Rudd to present Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. Also now in the house - Ben Vereen and Harvey Fierstein. 

10:37 AM - Needless to say, the second open features a great new song, star cameos and is a blast and a half. Truly great. 

10:36 AM - As in year's past, there's a few surprises that we're not going to reveal -- including other specifics of the opening and closing. 

10:34 AM - On stage are the new leads of MORMON, Jared Gertner and Nic Rouleau for those who have asked. Now on stage Neil Patrick Harris!

10:32 AM - As promised, the show will open with a pre-recorded number featuring the cast of THE BOOK OF MORMON ringing on some star's doors, followed by them entering the stage live to perform 'Hello!' 

10:30 AM - That's it's for the pre broadcast awards. Next up, the live rehearsal. In the house now are Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters!

10:23 AM - Number 3 for the competitive awards - Best Book of a Musical as the pre-broadcast rehearsal continues. 

10:22 AM - The second award will be for Best Choreography of a Musical....

10:19 AM - The first competitive pre-show award will be Best Orchestrations. 

10:17 AM - Now it's time for the Regional Theatre Award to the Shakrespeare Theater Company of Washington, DC. These awards will be shown live to those watching the Tonys in Times Square this evening (or at the Beacon), highlights will be shown on the broadcasts, and then the full videos made available on TonyAwards.com. 

10:15 AM - The third award is a Special Tony Award for the Actors Equity Association, introduced by another short film about the organization's 100 year history. Happy 100th Anniversary! Accepting will be Nick Wyman. 

10:13 AM - During rehearsal, the award recipients are volunteer stand-ins who, for those in the house, make their own hilarious speeches which helps w/ the broadcast producers gauging time. 

10:12 AM - Next awards, the Isabelle Stevenson Award for Humanitarian Work. This year? It's Bernadette Peters. A short filming is playing all about the star, Broadway Barks and her dedication to the cause.  

10:10 AM - Also noted, awards will be given out during the commercial breaks as well as pre-Broadcast so everyone has been advised to stay in their seats and to avoid blocking the teleprompter. The first award? Emanuel “Manny” Azenberg's lifetime achievement award.  

10:09 AM - Norbert and Beth are now onstage, to give out a very important set of awards. First up, the pre-broadcast regulations. First instruction? Don't hunch over or fondle the microphone if you win, it upsets the union sound men - always good advice. 

10:07 AM - Now onstage is a rep from the Intercontinetal Hotels group to celebrate their partnership and to introduce the Creative Arts Awards, this year hosted by Norbert Leo Butz and Beth Leavel.

10:04 AM - First up, it's the American Theater Wing and the Broadway League to welcome everyone to the rehearsal!

10:03 AM - The pre-show rehearsal will begin momentarily with pre-broadcast awards. In the house already - Amanda Seyfried, Nick Jonas and more. 

9:58 AM - The doors will open soon, but already the stars are in the house!

9:35 AM - Rob Diamond here, live from the Beacon Theatre where the 2012 Tonys Dress Rehearsal is about to begin at 10:00 AM! Right now, they're brushing up the opening number!