2012 Tony Nominations - The Nominees React!

The 2012 Tony Awards Nominations Announcement was co-hosted this morning by Tony winning actress Kristin Chenoweth and Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor Jim Parsons. 

The Tony Awards will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from the Beacon Theatre, on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 10, 2012.

Click here for the complete list of nominations! Click here for the nominations by the numbers. 

We'll be talking to nominees all day for their reactions!

Spencer Kayden, Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Don't Dress for Dinner 
"I decided I wasn't going to listen to the nominations. I didn't realize how nervous I was about them until I realized how much I didn't want to hear them! So I found out when I got an email from a friend. It's really satisfying to be nominated. It's been a long time since I've been back - it was 10 years ago when I was nominated for Urinetown! So to be recognized after such a long time for something I love to do is great. As for celebration, I need groceries so maybe today I'll spurge and have them delivered."

James Corden, Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for One Man Two Guvnors
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be nominated for a Tony Award and to see my name on a list with these four American acting legends is overwhelming. I'm eating a cookie right now, so it's a very nice Tuesday! I was watching the announcement on the TV. Getting up at 8:30 is far too early, but I have a one-year-old so I was already up convincing him that eating crayons is a bad idea. It's so overwheming to be on the list with those people. I'm really thilled for Tom Edden! I have to do a show tonight and there's no time to celebrate when you have a one-year-old. There's no time for celebration!” 

Danny Burstein, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for FOLLIES
"I feel pretty damn good! I'm exhausted because it's six in the morning here in LA, but it still feels pretty damn good! My phone started buzzing and I ran to my computer because I wasn't sure. People were texting me and saying 'I'm crossing my fingers to you' and stuff like that. So, I ran to my computer and because we're in this housing, first you have to enter your log in information and I couldn't get it to work. I'm like 'Why now?!" I finally got it to work and it was only after a friend sent me a text saying 'CONGRATULATIONS' that I thought 'Thank God!' I'm in tech right now so I'll spend the rest of the day in tech until midnight, but for this I'll do it!"

Cristin Milioti, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for ONCE
"I was asleep because we don't have a TV with cable. We watch internet TV and we were asleep, and my phone rang. I groggily answered the phone and I put it together. My agent and manager were on the line to congratulate me. I cant even put it into words- I'm so flored by the company that I'm with- my fellow nominees, I guess you call them. I've admired them for years and it blows my mind. It's been a year of working hard and to see it come to this level is unreal. It hasn't hit me yet!"

Laura Osnes, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for BONNIE & CLYDE
"I was sound asleep this morning because I didn't expect anything! Then my agent called and I suspected something. As soon as I got the news I just started crying in bed in my pjs. I'm so honored and shocked and grateful and the show is being remembered in some way. I feel like it's a dream and I'm so happy that Jeremy Jordan was nominated for Newsies, too! We've been texting each other this morning. I had plans to have a baking day with a friend, but now it will be sprinkled with extra joy."

Josh Young, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
"I feel amazing. I honestly didn't expect a thing so I wasn't the least bit nervous. I figured I would sleep in as late as possible and wake up to find out that my show was nominated but that I wasn't. But, when I got up to walk the dog and checked my phone and saw a text from my agent saying "'atta boy!" These past couple of months have been a crazy roller coaster and have been some of the hardest weeks of my life. I was sidelined with a horrible chest infection and couldn't breathe, but trying to do the show as much as I could...and let me tell you, if there is ever a role where you need to breathe it's 'Judas.' So I'm just so appreciative to all of the nominators who came back to the show to see me. I want to celebrate but I think I need to go back to sleep so I can do a good job onstage tonight!"

Celia Keenan-Bolger, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
"I'm really excited! I woke up with my husband and weeks ago I said we'd have a staycation so we're in a hotel that of course didn't have NY1- which I think is hysterical. So, we had to watch it on my phone. This is so great, I care about the show so so much and I've worked on it for so long. These past 3 years have been so special and we weren't sure it would even come to Broadway. It's all been a real gift. I'm sure I'll be on the phone all day. I'm so excited to do the show tonight!"

Jeremy Shamos, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for Clybourne Park
“My kids were a little disappointed to turn off the cartoons… but when they announced my name, we had a big family hug and my daughter, who just turned 5, (but is comically advanced) put a whoopi cushion in the middle of the hug so it was a big fart hug. Really excited and so proud of the show and I consider my nomination to be a nomination for the whole ensemble because it’s the most incredible 6 people to share a stage with and so happy for  Pam, Bruce and the whole team.”

Jon Robin Baitz, Best Play for OTHER DESERT CITIES
This nomination is very gratifying and I am incredibly grateful to be included in this talented company. I'm old enough to be sentimental after 25 years in the theater and to be honored for my first original play on Broadway is just fantastic. It's an honor to be a part of the theater, as there is nothing that I ever wanted more than that. A lot of people made me look good. I'm in the middle of planting veggies for the summer so I'm looking forward to celebrating by making sure we have good tomatoes and lettuce.

Frank Langella, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for MAN AND BOY
"I was surprised and grateful"

Tom Edden, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
"I'm feeling pretty good! It looks quite sunny out my window even though I can't see New Jersey. I'm very very surprised and very very pleased. I think most of all I'm very touched and to be selected by this panel feels very special. It's a big deal. It's great for the show, it got 7 nominations in total! I really didn't expect to be singled out but it's very lovely. I made the perhaps foolish decision of watching on TV. I heard my name and they said it right! So many get it wrong! I'm just flabbergasted to be in that company. It's the Tonys! I was excited about just going! I used to watch on youtube back home and it's thrilling. I've got a pysical therapy session today- if you've seen the show you'd know why. So I don't know whether I'll be able to relax on that table. At some time this week I'll have to sit down and raise a glass!"

Joe DiPietro, Best Book of a Musical for NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT
"I gotta say, I'm a kid at heart with this stuff so hearing about my Tony nomination and 10 for the show just makes me feel about 12 years old again! It was thrilling morning. This afternoon I have a work session with my writing partner David Bryan, so that to me is celebration - getting to work on the next on! These nominations are a testament to Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara and all of the hard work everyone has put into the show."

Judith Light, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Other Desert Cities
"I'm really excited, and I'm really honored and thrilled! I got a text first from our company manager from Lombardi, and my manager at got up at 4 this morning in California and called me right away. I spoke to both first! Today I'm going to a memorial service for Ted Mann- one of the founders of Circle in the Square who passed a way a little while ago. We were very close. I know he would be very happy right now. I'm happy I get to honor him today. I'm so thrilled that we got so many nominations-  Jon Robin Baitz, and sets and lighting and Stockard! It's so extraordinary! It's the second year in a row for me and to be welcomed back is really special. It's all about the honor."

Elizabeth A. Davis, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for ONCE
"I'm actually shocked- quite shocked! And enormously thankful and honored. My husband and I were in a dead sleep and my sweet neighbor downstairs came screaming up the steps my name. And she woke us up and said I'd been nominated and I said 'what?!' And I said 'I don't belive you!' So I made my husband check online because I didn't believe her. And I just collapsed. I think we might be taking a Zipcar to Chick-fil-A today in Paromus. We both love it and we've been jonesing for some Chick-Fil-A so this might be the day!"

Jeremy Shamos Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for Clybourne Park
"I'd like to say I was so cool this morning and that I slept through the nominations but that's definitely not true. I woke up at 7 with kids and made them turn off their cartoons so I could watch the broadcast, which they thought was boring. The we heard my name called and we started jumping around and had a group hug, which included a whoopi cushion my daughter snuck in the middle so it turned into a fart hug. it still all feels a bit surreal and I'm still processing I guess, so much so that when I dropped my kids off at school a teacher pointed out that my shirt was inside out. But this is all very exciting and I'm just happy that the show got the nominations that it did. Mine is just icing on the cake."

Christian Borle, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
"It's been an awfully nice morning! I'm happy and just so very proud of the show. It's been a few years leading up to now. This is just enormously gratifying. I woke up this morning and turned on NY1 and watched. I just got a new sound bar for my TV so I think I'm going to sit down and watch 'The Empire Strikes Back.' That will be my celebration for the day!"

Steve Kazee, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for ONCE
"This who morning is an out of body experience at this point. Having lost my mom, this nomination it a bit bittersweet since she can't experience this with me, but I'm just trying to take it all in and think of her. It has been a crazy year for me and to have it culminated this way with 11 Tony nominations for the show makes me speechless. To see everyone get recognized who has worked so hard on creating this piece is just unbelievable and I'm so excited to get the theater tonight to give everyone a hug and say congratulations. It makes me so proud to be a part of something that I can call art that is also having success commercially. Being a part of building something so original and artistic and different than anything else on Broadway is profoundly humbling."

Roger Rees, Best Direction of a Play for PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
"I feel very elated because many years ago I won a Tony for 'Best Actor' and now im up for director! So it's very thrilling! I'm up with the wonderful Alex Timbers and we're very very pleased to be nominated. I was walking in the park this morning when I got the phone call with the news. Now I'm going off to rehearsal with B.D. Wong for Herring Bone. I'm already late for that! I'm very pleased because we got 9 nominations and I'm just so very pleased for everyone connected with the show- the actors, the crew, and the whole team really! Everyone really contributed and hopefully many more people will come and see the show because of this."

Rick Elice, Nominated for Best Play for PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
"I was feeling neurotic this morning and forced myself to go outside in the rain to get away from the TV and phone. So I went to Starbucks and got a coffee and stood under the arch of the Natural History Museum at 77th Street to drink my coffee out of the rain when my pocket started buzzing. I figured it was good news at that point! I heard Nicholas Hynter in an interview recently say "It's great to be on Broadway" and that's just how I feel - it's going to become my mantra I think. It's especially great to be on Broadway with a passion project like Peter And The Starcatcher. It seemed so unlikely that we would make it to Broadway when we first started. I have to tell you, it is because of BroadwayWorld's contest last year that helped enable us to bring the show to Broadway. You ran a poll about which off Broadway play was the most popular and our show won by such a large margin that we were sending the link around to several producers who were on the fence to show just how much people loved it. So yes, if people are enjoying the work it then I'll be a very happy fellow. It is great to be on Broadway. And now I have to do my laundry."

Kenneth Posner, Best Lighting Design of a Play for Other Desert Cities
"I feel great! It's always a great surprise. My agent actually texted me the train that she was on this morning and told me the news! I had just returned from taking my kids to school. This means so much to me and I'm extremely happy for Jon Robin Baitz for his directing nomination. I think I'm probably going to celebrate by just doing do what I do! I'll probably have a nice dinner with my family tonight!"

Pam MacKinnon, Best Direction of a Play for CLYBOURNE PARK
"I feel elated and so tingly! It's really exciting to be recognized for a project that I hold close to my heart and have been with for such a long time. It's really fantastic. I purposefully stayed in bed this morning. I just couldn't do the whole live thing. And then at 8:45 I came out of my darkened bedroom and said: 'Seize the day!' I went into the kitchen and saw some texts that said 'congrats!' So that's when I figured out that I probably got a nomination! I feel like tallking about it all day is celebration enough! I went to a Rangers playoff game last night- so I guess we can call that a pre-celebration."

John Tiffany, Best Direction of a Musical for ONCE
"I can't believe it. It's such a humble and delicate show, so I'm just so thrilled that it's enjoying so much success. There is something about the rawness that seems to be touching people, I guess. I was actually out watching a lunchtime play here in Scotland and all of a sudden my phone started buzzing like crazy and I thought "Oh My God, who has died?" It's that terrible! So I took my phone out and saw the text messages saying that we had gotten all of these nominations so it's safe to say that I enjoyed the last 10 minutes of the play immensely."

Condola Rashad, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for STICK FLY
"I am so excited. Honestly I forgot what day it was this morning and was sound asleep when the announcements happened. But then my best friend called, and I ignored him, and then he called again and again. So I finally answered and he broke the news to me! I wasn't expecting anything and now I just have to track down my mom to tell her. I can't find her!"

Kelli O'Hara, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT
"I feel great - calm and good! My husband came in and told me this morning. We both had messages on our phones because we had them off. I try not to put too much pressure on the situation. He told me to wake up and it was a great way to start the day! This one feels different for me. I'm so excited and relieved- it makes you feel good and validated, though I hate to admit it. It feels very overindulgent because the show had been so fun, easy, and effortless. I love the people involved and it's been the icing on an already big cake. I'll do my show with my great cast and crew tonight and we'll all celebrate that we've been recognized. It's great- it makes you feel like you've already won."

Jayne Houdyshell, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for FOLLIES
"I'm in LA and so I'm still just waking up and in shock. In a way it hasn't even hit yet, but boy what a lovely honor! I am just so happy for the show. That's the most thrilling thing. When I came on board in New York I was just so excited and now to be honored is unbelievable. It has been nothing but pure joy to be a part of Follies. And today, we get to be reunited for tech in LA so that's the best possible way to celebrate."

Grant Olding for Best Original Score for ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
"This is just unbelievable! I just I can't believe the score has been recognized.  You see, we don't have honors for this category in England so just to be acknowledged by the community in New York for my work is such an honor and a thrill. I was actually at an award's ceremony when I found out and I had 35 texts and emails with the news when I finally looked at my phone.  I was completly shocked and am looking forward to coming back for the awards soon. "

John Lee Beatty, Best Scenic Design of a Play for OTHER DESERT CITIES
“I am currently in rehearsals for Gentleman Prefer Blonds at Encores! and was arranging jewelry cases when I heard the news. We started Other Desert Cities last year Off-Broadway, and all knew instantly that we had something special. Thanks to Lincoln Center Theater, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Mantello for including me in such an amazing team of artists.”

Rob Ashford, Best Choreography for EVITA
"I'm feeling quite happy right now! It's quite a nice surprise to wake up to! I got the news this morning from my agent, who also happens to be a close friend. It's always such an honor to be acknowedged and to have your work recognized. Especially when you've been around a while, its a thrill to be able to change things and reinvent things. I feel deeply honored. There might have to be an extra special glass of cabernet with dinner tonight to celebrate!"

Linda Emond, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play, DEATH OF A SALESMAN
"I'm feeling really relaxed right now because I just finished a yoga class. I'm relaxed and sweaty. I actually turned phones and things off, and when I got up this morning I saw there were quite a few messages and a ton of emails- so I figured it out. I listened to one or two and grabbed my yoga mat and went to class. I've been wading through messages since I got back. I really look forward to looking through them from all my friends and family. Then I have to shut it down for the show tonight, but I'll take a moment to look through it all. It's really a lovely thing. The show as a whole was recognized so its a nice day, but we get that everyday from the audience. I'm so proud that were showing Arthur Miller in good light. This is just a lovely thing on top of that!"

Stockard Channing, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for OTHER DESERT CITIES
"I feel great its such a good day! I got woken up with the news, but that was fine! It's not an easy thing to wake me up early! I work the night shift. This nomination really means a lot to me because I really love this play. It has been a very big part of my life for quite a while so to have it recognized like this is a thrill. There's no time to celebrate since I have a show to perform tonight, but I think that will be a celebration in itself."

Michael Cerveris, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for EVITA
"This is tremendously exciting for me. Of course, I'd have like to have more of my company joining me, as in this show what I do is only possible because of Elena and Ricky and the rest of the company effort. We are a very tight ensemble and I am proud to represent the work we've all done. I get to celebrate today by spending time it in studio recording the Evita cast album, so that's a real treat!"

John Lithgow, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for THE COLUMNIST
"I'm feeling pretty high right now- it's wonderful! I'm so happy for the production and all of the people in the cast even though they weren't recognized. I feel like the play is getting some important recognition because of this. My publicist Mandy called me on the phone to give me the news this morning. I chose not watch the TV. I've done that before and it makes me a nervous wreck- it seems that 'L' comes too late in the alphabet for that. I have to do the show tonight and then I'm taking the cast out for drinks- and trust me, they're big drinkers!"

Jessie Mueller, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER

"I'm feeling so very excited and overwhelmed! It's a lot to take in. I'm so honored but I really wasn't expecting it! I'm so thrilled and so grateful. I got a call from my agent this morning, so that's how I found out. I wasn't watching the broadcast on TV. I think my boyfriend and I will definitely be going out tonight to celebrate. In the meantime, there are lots and lots of phone calls to make and people to talk to!"

Alex Timbers, Best Direction of a Play for PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
"I was thrilled to get word about the nominations this morning. I missed the telecast but immediately got a raft of texts and emails and Facebook messages.  There's a real joy in being a part of something that was created so inauspiciously - Roger, myself, and our dramaturg Ken Cerniglia sitting around a table with the source book making big, quick choices about how many orphans there would be, ships, etc. When we were building it piece by piece in a cabin in Massachusetts five and a half years ago, I don't think any of us could have imagined the show ending up on Broadway."