2011 Tony Award Nominee Reactions!
By: Robert Diamond May. 03, 2011
Past Tony winners Anika Noni Rose and Matthew Broderick announced the 2011 Tony Awards nominees live from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City. BroadwayWorld.com will be talking to all of the nominees to hear their exciting stories of how they heard, who they told and more!
The American Theatre Wing's 65th Annual Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards, which are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will air on CBS on Sunday, June 12th from 8:00 - 11:00 PM (ET/PT time delay).
We'll be talking to nominees ALL day so keep checking back! Click Here for the Full List of Nominations!
"We're feeling pretty good. I've been up since 6 o'clock this morning, so unlike those who were sleeping I was wide awake. It's just wonderful because you see a classic show like this get so recognized in such a wonderful season with so many new and exciting shows and musicals.
It's lovely, it's a wonderful gift and the double nomination, plus everything for the show - it's like Christmas morning with a bike and dollhouse under the tree! You are my first phone call, I got lots of emails from folks, but we were feeding breakfast to our twins with NY1 on in the background. I couldn't be happier!"
Kathleen Marshall, nominee for Best Direction and Best Choreography for Anything Goes
"The sun is shining and the birds are chirping this morning! I am really, really thrilled. I am so happy to be nominated with John and I honor Daniel with this who is a dream to work with. It's realy a blessing. I was so sure I wouldn't be nominated that I stayed asleep through the announcements and figured, "whatever will be, will be." And then my phone started ringing off the hook and at that point I knew and just started crying. Being an actor can be a constant hardship, as it's always a struggle to stay confident and secure when you've faced so much rejection. So with this honor and our audience reactions every night, it's just a blessing and makes it all worth it."
Tammy Blanchard, nominee for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
"I was asleep when my phone rang my wife answered in the other room. She crept in with a very neutral expression on her face and handed me the phone- it was my manager on the other end and he told me that I was nominated. Once he told me then my wife started jumping up and down and my kids came in and jumped on my head. I was surprised, you know... you try not to set yourself up for disappointment, so it is always a surprise when you hear something like this. I haven't had any time to make any phone calls yet but I just turned my phone on and received lots of great texts and twitter messages. As for the rest of the day I have a meeting at three and I plan to do a show at seven!"
Yul Vazquez, nominee for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
I am feeling beyond fabulous, just so excited and thrilled and still in shock! I was up and down all night and finally fell back asleep at 6.30am, of course only to have a nomination dream. I didn't hear anything when I woke back up this morning so I figured nothing had happened but then I turned on the computer to find out the good news! I am so honored to be recognized with these women in this category. I've had the opportunity to see The House of Blue Leaves and The Normal Heart and both Edie and Ellen are extraodinary. I'm so bless to do the work that I do and then be honored on top of it is just a dream. I can't believe I get to work with these men every night. We just have the best time. It's a thrill to see how the play impacts the audience, and particularly those who have never been to the theater before and that this is what Broadway was.
Judith Light, nominee for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Lombardi
"I was watching NY1 with my dog, so I heard the announcement live. Once I heard I was just so tempted to wake someone up but it all happened too fast! It is just really exciting. And I knew they would call his name but I was still so happy for Bobby. Actually, I kept my emotions together until I heard Yul and Elizabeth's names called. The two of them, they are my family. When my dad passed away in September Elisabeth was in the room with my sister and me. When I had to visit my mother in the hospital, Yul was with me. They are my family, and I am so happy for them. I spoke with them both, Elisabeth is at the airport on her way to Puerto Rico, but everyone is so happy and it is really so thrilling, we all feel the same way. There are so many amazing artists out there, to get acknowledged in this way, it is incredible. I am so grateful. As for celebrating today, I've got work to do! But, you know, I think I'll go to the show and give everybody a hug and go have a drink after."
Stephen Adly Guirgis nominee Best Play- The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Author
"I'm feeling great - with 14 nominations ... it was more than I was ever expecting a show of mine to earn. The whole response to this musical has been difficult to me to process. I'm a critical guy, who has just been trying to make the musical better so this is a wonderful recognition. It's still amazing, it's so humbling. With Avenue Q, it really did change my life in a way that I don't think will ever happen again. You can never duplicate your first time, because I've got a career now, and this means I can continue my career. The first time I went from a nobody to being a Tony nominee. I was up early with my daughters and I let Katie go to school a little bit late and we watched it together on NY1 with a chocolate milk tea party!"
Bobby Lopez, nominee for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score Written for the Theatre
"I am very excited and gratified for all 5 of these well deservered nominations. I am so happy for everyone involved with the show. I woke up early and actually listened to the live feed on BWW, and started jumping up and down with my wife when the news come through. It's been a long and complicated journey, it's been absolutely thrilling to have the show finally land in New York and watch the audience enjoy it every night. This show is about fun and these nominations are just icing on the cake."
Glenn Slater, nominee for Best Original Score for Sister Act
"I was waiting for the book fair to begin at my son's school when my manager and friend Richie Jackson called with the news of my Tony nomination. I am deeply honored to have been acknowledged in this way - for theater in New York City - this is a very big thrill for me."
Edie Falco, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for The House of Blue Leaves
"It's pretty amazing! On October 15 I was brought on, on November 15 I delivered my first draft, on December 15 we had our first reading and on February 15 we had our first rehearsal. So it's all happened pretty fast! It has been so fun being able to create these characters with the actors while they're on their feet, particularly the nuns. But the best part of this experience had been collaborating with Jerry Zaks. His comedic mind is unparalleled - sharp and lazer-like in his understanding of what a scene needs to be."
Douglas Carter Beane, nominee for Best Book of a Musical for Sister Act
"Well, I had to be sitting up in front of the TV for the nominations because my mother is in Australia and she insisted on hearing them live with me. I had to hold the phone up to the TV and it turned out that she couldn't hear it, so I had to remember them and repeat it all! It's extraordinary and so nice I've been from the show since the first workshop, building the character. I've had so much input onto the show and my character and I feel so emotionally invested in the production -- it's the first all Australian musical on Broadway. Audiences in New York have been exactly the same, it's an audience show rather than a critics show and the audiences just go crazy every night. It's very exciting, there's a roar that goes up every night at the end of the show so we know we're doing something right!"
Tony Sheldon nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
"The build up to the nominations is always so massive so when I watched online this morning it was a nice climax! We have all worked so hard on this piece that me being nominated is like the entire company being nominated. The best part of this experience is getting to say the words of Rajiv Joseph every night. It's incredible to be a part of a piece with such historic significance. To celebrate, I'm ordering in some pizza!"
Arian Moayed, nominee for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
"It's a good morning. I was already so thrilled and honored to be part of such an extraordinary season, to get Tony nominations is the cherry on the sundae. I'm so proud and happy for Fran McDormand, and the entire cast and crew, and Dan Sullivan, and everyone at MTC. This production has been one of the most amazing experiences of my career."
David Lindsay-Abaire, author and nominee for Best Play for GOOD PEOPLE
"I was sleeping in bed when the announcement came, I don't know if it is a "head in the sand type thing," where it can only be good news if I'm not watching! (Laughs.) But anyway, my good friend called me and let me know. I have a really amazing support system and great friends. Once I found out I called my brother and sister in law, I wanted to catch them before they left for work. Then I had to track my mother down, she works in a hospital so I had to call five different nursing stations to find her! We cried together. Later today I am getting a massage and I'm getting together with the cast for a lunch to celebrate the 14 nominations. In regards to being surprised about the show's multiple nominations, you can't know until you know. You can feel really positive and I did, but I also haven't seen a lot of the other shows. The best moment for me was when I saw that Andrew and Josh were nominated as well. I believe that the show is so good because every person is doing the best work possible."
Nikki M. James, nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for The Book of Mormon
Rory O'Malley, nominee for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for The Book of Mormon
A friend called me while I was asleep and I think he called before they had even finished announcing the nominees. And I called my dad in London to tell him the news and I had to explain to him what exactly they were. Everyone worked so hard on this show, and it's such a classic piece of musical theatre. We wanted to serve Cole Porter's piece as best as we could. Here we are we are with 9 tony nominations and I couldn't be happier. Later I will go and have fried chicken, which is one of my favorite things. I'll head up to the north of the island and that is how I will celebrate!
Adam Godley, nominee for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Anything Goes
We were watching the nominations this morning on the Internet and my first phone call was to my agent. It's great with the 6 nominations, because we've just been open for 2 weeks and we were nervous that wouldn't get recognized and it's wonderful.
Mackenzie Crook nominee for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Jerusalem
"I feel pretty remarkable. In fact, it's pretty remarkable how many phone calls the iPhone can handle. I've heard noises and beeps from this thing this morning that I've never heard before. It's so exciting and what an honor. I was avoiding reading or watching anything so that if I didn't get nominated it wouldn't feel like such a bust. I didn't even know what time the nominations were being announced. But then the phone rang with my manger screaming as I was feeding the baby, so then I squealed, which then set off this chain reaction of the baby screaming and the dog barking and then the baby messing the diaper, so my joy lasted for about two seconds but it was a good two seconds. 14 nominations for the show...wow! Of course I prayed that it would happen, but I never imagined to be honored like this! I feel so lucky to have been able to originate this role with this amazing creative team and have the opportunity to give it my voice. Having been able to build something from scratch over the course of three years is the greatest achievement for me."
Josh Gad, nominee for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for The Book of Mormon
"The nomination for Best Revival is a deserved compliment to David Leveaux who directed Arcadia and to an exceptional company of actors. I'm thrilled with Billy's nomination. It's the third time I've worked with him and he's been one of my favourite actors for years."
Tom Stoppard, Best Revival of a Play for ARCADIA
"It's kind of a really cool morning! I'm in LA at the moment, so I was in my hotel room bed, and I think, okay, let's watch the announcements just for fun and see whats up. Once they started reading and saying "The Scottsboro Boys" my heart started racing. Anika is my very best friend in the whole world, and as she is reading off the nominations she hits the podium, and I thought, "wow, she must be excited for something." Then she read my name! It couldn't be more perfect than to have your best friend reading your name for a nomination. She called me right after they were off the air and she told me that originally Matthew was supposed to read that part but she took it from him. (Laughs.) In regards to all the nominations post closing, and the idea of reopening, well, it would be nice to reopen! This all just shows you that anything can happen. This helps me know that what we did was something significant, something the audience felt was as special as we thought it was, and it is nice to know that that was appreciated. As for The Scottsboro Boys returning in London or Broadway, the location isn't as important. It is just nice to know that it is not the end of the journey. To celebrate I am going to go to Denny's, because I am starving! And I have been on the phone for hours, so I am going to order a grand slam, or maybe a lumber jack special while I change my flight to get back to the press junket tomorrow."
Colman Domingo, nominee for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, The Scottsboro Boys
"Right now I am slightly hung over and a little constipated (not the best combination!) Working with Jeffrey Lane on this was a fantastic experience. He's brilliant. We went into this process together knowing that it was a giant challenge, and the early process of building this from the ground up was the best part of the experience for me. The fun really began when we were fortunate enough to get Pedro Almodovar involved. The on stage highlight for me was seeing Laura Benanti's number "Model Behavior" fully realized. That was the product of true collaboration between me, Jeffrey, Bartlett Sher and Laura. That's what's special about musical theater - when one person's idea sets off another idea, which builds on another idea and then another. And then to watch Laura hit it out of the park was truly special. That was collaboration that worked. Tonight I play poker, which hopefully will be a continuation of the celebration (unless I lose, of course!)."
David Yazbek, nominee for Best Original Score for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
"I got the news about 20 minutes ago after I woke up and there was a list of the nominees. I'm thrilled! I'm very, very pleased that the show got best revival and of course I'm thrilled. We started this in Canada and thanks to Todd Haimes we brought it down to New York and it's a lovely success story. It's great to be recognized by the crème dela creme. I guess I've done 300 performances, and there hasn't been one performance that I haven't really enjoyed. That's quite a rare thing. You feel like you're on auto pilot sometimes, and I've never felt that way with this show, and it's because the text is so absolutely brilliant. I'm not celebrating actually. When you do eight shows a week that's pretty much it. I might have a walk in the park, but then I start getting ready for the show. When you wake up at 10AM there isn't much of a day left. I'm still on the same schedule of going to bed quite late. I've done this all my life. I shall be very happy wandering in the park. I terribly wanted this to happen and it has!"
Brian Bedford, nominee for Best Leading Actor in a Play for The Importance of Being Earnest"
"This is the best morning that I have had in a long time. I was asleep in bed when my manager called me, and when he told me I felt like just jumping up and shouting! I immediately called my mother and father and told them, which was just wonderful to share. Really, I'm on cloud nine... this is a dream of mine. To be making my Broadway debut and to be nominated for it, it is just mind-blowing for me. And to share a nomination with everyone in my category as well as everyone on my team, it is just incredible. As for today, we are definitely all getting together and having a celebration, as we speak I am having a celebratory breakfast with my best friend and then I am going to work out, and then go shopping. It is going to be a wonderful day!"
Patina Miller, nominee for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, Sister Act
As far as mornings go this one has been pretty good! I'm so very surprised and very thrilled. I wasn't going to look at the live feed, and then I snuck a little look and I heard the first four names and said "Oh, nevermind." And then I heard my name and I was so shocked. The show was such a labor of love and I'm so happy it's been recognized in this way. I was involved with the show for over 2 years and it evolved and changed and had such a wonderful following. We had a great cast and wonderful creative team and we all loved doing the show. It was such a thrill to be involved with it. It was a really special experience. My husband was going to take me to my favorite restaurant, but now I'll be getting on a train for the press reception tomorrow. But I'll be celebrating in the next few days!
Hannah Yelland, nominee for Best Leading Actress in a Play for Brief Encounter
"I am in Connecticut right now, so I watched the announcements on the news, and then Philip Rinaldi, my publicist called me. It was an exciting phone call! I was so very proud to be a member of that ensemble, and to get to work with the entire creative team. I feel that it is a bold and original piece of material, and I am thrilled that the TONY committee also feels the same way. I just listened to the cast album, it just makes me feel very nostalgic. As for today, no celebrating yet I will be headed back into NYC for rehearsal with NYC ballet."
Patti LuPone, nominee for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
"I congratulate my cast and the crew and everyone that put it together. And, you know there's going to be a performance from the Tony nominated SISTER ACT on THE VIEW this Thursday. Bring the baby, bring the grandma and see SISTER ACT!"
Whoopi Goldberg on THE VIEW Talking About SISTER ACT, Nominated for 5 Tony Awards!
"I think it's wonderful. Every single one of those persons deserved their nominations so I am so pleased. I thought David Rockwell was sadly robbed of a nomination, however, as he has produced one of the best sets on Broadway in my opinion. It has been so nice to have been a part of this process as a consultant and see this show play well. I trust George C. Wolfe completely. I am looking forward to The Normal Heart movie. Ryan Murphy who does GLEE has optioned the rights and announced that Mark Ruffalo will be playing Ned Weeks, so I hope that I can be a part of that process, too."
Larry Kramer, Best Play Revival for The Normal Heart
I am in London right in the middle of Shrek tech rehearsals. So at some point I went backstage to look at my lists of the next things we had to do and my phone was lighting up. It was my agent and good friend and he told me the news. It was very exciting. As for celebrating we have a Shrek run tonight, so I won't be free for a while, but afterwards I would love to have a glass of champagne in my hotel room! You know, it is always a surprise. To be recognized like this is a total gift, and the show means so much to me. It was such a joy to do, Dan Radcliffe is a dream to work with, and to have this honor for the show... you just never know. And this is the best outcome. Of course it was a disappointment that Dan wasn't nominated, I think he is terrific. He is the leader of the production. But it is great that we were recognized... you just want everyone to feel as wonderful as you feel right now."
Rob Ashford, nominee for Best Direction of a Musical as well as Best Choreography for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
"I've having a pretty lovely morning. I have to say, I found out about the nomination on my iPhone! I kissed my little girl off to kindergarten and went back to bed. I knew generally the time range of when the announcement would be made, but I've never actually been awake for them. I was up late last night doing family stuff and I woke up to my phone a little after 9 and I had a lovely message from Todd Haimes and I had a lot of emails. I was thrilled but knew it could go either way. I try to focus on doing my job and the rest is sugar, icing, and candy. And today I got some sugar, icing and candy. I'm proud that this role is so different from anything else I've done and I'm proud to represent the show. Some of the things that seemed most challenging in the beginning are now my favorite moments in the show. I love that I've had the opportunity to have the process to discover the character. Now I've got to find something to wear to the press reception tomorrow morning! I still have to call my family, and I hope to see my little girl after school today before I leave for work!"
Donna Murphy, nominee for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for The People in the Picture
"I'm having a good morning! I was actually watching the announcements on NY1 this morning- I'm not gonna lie, or try to be cool about that. I'm just so thrilled for the show. We really couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I'm so thrilled by all of the nominations the we got today, but I'm not surprised. We've always been thrilled doing the show and it's great that everyone's hard work is being recognized. Just working with the cast every night has been an absolute dream. To have so many of us nominated has been amazing. Particularly the fact that both Josh and I were nominated is amazing. We're both over the moon about the whole thing. The rest of the day I'll be making phone calls and sending emails. Later Scott Rudin has a little get-together planned, so there will be a celebration tonight!"
Andrew Rannells, nominee for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for The Book of Mormon
"I'm back home in Somerset, England on a farm right now. I was playing with my daughter this morning and I got the news. I'm so pleased! I think it's a great play and I'm so thrilled that it's working so well it the states. The Music Box Theatre is the most beautiful space I've been in. Being on Broadway is totally new experience for me, and I love that the atmosphere is so intimate. I'll be going out to dinner tonight to celebrate!"
Jez Butterworth, writer of Jerusalem, nominee for Best Play
"f-ing A! I am very proud to represent the company of GOOD PEOPLE in any way."
Frances McDormand, nominated for Best Actress in a Play for GOOD PEOPLE
"I am floating on air. I am delighted, thrilled, surprised and gleeful. I am having trouble just sitting still and even putting together full sentences! Florence Greenberg's story is so unknown, which is why it was so important to get right. She was such a pioneer and to have this musical bookend her life is amazing. It's an honor to be able to tell her story and work with these incredible people everyday. This recognition is just a thrill. Today, I am going to go shop for a dress and just enjoy every phone call I get to make and every person I get to talk to."
Beth Leavel, nominee for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Baby It's You!
"We're all just really, really happy! Tuesdays are the busiest day for us because South Park airs on Wednesdays and we're rushing to make final changes to the episodes, so this was a nice break. I read about the nominations on the internet and was a little worried about someone being left out. But as I scrolled down the list I got happier and happier to see that so many of these amazing people were recognized. Though we've been working on this show for almost 7 years, my favorite part was tech week, and seeing it as a real Broadway show for the very first time. No matter how many workshops you sit through, the first time you see it with the set and lights, it's a whole different experience. This whole process has felt so natural. Matt and I met Bobby several years ago and just started talking about how we wanted to do a musical about Joseph Smith and Mormon sort of evolved from that. It will be nice to reconnect with everyone at the Tonys once South Park is done. We're really looking forward to it and are so proud!"
Trey Parker, nominee for Best Book and Original Score of a Musical for The Book of Mormon
"Well I'm in LA right now. So I rolled over in bed and I opened up my laptop and I had a Google Alert all set and it came up. You know, 5:30am is too early to hear announcements, I figured I would just wait until 11:30 to hear it. Mostly I am just so excited about the collaborative nature of the whole enterprise- it's been a story that we have been trying to tell people for a while, and I feel like some of it hasn't gotten through but a lot of it has and that is all because of who we are working with. Trey and I get most of the ink for our TV and film work, but its great to get a collaborative acknowledgement for the whole crew. A Broadway show is a totally different beast that way. With Bobby and Josh... everyone has been with us from the beginning so they are a huge part of what the show is, their DNA is in the show. And then in the last year we got Andrew and Rory... we didn't think it was possible to have such amazing actors take on the characters. We couldn't have the show without Andrew, the show started to gel with him. As for ever thinking we could win a TONY, all we ever wanted to do was write a cool musical that was a good night out. You don't start off thinking "let's aim for a TONY." If you do, you are kind of an asshole. It has already been such a fun experience. You know, we work in TV and film I like our job, it's not that our job is shitty, but we wanted to do this show. When we started with a musical people were like "why are you doing that? Broadway is this world that is shitty and snotty" and we now know that it's just not true. It has been much more of a fun process. Putting it on can be intense moment to moment, but overall, it has been great. Today I have work, South Park work, so I won't really have time to celebrate. Actually this is our longest day of the week so we'll be working 'till five or six in the morning. It sucks, I would love to raise a glass with the cast and crew because they must really be flying high. Maybe I'll sneak a beer at work."
Matt Stone, nominee for Best Book and Original Score of a Musical for The Book of Mormon
"I am beyond thrilled, I am so happy. I was telling a friend of mine earlier that I have never been happier about anything I have ever done. My manager called me while I was walking the dog and I let out a big scream and the dog jumped, and that was my celebration moment. I love the part and I love the score, and I really just love this company so I am thrilled that the show was nominated-- that is more exciting than my own nomination. I don't know how much people know but on a personal note it was an excruciating process for me for the last several years. It was a heartbreaking journey and a ton of adversity, and for me to be here, having survived what my family has survived, and to get the recognition... it is incredible. I will be picking my kids up at school soon and they don't know yet so they will be excited, they love TONY night, it means they get to stay up late. As for celebrating with the cast, we are meeting at the theater before the show tonight to listen to our cast recording! So it is really just a wonderful beautiful day."
Norbert Leo Butz, nominee for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, Catch Me If You Can
This morning was amazing! I woke up to work out and decided to take a peek . I went to bed really hoping that SCOTTSBORO BOYS would get nominated for Best Musical, but this is just amazing. And hearing my name among those eligible guys was so humbling and unbelievable. I'm on cloud nine right now. As it was happening I was like ‘Hell yeah.' We saw how the audiences responded to the show, and I've never experienced anything like that in my life. They loved it. We knew we had something special on our hands, so today was very validating. It's an honor. I've got a few hours of rehearsal, and I don't have plans right now for later, but I'm sure we'll find some way to celebrate. Maybe I'll get to the hundreds of emails and texts that I've gotten today!
Joshua Henry, nominee for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Scottsboro Boys
"I was asleep during the nominations and found out about the nominations when my girlfriend, Sutton Foster, woke me up. It feels amazing to have the show honored like this and I'm just so thrilled that it was recognized in so many categories. It's scary to start a new play and put it on stage and see how it is received. I believe so strongly in this play. It is the best play I have ever read and I have always had confidence in it. This is a big moment for us and I'm proud of everyone who got in the room on February 7, Chris Rock's first day actually, to make this a reality. We are so connected as a cast. Seeing Stephen's work recognized is absolutely one of the highlights of this whole process. I have known Stephen Adly Guirgis for years and he has a unique voice, a special voice, and an important voice that deserves to be on Broadway. Finally, working class New Yorkers, which are such an important part of this city, are having their moment on Broadway. I was proud of him the day we opened on Broadway, proud for him when we got our reviews and I'm proud for him today. It's also my birthday so I get to continue celebrating with birthday presents - I'm still waiting on my girlfriend's gift, so that should be good - and then I get to perform tonight, which is always a pleasure."
Bobby Cannavale, nominee for Best Leading Actor in a Play for The Motherf**ker With the Hat
"I am out in Stanford, CT at my day job shooting the second season of The Big C, and Laura Linney came on set and stopped the take and announced the news to everyone! I was beside myself with pride and so proud to be part of the company. It is humbling and the experience has been incredible. I would love to go out and celebrate but I am on another 6:00am to 6:30pm call tomorrow! But, of course, I would never want god or anyone overhearing that I am complaining because I really have the two best jobs in the whole world. My first call was to my mother in Plano, Texas, she has been waiting and wishing for this longer than anyone, so she was thrilled. Then I talked to Joe and our other cast members, we feel like an ensemble in support of Joe and for the show, it is a wonderful collaboration."
John Benjamin Hickey, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play, The Normal Heart"
We are thrilled that so many members of our superb creative team have been recognized for their astonishing work on War Horse. From the beginning it's been a collaborative effort, with all members of the creative team operating so far outside our comfort zone everyone has contributed to everyone else's work - often by accident! We were additionally thrilled that Drama Desk Awards recognized this with a combined award for the whole creative team. The value of a truly collaborative creative team is too rarely celebrated in theatre awards.
We'd also like to thank the National Theatre for believing in the project so supportively from the start when no one else would have. The idea of doing an epic show where the leading character was played by a puppet and couldn't speak would have hit the trash bin in any other theatre we know. But Nick Hytner was able to point us to the National Theatre Studio where we could test the idea until it started to make some kind of sense. And we'd like to acknowledge the Lincoln Center Theater staff and wonderful cast for working so unstintingly and with such dedication to make it so alive in New York. They understood that we weren't just remounting the show and resourced our rehearsals and production time accordingly. As a result our wonderful New York company have truly made the show afresh. They are a true ensemble, selfless and gifted. They have made the show their own and it has ended up different from the London show in many respects."
Tom Morris and Marianne Elliot on their Nomination for Best Direction of a Play for War Horse
This has been just great! It was a wonderful way to wake up. I actually found out by rolling over and looking at my phone because I thought for some reason that the announcements were being made at 9AM. And I woke up to my buzzing phone and so many texts. It's been such an honor- the whole awards season has been so crazy, because we only opened a month ago. Everything's happening so quickly, and I haven't had any expectations. It's so intimidating to step into such an iconic role that has been played by so many talented women. My goal was just to not mess it up too badly. This is just the icing. Kathleen [Marshall] allowed all of us to really create our own characters with their own intentions and the whole process has been a dream. I plan to have a glass of champagne with the cast, but the role is so demanding so I've gotta be smart about celebrating. I definitely wanna raise a glass tonight though!
Sutton Foster, nominee for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Anything Goes
My manager called me from LA this morning- she got up at 5AM to tune in. My son and I had decided that we wouldn't watch the announcement on TV, but he wandered in and turned it on anyway. I'm pretty sure that we missed my category altogether, but we turned it on in time to hear that Patina [Miller] got a nomination, so we were so happy for her. But it's been like a Kaufman and Hart play around here. We've been so busy- I found out that some clothes that I bought still had the plastic security tag on them so I had to take care of that. It's been so crazy. Working with Jerry Zaks, Douglas Carter Beane, and Glenn [Slater], and Alan [Menken] has been amazing. My favorite part of the experience has been collaborating with them and creating the part and making it more of an obstacle. I don't have any plans to celebrate yet, but maybe I'll have a glass of wine a week from now!
Victoria Clark, nominee for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Sister Act
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