Broadway Beat Tony 2010 Q&A: Barbara Cook

The Tony Awards Nominations were announced Tuesday, May 4th and the Tony Awards will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from Radio City Music Hall on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 13, 2010.

The day after the nominations, on Wednesday, May 5th, Broadway Beat talked to nearly all of the nominated stars in advance of a special two-part Broadway Beat Tony Awards extravanganza. Every day, we'll be presenting unedited, raw "Short Takes" sneak peeks of some of these amazing interviews. Next up - Barbara Cook, nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM. Read the transcript of her interview below!

Click here for the complete list of Tony Reactions from all the nominees that BroadwayWorld.com checked in with after the nominations were announced!

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Click here for complete photo coverage of 'The Women' and Click here for complete coverage of 'The Men.'

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Bway Beat: Tell me what this nomination means to you coming from this wonderful show, SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM.

BC: Well, you know, I feel a lot of gratitude, not only about this nomination, which is wonderful, but just about still being able to sing and do 8 shows a week and be apart of this wonderful show.

Bway Beat: Let's talk about this cast. What a beautiful ensemble you get to play with. Talk about your cast.

BC: You know, if I should win this thing, I think what I would really say is that I feel it's for all of us because it's such a group effort, what we do. We all work together with one another, we all get along so well and it's wonderful to be part of a group again rather than just on my own doing what a usually do. It's a good feeling.

Bway Beat: Being a part of the Broadway community, it's in your blood, it starts very early. Would you talk about that, what it means to be apart of Broadway, what it has been and what it is now.

BC: Well, the very first show I did was one called FLAHOOLEY, which didn't last very long. It was written by some of the people who did FINIAN'S RAINBOW, Yip Harburg, and actually Sammy Fain wrote the score for FLAHOOLEY. And I remember when we were out of town in Philadelphia, and I came back to the hotel one night and I developed all sorts of nervous ailments - I was a nervous wreck because I thought I was going to be replaced - and I thought, if this is what it's like to do Broadway theatre I want no part of it. It was so frightening to me. And then just a few years later I did PLAIN AND FANCY and a couple of other things. And I don't know, something had happened in the meantime. I think first of all, I was more comfortable about being in New York and more comfortable with my work so that I did begin to really, really enjoy the work. And I'm loving being in a group with other people who are all heading toward the same goal in the trenches, so to speak. It's a really wonderful feeling, and I've missed that. I felt that somewhat when I did the two, God, it's a long time ago now, 1985 FOLLIES concerts - the two concerts with the philharmonic, from Stephen's show FOLLIES - and I remember thinking, "God, it feels so good to be with a group." But, it didn't always work out for me to do that, so this is very fulfilling.

Bway Beat: And you've won a Tony before, what did that mean to win a Tony Award at that time...

BC: Oh gosh, well that was, you ready? 1958, I got a Tony for THE MUSIC MAN. Well, actually the year before, I did Leonard Berstein's CANDIDE and I wasn't even nominated and that surprised me. But you know what we have to remember, there used to be so many more shows, there was a great deal more competition than there is now for these Tony's. That doesn't mean that these are not important, and they are and all of that, but there was a great deal more competition then. So, it did surprise me then that, you know, I didn't get a nomination for CANDIDE. That was...talk about an effort. But I have a feeling that maybe the CANDIDE sort of bled over into my performance for THE MUSIC MAN, so I felt vindicated, if you will. Listen, it's always nice to win. That ain't a bad thing right? I like to win, don't you? I'm happy to be nominated, but winning is wonderful.

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Broadway Beat, the popular weekly television program for and about the Theatre World, right here on the web site. Broadway Beat is the premier, award-winning half hour television program covering theatre, music and performers. Each week, the show's popular and knowledgeable host, Richard Ridge, takes you behind-the-scenes for a look at the very best of New York Theatre - on Broadway, and beyond. The show always features beautiful footage shot by video veteran Bradshaw Smith.

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