Kevin Spacey Reveals Best Play Revival Award Will Now Be Part of Tony Telecast

During this Tony Award season social messaging networks such as Twitter and Facebbok have helped theatre industry insiders stay updated and connected on what is happening leading up to this Sunday's telecast. Every now and then they even help to break a story, today the good news and "breaking story" comes from actor, director and producer Kevin Spacey.

Earlier it was announced that the best play revival citation would not be shown on the actual telecast, which would of meant the nominated productions segments and actual winning play announcement would be unseen by viewers. But Spacey reports the news that that appears to have been reversed. You can read Kevin's Twitter update below.

"KevinSpacey: Great news theatre lovers. Got official word that the Tony Awards have reconsidered and Best Play Revival will now be on the telecast on CBS."

Kevin Spacey is the artistic director of The Old Vic in London, which recently produced the first London revival of Alan Ayckbourn's masterpiece, the comic trilogy, THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, directed by Matthew Warchus. The production is now playing on Broadway, where it has earned the best reviews of any play this season. 

THE NORMAN CONQUESTS has been nominated for seven 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play, Best Direction of a Play (Matthew Warchus), Best Featured Actor in a Play (Stephen Mangan, Paul Ritter), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Jessica Hynes, Amanda Root), and Best Set Design of a Play (Rob Howell). The production is the winner of three Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Director of a Play (Matthew Warchus) and Outstanding Ensemble (Amelia Bullmore, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Mangan, Ben Miles, Paul Ritter, Amanda Root).

The cast has also been honored with a Drama Desk Award for Distinguished Ensemble, a Theater World special award and a special citation from the NY Drama Critics Circle, shared with director Matthew Warchus.

THE NORMAN CONQUESTS is also nominated for five Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Revival of a Play and a Drama League Award for Distinguished Revival of a Play.

THE NORMAN CONQUESTS opened Thursday, April 23 at Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue) earning rave reviews.

The Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.

The American Theatre Wing's 63rd Annual Antoinette Perry "Tony"® Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7, 2009 (8-11pm, live EST, PT time delay) on the CBS Television Network.

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