BroadwayWorld's Guide to the 2015 Oscars

Hollywood takes center stage this weekend with the 87th annual Academy Awards, but this year's Oscars have a decidedly Broadway vibe to them. Not only will the star-studded event be hosted by Tony and Emmy-winner Neil Patrick Harris, but theatre and movie-musical producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan are back at the helm for the third straight year.

One of this year's Best Picture Nominees, BIRDMAN, centers around a fictional Broadway play, and the movie adaptation of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS garnered three nominations. Numerous stars with theatre pedigrees have been nominated for their performances on screen as well this year.

Additionally, Tony and Oscar-nominee Anna Kendrick and Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson (who will make her Broadway debut in THE COLOR PURPLE this fall) will perform, and NPH will sing a song written especially for the show from FROZEN Oscar-winners Robert Lopez and Kristin Anderson-Lopez.

The BroadwayWorld family of sites will have Oscar Week covered, including features on many of the theatre alums nominated. Check back throughout the week for more exciting Oscars news, features, and videos from BWW.

Nominee Stage and Screen Profiles

• Best Supporting Actor Nominee, WHIPLASH's J.K. Simmons | Click here
• Best Supporting Actress Nominee, THE IMITATION GAME's Keira Knightley | Click here
• Best Actor Nominee, AMERICAN SNIPER's Bradley Cooper | Click here
• Best Actor Nominee, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING's Eddie Redmayne | Click here
• Best Actor Nominee, THE IMITATION GAME's Benedict Cumberbatch | Click here
• Best Costume Design Nominee, INTO THE WOODS' Colleen Atwood | Click here
• Best Supporting Actress Nominee, INTO THE WOODS' Meryl Streep | Click here
• Best Supporting Actress Nominee, BIRDMAN's Emma Stone | Click here

Oscar Features

• Neil Patrick Harris' Best Moments as Host of the Tonys | Click here
• BWW Oscar Predictions, including picks from Randy Rainbow, Michael Paul Smith from THE RESIDUALS, Courtney Henley (BWW's Oscar Insider), and Matt Tamanini (BWW's Senior Film Critic) | Click here
• A look at the actors who have won Oscars and Tonys for the same role | Click here
• Behind the Scenes at Oscar Night with BWW's Oscar Insider | Coming Tuesday, February 24th

Interviews

• Tony-Winning Set Designer Derek McLane Talks OSCARS, PETER PAN LIVE, GIGI & More | Click here

Oscar Night Coverage

• Live tweeting on @BWWMoviesWorld and @BWWTVWorld from BWW's Los Angeles Entertainment Correspondent, Jennifer McHugh (@Eponineq) | Follow @BroadwayWorld on Twitter
• Live recap with commentary on all of the dresses, performances, winners (and losers), and other Oscar festivities | Coming Sunday
• Breaking news throughout Oscar Weekend | Coming Saturday
• Complete list of Oscar Nominees and Winners | Coming Sunday
• Complete video coverage of the ceremony's best moments | Coming Sunday

What are you most excited about from Sunday's Academy Awards? NPH's inevitable song and dance? Anna Kendrick or Jennifer Hudson's performances? Are you rooting for BIRDMAN? BOYHOOD? AMERICAN SNIPER? WHIPLASH? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @BroadwayWorld.