Ah, the Tony nominations. The time of year when everyone west of the Hudson offers a collective shoulder shrug (come on, you can admit it), while back in New York, the lights of Broadway start to shine a little brighter.
But what do you really know about the Tony Awards, currently in its 65th year? Well, for starters, we're guessing you were not aware that the event's full name is actually the American Theatre Wing's Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards. Or that this year's event is shaping up to be a veritable Hollywood on the Hudson.
The glitz! The glamour! The controversy! The snubs! Break out the pancake makeup and get in here, because these are the five things you need to know about this year's Tonys...
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1. Oh My God! They Killed Everyone Else's Chances! Those dudes from South Park? The ones seemingly so lacking the grace and panache and serious thespianism befitting the Great White Way? Yeah, they kicked the competition's asses.
The Book of Mormon, the controversial musical from the minds of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, absolutely dominated the nominations this morning, walking away with a leading 14 for the production, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, and a handful of acting and technical nods. Uh, censors? Better have your fingers on the button for those acceptance speeches. And just imagine the red carpet styles! Actually, now that we think of it, we'd better have Joan Rivers on standby.
2. Spider-Man Left in the Dark: Are your Spidey senses tingling? No? Well, you're in good company, because they weren't for the nominating body for the Tony Awards, either. Though, surprisingly, not because of their series of increasingly serious injuries, rotating cast and crew and epic failure on nearly every level. No, the flop that is Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark in fact wasn't so much snubbed as it was deemed ineligible as its constantly delayed opening doesn't qualify it for any awards this year. Not that Bono and The Edge should hold their breath or anything. Now if only there was someone who could save this production. Preferably someone not in a full-body spandex suit.
3. We're Not in Hogwarts Anymore: It wasn't only Spider-Man who was snubbed--Harry Potter got the big raspberry, too. Daniel Radcliffe, who earned rave (though apparently not rave enough) reviews for his second Broadway stint, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, was also curiously absent from this morning's nomination list. Hmmm...maybe if he insulted a religion?
4. It's Hollywood on the Hudson: No doubt about it, when the awards come calling next month, you won't need to consult your playbill to be able to recognize the actors strolling the red carpet. Whoopi Goldberg, who produces Best Musical nominee Sister Act, will be there; so will Al Pacino, up for Best Actor in a Play for his work in The Merchant of Venice; Good People's Frances McDormand and Driving Miss Daisy's Vanessa Redgrave are among the Actress in a Play nominees, while Broadway vet Sutton Foster is nominated for Anything Goes; O.G. Office (U.K. version) star Mackenzie Crook is up for Supporting Actor in a Play for Jerusalem, and he vies against Arcadia's Billy Crudup; John Laroquette did what his Harry Potter costar couldn't and got nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, while the most star-studded category of all is Best Supporting Actress in a Play: up for that honor is The Normal Heart's Ellen Barkin, The House of Blue Leaves' Edie Falco, Lombardi's Judith Light and La Bte's Joanna Lumley.
5. Chris Rock Is a Serious Actor Now: No, he didn't take a nomination slot away from Daniel, but he definitely earned his thespian wings in his first well-received Broadway run. While Rock wasn't singled out for his performance, his production (get ready again, censors), The Motherf--ker With the Hat, is up for Best Play, and several of Rock's costars--including Bobby Cannavale, Yul Vazquez and Elizabeth Rodriguez--are all up for acting nods.
The awards will be handed out June 12 on CBS. Here's the complete list of nominations:
Best PlayGood PeopleJerusalemThe Motherf--ker With the HatWar Horse
Best MusicalThe Book of MormonCatch Me If You CanThe Scottsboro BoysSister Act
Best Book of a MusicalBloody Bloody Andrew JacksonThe Book of MormonThe Scottsboro BoysSister Act
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the TheatreThe Book of Mormon, Music &Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt StoneThe Scottsboro Boys, Music &Lyrics: John Kander and Fred EbbSister Act, Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn SlaterWomen on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Music &Lyrics: David Yazbek
Best Revival of a PlayArcadiaThe Importance of Being EarnestThe Merchant of VeniceThe Normal Heart
Best Revival of a MusicalAnything GoesHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a PlayBrian Bedford, The Importance of Being EarnestBobby Cannavale, The Motherf--ker With the HatJoe Mantello, The Normal HeartAl Pacino, The Merchant of VeniceMark Rylance, Jerusalem
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a PlayNina Arianda, Born YesterdayFrances McDormand, Good PeopleLily Rabe, The Merchant of VeniceVanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss DaisyHannah Yelland, Brief Encounter
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a MusicalNorbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You CanJosh Gad, The Book of MormonJoshua Henry, The Scottsboro BoysAndrew Rannells, The Book of MormonTony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a MusicalSutton Foster, Anything GoesBeth Leavel, Baby It's You!Patina Miller, Sister ActDonna Murphy, The People in the Picture
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a PlayMackenzie Crook, JerusalemBilly Crudup, ArcadiaJohn Benjamin Hickey, The Normal HeartArian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad ZooYul Vzquez, The Motherf--ker With the Hat
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a PlayEllen Barkin, The Normal HeartEdie Falco, The House of Blue LeavesJudith Light, LombardiJoanna Lumley, La BteElizabeth Rodriguez, The Motherf--ker with the Hat
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a MusicalColman Domingo, The Scottsboro BoysAdam Godley, Anything GoesJohn Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingForrest McClendon, The Scottsboro BoysRory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a MusicalLaura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous BreakdownTammy Blanchard, How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingVictoria Clark, Sister ActNikki M. James, The Book of MormonPatti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Best Scenic Design of a PlayThe Motherf--ker With the HatWar HorseJerusalemThe Merchant of Venice
Best Scenic Design of a MusicalThe Scottsboro BoysAnything GoesThe Book of MormonBloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Best Costume Design of a PlayThe Merchant of VeniceThe Importance of Being EarnestLa BteBorn Yesterday
Best Costume Design of a MusicalPriscilla Queen of the DesertAnything GoesThe Book of MormonHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Best Lighting Design of a PlayWar HorseBengal Tiger at the Baghdad ZooThe Merchant of VeniceJerusalem
Best Lighting Design of a MusicalThe Scottsboro BoysHow to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingAnything GoesThe Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design of a PlayBengal Tiger at the Baghdad ZooBrief EncounterJerusalemWar Horse
Best Sound Design of a MusicalThe Scottsboro BoysCatch Me If You CanAnything GoesThe Book of Mormon
Best Direction of a PlayWar HorseThe Normal HeartThe Motherf--ker With the HatThe Merchant of Venice
Best Direction of a MusicalHow to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingAnything GoesThe Book of MormonThe Scottsboro Boys
Best ChoreographyHow to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingAnything GoesThe Book of MormonThe Scottsboro Boys
Best OrchestrationsHow to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingThe Scottsboro BoysThe Book of MormonCatch Me If You Can
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the TheatreAthol FugardPhilip J. Smith
Regional Theatre Tony AwardLookingglass Theatre Company (Chicago, IL)
Isabelle Stevenson AwardEve Ensler
Special Tony AwardHandspring Puppet Company
Tony Honor for Excellence in the TheatreWilliam BerloniThe Drama Book ShopSharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts