Death of a Salesman Recoups Its $3.1 Million Investment

After the extraordinary achievement of breaking the house record at the Barrymore Theatre six times during its run with a seven-performance-a-week schedule, Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN will recoup its $3.1 million capitalization this week. The critically acclaimed limited engagement opened March 15.

Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN is directed by Mike Nichols and stars Academy Award® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman, Obie Award winner Linda Emond as Linda Loman and Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, The Amazing Spider-Man) as Biff Loman.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN has been nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play, five Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Revival of a Play and three Drama League Awards, including Distinguished Revival of a Play. The production won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Revival of a Play and director Mike Nichols has been honored with a special citation from the New York Drama Critics Circle for his contribution to the theatre.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN originally opened on February 10, 1949 at the Morosco Theatre. Hailed as a masterwork of modern American drama, it won six Tony Awards, including Best Play, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, the first play to ever win all three awards.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN also features Finn Wittrock as Happy, Fran Kranz as Bernard, Bill Camp as Charley, John Glover as Ben, Remy Auberjonois as Howard Wagner, Glenn Fleshler as Stanley, Stephanie Janssen as Miss Forsythe, Kathleen McNenny as Jenny, Elizabeth Morton as Letta and Molly Price as The Woman.

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New Evita Production to Launch National Tour in the Fall of 2013

Producers Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders announced today that the Tony Award Nominated Best Revival of a Musical and smash hit production of Tim Rice’s and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s EVITA will launch a first national tour in the fall of 2013 at Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Casting and additional information will be announced at a later date.

Since beginning previews on March 12, 2012 at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre, EVITA has broken the box office record six times. Before EVITA, the previous record for an eight performance week was $1,073,881 earned by The Drowsy Chaperone for the week ending December 10, 2006. EVITA first broke that record – in only six performances - the week ending March 18, 2012 with a total gross of $1,167, 685, then broke its own record the week ending March 25, 2012 with a gross of $1,410,365. The production has continued on this record-setting path and has broken its own box office record an additional five times in the weeks ending April 1, 2012($1,424,700), April 15, 2012 ($1,505,759), April 29, 2012 ($1,515,746) and May 6, 2012 ($1,533,055).
Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, this is the first new Broadway production of the seven-time Tony Award-winning musical, since it debuted on Broadway over 30 years ago. The production stars Grammy-winning international pop icon Ricky Martin as Che, Olivier Award-winning Argentinean actress Elena Roger making her Broadway debut as Eva Perón and Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as Juan Perón. The cast also features Christina DeCicco as the alternate for Eva (Wed eve; Sat mat), Max von Essen as Magaldi and Rachel Potter as the Mistress. Previews began on March 12, 2012

Eva Perón used her beauty and charisma to rise meteorically from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady. She won international acclaim and adoration from her own people as a champion of the poor, while glamour, power and greed made her the world’s first major political celebrity.

EVITA tells Eva’s passionate and tragic story through Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most dazzling and beloved score, including “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” “Buenos Aires,” “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” and “High Flying Adored,” together with “You Must Love Me,” the Oscar-winning hit from the film EVITA.

The creative team includes Tony Award-winning Scenic and Costume Designer Christopher Oram (Red), Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Neil Austin (Red), Olivier Award-winning Sound Designer Mick Potter (Woman In White), Wig and Hair Designer Richard Mawbey (Frost/Nixon), Projection Designer Zachary Borovay (Rock of Ages), and Music Supervisor/Director Kristen Blodgette (The Phantom of the Opera), Orchestrations are by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Cullen (Sunset Boulevard), and dance arrangements are by David Chase (Billy Elliot).

The cast of 36 also includes Ashley Amber, George Lee Andrews, Wendi Bergamini, Eric L. Christian, Kristine Covillo, Colin Cunliffe, Margot de La Barre, Bradley Dean, Rebecca Eichenberger, Melanie Field, Jennie Ford, Maya Jade Frank, Constantine Germanacos, Laurel Harris, Bahiyah Hibah, Nick Kenkel, Brad Little, Erica Mansfield, Emily Mechler, Isabela Moner, Sydney Morton, Jessica Lea Patty, Aleks Pevec, Kristie Dale Sanders, Timothy Shew, Michaeljon Slinger, Johnny Stellard, Alex Michael Stoll, Daniel Torres and Matt Wall.

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Winners of the 62nd Outer Critics Circle Awards

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for media covering New York theatre announced today its award winners for the 2011-12 season in 24 categories.

Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara along with Josh Gad, last year's OCC winner for Outstanding Actor in a Musical ("The Book of Mormon"), Montego Glover, 2010 OCC winner for Outstanding Actress in a Musical ("Memphis") and playwright Jon Robin Baitz, last year’s OCC winner for "Other Desert Cities"--- will serve as presenters at the organization's 62nd Annual Award ceremony on Thursday, May 24th (4PM) at Sardi's Restaurant (234 West 44th Street).

Celebrating its 62nd season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theatre, the Outer Critics Circle, is an association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, web sites, radio and television stations, and theatre publications in America and abroad.

Among revivals, Follies received two awards while Death of a Salesman, Porgy and Bess and The Best Man each won one.

The winners with revivals in bold:

• New Broadway Play - One Man, Two Guvnors
• New Broadway Musical - Once
• New Off-Broadway Play - Sons of the Prophet
• New Off-Broadway Musical - Queen of the Mist
• Book of a Musical - Once
• New Score - Newsies
• Revival of a Play - Death of a Salesman
• Revival of a Musical - Follies
• Director of a Play - Nicholas Hytner - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Director of a Musical - John Tiffany - Once
• Choreographer - Christopher Gattelli - Newsies
• Set Design - George Tsypin - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• Costume Design - Eiko Ishioka - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• Lighting Design - Hugh Vanstone - Ghost: The Musical
• Actor in a Play - James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Actress in a Play - Tracie Bennett - End of the Rainbow
• Actor in a Musical - Danny Burstein - Follies
• Actress in a Musical - Audra McDonald - Porgy and Bess
• Featured Actor in a Play - James Earl Jones - The Best Man
• Featured Actress in a Play - Spencer Kayden - Don’t Dress for Dinner
• Featured Actor in a Musical - Michael McGrath - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Featured Actress in a Musical - Judy Kaye - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Solo Performance - Denis O’Hare - An Iliad
• John Gassner Award (American play, preferably by a new playwright) - Jeff Talbott - The Submission

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Gore Vidal's The Best Man Extending Through July 22

Producers of the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN have announced that the critically-acclaimed production has officially been extended through Sunday, July 22, 2012.

Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN has been nominated for a 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play as well as a Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play nomination for James Earl Jones.

A play about power, ambition, political secrets, ruthlessness and the race for the presidency, Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN is set at the national convention where two candidates are vying for their party’s nomination during the primary season. It’s an inside look at the dirt-digging, double-dealing, triple-crossing chicanery of presidential electioneering and what could be more fun in a presidential campaign season than these theatrical fireworks.

The production is directed by Drama Desk Award winner MICHAEL WILSON (The Orphans Home Cycle Part I, II and III, Dividing The Estate). The design team includes Tony and Drama Desk Award winning scenic designer DEREK McLANE (33 Variations, Anything Goes), Tony and Drama Desk Award winning lighting designer KENNETH POSNER (The Coast of Utopia, Part 2 – Shipwreck), five-time Tony Award nominated costume designer ANN ROTH (The Book of Mormon), Drama Desk Award winning sound designer JOHN GROMADA (Seminar, The Orphans' Home Cycle) and projection designer PETER NIGRINI (Fela!, 9 to 5: The Musical).

Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, INFINITY Stages, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Barbara Manocherian/Michael Palitz, The Broadway Consortium/Ken Mahoney, Kathleen K. Johnson, Fifty Church Street Productions, Larry Hirschhorn/Bennu Productions, Patty Baker, Paul Boskind and Martian Entertainment, Wendy Federman, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Cricket Hooper Jiranek, Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley, Carl Moellenberg, Harold Thau, Will Trice.

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How to Succeed in Business (Without Really Trying) to Close May 20 After 473 Performances

Original Revival Poster with
Daniel Radcliffe

The smash hit revival of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING will play its final performance on Sunday, May 20, 2012. The 50th Anniversary production, which recouped its $9 million initial investment in December 2011, will have played 30 preview and 473 regular performances at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street).

“We could not have asked for a better vision of this legendary show than Rob Ashford’s joyous production which literally sent audiences dancing out into the streets,” said producer John Gore, “I am certain the original creators would be proud of this chapter in the legacy of this great show.”
“My producing partners and I are extremely grateful to the unbelievably talented company of actors and skillful crew that have given vibrant life to this show for over 500 performances.” said producer Michael McCabe. “Their collective commitment, spirit and energy is what has made the audience experience so singular and thrilling. We could not be more proud of this production.”

Directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING currently stars Nick Jonas as J. Pierrepont Finch, Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning star of screen, television and stage Beau Bridges as J.B. Biggley, and making their Broadway debuts, star of stage and television’s “Ugly Betty” Michael Urie as Bud Frump, and Rose Hemingway as Rosemary Pilkington. HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING c0-stars 2011 Tony nominee Tammy Blanchard as Hedy La Rue, Rob Bartlett as Twimble/Wally Womper, Sara Jane Ford as Smitty, Ellen Harvey as Miss Jones, 2011 Emmy Award winner Michael Park as Bert Bratt, and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Anderson Cooper as the voice of the narrator leading a cast of 30.

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING has music and lyrics by Academy Award and Tony Award winner Frank Loesser, and a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, based on the book by Shepherd Mead. The creative team for HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING includes Derek McLane (Sets) Catherine Zuber (Costumes), Howell Binkley (Lighting), Jon Weston (Sound), Tom Watson (Hair), Doug Besterman (Orchestrations), and David Chase (Music Director and Arranger).

Nominated for eight 2011 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING began previews Saturday, February 26, 2011 and opened Sunday, March 27 at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre starring Daniel Radcliffe and 2011 Tony Award winner John Larroquette, who both played their final performance on January 1, 2012. On January 3, 2012, breakout star of Fox’ smash hit television show “GLEE” Darren Criss stepped into the role of J. Pierrepont Finch opposite Beau Bridges’ J.B. Biggley. On January 24, Nick Jonas began his run as J. Pierrepont Finch.

The 50th Anniversary production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is produced by Broadway Across America (John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, Beth Williams), Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Joseph Smith, Michael McCabe, Candy Spelling, Takonkiet Viravan/Scenario Thailand, Two Left Feet Productions/PowerArts, Jen Namoff/Fakston Productions, Hilary A. Williams,HOP Theatricals, LLC/Paul Chau/Daniel Frishwasser/Michael Jackowitz, and Michael Speyer - Bernie Abrams/Jacki Barlia Florin - Adam Blanshay/Arlene Scanlan/TBS Service.

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The Phantom of the Opera: The Complete Story Coming to Movie Theaters

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh’s beloved The Phantom of the Opera makes its cinematic return on Monday, May 21, with a special encore presentation of Lloyd Webber’s long-awaited continuation, Love Never Dies on Wednesday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. local time giving audiences a chance to see the story from start to finish in this special presentation of The Phantom of the Opera—The Complete Story. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2011 with an exclusive in-theater event in October, The Phantom of the Opera pre-recorded event is a fully staged, lavish production, set in the sumptuous Victorian splendor of the Royal Albert Hall with more than 200 original and current cast members paying special tribute to “the music of the night.” Love Never Dies, a fully staged production pre-recorded at The Regent Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, made its first U.S. appearance in select movie theaters in February.

“For the first time ever, The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies fans will have the chance to experience Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brilliant musicals as a complete story”
Presented by NCM Fathom and Omniverse Vision, The Phantom of the Opera—The Complete Story will be broadcast to nearly 550 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network. Event tickets are available now at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall event was broadcast to hundreds of U.S. theaters – many selling out – in October 2011. Fans were treated to breathtaking performances of “Masquerade,” “Angel of Music,” “All I Ask of You,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” and more. This exclusive showing of Love Never Dies was also seen in hundreds of movie theaters featuring an in-depth interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber, as well as behind-the-scenes footage following Lloyd Webber on set as he provides creative direction to the cast and crew of Love Never Dies.

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall stars Ramin Karimloo as ‘The Phantom’ and Sierra Boggess as ‘Christine.’ They are joined by Barry James as ‘Monsieur Firmin,’ Gareth Snook as ‘Monsieur André,’ Liz Robertson as ‘Madame Giry’ and Wynne Evans as ‘Piangi,’ together with a cast and orchestra of more than 200 including special guest appearances.

The Phantom of the Opera has been seen in 145 cities in 27 countries and played to more than 130 million people, winning more than 50 major theatre awards, including seven Tony and three Olivier Awards in the West End. The Phantom of the Opera first opened in 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre and is based on the French novel, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra.

Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies features a 21-piece orchestra and a cast of 36 including actors Ben Lewis as 'The Phantom' and Anna O’Byrne as 'Christine.' The cinematic production, directed by Brett Sullivan, brings audiences into a world of passion, obsession and romance. The captivating love story of the Phantom and Christine continues in New York’s playground, Coney Island where the Phantom begins a new life in New York amongst the freaks and side shows. In an effort to win back his love, the Phantom lures Christine and her family to this new sparkling unknown world.

“For the first time ever, The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies fans will have the chance to experience Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brilliant musicals as a complete story,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of NCM Fathom Events. “Except for attending these events in their local movie theaters, these fans may never get this rare opportunity again.”

Theaters showing Phantom of the Opera can be seen here while those showing Love Never Dies can be seen here.

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The 2012 Tony Award Nominees

Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth and Emmy winner Jim Parsons announced the nominees for the 66th Annual Tony Awards May 1 at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.  The musicals Once, Ther Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, and Nice Work if You Can Get It top the list of nominees.  In a nod to the paucity of musicals, two plays, One Man, Two Guvnors and Peter and the Starcatcher each received a nomination for Best Original Score.    Michael Cerveris was nominated for Evita; neither Ricky Martin nor Elena Roger were.

The Tony Awards, celebrating excellence in Broadway theatre in the 2011-12 season, will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from the Beacon Theatre on the CBS television network June 10. Emmy winner Neil Patrick Harris will again host.

Nominations for the 2012 Tony Awards follow:

Best Play 

Clybourne Park
Author: Bruce Norris
Producers: Jujamcyn Theaters, Jane Bergère, Roger Berlind/Quintet Productions, Eric Falkenstein/Dan Frishwasser, Ruth Hendel/Harris Karma Productions, JTG Theatricals, Daryl Roth, Jon B. Platt, Center Theatre Group, Lincoln Center Theater, Playwrights Horizons

Other Desert Cities
Author: Jon Robin Baitz
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Bob Boyett


Peter and the Starcatcher
Author: Rick Elice
Producers: Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Greg Schaffert, Eva Price, Tom Smedes, Disney Theatrical Productions, Suzan & Ken Wirth/DeBartolo Miggs, Catherine Schreiber/Daveed Frazier & Mark Thompson, Jack Lane, Jane Dubin, Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon, Baer & Casserly/Nathan Vernon, Rich Affanato/Peter Stern, Brunish & Trinchero/Laura Little Productions, Larry Hirschhorn/Hummel & Greene, Jamie deRoy & Probo Prods./Radio Mouse Ent., Hugh Hysell/Freedberg & Dale, New York Theatre Workshop


Venus in Fur
Author: David Ives
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Jon B. Platt, Scott Landis, Classic Stage Company




Best Musical


Leap of Faith
Producers: Michael Manheim, James D. Stern, Douglas L. Meyer, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Annette Niemtzow, Daryl Roth, Robert G. Bartner, Steven and Shanna Silva, Endgame Entertainment, Patricia Monaco, Debi Coleman, Dancap Productions, Inc., Steve Kaplan, Relativity Media, LLC, Rich/Caudwell, Center Theatre Group, Michael Palitz, Richard J. Stern, Melissa Pinsly/Celine Rosenthal, Independent Presenters Network, Diana Buckhantz, Pamela Cooper, Vera Guerin, Leading Investment Co., Ltd., Christina Papagjika, Victor Syrmis, Semlitz/Glaser Productions, Jujamcyn Theaters


Newsies
Producers: Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher

Nice Work If You Can Get It
Producers: Scott Landis, Roger Berlind, Sonia Friedman Productions, Roy Furman, Standing CO Vation, Candy Spelling, Freddy DeMann, Ronald Frankel, Harold Newman, Jon B. Platt, Raise the Roof 8, Takonkiet Viravan, William Berlind/Ed Burke, Carole L. Haber/Susan Carusi, Buddy and Barbara Freitag/Sanford Robertson, Jim Herbert/Under the Wire, Emanuel Azenberg, The Shubert Organization


Once
Producers: Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart, Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo, Brian Carmody, Michael G. Wilson, Orin Wolf, The Shubert Organization, Robert Cole, New York Theatre Workshop




Best Revival of a Play


Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Producers: Scott Rudin, Stuart Thompson, Jon B. Platt, Columbia Pictures, Jean Doumanian, Merritt Forrest Baer, Roger Berlind, Scott M. Delman, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ruth Hendel, Carl Moellenberg, Scott & Brian Zeilinger, Eli Bush


Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, INFINITY Stages, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Barbara Manocherian/ Michael Palitz, Kathleen K. Johnson, Andy Sandberg, Ken Mahoney/The Broadway Consortium, Fifty Church Street Productions, Larry Hirschhorn/Bennu Productions, Patty Baker, Paul Boskind and Martian Entertainment, Wendy Federman, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Cricket Hooper Jiranek, Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley, Carl Moellenberg, Harold Thau, Will Trice


Master Class
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Max Cooper, Maberry Theatricals, Marks-Moore-Turnbull Group, Ted Snowdon


Wit
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove




Best Revival of a Musical


Evita
Producers: Hal Luftig, Scott Sanders Productions, Roy Furman, Yasuhiro Kawana, Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Gutterman Fuld Chernoff/Pittsburgh CLO, Thousand Stars Productions, Adam Blanshay, Adam Zotovich, Robert Ahrens, Stephanie P. McClelland, Carole L. Haber, Richardo Hornos, Carol Fineman, Brian Smith, Warren & Jâlé Trepp


Follies
Producers: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, David M. Rubenstein, Michael A. Kaiser, Max A. Woodward, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Adrienne Arsht, HRH Foundation, Allan Williams


The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Rebecca Gold, Howard Kagan, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Brunish Trinchero/Lucio Simons TBC, Joseph & Matthew Deitch, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Terry Schnuck, Freitag Productions/Koenigsberg Filerman, The Leonore S. Gershwin 1987 Trust, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Ken Mahoney, Judith Resnick, Tulchin/Bartner/ATG, Paper Boy Productions, Christopher Hart, Alden Badway, Broadway Across America, Irene Gandy, Will Trice, American Repertory Theater


Jesus Christ Superstar
Producers: The Dodgers and The Really Useful Group, Latitude Link, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, Waxman-Dokton, Joe Corcoran, Detsky/Sokolowski/Kassie, Florin-Blanshay-Fan/Broadway Across America, Rich/Caudwell, Shin/Coleman, TheatreDreams North America, LLC, Stratford Shakespeare Festival

Best Book of a Musical
Lysistrata Jones
Douglas Carter Beane
Newsies
Harvey Fierstein
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Joe DiPietro
Once
Enda Walsh

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Bonnie & Clyde
Music: Frank Wildhorn
Lyrics: Don Black
Newsies
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Jack Feldman
One Man, Two Guvnors
Music & Lyrics: Grant Olding
Peter and the Starcatcher
Music: Wayne Barker
Lyrics: Rick Elice

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
Frank Langella, Man and Boy
John Lithgow, The Columnist

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda, Venus in Fur
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Stockard Channing, Other Desert Cities
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Cynthia Nixon, Wit

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Follies
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies
Steve Kazee, Once
Norm Lewis, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Ron Raines, Follies

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Jan Maxwell, Follies
Audra McDonald, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Cristin Milioti, Once
Kelli O’Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Laura Osnes, Bonnie & Clyde

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher
Michael Cumpsty, End of the Rainbow
Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Andrew Garfield, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Jeremy Shamos, Clybourne Park

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Linda Emond, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Spencer Kayden, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Peter and the Starcatcher
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities
Condola Rashad, Stick Fly

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Phillip Boykin, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Michael Cerveris, Evita
David Alan Grier, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Josh Young, Jesus Christ Superstar

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Elizabeth A. Davis, Once
Jayne Houdyshell, Follies
Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Jessie Mueller, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost the Musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty, Other Desert Cities
Daniel Ostling, Clybourne Park
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Donyale Werle, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley, Once
Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, Ghost the Musical
Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel, Newsies
George Tsypin, Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark

Best Costume Design of a Play
William Ivey Long, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Paul Tazewell, A Streetcar Named Desire
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Paloma Young, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Follies
ESosa, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Eiko Ishioka, Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark
Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Jeff Croiter, Peter and the Starcatcher
Peter Kaczorowski, The Road to Mecca
Brian MacDevitt, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Kenneth Posner, Other Desert Cities

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Christopher Akerlind, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Natasha Katz, Follies
Natasha Katz, Once
Hugh Vanstone, Ghost the Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, One Man, Two Guvnors
Scott Lehrer, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Gareth Owen, End of the Rainbow
Darron L. West, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Clive Goodwin, Once
Kai Harada, Follies
Brian Ronan, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Evita
Christopher Gattelli, Newsies
Steven Hoggett, Once
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, One Man, Two Guvnors
Pam MacKinnon, Clybourne Park
Mike Nichols, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, Peter and the Starcatcher

Best Direction of a Musical
Jeff Calhoun, Newsies
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Diane Paulus, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
John Tiffany, Once

Best Orchestrations
William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Bill Elliott, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Martin Lowe, Once
Danny Troob, Newsies


* * *
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories


Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Emanuel Azenberg


Regional Theatre Award
The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C.


Isabelle Stevenson Award
Bernadette Peters


Special Tony Award
Actors’ Equity Association
Hugh Jackman


Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre
Freddie Gershon
Artie Siccardi
TDF Open Doors

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Lilla Crawford To Be the New Annie

After a multi-city coast-to-coast search that spanned nine months and over 5,000 auditions, ANNIE has found its Annie! Eleven-year-old Lilla Crawford will play the title role in the new production of the classic Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical, opening Fall, 2012 at a Nederlander theatre to be announced. The production will be directed by three-time Tony Award® winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler.

“Oh, my gosh, it happened! My heart just stopped,” said Lilla Crawford, when she heard the news. “I thought it would be so cool just to be a part of ANNIE, but to actually be playing Annie is a dream come true!”

“We fell in love with Lilla from the moment we saw her,” commented producer Arielle Tepper Madover. “When she is in the room you can’t take your eyes off her. She has a gorgeous voice, is a terrific actress, wonderful dancer and a sweet girl. She is everything that we could have ever hoped for in an Annie. We are so happy to have met her and think everyone will fall in love with her the way we did.”

Crawford made her Broadway debut in 2011, playing Debbie in the closing cast of Billy Elliot on Broadway. She was featured in a workshop production of Craig Wright’s Melissa Arctic. She has also performed in 14 shows with YADA (Youth Academy of Dramatic Arts) in her native Los Angeles.

Group tickets for ANNIE are now on sale. Contact Nederlander Sales & Patron Services at 212-840-3890/800-714-8452 or email nygroups@nederlander.com for details.

ANNIE features music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan, based on the newspaper character “Little Orphan Annie” by Harold Gray.

The original production of ANNIE opened April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre and went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album and seven Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin). The show was one of the biggest Broadway musical hits of the 1970s, running for almost six years and playing 2,377 performances.

The score for ANNIE includes “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow”.

The award-winning creative team includes scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Donald Holder and sound design by Brian Ronan. Music director is Todd Ellison. Hair and wig design is by David Watson. Casting is by Telsey + Company. Animal training is by Tony Award-winner William Berloni.

ANNIE will be produced on Broadway by Arielle Tepper Madover, Roger Horchow, Sally Horchow, Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, Debbie Bisno, Stacey Mindich, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Daryl Roth/Jane Bergère and Eva Price/Christina Papagjika.

Biographies of the principals are after the cut.

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The Nominees for the 57th Drama Desk Awards

The nominations for the 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards, honoring both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, were announced on April 27.

The following awards were voted by the nominating committee and will be presented by the Drama Desk at its awards ceremony:

Outstanding Ensemble Performance 
This year the nominators chose to bestow a special ensemble award for acting to the cast of Sweet and Sad. Jon DeVries, Shuler Hensley, Maryann Plunkett, Laila Robins, Jay O. Sanders, and J. Smith-Cameron are "among New York's best actors, who came together as one unforgettable stage family. Therefore, the individual cast members were not eligible for acting awards in the competitive categories."

Special Awards 
Each year, the Drama Desk votes special awards to recognize excellence and significant contributions to the theater. For 2011-12, these awards are:

• To Mary Testa: For over three decades, she has dazzled audiences with consistently outstanding work, including her tour-de-force performance in this season's Queen of the Mist. 
• To Nick Westrate: His versatility in Unnatural Acts, Love's Labor's Lost,and Galileo was a highlight of the season.
• To New Victory Theatre: For providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people.
• To Stephen Karam, the newly created Sam Norkin Off Broadway Award: The profoundly moving Sons of the Prophet confirmed his status as one of the most promising playwrights of his generation.

The following are the nominations for the competitive categories. Winners will be selected by the voting membership of the Drama Desk:

Note: Because of the abundance of great work throughout the season, the board authorized the increase in the number of nominees allowed in select categories. The Drama Desk Board has decided that music and lyrics that come from another medium and are appearing for the first time on Broadway are eligible. Other Desert Cities and Peter and the Starcatcher were considered for their productions Off Broadway in the 2010-11 season; Venus in Fur and Clybourne Park were considered for the 2009-10 season. Under Drama Desk rules, only new elements in their transfers to Broadway were eligible this season.

Outstanding Play 

• David Henry Hwang, Chinglish
• Dan LeFranc, The Big Meal
• Members of the Plastic Theatre, Unnatural Acts
• Itamar Moses, Completeness
• Lynn Nottage, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
• Nina Raine, Tribes
• Nicky Silver, The Lyons

Outstanding Musical 

• Bonnie & Clyde
• Death Takes a Holiday
• Leap of Faith
• Newsies The Musical
• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Once
• Queen of the Mist

Outstanding Revival of a Play 

• A Little Journey
• Death of a Salesman
• Edward Albee's The Lady from Dubuque
• Gore Vidal's The Best Man
• Lost in Yonkers
• Richard III

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

• Carrie
• Evita
• Follies
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• The Threepenny Opera

Outstanding Actor in a Play 

• James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
• Hugh Dancy, Venus in Fur
• Claybourne Elder, One Arm
• Santino Fontana, Sons of the Prophet
• Joseph Franchini, The Navigator
• Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
• Kevin Spacey, Richard III

Outstanding Actress in a Play 

• Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
• Sanaa Lathan, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
• Linda Lavin, The Lyons
• Jennifer Lim, Chinglish
• Kim Martin-Cotten, A Moon for the Misbegotten
• Carey Mulligan, Through a Glass Darkly
• Joely Richardson, Side Effects

Outstanding Actor in a Musical 

• Danny Burstein, Follies
• Kevin Earley, Death Takes a Holiday
• Raul Esparza, Leap of Faith
• Jeremy Jordan, Newsies The Musical
• Norm Lewis, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Ricky Martin, Evita

Outstanding Actress in a Musical 

• Miche Braden, The Devil's Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith
• Jan Maxwell, Follies
• Audra McDonald, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Kelli O'Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Bernadette Peters, Follies
• Molly Ranson, Carrie

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

• Bill Camp, Death of a Salesman
• Jim Dale, The Road to Mecca
• Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
• Bill Irwin, King Lear
• Jefferson Mays, Blood and Gifts
• Will Rogers, Unnatural Acts
• Morgan Spector, Russian Transport

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play 

• Stephanie J. Block, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
• Anna Camp, All New People
• Kimberly Hebert Gregory, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
• Lisa Joyce, The Ugly One
• Joaquina Kalukango, Hurt Village
• Angela Lansbury, Gore Vidal's The Best Man
• Judith Light, Other Desert Cities

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical 

• Phillip Boykin, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Matt Cavenaugh, Death Takes a Holiday
• Michael Cerveris, Evita
• Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Patrick Page, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• Andrew Samonsky, Queen of the Mist

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical 

• Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Marin Mazzie, Carrie
• Jessie Mueller, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
• Elaine Paige, Follies
• Sarah Sokolovic, The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
• Melissa van der Schyff, Bonnie & Clyde

Outstanding Director of a Play 

• Jo Bonney, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
• David Cromer, Tribes
• Ed Sylvanus Iskandar, These Seven Sicknesses
• Sam Mendes, Richard III
• Mike Nichols, Death of a Salesman
• Tony Speciale, Unnatural Acts

Outstanding Director of a Musical 

• Christopher Ashley, Leap of Faith
• Jack Cummings III, Queen of the Mist
• Doug Hughes, Death Takes a Holiday
• Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Eric Schaeffer, Follies
• John Tiffany, Once

Outstanding Choreography

• Rob Ashford, Evita
• Warren Carlyle, Follies
• Breandan de Gallal, Noctu
• Christopher Gattelli, Newsies The Musical
• Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Sergio Trujillo, Leap of Faith

Outstanding Music 

• Glen Hansard and Marketa lrglova, Once
• Michael John LaChiusa, Queen of the Mist
• Alan Menken, Leap of Faith
• Alan Menken, Newsies The Musical
• Frank Wildhorn, Bonnie & Clyde
• Maury Yeston, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Lyrics 

• Don Black, Bonnie & Clyde
• Jack Feldman, Newsies The Musical
• Joy Gregory and Gunnar Madsen, The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
• Glen Hansard and Marketa lrglova, Once
• Michael John LaChiusa, Queen of the Mist
• Maury Yeston, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Book of a Musical 

• Douglas Carter Beane, Lysistrata Jones
• Janus Cercone and Warren Leight, Leap of Faith
• Joe DiPietro, Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Joy Gregory, The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
• Michael John LaChiusa, Queen of the Mist
• Thomas Meehan and Peter Stone, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Music in a Play 

• Mark Bennett, An Iliad
• Mark Bennett, Richard III
• Tom Kitt, All's Well That Ends Well
• Gina Leishman, Septimus and Clarissa
• Grant Olding, One Man, Two Guvnors
• Suzanne Vega and Duncan Sheik, Carson McCullers Talks About Love

Outstanding Revue 

• Newsical the Musical: End of the World Edition
• The Best Is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman

Outstanding Set Design 

• Jon Driscoll, Rob Howell and Paul Kieve, Ghost The Musical
• David Gallo, The Mountaintop
• Roger Hanna, A Little Journey
• David Korins, Assistance
• David Korins, Chinglish
• Derek McLane, Follies

Outstanding Costume Design 

• Gregg Barnes, Follies
• ESosa, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
• William Ivey Long, Lucky Guy
• Jessica Pabst, She Kills Monsters
• Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Catherine Zuber, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Lighting Design

• Kevin Adams, Carrie
• Neil Austin, Evita
• David Lander, One Arm
• Brian MacDevitt, Death of a Salesman
• Kenneth Posner, Death Takes a Holiday
• Paul Pyant, Richard III

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical 

• Acme Sound Partners, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Jonathan Deans, Carrie
• Clive Goodwin, Once
• Kai Harada, Follies
• Steve Canyon Kennedy, Jesus Christ Superstar
• Jon Weston, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play 

• Quentin Chiappetta/mediaNoise, The Navigator
• Gregory Clarke, Misterman
• Gareth Fry, Richard III
• John Gromada, Gore Vidal's The Best Man
• Stowe Nelson, Samuel and Alasdair: A Personal History of the Robot War
• Shane Rettig, She Kills Monsters

Outstanding Solo Performance 

• Baba Brinkman, The Rap Guide to Evolution
• Suli Holum, Chimera
• Jeff Key, The Eyes of Babylon
• Cillian Murphy, Misterman
• Denis O'Hare, An Iliad
• Stephen Spinella, An Iliad

Unique Theatrical Experience

• Give Me Your Hand
• Gob Squad's Kitchen (You've Never Had It So Good)
• Noctu
• The Complete & Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O'Neill, Vol. 1: Early Plays/Lost Plays
• The Ryan Case 1873
• White

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The Nominees for the 78th Annual Drama League Awards

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced the 2011-2012 Drama League Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Best Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award at a ceremony hosted by Megan Hilty (9 to 5, “Smash”), Justin Long (Seminar) and Raven- Symoné this morning at Sardi’s Restaurant which were streamed live online at www.BroadwayWorld.com.

The Drama League Awards honor distinguished productions, performances, and exemplary career achievements in musical theatre and directing. First awarded in 1922 and formalized in 1935, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They are the only major theatergoer awards chosen by audience members — specifically, by the thousands of Drama League members nationwide who attend Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. 2012 Nominees were selected from over 170 productions.
The nominations announcement begins a month long celebration leading up to the 78th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway) on Friday, May 18, 2012 at noon. Tickets for The Drama League Awards, which includes pre-event cocktails and the star-studded afternoon luncheon ceremony hosted by Stockard Channing (Other Desert Cities) and John Larroquette (Gore Vidal's The Best Man), are available by calling (212) 244-9494 or by visiting www.dramaleague.org.

The Drama League Awards Eligibility Committee recently determined that productions transferring from Off-Broadway to Broadway, or vice versa, in successive years are now eligible for consideration in both seasons.

For more information about the Drama League Awards, please call (212) 244-9494 ext 27, or e-mail events@dramaleague.org, or visit the website at www.dramaleague.org.

2011-2012 DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

• Clybourne Park
• The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
• The Lyons
• One Man, Two Guvnors
• Other Desert Cities
• Tribes
• Seminar
• Septimus and Clarissa
• Venus in Fur

DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A PLAY

• And God Created Great Whales
• Death of a Salesman
• Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
• How I Learned To Drive
• Look Back in Anger
• The Maids
• Wit

DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

• Ghost
• Leap of Faith
• Mission Drift
• Newsies
• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Once
• Queen of The Mist

DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

• Carrie
• Follies
• Evita
• The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
• Jesus Christ Superstar

DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD (One winner is selected from this category for which the recipient can only receive the award once during his or her career.)

• Jane Alexander - The Lady From Dubuque
• Nina Arianda - Venus In Fur
• Annaleigh Ashford - Rent
• Angela Bassett - The Mountaintop
• Simon Russell Beale - Bluebird
• Tracie Bennett - End of the Rainbow
• Christian Borle - Peter and the Starcatcher
• Matthew Broderick - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Kim Cattrall - Private Lives
• Heather Christian - Mission Drift
• James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Michael Cristofer - The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
• Tyne Daly - Master Class
• Jesse Eisenberg - Asuncion
• Linda Emond - The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
• Raúl Esparza - Leap of Faith
• Santino Fontana - Sons of the Prophet
• Andrew Garfield - Death of a Salesman
• Russell Harvard - Tribes
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Death of a Salesman
• Samuel L. Jackson - The Mountaintop
• Jeremy Jordan - Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde
• Steve Kazee - Once
• Celia Keenan-Bolger - Peter and the Starcatcher
• Christine Lahti - Dreams of Flying, Dreams of Falling
• Angela Lansbury - Gore Vidal's The Best Man
• John Larroquette - Gore Vidal's The Best Man
• Linda Lavin - The Lyons
• Norm Lewis - The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Judith Light - Other Desert Cities
• Ricky Martin - Evita
• Jan Maxwell - Follies
• Jefferson Mays - Blood and Gifts
• Marin Mazzie - Carrie
• Audra McDonald - The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
• Ellen McLaughlin - Septimus and Clarissa
• Cristin Milioti - Once
• Jessie Mueller - On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
• Carey Mulligan - Through A Glass Darkly
• Cynthia Nixon - Wit
• Leslie Odom, Jr. - Leap of Faith
• Kelli O'Hara - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Denis O'Hare - An Iliad
• Lily Rabe - Seminar
• Da'Vine Joy Randolph - Ghost
• Molly Ranson - Carrie
• Condola Rashad - Stick Fly
• Matthew Rhys - Look Back In Anger
• Alan Rickman - Seminar
• Elena Roger - Evita
• Jeremy Shamos - Clybourne Park
• Kevin Spacey - Richard III
• Stephen Spinella - An Iliad
• Mary Testa - Queen of the Mist
• Blair Underwood - A Streetcar Named Desire
• Mary Louise Wilson - 4,000 Miles

The Drama League wishes to recognize the superb contributions to the season of its previous Distinguished Performance Award winners including:

• Norbert Leo Butz - How I Learned To Drive
• Zoe Caldwell - Elective Affinities
• Kathleen Chalfant - Painting Churches
• Stockard Channing - Other Desert Cities
• Rosemary Harris - The Road To Mecca
• Hugh Jackman - Hugh Jackman: Back On Broadway
• Sir Derek Jacobi - King Lear
• James Earl Jones - Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
• Frank Langella - Man and Boy
• John Lithgow - The Columnist
• Patti LuPone - An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin
• Bebe Neuwirth - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Bernadette Peters - Follies
• Sam Waterston - King Lear

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSICAL THEATRE

• Alan Menken

UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE THEATRE

• Rosie O’Donnell

FOUNDERS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DIRECTING

• Diane Paulus

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The Nominations for the 62nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators covering New York theater for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway, announced today (April 23, 2012) its nominees for the 2011-12 season in 24 categories. Broadway stars Lily Rabe and Richard Thomas presided over the (11AM) announcement ceremony underwritten by Mark D. Friedman, SVP at Halstead Property LLC at Manhattan’s Friars Club.

In addition, the OCC honored The Public Theater on its 50th Anniversary for presenting free theater at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Alumni of Shakespeare in the Park and Public Theater productions Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara presented the special award to The Public’s Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham.

Celebrating its 62nd season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theater, the Outer Critics Circle is an association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, websites, radio and television stations, and theatre publications in America and abroad. The winners of the following categories will be announced on Monday, May 14th and the annual awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 24th (4PM) at the legendary Sardi’s Restaurant.

2011-2012 Award Nominations

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY

• The Lyons
• One Man, Two Guvnors
• Seminar
• Stick Fly

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL

• Bonnie & Clyde
• Newsies
• Once
• Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

• Blood and Gifts
• The School for Lies
• Sons of the Prophet
• Tribes

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

• Death Takes a Holiday
• Lucky Guy
• Play It Cool
• Queen of the Mist

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• Newsies
• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Once
• Queen of the Mist

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• Bonnie & Clyde
• Death Takes a Holiday
• Newsies
• Queen of the Mist

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• The Best Man
• Death of a Salesman
• The Lady From Dubuque
• Private Lives

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

• Carrie
• Evita
• Follies
• Porgy and Bess

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

• Mark Brokaw - The Lyons
• David Cromer - Tribes
• Nicholas Hytner - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Mike Nichols - Death of a Salesman

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL

• Jeff Calhoun - Newsies
• Michael Grandage - Evita
• Kathleen Marshall - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• John Tiffany - Once

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER

• Rob Ashford - Evita
• Christopher Gattelli - Newsies
• Steven Hoggett - Once
• Kathleen Marshall - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN (Play or Musical)

• Bob Crowley - Once
• Derek McLane - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Christopher Oram - Evita
• George Tsypin - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (Play or Musical)

• Gregg Barnes - Follies
• Eiko Ishioka - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• William Ivey Long - Don’t Dress for Dinner
• Martin Pakledinaz - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Play or Musical)

• Neil Austin - Evita
• Donald Holder - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• Brian MacDevitt - Death of a Salesman
• Hugh Vanstone - Ghost: The Musical

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY

• James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Santino Fontana - Sons of the Prophet
• Russell Harvard - Tribes
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Death of a Salesman
• Hamish Linklater - The School for Lies

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

• Tracie Bennett - End of the Rainbow
• Tyne Daly - Master Class
• Linda Lavin - The Lyons
• Nicole Ari Parker - A Streetcar Named Desire
• Laila Robins - The Lady From Dubuque

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

• Danny Burstein - Follies
• Raúl Esparza - Leap of Faith
• Jeremy Jordan - Newsies
• Steve Kazee - Once
• Norm Lewis - Porgy and Bess

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

• Jan Maxwell - Follies
• Marin Mazzie - Carrie
• Audra McDonald - Porgy and Bess
• Cristin Milioti - Once
• Kelli O’Hara - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

• Will Brill - Tribes
• Tom Edden - One Man, Two Guvnors
• Andrew Garfield - Death of a Salesman
• James Earl Jones - The Best Man
• Jefferson Mays - Blood and Gifts

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

• Joanna Gleason - Sons of the Prophet
• Spencer Kayden - Don’t Dress for Dinner
• Angela Lansbury - The Best Man
• Judith Light - Other Desert Cities
• Daphne Rubin-Vega - A Streetcar Named Desire

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

• Phillip Boykin - Porgy and Bess
• Andrew Keenan-Bolger - Newsies
• Michael McGrath - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Patrick Page - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• Chris Sullivan - Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

• Jayne Houdyshell - Follies
• Judy Kaye - Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Rebecca Luker - Death Takes a Holiday
• Da’Vine Joy Randolph - Ghost: The Musical
• Melissa Van Der Schyff - Bonnie & Clyde

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

• Judy Gold - My Life as a Sitcom
• David Greenspan - The Patsy
• Denis O’Hare - An Iliad
• Stephen Spinella - An Iliad

JOHN GASSNER AWARD (Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)

• Robert Askins - Hand to God
• Gabe McKinley - CQ/CX
• Erika Sheffer - Russian Transport
• Jeff Talbot - The Submission

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EP Being Released of Nick Jonas' Performance in How To Succeed in Business

Broadway Records will release an EP of Nick Jonas performing five tracks from the smash hit musical HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. The CD will be released Tuesday, May 8, 2012, and will be available in the Hirschfeld Theatre the week of May 1. Pre-Order on Amazonnow . Produced by six-time Grammy nominee Robert Sher who produced the Grammy nominated Daniel Radcliffe/John Larroquette HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUR REALLY TRYING cast album, the new Nick Jonas recording is executive produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard of Broadway Consortium (Executive producers of the Radcliffe/Larroquette album) and Ken Mahoney.

The 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING currently stars international superstar Nick Jonas as J. Pierrepont Finch, Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning star of screen, television and stage Beau Bridges as J.B. Biggley, and making his Broadway debut, star of stage and television’s “Ugly Betty,” Michael Urie as Bud Frump, leading a cast of 30.

Track list:

• How To Succeed (Nick Jonas)
• Company Way (Nick Jonas and Rob Bartlett)
• Rosemary (Nick Jonas and Rose Hemingway)
• I Believe In You (Nick Jonas)
• Brotherhood of Man (Nick Jonas)

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2012 Olivier Awards Presented in London

The 2012 Olivier Awards for British theater were given this past weekend in London.

Highlights of the evening included a montage celebrating the work of Olivier Special Award winner Sir Tim Rice led by Maria Friedman, Siobhan McCarthy, Elaine Paige and the cast of The Lion King, a performance by The Royal Ballet from Wayne McGregor’s Limen to mark Dame Monica Mason’s Olivier Special Award, theatrically-themed entertainment from Ronan Keating including a duet with Shrek The Musical’s Kimberley Walsh, and Brian May joining the cast of We Will Rock You for a special Bohemian Rhapsody. The BBC Concert Orchestra was conducted by David Charles Abell.

Sweeping the board with seven awards, Matilda the Musical stole the show with a joint award for Best Actress in a Musical for young actresses Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington-Cox (who at ten becomes the youngest ever winner of an Olivier Award). Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin picked up the show’s award for Best New Musical, and the musical’s other awards included Bertie Carvel for Best Actor in a Musical. James Earl Jones presented Matthew Warchus with the Best Director award via a live link to an Olivier Awards reception in New York celebrating the bond between West End theatre and Broadway. This is a new record number of wins by a single show, beating the previous best of Nicholas Nickleby, which won in six categories in 1980.

The National Theatre’s Collaborators by John Hodge was awarded MasterCard Best New Play Award by Tyne Daly. The National Theatre also celebrated wins for Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller who were awarded Best Actor for their critically acclaimed roles in Frankenstein, alternating as Frankenstein and his creature, and Bruno Poet who won Best Lighting Design for the same play.

Ruth Wilson picked up the Best Actress award for her role in Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse, with the play also winning Best Revival.

Following her Best Actress in a Musical award last year, Sheridan Smith marked a successful transition into straight drama by extending her winning streak with Best Performance in a Supporting Role for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.

Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular musical Les Misérables beat off tough competition from Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys and Wicked to win the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award (the only award voted for by the public) thanks to its legions of devoted fans.

Edward Watson was presented with the Outstanding Achievement in Dance award for his performance in The Metamorphosis at the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House, and Best New Dance Production went to Desh by the Akram Khan Company at Sadler’s Wells.

English National Opera collected the award for Best New Opera Production for Castor and Pollux, and the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme was further recognized with an Outstanding Achievement in Opera award.

The evening’s show also included a live link to a free public Olivier Awards celebration in Covent Garden where hundreds enjoyed live West End performances and a big screen relay of the show. The Covent Garden event was presented in conjunction with Magic 105.4, and hosted by breakfast presenter Neil Fox, alongside West End leading lady Louise Dearman.

For the latest news, photos and sound bites from the Olivier Awards plus a full list of winners visit www.olivierawards.com and interact at www.twitter.com/OlivierAwards and www.facebook.com/OlivierAwards.

WINNERS 2012 OLIVIER AWARDS WITH MASTERCARD

MASTERCARD BEST NEW PLAY
COLLABORATORS at the Cottesloe

• This is the first Olivier Award for John Hodge
• This was his first play
• Screenplays include Trainspotting
• Collaborators starred Simon Russell Beale and Alex Jennings. It returns to the National Theatre later this month

BEST REVIVAL

ANNA CHRISTIE at the Donmar Warehouse

• Starred Jude Law and Ruth Wilson, directed by Rob Ashford
• Nominated in four categories tonight, including Best Actor and Best Actress

BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY

DERREN BROWN – SVENGALI at the Shaftesbury

• This is Derren Brown’s second Olivier Award win
• He first won in 2006 for Something Wicked This Way Comes
• Stage credits also include Mind Reader – An Evening Of Wonders and Derren Brown – Enigma
• Svengali returns to the Shaftesbury theatre in July

BEST ACTRESS

RUTH WILSON for Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse

• Second Olivier Award win (previously won for A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar Warehouse in 2010)
• Soon to be seen in film adaptation of Anna Karenina
• Previous stage roles include Philistines (National Theatre) and Through A Glass Darkly (Almeida).

BEST ACTOR

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AND JONNY LEE MILLER for Frankenstein at the Olivier

• First time either has won an Olivier Award
• The pair won the Best Actor Award earlier this year at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards
• Cumberbatch: Soon to be seen in film The Hobbit
• Lee Miller: previous on-screen roles include US TV series Eli Stone and Dexter

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

SHERIDAN SMITH for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket

• This is Sheridan Smith’s second Olivier Award win in two years
• Previous win: Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, 2011
• Smith was first nominated for an Olivier Award for Little Shop Of Horrors at the Menier Chocolate Factory

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

THE MATILDAS for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge (Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington Cox)

• Youngest ever winners (aged 10 to12 years old)
• The Billy Elliots (aged 13 to 15 years old) shared the 2006 Best Actor in a Musical Award
• Each actress performs two shows a week

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

BERTIE CARVEL for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge

• This is Carvel’s first Olivier Award win
• Won in the same category earlier this year at the Theatre Awards UK
• Previous stage credits include Rope (Almeida), The Pride (Royal Court), Parade (Donmar)
• This marks the third time the Best Actor in a Musical Award has been awarded to a cross-dressing role (previously: Douglas Hodge in 2009 for La Cage Aux Folles and Michael Ball in 2008 in Hairspray)

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

NIGEL HARMAN for Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

• This is Nigel Harman’s first Olivier Award win and nomination
• He won the Theatregoers’ Choice Award earlier this year for the role
• Shrek The Musical saw him reunite on stage with his Guys And Dolls co-star Nigel Lindsay
• His other credits include The Caretaker, The Common Pursuit, Public Property and Three Days Of Rain

BEST NEW MUSICAL

MATILDA THE MUSICAL at the Cambridge

• Adapted by Dennis Kelly, songs by Tim Minchin, directed by Matthew Warchus
• Nominated in 10 categories
• Opens next year on Broadway

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

CRAZY FOR YOU at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

• This is the third Best Musical Revival Olivier Award for Regent’s Park Open Air in three years
• Previous won in 2011’s for Into The Woods and in 2010 for Hello, Dolly!
• Crazy For You starred Sean Palmer and Clare Foster
• The show is nominated in three Olivier Awards 2012 categories

BEST DIRECTOR

MATTHEW WARCHUS for Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge

• This is the first Olivier Award win for Matthew Warchus
• Matilda The Musical has been nominated for 10 awards this year, the maximum number of nominations possible
• Warchus also directed the five-time nominated Ghost The Musical
• Warchus won a Tony Award in 2009 for God Of Carnage
• His other work in the West End includes Boeing Boeing and The Norman Conquests.

BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER

PETER DARLING for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge

• This is the second time Peter Darling has won the Best Theatre Choreographer Award
• He won in 2006 for his work on Billy Elliot The Musical
• This award was one of 10 nominations for Matilda The Musical
• Matilda The Musical will open on Broadway next spring

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

FRANKENSTEIN designed by Bruno Poet at the Olivier

• This was one of three nominations tonight for Frankenstein
• This is Bruno Poet’s first Olivier Award
• Poet’s work will be seen in production South Downs and The Browning Version at the Harold Pinter theatre, which begins previews next week

XL VIDEO AWARD FOR BEST SET DESIGN

MATILDA THE MUSICAL designed Rob Howell at the Cambridge

• This is Rob Howell’s third Olivier Award win
• The designer previously won in 2000 for the RSC’s Richard III, Troilus And Cressida and Vassa, and in 2006 for the Almeida theatre’s Hedda Gabler
• This is one of 10 cateogories Matilda The Musical is nominated for

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

CRAZY FOR YOU designed by Peter McKintosh at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

• This is Peter McKintosh’s first Olivier Award
• He was previously nominated in 2010 for the Regent’s Park Open Air theatre’s Hello, Dolly!
• His other work includes current productions Noises Off and The 39 Steps

BEST SOUND DESIGN

MATILDA THE MUSICAL designed by Simon Baker at the Cambridge

• This is Simon Baker’s first Olivier Award
• The Sound Designer has worked on over 70 productions
• These include West End shows The Lord Of The Rings and Brief Encounter, both of which earned him Olivier Award nominations

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE

Theatre Royal, Stratford East in association with the Barbican and Traverse Theatre for ROADKILL

• Conceived and directed by Cora Bissett
• This is the second time the Theatre Royal Stratford East has won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
• The theatre won in 2007 for Pied Piper

BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION

English National Opera’s CASTOR AND POLLUX at the London Coliseum

• Castor And Pollux was the first Rameau opera to be staged by the ENO
• The production marked the London operatic debut of director Barrie Kosky
• Three out of the four nominees in this category were ENO productions

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA

ENO for the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme

• The ENO was nominated against its own colleagues, Amanda Holden for Castor And Pollox and Richard Jones’ for The Tales Of Hoffmann in this category.
• Nominated for five awards in total

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE

EDWARD WATSON for his performance in THE METAMORPHOSISat the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House

• First win for Edward Watson
• Principal dancer at the Royal Ballet
• Currently appearing in Polyphonia / Sweet Violets / Carbon Life at the Royal Opera House

BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION

DESH by Akram Khan Company at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed by Akram Khan

• This is Akram Khan’s first Olivier Award
• The show was inspired by Khan’s homeland Bangladesh
• Khan was the only performer in the show
• DESH featured music by Olivier Award-winning composer Jocelyn Pook

BBC RADIO 2 OLIVIER AUDIENCE AWARD

LES MISÉRABLES

• Thousands of theatregoers voted to determine this award. It’s the only award to be decided by the public
• They take the award from last year’s winner We Will Rock You
• The musical celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010
• The musical has been seen by over 60 million people in 42 countries

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