Theatre Lover's Journal for May 2001
Tony Nominations 2001
by John Kenrick
Blythe Danner? Who the hell are they kidding? She is one of the finest stage talents of our time, but thanks to inept direction and choreography, her performance in Follies is possibly the greatest humiliation of her career. And for this she gets a Tony nomination?
Every year brings outrageous choices and oversights from the Tony nominating committee, and 2001 is no exception. At least, for once, Nathan Lane was impossible to overlook! Aside from immortalizing the degradation of the divine Blythe, here are some of the high – and low – points on this year's roster. The full list follows.
– Jonathan Tunick is one of the finest orchestrators in the business, but why reward him with a nomination for reducing his 30 year old arrangements for Follies to a piddling 14 piece pit band?
– Note to Kevin Chamberlin: bide your time, good sir. Your turn is coming, no matter what happens this time around.
– Five nominations for the ponderous Jane Eyre? Is this their reward for running at a loss for so many months?
– Three cheers for Jack O'Brien, a superb director who won nominations in the play and musical categories!
– Note to Nathan Lane: enjoy the coronation, baby. You've earned it – in spades!
– Anyone who doubted Susan Stroman was the most important figure in musical theatre will have to get over it by Tony night.
– So The Producers garners more nominations than any show in Tony history? Give me a break! I know that Broadway is desperate for a hit, but turning into toadies is never a pretty thing.
– Note to Matthew Broderick: you already have more Tony's than anyone else your age, so I know you'll cheer Nathan on along with the rest of us. You shouldn't be surprised – didn't you know its suicide to co-star with animals, children, or anyone capable of upstaging animals and children?
– Hey, at least we're spared the tasteless presence of Rosie O'Donnell, who has about as much business hosting the Tony's as she does refereeing the Super Bowl.
THE 2001 TONY NOMINATIONS
BEST PLAY
King Hedley II
Proof
The Invention of Love
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
BEST MUSICAL
A Class Act
Jane Eyre
The Full Monty
The Producers
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Bells Are Ringing
42nd Street
Follies
The Rocky Horror Show
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Betrayal
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Best Man
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Richard Easton, The Invention of Love
Sean Campion, Stones in His Pockets
Conleth Hill, Stones in His Pockets
Brian Stokes Mitchell, King Hedley II
Gary Sinise, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Juliette Binoche, Betrayal
Linda Lavin, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
Mary-Louise Parker, Proof
Jean Smart, The Man Who Came to Dinner
Leslie Uggams, King Hedley II
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Matthew Broderick, The Producers
Kevin Chamberlin, Seussical
Nathan Lane, The Producers
Tom Hewitt, The Rocky Horror Show
Patrick Wilson, The Full Monty
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Blythe Danner, Follies
Christine Ebersole, 42nd Street
Randy Graff, A Class Act
Faith Prince, Bells Are Ringing
Marla Schaffel, Jane Eyre
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Marion McClinton, King Hedley II
Ian McElhinney, Stones in His Pockets
Jack O'Brien, The Invention of Love
Daniel Sullivan, Proof
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Christopher Ashley, The Rocky Horror Show
Mark Bramble, 42nd Street
Jack O'Brien, The Full Monty
Susan Stroman, The Producers
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Mel Brooks and Tom Meehan,
The Producers
John Caird, Jane Eyre
Terrence McNally, The Full Monty
Lonny Price and Linda Kline, A Class Act
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Mel Brooks, The Producers
Paul Gordon and John Caird, Jane Eyre
Ed Kleban, A Class Act
David Yazbek, The Full Monty
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Charles Brown, King Hedley II
Larry Bryggman, Proof
Michael Hayden, Judgment at Nuremberg
Robert Sean Leonard, The Invention of Love
Ben Shenkman, Proof
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Viola Davis, King Hedley II
Johanna Day, Proof
Penny Fuller, The Dinner Party
Marthe Keller, Judgment at Nuremberg
Michele Lee, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Roger Bart, The Producers
Gary Beach, The Producers
John Ellison Conlee, The Full Monty
Andre DeShields, The Full Monty
Brad Oscar, The Producers
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Polly Bergen, Follies
Kathleen Freeman, The Full Monty
Cady Huffman, The Producers
Kate Levering, 42nd Street
Mary Testa, 42nd Street
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
Bob Crowley, The Invention of Love
Heidi Ettinger, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Douglas W. Schmidt, 42nd Street
Robin Wagner, The Producers
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Theoni V. Aldredge, Follies
Roger Kirk, 42nd Street
William Ivey Long, The Producers
David C. Woolard, The Rocky Horror Show
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Jane Eyre
Paul Gallo, 42nd Street
Peter Kaczorowski, The Producers
Kenneth Posner, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Jerry Mitchell, The Full Monty
Jim Moore, George Pinney and John Vanderkloff, Blast!
Randy Skinner, 42nd Street
Susan Stroman, The Producers
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Doug Besterman, The Producers
Larry Hochman, A Class Act
Jonathan Tunick, Follies
Harold Wheeler, The Full Monty