2010 Tony nominations

Okay, a few thoughts on the 2009-2010 Tony nominations, which were announced today.

Since I only saw shows that opened in the first half of the Broadway season, I only have half as much to say as I normally would. But I am excited that some of my favorites were included.

Obviously, it's much more fun to watch the Tony Awards if you've seen some of the nominees.

Performers I thought were terrific in shows that have closed weren't forgotten: Jon Michael Hill in Superior Donuts, Jan Maxwell and Rosemary Harris in The Royal Family, Kate Baldwin and Christopher Fitzgerald in Finian's Rainbow and Bobby Steggert and Christiane Noll in Ragtime.

And I'm happy for two musicals I managed to see, and enjoyed, that are still running: Memphis and A Little Night Music.

In one category, Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical, I saw four out of the five nominees, everyone except Sheri Rene Scott in Everyday Rapture. I loved all four and they're such different roles that it really points to the difficulty in choosing a winner.

A couple of omissions: Reg Rogers was hilarious in The Royal Family. And I thought James Schuette's set design for Superior Donuts was amazing in its detail, right down to the wads of gum stuck underneath the tables.

I'm still sad that the revival of Brighton Beach Memoirs closed before it became eligible for the Tonys. I think Noah Robbins, Laurie Metcalf and director David Cromer certainly would have been contenders.

And finally, I feel so sorry for Kevin Mambo, who shares the role of Fela Kuti in Fela! with Sahr Ngaujah. He does half the work yet he wasn't even deemed eligible for a nomination. I imagine he'll have very mixed feelings on Tony night.

Here are the nominees. They're a great reminder of all the wonderful times I spent in Broadway theatres last fall. Congratulations to everyone! The Tony Awards will air at 8 p.m. June 13 on CBS.

Best Play

In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play, Sarah Ruhl
Next Fall, Geoffrey Nauffts
Red, John Logan
Time Stands Still, Donald Margulies

Best Musical

American Idiot
Fela!
Memphis
Million Dollar Quartet

Best Book of a Musical

Everyday Rapture
Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott
Fela!
Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones
Memphis
Joe DiPetro
Million Dollar Quartet
Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux

Best Original Score

The Addams Family
Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Enron
Music: Adam Cork
Lyrics: Lucy Prebble
Fences
Music: Branford Marsalis
Memphis
Music: David Bryan
Lyrics: David Bryan & Joe DiPetro

Best Revival of a Play

A View from the Bridge
Fences
Lend Me a Tenor
The Royal Family

Best Revival of a Musical

A Little Night Music
Finian's Rainbow
La Cage Aux Folles
Ragtime

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Jude Law, Hamlet
Alfred Molina, Red
Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge
Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane
Denzel Washington, Fences

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

Viola Davis, Fences
Valerie Harper, Looped
Linda Lavin, Collected Stories
Laura Linney, Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles
Sean Hayes, Promises, Promises
Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles
Sahr Ngaujah, Fela!

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical

Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow
Montego Glover, Memphis
Christiane Noll, Ragtime
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

David Alan Grier, Race
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Fences
Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts
Stephen Kunken, Enron
Eddie Redmayne, Red

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Maria Dizzia, In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play
Rosemary Harris, The Royal Family
Jessica Hecht, A View from the Bridge
Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge
Jan Maxwell, Lend Me a Tenor

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical

Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesus, La Cage aux Folles
Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical

Barbara Cook, Sondheim on Sondheim
Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
Karine Plantadit, Come Fly Away
Lillias White, Fela!

Best Scenic Design of a Play

John Lee Beatty, The Royal Family
Alexander Dodge, Present Laughter
Santo Loquasto, Fences
Christopher Oram, Red

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Marina Draghici, Fela!
Christine Jones, American Idiot
Derek McLane, Ragtime
Tim Shortall, La Cage aux Folles

Best Costume Design of a Play

Martin Pakledinaz, Lend Me a Tenor
Constanza Romero, Fences
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play
Catherine Zuber, The Royal Family

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Marina Draghici, Fela!
Santo Loquasto, Ragtime
Paul Tazewell, Memphis
Matthew Wright, La Cage aux Folles

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, Hamlet
Neil Austin, Red
Mark Henderson, Enron
Brian MacDevitt, Fences

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, American Idiot
Donald Holder, Ragtime
Nick Richings, La Cage aux Folles
Robert Wierzel, Fela!

Best Sound Design of a Play

Acme Sound Partners, Fences
Adam Cork, Enron
Adam Cork, Red
Scott Lehrer A View from the Bridge

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans, La Cage aux Folles
Robert Kaplowitz, Fela!
Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen, A Little Night Music
Dan Moses Schreier, Sondheim on Sondheim

Best Direction of a Play

Michael Grandage, Red
Sheryl Kaller, Next Fall
Kenny Leon, Fences
Gregory Mosher, A View from the Bridge

Best Direction of a Musical

Christopher Ashley, Memphis
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Terry Johnson, La Cage aux Folles
Bill T. Jones, Ragtime

Best Choreography

Rob Ashford, Promises, Promises
Bill T. Jones, Fela!
Lynne Page, La Cage aux Folles
Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away

Best Orchestrations

Jason Carr, La Cage aux Folles
Aaron Johnson, Fela!
Jonathan Tunick, Promises, Promises
Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis