Broadway’s banner year
The Tonys celebrate the best of the best on CBS
Broadway is having a moment. While New York’s beloved theater district has always been popular, it’s been particularly successful this past season, and the city’s performers are ready to celebrate.
Kevin Spacey (“House of Cards”) takes the stage of New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall to host the 71st Annual Tony Awards, airing Sunday, June 11, on CBS. Founded in 1947, the awards recognize outstanding achievement in a number of categories, including acting, writing and choreography, as well as more technical aspects of theater production such as costume and lighting design.
A Tony, Oscar and Golden Globe winner himself, Spacey is a natural choice to host what is considered by many to be the preeminent theater awards ceremony in the world. Still, he had no trouble making light of the gig when it was announced.
“I was their second choice for ‘Usual Suspects,’ fourth choice for ‘American Beauty’ and 15th choice to host this year’s Tony Awards. I think my career is definitely going in the right direction,” Spacey quipped. “Maybe I can get shortlisted to host the Oscars if everyone else turns it down.”
The actor is currently the star and executive producer of the Netflix series “House of Cards.” His role as Frank Underwood has netted him a Golden Globe and back-to-back SAG Awards.
Before landing roles in critically lauded films such as “The Usual Suspects” (1995) and “American Beauty” (1999) — both of which earned him Oscars — Spacey began his career in theater. He gained the attention of critics when he starred in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” in the 1980s, and went on to win a Tony Award for his portrayal of Uncle Louie in “Lost in Yonkers” in 1991. A champion of the theater, Spacey served as the artistic director of the Old Vic in London from 2004 to 2015, and he has also launched a namesake foundation to support young actors, writers, directors and producers.
He takes the helm of the theater community’s biggest night to celebrate the successes of his peers on Broadway. This year’s Tony contenders face some fierce competition with 13 new musicals in contention for awards. Selected by an independent committee of theater professionals, the nominations were announced by actor Chris Jackson (“Bull”) and actress Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock”) in May.
“Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812,” a musical adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” leads the list of nominees with an astounding 12 nominations. Stars Denée Benton (“UnREAL”), who plays Natasha, and Josh Groban (“Life in Pieces”), who plays Pierre, are up for Tonys, which is particularly impressive given the fact that the production marks both performers’ Broadway debuts. The show has also been nominated for the coveted Best Musical award, but it faces stiff competition from the Canadian show “Come From Away,” the teen-centered “Dear Evan Hansen” and the movieinspired musical comedy “Groundhog Day.”
Benton finds herself in good company in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category alongside Bette Midler for “Hello Dolly,” Patti LuPone for “War Paint,” Christine Ebersole for “War Paint” and Eva Noblezada for “Miss Saigon.” Groban’s fellow Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical nominees include Christian Borle for “Falsettos,” Andy Karl for “Groundhog Day,” David Hyde Pierce for “Hello Dolly” and Ben Platt for “Dear Evan Hansen.”
Their non-musical counterparts are equally remarkable. The nominees for Best Play are “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” “Indecent,” “Oslo” and “Sweat.” American Theater Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Kline is up for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his work in “Present Laughter,” an honor shared by Denis Arndt for “Heisenberg,” Chris Cooper for “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” Corey Hawkins for “Six Degrees of Separation” and Jefferson Mays for “Oslo.” Legendary actress Sally Field leads the list of nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her role in “The Glass Menagerie.” Her fellow nominees are Cate Blanchett for “The Present,” Jennifer Ehle for “Oslo,” Laura Linney for “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes” and Laurie Metcalf for “A Doll’s House, Part 2.”
Fans can access the full list of nominees at www.tonyawards.com, but there are a few other notable awards slated to be given out this year. Two-time Tony winner James Earl Jones (“The Great White Hope,” 1970) is set to be honored with this year’s Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater. Widely known for his voice work as Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise and Mufasa from Disney’s “The Lion King,” Jones is highly regarded for his work on stage. The actor made his Broadway debut in 1957, and has starred in such shows as “Fences,” “Driving Miss Daisy” and “The Gin Game.”