"In The Heights," "Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific," "Sunday in the Park with George," "August:  Osage County," "Gypsy," "Passing Strange" "Boeing-Boeing," "Macbeth" and "The 39 Steps" Are Among Multiple Nominees

"THE  62ND ANNUAL TONY AWARDS®" To Be Broadcast In A Three-Hour Ceremony Live From Radio City Music Hall, Sunday, June 15 On The CBS Television Network  

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for THE 62ND ANNUAL TONY AWARDS® were announced today at a news conference held at The New York Public Library for Performing Arts.   The event was broadcast live on CBS's "The Early Show," with anchor Harry Smith serving as the Master of Ceremonies. The announcements were made by Tony Award winners Sara Ramirez and David Hyde Pierce. 

THE 62ND ANNUAL TONY AWARDSÒ will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall, Sunday, June 15 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.  The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 23 theater professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee.  The 2008 Tony Awards are presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing.

Among the multiple nominees which received Tony Award nominations are:  "In The Heights" (13), "Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific," (11), "Sunday in the Park with George," (9), "August:  Osage County," "Gypsy," (7), "Passing Strange," (7) "Boeing-Boeing," (6) "Macbeth," (6) and "The 39 Steps" (6).

It was also announced that the 2008 Regional Theatre Tony Award will be given to Chicago Shakespeare Theater.  This award is given to a regional theater company that has displayed a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theater nationally.

Legitimate theatrical productions opening in any of the 34 eligible Broadway theatres during the current season may be considered for Tony nominations.  The 2007/2008 eligibility season began May 10, 2007 and ended May 7, 2008.  The Tony Awards will be voted in 26 competitive categories by 795 members of the theatrical community.  Ballots will be mailed at the end of this week.

The nominees are:

BEST PLAY (Award to Author, Award to Producer)

AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY                      

Author: Tracy Letts

Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler, Jerry Frankel, Ostar Productions, Jennifer Manocherian, The Weinstein Company, Debra Black/Daryl Roth, Ronald & Marc Frankel/Barbara Freitag, Rick Steiner/Staton Bell Group, The Steppenwolf Theatre Company

ROCK 'N' ROLL                                           

Author: Tom Stoppard

Producers: Bob Boyett & Sonia Friedman Productions, Ostar Productions, Roger Berlind, Tulchin/Bartner, Douglas G. Smith, Dancap Productions, Jam Theatricals, The Weinstein Company, Lincoln Center Theater, The Royal Court Theatre London

THE SEAFARER                                            Author: Conor McPherson

Producers: Ostar Productions, Bob Boyett, Roy Furman, Lawrence Horowitz, Jam Theatricals, Bill Rollnick/Nancy Ellison Rollnick, James D'Orta, Thomas S. Murphy, Ralph Guild/Jon Avnet, Philip Geier/Keough Partners, Eric Falkenstein/Max OnStage, The National Theatre of Great Britain

THE 39 STEPS                                                Author: Patrick Barlow

Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Bob Boyett, Harriet Newman Leve/Ron Nicynski, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley, Manocherian Golden Prods., Olympus Theatricals/Douglas Denoff, Marek J. Cantor/Pat Addiss, Huntington Theatre Company/Nicholas Martin/Michael Maso, Edward Snape for Fiery Angel Ltd.

BEST MUSICAL (Award to Producer)

CRY-BABY                                                    Producer: Adam Epstein, Allan S. Gordon, Élan V. McAllister, Brian Grazer, James P. MacGilvray, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Anne Caruso, Adam S. Gordon, Latitude Link, The Pelican Group, Philip Morgaman, Andrew Farber/Richard Mishaan

IN THE HEIGHTS                                          Producers:  Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, Jill Furman, Sander Jacobs, Goodman/Grossman, Peter Fine, Everett/Skipper

PASSING STRANGE                                     Producers:  The Shubert Organization, Elizabeth Ireland McCann LLC, Bill Kenwright, Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, Broadway Across America, Emily Fisher Landau, Peter May, Boyett Ostar, Larry Hirschhorn, Janet Pailet/Steve Klein, Elie Hirschfeld/Jed Bernstein, Spring Sirkin/Ruth Hendel, Vasi Laurence/Pat Flicker Addiss, Wendy Federman/Jackie Barlia Florin, Joey Parnes, The Public Theater, The Berkeley Repertory Theatre

XANADU                                                       Producers:  Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Tara Smith/B. Swibel, Sarah Murchison/Dale Smith

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

CRY-BABY                                                    Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan

IN THE HEIGHTS                                          Quiara Alegría Hudes

PASSING STRANGE                         Stew

XANADU                                                       Douglas Carter Beane

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE

CRY-BABY                                                    Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger

IN THE HEIGHTS                                          Music & Lyrics:  Lin-Manuel Miranda

THE LITTLE MERMAID                                Music:  Alan Menken

Lyrics:  Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater

PASSING STRANGE                         Music:  Stew and Heidi Rodewald

Lyrics:  Stew

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

BOEING-BOEING                                         Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Bob Boyett, Act Productions, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert G. Bartner, The Weinstein Company, Susan Gallin/Mary Lu Roffe, Broadway Across America, Tulchin/Jenkins/DSM, The Araca Group

THE HOMECOMING                                    Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jam Theatricals, Ergo Entertainment, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, Michael Gardner, Herbert Goldsmith Productions, Terry E. Schnuck, Harold Thau, Michael Filerman/Lynne Peyser, Ronald Frankel/David Jaroslawicz, Love Bunny Entertainment

LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES                  Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy

MACBETH                                                     Producers: Duncan C. Weldon & Paul Elliott, Jeffrey Archer, Bill Ballard, Terri & Timothy Childs, Rodger Hess, David Mirvish, Adriana Mnuchin, Emanuel Azenberg, BAM, The Chichester Festival Theatre

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

GREASE                                                         Producers: Paul Nicholas and David Ian, Nederlander Presentations Inc., Terry Allen Kramer, Robert Stigwood

GYPSY                                                           Producers: Roger Berlind, The Routh-Frankel-Baruch-Viertel Group, Roy Furman, Debra Black, Ted Hartley, Roger Horchow, David Ian, Scott Rudin, Jack Viertel

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC                                           Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Bob Boyett

SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE                                              Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Bob Boyett, Debra Black, Jam Theatricals, Stephanie P. McClelland, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley, Barbara Manocherian/Jennifer Manocherian, Ostar Productions, The Menier Chocolate Factory/David Babani

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Ben Daniels                                                      LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

Laurence Fishburne                                          THURGOOD

Mark Rylance                                                   BOEING-BOEING

Rufus Sewell                                                     ROCK 'N' ROLL

Patrick Stewart                                     MACBETH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Eve Best                                                           THE HOMECOMING

Deanna Dunagan                                              AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY

Kate Fleetwood                                               MACBETH

S. Epatha Merkerson                                        COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA

Amy Morton                                                    AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Daniel Evans                                                     SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

Lin-Manuel Miranda                                         IN THE HEIGHTS

Stew                                                                PASSING STRANGE

Paulo Szot                                                        RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

Tom Wopat                                                      A CATERED AFFAIR

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Kerry Butler                                                     XANADU

Patti LuPone                                                     GYPSY

Kelli O'Hara                                                     RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

Faith Prince                                                      A CATERED AFFAIR

Jenna Russell                                                    SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Bobby Cannavale                                             MAURITIUS

Raúl Esparza                                                    THE HOMECOMING

Conleth Hill                                                      THE SEAFARER

Jim Norton                                                       THE SEAFARER

David Pittu                                                       IS HE DEAD?

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Sinead Cusack                                                 ROCK 'N' ROLL

Mary McCormack                                           BOEING-BOEING

Laurie Metcalf                                                  NOVEMBER

Martha Plimpton                                               TOP GIRLS

Rondi Reed                                                      AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Daniel Breaker                                     PASSING STRANGE

Danny Burstein                                     RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

Robin De Jesús                                     IN THE HEIGHTS

Christopher Fitzgerald                           THE NEW MEL BROOKS MUSICAL

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Boyd Gaines                                                     GYPSY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

de'Adre Aziza                                                   PASSING STRANGE

Laura Benanti                                                   GYPSY

Andrea Martin                                                  THE NEW MEL BROOKS MUSICAL

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Olga Merediz                                                   IN THE HEIGHTS

Loretta Ables Sayre                                          RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Peter McKintosh                                              THE 39 STEPS

Scott Pask                                                        LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

Todd Rosenthal                                                AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY

Anthony Ward                                                  MACBETH

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

David Farley and Timothy Bird                         SUNDAY IN THE PARK

& The Knifedge Creative Network                   WITH GEORGE

Anna Louizos                                                   IN THE HEIGHTS

Robin Wagner                                                  THE NEW MEL BROOKS MUSICAL

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Michael Yeargan                                              RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Gregory Gale                                                    CYRANO DE BERGERAC

Rob Howell                                                      BOEING-BOEING

Katrina Lindsay                                                LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

Peter McKintosh                                              THE 39 STEPS

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

David Farley                                                     SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE

Martin Pakledinaz                                             GYPSY

Paul Tazewell                                                   IN THE HEIGHTS

Catherine Zuber                                                RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Kevin Adams                                                   THE 39 STEPS

Howard Harrison                                              MACBETH

Donald Holder                                                  LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

Ann G. Wrightson                                             AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Ken Billington                                                   SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE

Howell Binkley                                     IN THE HEIGHTS

Donald Holder                                                  RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

Natasha Katz                                                   THE LITTLE MERMAID

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Simon Baker                                                    BOEING-BOEING

Adam Cork                                                      MACBETH

Ian Dickson                                                      ROCK 'N' ROLL

Mic Pool                                                          THE 39 STEPS

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Acme Sound Partners                                       IN THE HEIGHTS

Sebastian Frost                                     SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE

Scott Lehrer                                                     RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

Dan Moses Schreier                                         GYPSY

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Maria Aitken                                                    THE 39 STEPS

Conor McPherson                                            THE SEAFARER

Anna D. Shapiro                                               AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY

Matthew Warchus                                            BOEING-BOEING

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Sam Buntrock                                                  SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE

Thomas Kail                                                     IN THE HEIGHTS

Arthur Laurents                                                GYPSY

Bartlett Sher                                                     RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Rob Ashford                                                    CRY-BABY

Andy Blankenbuehler                                        IN THE HEIGHTS

Christopher Gattelli                                           RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S

SOUTH PACIFIC

Dan Knechtges                                     XANADU

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS

Jason Carr                                                        SUNDAY IN THE PARK

WITH GEORGE

Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman                        IN THE HEIGHTS

Stew & Heidi Rodewald                                   PASSING STRANGE

Jonathan Tunick                                                A CATERED AFFAIR

REGIONAL THEATRE TONY AWARD

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

SPECIAL TONY AWARD

Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981), in recognition of his historic contribution to American musical theatre in the field of orchestrations, as represented on Broadway this season by RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S SOUTH PACIFIC.

SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE

Stephen Sondheim

The Tonys were founded in memorial to Antoinette ("Tony") Perry, the American Theatre Wing's World War II chairperson.  The winners are selected by the governing board of Actors Equity, The Dramatists Guild, the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, the United Scenic Artists, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers, the Casting Society of America, the American Theatre Wing and members of the League of American Theatres and Producers, as well as journalists.

THE 62nd ANNUAL TONY AWARDSÒ are a presentation of Tony Award Productions, which is a joint venture of the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing.  Emmy Award winners Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producers.  Weiss will also serve as director.  Elizabeth Ireland McCann returns as managing producer and Joey Parnes will serve as coordinating producer for Tony Award Productions.

RATING:  To Be Announced

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