K. Todd Freeman was awarded Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for Airline Highway, in which he plays Sissy Nana, a den mother of sorts to a group of ragtag characters of the Hummingbird Hotel; his performance was described as having “vibrant comic panache” by the New York Times (and he’s also nominated for his second Tony Award this year for the same role; his first nomination was for The Song Jacob Zulu).

Next, Renee Elise Goldsberry won Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for Hamilton.  Portraying the role of Angelica, Alexander Hamilton’s intellectual soulmate, and the eldest of the three Schuyler sisters.  New York Daily News says the musical “could’ve been another ho-hum bio, but like the illegitimate orphan-turned-power player it celebrates, the robustly original, infectiously entertaining new musical “Hamilton” beats the odds and far exceeds expectations.”

Finally, John Douglas Thompson was recognized with a special award which recognizes excellence and significant contributions to the theatre.  This season, Thompson was in Tamburlaine the Great and The Iceman Cometh, and was noted for “his commanding presence, classical expertise, and vocal prowess,” according to the Drama Desk Awards.  The New York Times calls Thompson “one of the most compelling classical stage actors of his generation.”

A huge congrats to all the nominees and winners including costume designer Paul Tazewell for Hamilton, whose remarkable roles run the gamut of dramatic expression, and whose work is being recognized by peers and critics alike. Read the entire list of winners below.

The post 2015 Drama Desk Award Winner Standouts appeared first on Broadway Black.

K. Todd Freeman is nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role as Sissy Na Na in Airline Highway. His bio includes:

Steppenwolf Company member since 1993. At Steppenwolf: The Brother/Sister Plays, The Tempest, Topdog/Underdog, A Clockwork Orange, …Cuckoo’s Nest (Broadway), The Song of Jacob Zulu (Broadway, Tony nomination). Other Broadway: Wicked. Off-Broadway: Fetch Clay/Make Man (NYTW, Obie Award); Spunk, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide… (Public Theater); Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Drama Dept.). Regional: Angels in America, Miss Evers’ Boys (Mark Taper Forum). Television and film: “Elementary,” “The Slap,” “Believe,” “A Gifted Man,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “NYPD Blue,” “A Different World,” Anesthesia (dir. Tim Blake Nelson), The Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules and Grosse Pointe Blank.

ON THE LIST HOST FELICIA BOSWELL:

 HELEN HAYES WINNER (Outstanding Lead Actress 2013); Broadway: MOTOWN (Diana Ross), MEMPHIS (Felicia u/s) Nat’l Tour: MEMPHIS (Felicia Farrell), Dreamgirls (Deena/ Lorell), AIDA (Aida Standby) Regional: RENT (Mimi) Atlanta Lyric Theatre*, Caroline Or Change (Radio) Guthrie Theatre, AIDA (Aida) VMT, BEEHIVE (Diana Ross) Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Boys From Syracuse (Courtesan) Baltimore Centerstage, Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon) Atlanta Lyric Theatre, Starlight Jazz (Japan). Other Credits: MACY’S Day Parade 2013 (Diana Ross), Knockin’ the Musical (Wynona Carr), Heart & Lights, Joe Turner’s Come & Gone (Molly Cunningham); *Suzi Bass Nominee; Performance dedicated to parents, my Love, WFW III! Visit Official Fan Page for Felicia Boswell on Facebook. www.FeliciaBoswell.com

The post [WATCH] ON THE LIST With Felicia Boswell Featuring K. Todd Freeman appeared first on Broadway Black.

The diversity in award nominees are very thin this year but the experience and excitement is still there for all nominees. We salute and congratulate all nominees and special award recipients for the potential to receive the highest honor in American theatre is an amazing feat.

CONGRATULATIONS TO K. TODD FREEMAN FOR HIS NOMINATION FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY FOR HIS ROLE IN AIRLINE HIGHWAY!

CONGRATS TO KAREN PITTMAN AND THE ENTIRE CAST & CREW OF DISGRACED FOR THEIR NOMINATION FOR BEST PLAY!

CONGRATS TO JAMES EARL JONES AND THE ENTIRE CAST OF YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU FOR THEIR NOMINATION FOR BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

CONGRATS TO JOCELYN BIOH AND THE ENTIRE CAST & CREW OF THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT TIME FOR THEIR 6 NOMINATIONS INCLUDING BEST PLAY

CONGRATS TO THE MICHAEL JAMES SCOTT AND THE ENTIRE CAST & CREW OF SOMETHING ROTTEN FOR THEIR 10 NOMINATIONS

CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE NOMINATION LIST BELOW!

Tony Award Winners Kristin Chenoweth & Alan Cumming to Host 69th Annual Tony Awards LIVE on CBS, Sunday, June 7th from Radio City Music Hall

As previously announced, the 2015 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will be presented to Tommy Tune and the Isabelle Stevenson Award will be presented to Stephen Schwartz.  The 2015 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to Scenic Artist Arnold Abramson; press agent Adrian Bryan-Brown; and theatre technician Gene O’Donovan.  This year the Tony Award Administration Committee will present a Special Tony Award to John Cameron Mitchell.

Each year, the Tony Awards Administration Committee presents a Tony Award to a regional theatre on the recommendation of the American Theatre Critics Association. The 2015 Regional Theatre Award will be presented to Cleveland Play House.

The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.

Nominations for the 2015 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards®
Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing

Best Play

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Disgraced

Hand to God

Wolf Hall Parts One & Two

Best Musical

An American in Paris

Fun Home

Something Rotten!

The Visit

Best Revival of a Play

The Elephant Man

Skylight 

This Is Our Youth

You Can’t Take It with You

Best Revival of a Musical

The King and I

On the Town

On the Twentieth Century

Best Book of a Musical

An American in Paris

Craig Lucas

Fun Home

Lisa Kron

Something Rotten!

Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell

The Visit

Terrence McNally

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Fun Home

Music: Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics: Lisa Kron

The Last Ship

Music & Lyrics: Sting

Something Rotten!

Music & Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick

The Visit

Music: John Kander
Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Steven Boyer, Hand to God
Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
Ben Miles, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Bill Nighy, Skylight
Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Geneva Carr, Hand to God
Helen Mirren, The Audience
Elisabeth Moss, The Heidi Chronicles
Carey Mulligan, Skylight
Ruth Wilson, Constellations

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Michael Cerveris, Fun Home
Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Brian d’Arcy James, Something Rotten!
Ken Watanabe, The King and I
Tony Yazbeck, On the Town

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris
Beth Malone, Fun Home
Kelli O’Hara, The King and I
Chita Rivera, The Visit

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Matthew Beard, Skylight
K. Todd Freeman, Airline Highway
Richard McCabe, The Audience
Alessandro Nivola, The Elephant Man
Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Micah Stock, It’s Only a Play

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Annaleigh Ashford, You Can’t Take It with You
Patricia Clarkson, The Elephant Man
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Sarah Stiles, Hand to God
Julie White, Airline Highway

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Brad Oscar, Something Rotten!
Brandon Uranowitz, An American in Paris
Max von Essen, An American in Paris

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Victoria Clark, Gigi
Judy Kuhn, Fun Home
Sydney Lucas, Fun Home
Ruthie Ann Miles, The King and I
Emily Skeggs, Fun Home

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Bunny Christie and Finn Ross, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Bob Crowley, Skylight
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
David Rockwell, You Can’t Take It with You

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Bob Crowley and 59 Productions, An American in Paris
David Rockwell, On the Twentieth Century
Michael Yeargan, The King and I
David Zinn, Fun Home

Best Costume Design of a Play

Bob Crowley, The Audience
Jane Greenwood, You Can’t Take It with You
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
David Zinn, Airline Highway

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Something Rotten!
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
William Ivey Long, On the Twentieth Century
Catherine Zuber, The King and I

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Paule Constable and David Plater, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Natasha Katz, Skylight
Japhy Weideman, Airline Highway

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Donald Holder, The King and I
Natasha Katz, An American in Paris
Ben Stanton, Fun Home
Japhy Weideman, The Visit

Best Direction of a Play

Stephen Daldry, Skylight
Marianne Elliott, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Scott Ellis, You Can’t Take It with You
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Hand to God

Best Direction of a Musical

Sam Gold, Fun Home
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
John Rando, On the Town
Bartlett Sher, The King and I
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Best Choreography

Joshua Bergasse, On the Town
Christopher Gattelli, The King and I
Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Best Orchestrations

Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, Bill Elliott, An American in Paris
John Clancy, Fun Home
Larry Hochman, Something Rotten!
Rob Mathes, The Last Ship

* * *

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

Tommy Tune

Special Tony Award

John Cameron Mitchell

Regional Theatre Tony Award

Cleveland Play House, Cleveland, Ohio

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

Stephen Schwartz

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre

Arnold Abramson

Adrian Bryan-Brown

Gene O’Donovan

* * *

Tony Nominations by Production

An American in Paris – 12

Fun Home – 12

Something Rotten! – 10

The King and I – 9

Wolf Hall Parts One & Two – 8

Skylight – 7

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – 6

Hand to God – 5

On the Twentieth Century – 5

The Visit – 5

You Can’t Take It with You – 5

Airline Highway – 4

The Elephant Man – 4

On the Town – 4

The Audience – 3

The Last Ship – 2

Constellations – 1

Disgraced – 1

Gigi – 1

The Heidi Chronicles – 1

It’s Only a Play – 1

This Is Our Youth – 1

The post The 2015 Tony Award Nominations Announced appeared first on Broadway Black.

Below you’ll find the 2015 Drama Desk Awards nomination list in its entirety. On it you’ll find some of Broadway Black favorites including Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton), Tonya Pinkins (Rasheeda Speaking), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Between Riverside And Crazy), K. Todd Freeman (Airline Highway), and Renne Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton). One of our and (what seems like) the entire world’s favorite production, Hamilton, is leading the pack with 13 nominations. The Ceremony will take place on May 31 at New York’s Town Hall.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE DRAMA DESK AWARD NOMINEES OF 2015!

The Drama Desk Awards, which are presented annually, honor outstanding achievement by professional theater artists on Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway. The awards are voted on by theater critics, journalists, editors, and publishers covering theater.

Outstanding Play
Clare Barron, You Got Older
Lisa D’Amour, Airline Highway
Anthony Giardina, The City of Conversation
Stephen Adly Guirgis, Between Riverside and Crazy
Elizabeth Irwin, My Manãna Comes
Simon Stephens, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Jack Thorne, Let the Right One In

Outstanding Musical
An American in Paris
Hamilton
Fly by Night
Pretty Filthy
Something Rotten!
The Visit

Outstanding Revival of a Play
The Elephant Man
Fashions for Men
Ghosts
The Iceman Cometh
Tamburlaine the Great
The Wayside Motor Inn

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Into the Woods
The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
Pageant
Side Show

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard
Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy
Ben Miles, Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
Bill Pullman, Sticks and Bones
Alexander Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Brooke Bloom, You Got Older
Kathleen Chalfant, A Walk in the Woods
Kristin Griffith, The Fatal Weakness
Jan Maxwell, The City of Conversation
Helen Mirren, The Audience
Carey Mulligan, Skylight
Tonya Pinkins, Rasheeda Speaking

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Brian d’Arcy James, Something Rotten!
Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Jeremy Kushnier, Atomic
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Matthew Morrison, Finding Neverland
Ryan Silverman, Side Show

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, John & Jen
Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris
Erin Davie, Side Show
Lisa Howard, It Shoulda Been You
Chita Rivera, The Visit

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
F. Murray Abraham, It’s Only a Play
Reed Birney, You Got Older
K. Todd Freeman, Airline Highway
Jonathan Hadary, Rocket to the Moon
Jason Butler Harner, The Village Bike
Jonathan Hogan, Pocatello
José Joaquin Perez, My Mañana Comes

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford, You Can’t Take It With You
Beth Dixon, The City of Conversation
Julie Halston, You Can’t Take It With You
Paola Lázaro-Muñoz, To the Bone
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
Julie White, Airline Highway

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Peter Friedman, Fly by Night
Josh Grisetti, It Shoulda Been You
Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton
Brad Oscar, Something Rotten!
Max von Essen, An American in Paris

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Carolee Carmello, Finding Neverland
Tyne Daly, It Shoulda Been You
Elizabeth A. Davis, Allegro
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Luba Mason, Pretty Filthy
Nancy Opel, Honeymoon in Vegas
Elizabeth Stanley, On the Town

Outstanding Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
Anne Kauffman, You Got Older
Lila Neugebauer, The Wayside Motor Inn
Austin Pendleton, Between Riverside and Crazy
Joe Tantalo, Deliverance
John Tiffany, Let the Right One In

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Carolyn Cantor, Fly by Night
Bill Condon, Side Show
John Doyle, The Visit
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Outstanding Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, On the Town
Warren Carlyle, On the Twentieth Century
Steven Hoggett, The Last Ship
Austin McCormick, Rococo Rouge
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Outstanding Music
Jason Robert Brown, Honeymoon in Vegas
Michael Friedman, The Fortress of Solitude
John Kander, The Visit
Dave Malloy, Ghost Quartet
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Sting, The Last Ship

Outstanding Lyrics
Jason Robert Brown, Honeymoon in Vegas
Fred Ebb, The Visit
Michael Friedman, The Fortress of Solitude
Karey Kirkpatrick & Wayne Kirkpatrick, Something Rotten!
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Benjamin Scheuer, The Lion

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Hunter Bell & Lee Overtree, Found
Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell, Something Rotten!
Craig Lucas, An American in Paris
Terence McNally, The Visit
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly, & Michael Mitnick, Fly by Night

Outstanding Orchestrations
Christopher Austin, An American in Paris
Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Allegro
Larry Hochman, Something Rotten!
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Rob Mathes, The Last Ship
Don Sebesky, Larry Blank, Jason Robert Brown, & Charlie Rosen, Honeymoon in Vegas

Outstanding Music in a Play
Cesar Alvarez, An Octoroon
Danny Blackburn & Bryce Hodgson, Deliverance
Sean Cronin, Kill Me Like You Mean It
Bongi Duma, Generations
Freddi Price, The Pigeoning
Arthur Solari & Jane Shaw, Tamburlaine the Great

Outstanding Revue
Forbidden Broadway Comes Out Swinging!
Just Jim Dale
Lennon: Through a Glass Onion
Lonesome Traveler

Outstanding Set Design
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
Christine Jones, Let the Right One In
David Korins, Hamilton
Mimi Lien, An Octoroon
Scott Pask, The Visit
Daniel Zimmerman, Fashions for Men

Outstanding Costume Design
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
Bob Crowley, The Audience
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Andrea Varga, The Fatal Weakness
Catherine Zuber, Gigi

Outstanding Lighting Design
Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Paule Constable & David Plater, Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two
Maruti Evans, Deliverance
Natasha Katz, The Iceman Cometh
Ben Stanton, Our Lady of Kibeho

Outstanding Projection Design
59 Productions, An American in Paris
Roger Hanna & Price Johnston, Donogoo
Darrel Maloney, Found
Peter Nigrini, Our Lady of Kibeho
Finn Ross, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Austin Switser, Big Love

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Side Show
Scott Lehrer, The King and I
Scott Lehrer & Drew Levy, Honeymoon in Vegas
Brian Ronan, The Last Ship
Nevin Steinberg, Hamilton
Jon Weston, An American in Paris

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Nathan Davis, The Other Mozart
Ien Denio, Deliverance
Ian Dickinson (for Autograph), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Gareth Fry, Let the Right One In
John Gromada, Lives of the Saints
Matt Tierney, Our Lady of Kibeho

Outstanding Solo Performance
Christina Bianco, Application Pending
Jonny Donahoe, Every Brilliant Thing
Tom Dugan, Wiesenthal
Mona Golabek, The Pianist of Willesden Lane
Joely Richardson, The Belle of Amherst
Benjamin Scheuer, The Lion

Unique Theatrical Experience
Catch Me!
Everybody Gets Cake
The Human Symphony
Queen of the Night
A Rap Guide to Religion

Special Awards: Each year, the Drama Desk votes special awards to recognize excellence and significant contributions to the theater.

For 2014-15, these awards include the following:

This year the nominators chose to bestow a special award for outstanding ensemble to the actors who so brilliantly shared a room in the world of A.R. Gurney’s The Wayside Motor Inn: Kelly AuCoin, Jon DeVries, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Rebecca Henderson, Marc Kudisch, Jenn Lyon, Lizbeth Mackay, David McElwee, Ismenia Mendes, and Will Pullen.

To Bess Wohl, the Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award: For establishing herself as an important voice in New York theater, and having a breakthrough year with the eclecticAmerican Hero, Pretty Filthy, and Small Mouth Sounds. Her writing expresses sensitivity, compassion, and humor with a sure hand.

To John Douglas Thompson: For invigorating theater in New York through his commanding presence, classical expertise, and vocal prowess. This season he demonstrated exceptional versatility in Tamburlaine the Great and The Iceman Cometh.

To Ensemble Studio Theatre: For its unwavering commitment to producing new works by American playwrights since 1968, and enriching this season with productions ofWhen January Feels Like Summer, Winners, and Five Times in One Night. EST’s Youngblood program fostered and nurtured Hand to God, setting Tyrone off on his devilish path to Broadway.

To Andy Blankenbuehler: For his inspired and heart-stopping choreography in Hamilton, which is indispensible to the musical’s storytelling. His body of work is versatile, yet a dynamic and fluid style is consistently evident. When it’s time to “take his shot,” Blankenbuehler hits the bull’s-eye.

Note: Eligibility and award category designations for the productions under consideration this season were determined by the Drama Desk Board of Directors. Because of the abundance of work throughout the season, the Board also authorized increasing the number of nominees allowed in select categories.

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