Broadway Buzz: And The Nominations Are...

Yesterday’s Tony® Award Nominations officially kick-off the red carpet season, and Broadway is sure to be buzzing right up until June 12. Two of Broadway’s most recognizable faces, Matthew Broderick (The Odd Couple, The Producers) and Anika Noni Rose (Footloose, Caroline, Or Change), announced the nominees for the 65th Annual Tony Awards from the New York Public Library early yesterday morning. 

The Book of Mormon led the way with 14 nominations, including Best Musical, Best Direction and Best Original Score. The musical created by Matt Parker and Trey Stone (TV’s “South Park”) and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q) tells a story of two young Mormon men sent on their mission to Africa. It’s certainly raised more than one eyebrow on the Great White Way, but it has also captured a host of great reviews and continues to draw standing room only audiences, despite its unlikely subject for a Broadway musical.
 
The other nominees for Best Musical include Catch Me If You Can, The Scottsboro Boys and Sister Act, which were all nominated for multiple awards. Leading up to Broadway’s biggest night, you can find an in-depth look at each of these shows on the Broadway Buzz. Stay tuned!

Of course, Wisconsin’s eyes are on Lombardi, the only new fall play on Broadway to continue its run into the spring. It faced stiff competition among plays like War Horse, The Motherf**cker with the Hat, Jerusalem andGood People, but Judith Light received a well-deserved nomination for her portrayal of a charismatic and complicated Mrs. Lombardi. It’s her first Tony nod, and her first reaction, captured by Broadwayworld.com, was to say she’s “beyond fabulous, just so excited and thrilled and still in shock!” 

Want to see the nominations for yourself? Visit TonyAwards.com for video of the event and a full list of this year’s nominees!