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Shows nominated for the 51st Annual Tony Awards

Tony

Musicals


"Annie"

The story of Little Orphan Annie's association with rich patron Daddy Warbucks marks its 20th anniversary with this season's revival. The current production of this usually sweet family musical has been unusually fraught with controversy, since its decision to take the role of Annie away from Joanna Pacitti after the show's road tour, and give it to Brittny Kissinger. Despite the public fallout from the producers' decision, this play garnered a Tony nomination for Best Revival.

"Candide"

A revival of the light-hearted satire which traces "the marvelous adventures and tribulations of that legendary Westphalian hero, Candide. Music was written by Leonard Bernstein; lyrics were co-written by Stephen Sondheim, Richard Wilbur and John Latouche.

"Chicago"

This revival of the 1975 vaudeville musical about celebrity murderers Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, like its predecessor, garnered multiple Tony nominations. In 1976, the original production got 11 nominations -- but didn't win. This year it was nominated for eight different awards. Lead actress Bebe Neuwirth (known for her role on TV's "Cheers") is surely hoping that, this time, the show will at least win in the Best Actress category.

"Dream"

This musical is based on the songs of lyricist Johnny Mercer, a Savannah, Georgia, native who wrote from the 1920s into the 1960s, bringing us such memorable works as "Moon River."

"Jekyll & Hyde"

The epic battle between good and evil is set in motion when the brilliant Dr. Jekyll's medical experiment backfires, giving life to Edward Hyde, his evil alter ego. This new musical is based on the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story.

"Juan Darien, a Carnival Mass"

This musical set in the South American jungle uses music, puppetry, masks and dance to tell the story of a young jaguar transformed into a human through the power of a woman's love.

"Once Upon a Mattress"

Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Princess and the Pea," in which a strict queen insists that her son may only marry a true princess -- one delicate enough to feel a pea beneath her mound of mattresses as she sleeps.

"Play On!"

This play moves Shakespeare's gender-bending comedy "Twelfth Night" to 1940s Harlem, with a score of swingin' Duke Ellington tunes. If you're familiar with the original play, the lead actress's character in this case, an aspiring songwriter, seeks to get started in the music business, and her uncle decides the best way to get her tunes to the top is to disguise her as man.

"Steel Pier"

A woman finds romance during a marathon-dancing contest at the legendary Steel Pier. Set in 1930s Atlantic City, Steel Pier was at the time the resort's grandest site. This is only the latest musical in a series of acclaimed productions from John Kander and Fred Ebb, who did "Cabaret," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Chicago."

"The Life"

Set in the 1980s, presumably before AIDS became a major issue, this musical deals with the gritty world of hookers, hustlers and pimps. It was named Best Broadway Musical of 1997 by the Outer Critics Circle on May 5, the same day that it got 12 Tony nominations.

"Titanic"

This musical traces the ill-fated luxury liner Titanic from its heralded launch to its "impossible" sinking in the North Atlantic during its 1912 maiden voyage. The production was able to clear up some technical problems (most notably a ship that wouldn't sink) before it opened.


M a i n /  B a c k g r o u n d /  N o m i n e e s /  A c t o r s /  P l a y s /  M u s i c a l s
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