2011 Tony Awards

Best Play

Good People: David Lindsay-Abaire

Jerusalem: Jez Butterworth

The Motherf**ker with the Hat: Stephen Adly Guirgis

** War Horse: Nick Stafford **

Best Musical

** The Book of Mormon **

Catch Me If You Can

The Scottsboro Boys

Sister Act

Best Book of a Musical

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Alex Timbers

** The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone **

The Scottsboro Boys David Thompson

Sister Act Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane

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

** The Book of Mormon Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone **

The Scottsboro Boys Music & Lyrics: John Kander & Fred Ebb

Sister Act Music: Alan Menken; Lyrics: Glenn Slater

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

Best Revival of a Play

Arcadia

The Importance of Being Earnest

The Merchant of Venice

** The Normal Heart **

Best Revival of a Musical

** Anything Goes **

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

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

Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest
Bobby Cannavale, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Joe Mantello, The Normal Heart
Al Pacino, The Merchant of Venice
** Mark Rylance, Jerusalem **

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

Nina Arianda, Born Yesterday
** Frances McDormand, Good People **
Lily Rabe, The Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter

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

** Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can **
Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

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

** Sutton Foster, Anything Goes **
Beth Leavel, Baby It's You!
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture

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

Mackenzie Crook, Jerusalem
Billy Crudup, Arcadia
** John Benjamin Hickey, The Normal Heart **
Arian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Yul Vázquez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat

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

** Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart **
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves
Judith Light, Lombardi
Joanna Lumley, La Bête
Elizabeth Rodriguez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat

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

Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Adam Godley, Anything Goes
** John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying **
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
Rory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon

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

Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Tammy Blanchard, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Victoria Clark, Sister Act
** Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon **
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Todd Rosenthal, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
** Rae Smith, War Horse **
Ultz, Jerusalem
Mark Wendland, The Merchant of Venice

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Beowulf Boritt, The Scottsboro Boys
Derek McLane, Anything Goes
** Scott Pask, The Book of Mormon **
Donyale Werle, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jess Goldstein, The Merchant of Venice
** Desmond Heeley, The Importance of Being Earnest **
Mark Thompson, La Bête
Catherine Zuber, Born Yesterday

Best Costume Design of a Musical

** Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, Priscilla Queen of the Desert **
Martin Pakledinaz, Anything Goes
Ann Roth, The Book of Mormon
Catherine Zuber, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Best Lighting Design of a Play

** Paule Constable, War Horse **
David Lander, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Kenneth Posner, The Merchant of Venice
Mimi Jordan Sherin, Jerusalem

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Ken Billington, The Scottsboro Boys
Howell Binkley, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Peter Kaczorowski, Anything Goes
** Brian MacDevitt, The Book of Mormon **

Best Sound Design of a Play

Acme Sound Partners and Cricket S. Myers, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Simon Baker, Brief Encounter
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, Jerusalem
** Christopher Shutt, War Horse ** 

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Catch Me If You Can
Brian Ronan, Anything Goes
** Brian Ronan, The Book of Mormon **

Best Direction of a Play

** Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse **
Joel Grey & George C. Wolfe, The Normal Heart
Anna D. Shapiro, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Daniel Sullivan, The Merchant of Venice

Best Direction of a Musical

Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
** Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon **
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Best Choreography

Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
** Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes **
Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Best Orchestrations

Doug Besterman, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys

** Larry Hochman & Stephen Oremus, The Book of Mormon **
Marc Shaiman & Larry Blank, Catch Me If You Can

-----------------------------------------------------------------


Please Vist Playbill.com & Broadway.com for a complete list of winners from some of Broadway's other leading awards - including The Drama Desk Awards, Critics' Circle Awards, and more . . .

     

La Bete @ Music Box Theatre

What do a classical actor, an idiot “savant,” and a princess all have in common? Well, they all star in David Hirson’s hilarious play La Bête which gives us a behind the curtain look at an acting troupe in France in the year 1654. With rhythmic dialogue, a hilarious cast, and stunning technical elements, La Bête is one play that should not be missed!

La Bête tells the story of a weakening royal acting troupe in France led by master playwright and performer Elomire (played by David Hyde Pierce). Elomire, completely unaware of the troupe’s recent down fall, is about to be thrown for a loop when The Princess (played by Joanna Lumley) orders Valere (played by Mark Rylance), a street performer, to join Elomire’s troupe. The chaos flies as a true battle of the brain ensues, as the professional and the clown go head to head.

La Bête is brought to life on stage by a cast of ten brilliant performers. All work well with together, playing of each other’s spot on comedic timing and high energy. The star and ultimate scene stealer of the show is Mark Rylance (of Broadway’s Boeing–Boeing) and the idiot “savant” street performer. There are not enough words to describe Rylance’s brilliantly hilarious extraordinary performance. An actor’s worst fear, nine times out of ten, is having to memorize long monologues. To call the close to twenty minute uninterrupted monologue that Rylance delivers towards the beginning of the play “long” would be the understatement of the year. For most actors, the task of delivering this epic speech eight nights a week for months would be close to impossible; however, Rylance does it with ease and style. He had the entire audience on his side throughout the entire delivery and never had them bored once. There is no doubt that a Tony nomination will be coming his way this year. It was just an all around brilliant and comedic acting gem. Rylance is the main reason for people to run to the Music Box Theatre and go see La Bête. Working alongside Rylance are two other big stars. David Hyde Pierce (of television’s Frasier and Broadway’s Curtains) delivers a wobbly performance as the high class troupe leader that absolutely despises the presence of Valere. While Pierce has some great moments on stage, his overall performance fell slightly flat. When interacting with others on stage Pierce would come to life and deliver some great one liners and moments of thought; however, during the wonderful monologue delivered by Rylance, Pierce often appeared to lose focus and presence on the stage. This caused the audience to not want to support his character as much towards the end of the play, which is a slight flaw. The other big star is Joanna Lumley (of television’s Sapphire & Steel and Absolutely Fabulous) who plays the theatre loving and spoiled Princess. Lumley gave a ravishing and hilarious performance. She was able to beautifully show both sides of typical royalty, the elegant and the childish. Lumley was even given a toy doll, dressed like herself, to use every time that she began to act childish. This was a really nice touch that brought her character to a higher level which, in return, made the audience fall in love with her. La Bête also has a wonderful supporting cast headed by Stephen Ouimette (of film’s Heater and television’s Slings and Arrows) and Greta Lee (of Broadway’s … Spelling Bee). Ouimette played humped back actor Bejart, and was a marvel to watch on stage. His high energy and focus made the audience want to watch him even when he was not speaking. Lee played Dorine, the housemaid who will only say words that rhyme with the word “do.” Being forced to reduce to pantomime to communicate, Lee did a beautiful job with her physical movements and was hilarious to watch. La Bête’s cast was all around brilliant.

La Bête featured some brilliant work behind the scenes with a brilliant book, a stunning set, great lighting, a wonderful score, lavishing costumes, and simple – yet effective – special effects. The script for La Bête, written by David Hirson, was absolutely wonderful. Not written in standard English, La Bête has beautiful poetry and rhyme too it; however, it does have its moments where it breaks this theme and does something off the wall. These mini moments fit in well with the rest of the script and were and interesting touch to a beautifully written show. With scenic and costume design by Mark Thompson, La Bête really popped off of the pages of the script. The set was simple but beautiful. The floor to ceiling book cases (that opened at the top and close of the show to add a special kick to the show) were stunning to look at and really helped set the tone of the play; all around stunning. The costumes were elegant and really helped show the different personalities of the characters by having the joyful characters (The Princess and Valere) in bright colors while the rest of the cast was in simple black and white. This touch was enhanced even further with the stunning lighting design done by Hugh Vanstone. He chose to keep those same joyful characters and have them followed with consistent bright light. This creative touch really added that special something to the show. Working alongside the set, lighting, and costumes were really simple, yet effective, special effects. The highlight of this came during The Princess’s entrance when what appeared to be a storm of gold glitter attacked the stage. This simple touch really set introduced the character perfectly and was a great addition to the show. La Bête was really aided by the work of Claire Van Kampen whose original score really brought France to life. Used throughout the play at different pivotal times, the score was used perfectly to really help advance the story. La Bête’s technical crew did a wonderful job of bringing 1600s France to life.

La Bête is a must see show that is great for not only adults but college students as well. With tons of crude jokes and slapstick comedy, everyone is sure to love La Bête. Make sure to get to the Music Box Theatre on Broadway before La Bête ends its limited run on January 9, 2010. Run – do not walk – to go see La Bête!

Review By: James Russo & Ryan Oliveti