TDF Stages

By MARK BLANKENSHIP

The Tony Awards will be presented on Sunday, and once again, there’s no separating the awards from Theatre Development Fund. Thanks to its many programs and services for artists and audiences, TDF has a connection to every production that has been nominated for a 2011 Tony. Here’s a complete list of this year’s Tony nominees, as well as a sample of some of the TDF services and programs that impacted them. (In many cases, shows were affected by TDF in multiple ways, but for the sake of brevity, only one service or program is listed per show.)

If you'd like more information on any of the TDF initiatives listed below, just click on the links provided.

 Have a wonderful Tony weekend!

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Nominations for the 2011 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards Best Play

* Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire

TDF Stages was the first magazine to interview David Lindsay-Abaire about his new comedy, which follows a South Boston woman who squirms into the life of a wealthy friend. The play is unique because it debuted directly on Broadway, with no tryout productions in any other theatres.

* Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth

This myth-tinged drama about a local hero (or is it villain?) in a small British town was supported by TDF's subsidy program, which provides financial support to the early weeks of artistically adventurous and meritorious Broadway and Off Broadway productions.

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

A quick-witted comedy-drama about a recovering addict who suspects his girlfriend, a non-recovering addict, of having an affair, this explosive show was reviewed in SEEN, TDF's magazine by and for teenagers.

* War Horse by Nick Stafford

One of the hottest tickets of the year, this British import uses innovative puppetry to tell the story of a young man who follows his beloved pet horse into the nightmare of World War I. Thanks to TDF's Stage Doors program, a workshop series that introduces high schoolers and middle schoolers to theatregoing, many area students were able to see the show.

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Best Musical

* The Book of Mormon

A raucous and wildly popular musical from the warped minds behind South Park and Avenue Q, this satirical-yet-touching look at Mormon missionaries in Africa is expected to sweep this year's Tony Awards. TDF sponsored an open captioned performance that made the show accessible to deaf and hard of hearing audiences.

* Catch Me If You Can

This splashy musical tells the true story of Frank Abignale, Jr., a con-man who passed as an airline pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer when he was barely old enough to vote. (It's also based on the film of the same name.) Thanks to a sign-interpreted performance, deaf audience members enrolled in TDF's Accessibility Programs (TAP) were able to enjoy the show.

* The Scottsboro Boys

* Sister Act

A stage version of the blockbuster 1992 comedy about a lounge singer who has to hide in a nunnery to escape her mobster boyfriend, this musical was offered at a reduced price to TAP members who needed "accessible seating," which can be provided for those with, say, guide dogs or wheelchairs.

-- Best Book of a Musical

* Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Alex Timbers)

Writer-director Alex Timbers had a remarkable year on Broadway, including his work on this rock-and-roll reinvention of Andrew Jackson's presidency. TDF Stages interviewed Timbers about his quirky vision and how it fit on the Rialto.

* 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)

Tickets to this frothy adaptation of the Almodovar film were sold at a discounted rate to all TDF members.

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Best Revival of a Play

* Arcadia

Tom Stoppard's dense, funny play is about several decades in the life of a British estate. Rehearsal costumes were donated by TDF's Costume Collection

* The Importance of Being Earnest

Students in the Residency Arts Project (RAP), an intensive playwriting program for high schoolers, used this revival of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy to guide their own work as budding writers.

* The Merchant of Venice

Students in TDF's Open Doors program attended this revival of Shakespeare's timeless play about greed, intolerance, mercy, and love. Afterward, the discussed the show with a professional theatre mentor.

* The Normal Heart

One of the biggest events of the spring, this star-studded revival invigorated Larry Kramer's play about the dawn of the AIDS era (and AIDS activism) in New York City. Tickets were sold to TDF members.

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Best Revival of a Musical

* Anything Goes The Roundabout's giddy revival of Cole Porter's classic musical burst with old-school charm. Set designer Derek McLane told TDF Stages how he designed his eye-popping sets for the production.

* How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Open Doors students attended this revival of the gently satirical 60s musical about a young man who charms his way to the top of the professional ladder.

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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

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

* Nina Arianda, Born Yesterday

This revival of Garson Kanin's classic comedy received a TDF subsidy grant.

* Frances McDormand, Good People

* Lily Rabe, The Merchant of Venice

* Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy

Members of New Audiences for New York (NANY), TDF's program that brings community groups from all five boroughs to the theatre, saw this revival of Alfred Uhry's beloved play about a Southern white woman's unlikely friendship with her African-American chauffeur.

* Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter

A sumptuous adaptation of the Noel Coward play (and film), this romantic and inventive drama was sold at a discount rate to TDF members.

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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

An event with TDF's Student Arts Council sent young people to this glittery adaptation of the campy-fabulous film about drag queens on the road.

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

* Sutton Foster, Anything Goes

* Beth Leavel, Baby It's You!

A NANY group took in this musical about the legendary girl group The Shirelles (and the woman who helped make them famous.)

* Patina Miller, Sister Act

TDF Stages interviewed Miller about how she crafted her show-stopping performance.

* Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture

TDF members were able to buy discounted tickets to this thoughtful musical about a grandmother who gets pulled into her past as a performer in WWII-era Europe.

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

* Mackenzie Crook, Jerusalem

TDF Stages interviewed Crook about his performance as a slacker with a surprising knack for keeping his wild friend in check.

* Billy Crudup, Arcadia

* John Benjamin Hickey, The Normal Heart

* Arian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Open Doors students saw this lyrical drama about the ghosts and soldiers wandering through the Iraq War.

* Yul Vázquez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat

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

* Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart

* Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves

John Guare's rumination on celebrity is alternately manic and tragic, which makes it feel like a modern play, even though it was written over thirty years ago. TAP will host an open captioned performance later this month.

* Judith Light, Lombardi

Light spoke to TDF Stages about how she created her performance as Marie Lombardi, the wife of the legendary football coach, in this bioplay.

* Joanna Lumley, La Bête

TDF members bought discounted tickets to this smart, hilarious verse drama about temperamental artists in 17th-century France.

* Elizabeth Rodriguez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat

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

* Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys

TDF Stages profiled both Domingo and fellow Tony nominee Forrest McClendon, who revealed how they crafted their performances as the subversive emcees of this politically charged musical.

* 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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