Theatre Lover's Journal for June 2001
The 2001 Tony Awards: Brooks Triumphant
by John Kenrick
The ratings were down but spirits high as the Tony Awards turned into a historic event – the coronation of comedy legend Mel Brooks. The Producers broke Hello Dolly's longstanding 10 award record by picking up a dozen Tonys. Many fine talents were forgotten in the wake of this juggernaught, but who could argue with such a monster hit getting its due?
A few cheers & jeers, followed by the full list of winners & nominees:
–I guess Nathan was still suffering from the exhaustion that kept him out of Producers most of the week before the broadcast. How strange to have him play straight man to the Matthew Broderick – a ploy that didn't work.
–Note to Reba – Your writers messed you up, girl! Mary Martin starred as Annie in the national tour. No one replaced Merman on Broadway – she did the whole run.
–God bless Dame Edna for some desperately needed laughs. And frankly, I wish they would put her in Annie Get Your Gun – that would be the coup of the year!
–Hey, anything beats putting up with Rosie again.
–Some complain Mel was arrogant. Baloney – he was just Mel, and had every reason to celebrate. More power to him!
–The numbers from 42nd Street and A Class Act looked great, but "Along Came Bialy" from Producers didn't quite live up to the hype.
–What a mistake to use a number from Bells Are Ringing that means nothing unless you know the whole plot!
–Anne Bancroft looked fabuolous!
–Was that Liza in the audience, or a very scary look alike?
–Now we know what they nominated Blythe despite her awful performance in Follies – they wanted to stick her in the front row with her daughter. How cynical! (Surprise, surprise.)
–Note to Mary-Louise Parker– Congratulations, but a lot of folks I know would rather have your dazzling Billy Crudup than a truckload of Tonys. Way to go, girl!.
– Loved Sarah Jessica Parker's tribute to A Star Is Born (ie - "Hello, I'm Mrs. Leo Bloom.").
–And finally, anyone who killed a pedestrian while DUI has no business doing drunk jokes. Tsk, tsk, Matthew!
(winners are marked in bold with an asterisk*)
BEST PLAY
King Hedley II
Proof*
The Invention of Love
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
BEST MUSICAL
A Class Act
Jane Eyre
The Full Monty
The Producers*
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Bells Are Ringing
42nd Street*
Follies
The Rocky Horror Show
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY:
Betrayal
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*
The Best Man
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY:
Richard Easton, The Invention of Love*
Sean Campion, Stones in His Pockets
Conleth Hill, Stones in His Pockets
Brian Stokes Mitchell, ing Hedley II
Gary Sinise, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Juliette Binoche, Betrayal
Linda Lavin, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
Mary-Louise Parker, Proof*
Jean Smart, The Man Who Came to Dinner
Leslie Uggams, King Hedley II
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Matthew Broderick, The Producers
Kevin Chamberlin, Seussical
Nathan Lane, The Producers*
Tom Hewitt, The Rocky Horror Show
Patrick Wilson, The Full Monty
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Blythe Danner, Follies
Christine Ebersole, 2nd Street*
Randy Graff, A Class Act
Faith Prince, Bells Are Ringing
Marla Schaffel, Jane Eyre
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Marion McClinton, King Hedley II
Ian McElhinney, Stones in His Pockets
Jack O'Brien, The Invention of Love
Daniel Sullivan, Proof*
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Christopher Ashley, The Rocky Horror Show
Mark Bramble, 42nd Street
Jack O'Brien, The Full Monty
Susan Stroman, The Producers*
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Mel Brooks and Tom Meehan,
The Producers*
John Caird,
Jane Eyre
Terrence McNally,
The Full Monty
Lonny Price and Linda Kline,
A Class Act
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Mel Brooks,
The Producers*
Paul Gordon and John Caird,
Jane Eyre
Ed Kleban,
A Class Act
David Yazbek,
The Full Monty
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Charles Brown,
King Hedley II
Larry Bryggman,
Proof
Michael Hayden,
Judgment at Nuremberg
Robert Sean Leonard,
The Invention of Love*
Ben Shenkman,
Proof
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Viola Davis,
King Hedley II*
Johanna Day,
Proof
Penny Fuller,
The Dinner Party
Marthe Keller,
Judgment at Nuremberg
Michele Lee,
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Roger Bart,
The Producers
Gary Beach,
The Producers*
John Ellison Conlee,
The Full Monty
Andre DeShields,
The Full Monty
Brad Oscar,
The Producers
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A
MUSICAL:
Polly Bergen,
Follies
Kathleen Freeman,
The Full Monty
Cady Huffman,
The Producers*
Kate Levering,
42nd Street
Mary Testa,
42nd Street
BEST SCENIC DESIGN :
Bob Crowley,
The Invention of Love
Heidi Ettinger,
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Douglas W. Schmidt,
42nd Street
Robin Wagner,
The Producers*
BEST COSTUME DESIGN :
Theoni V. Aldredge,
Follies
Roger Kirk,
42nd Street
William Ivey Long,
The Producers*
David C. Woolard,
The Rocky Horror Show
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN :
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer,
Jane Eyre
Paul Gallo,
42nd Street
Peter Kaczorowski,
The Producers*
Kenneth Posner,
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Jerry Mitchell,
The Full Monty
Jim Moore, George Pinney and John Vanderkloff,
Blast!
Randy Skinner,
42nd Street
Susan Stroman,
The Producers*
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS:
Doug Besterman,
The Producers*
Larry Hochman,
A Class Act
Jonathan Tunick,
Follies
Harold Wheeler,
The Full Monty