2005 TONY AWARD® NOMINATIONS

New York, NY (May 10, 2005) - Nominations in 25 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 59th Annual Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards® were announced today by Alan Cumming, Lynn Redgrave, Kate Burton and Brian Stokes Mitchell at the Tony Awards Nominations Announcement Reception sponsored by IBM. The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 23 theatre professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. The 2005 Tony Awards are presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing. (The list of nominations follows.)

Hugh Jackman will host The Tony Awards which will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on CBS, Sunday, June 5th, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT time delay).

Legitimate theatrical productions opening in any of the 40 eligible Broadway theatres during the current season are considered for Tony nominations. The 2004/2005 eligibility season began May 6, 2004 and ended May 5, 2005. The Tony Awards will be voted in 25 categories by 758 members of the theatrical community. Ballots will be mailed at the end of this week. This year, The Tony Awards have added the following categories to the Nominations: Best Scenic Design of a Play, Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Best Costume Design of a Play, Best Costume Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Play and Best Lighting Design of a Musical.

Based on a recommendation by the American Theatre Critics Association, the Theatre de la Jeune Lune of Minneapolis, MN will be the recipient of the 2005 Regional Theatre Tony Award accompanied by a grant of $25,000 sponsored by Visa USA. This award is given to a regional theatre company that has displayed a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theatre nationally.

A Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will be given to Edward Albee.

The 2005 Tony Award Nominating Committee consists of: Victoria Bailey, Ira Bernstein, Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Bogardus, Edward Burbridge, Ben Cameron, Schuyler G. Chapin, Kirsten Childs, Jacqueline Davis, Merle Debuskey, Edgar Dobie, Mercedes Ellington, Nancy Ford, Julie Hughes, David Henry Hwang, David Lindsay-Abaire, Jon Nakagawa, Enid Nemy, Peter Neufeld, Bill Schelble, Marc Shaiman, William Tynan and Jac Venza.

For the CBS broadcast, Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss/White Cherry Entertainment are Executive Producers. Weiss also serves as Director. Allen Kelman is Line Producer. Elliot Lawrence is Musical Director. Dave Boone is writing the script. Carol Propp is Talent Executive. The Production Designer is Steve Bass. Bob Dickinson is designing the lighting and David Toser the costumes. Toni-Marie Gonzalez is Associate Producer and Alan Hall is Production Supervisor.

A limited number of tickets will be sold to the public beginning today, Tuesday, May 10th at 9:00 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online through www.TonyAwards.com or by calling the Tony Awards TicketMaster Hotline, (212)307-4544.

The Antoinette Perry "Tony" Award is bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.

The League and the Wing will host the official 2005 Meet the Nominees Press Reception on Wednesday, May 11th at The View at the Marriott Marquis. For media RSVP's to the Press Reception, please contact PMK/HBH at (212) 582-1111,

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The Tonys are presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing. At the League, Gerald Schoenfeld is Chairman and Jed Bernstein is President. At the Wing, Sondra Gilman is Chairman, Doug Leeds is President and Howard Sherman is Executive Director. For Tony Award Productions, Elizabeth I. McCann is Managing Producer and Joey Parnes is Coordinating Producer.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss/White Cherry Entertainment are Executive Producers of the 2005 Tony Awards. In addition, Glenn will serve as Director of the 2005 Tonys.

The official Tony Awards web site, www.TonyAwards.com, is developed, designed, and hosted by IBM, an official partner of the Tonys. This marks the first year that IBM is also sponsoring the Tony Award Nominations. News and feature content is provided in cooperation with Playbill.com. Along with IBM, official partners of the Tonys include Visa, the exclusive card accepted at the Tonys. Continental Airlines, Saab, and Sprint are official supporters.

Promotional and media partners for the 2005 Tony Awards include Macy's, Virgin Entertainment, USA TODAY, Playbill, Movie Tunes and Van Wagner.

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Nominations for the AMERICAN THEATRE WING'S 2005 TONY AWARDS®

Democracy
Author: Michael Frayn
Producer: Boyett Ostar Productions, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Jean Doumanian, Stephanie P. McClelland, Arielle Tepper, Amy Nederlander, Eric Falkenstein, Roy Furman

Gem of the Ocean
Author: August Wilson
Producer: Carole Shorenstein Hays, Jujamcyn Theaters

The Pillowman
Author: Martin McDonagh
Producer: Boyett Ostar Productions, Robert Fox, Arielle Tepper, Stephanie P. McClelland, Debra Black, Dede Harris/Morton Swinsky, Roy Furman/Jon Avnet, Joyce Schweickert, The National Theatre of Great Britain

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Producer: Marty Bell, David Brown, Aldo Scrofani, Roy Furman, Dede Harris, Amanda Lipitz, Greg Smith, Ruth Hendel, Chase Mishkin, Barry and Susan Tatelman, Debra Black, Sharon Karmazin, Joyce Schweickert, Bernie Abrams/Michael Speyer, Barbara Whitman, Weissberger Theater Group/Jay Harris, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Jean Cheever, Clear Channel Entertainment, Harvey Weinstein, MGM on Stage/Darcie Denkert & Dean Stolber

The Light in the Piazza
Producer: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten

Monty Python's Spamalot
Producer: Boyett Ostar Productions, The Shubert Organization, Arielle Tepper, Stephanie McClelland/Lawrence Horowitz, Elan V. McAllister/Allan S. Gordon, Independent Presenters Network, Roy Furman, GRS Associates, Jam Theatricals, TGA Entertainment, Clear Channel Entertainment

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Producer: David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Barrington Stage Company, Second Stage Theatre

Best Book of a Musical

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Book: Jeffrey Lane

The Light in the Piazza
Book: Craig Lucas

Monty Python's Spamalot
Book: Eric Idle

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Book: Rachel Sheinkin

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

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

The Light in the Piazza
Music & Lyrics: Adam Guettel

Monty Python's Spamalot
Music: John Du Prez & Eric Idle
Lyrics: Eric Idle

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music & Lyrics: William Finn

Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Producer: Elizabeth Ireland McCann, Daryl Roth, Terry Allen Kramer, Scott Rudin, Roger Berlind, James L. Nederlander, Nick Simunek, Joey Parnes

Glengarry Glen Ross
Producer: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jam Theatricals, Boyett Ostar Productions, Ronald Frankel, Philip Lacerte, Stephanie P. McClelland/CJM Productions, Barry Weisbord, Zendog Productions, Herbert Goldsmith Productions, Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard, Julia C. Levy

On Golden Pond
Producer: Jeffrey Finn, Arlene Scanlan, Stuart Thompson

Twelve Angry Men
Producer: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard, Julia C. Levy

Best Revival of a Musical

La Cage aux Folles
Producer: James L. Nederlander, Clear Channel Entertainment, Kenneth Greenblatt, Terry Allen Kramer, Martin Richards

Pacific Overtures
Producer: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard, Julia C. Levy, Gorgeous Entertainment

Sweet Charity
Producer: Barry and Fran Weissler, Clear Channel Entertainment, Edwin W. Schloss

Best Special Theatrical Event

Dame Edna: Back with a Vengeance!
Producer: Creative Battery, Harley Medcalf and Boxjellyfish LLC

Laugh Whore
Producer: Showtime Networks

Whoopi The 20th Anniversary Show
Producer: Mike Nichols, Hal Luftig, Leonard Soloway, Steven M. Levy, Tom Leonardis, Eric Falkenstein, Amy Nederlander

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Philip Bosco, Twelve Angry Men
Billy Crudup, The Pillowman
Bill Irwin, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
James Earl Jones, On Golden Pond
Brían F. O'Byrne, Doubt

Cherry Jones, Doubt
Laura Linney, Sight Unseen
Mary-Louise Parker, Reckless
Phylicia Rashad, Gem of the Ocean
Kathleen Turner, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Hank Azaria, Monty Python's Spamalot
Gary Beach, La Cage aux Folles
Norbert Leo Butz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Tim Curry, Monty Python's Spamalot
John Lithgow, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Christina Applegate, Sweet Charity
Victoria Clark, The Light in the Piazza
Erin Dilly, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Sutton Foster, Little Women, The Musical
Sherie Rene Scott, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Alan Alda, Glengarry Glen Ross
Gordon Clapp, Glengarry Glen Ross
David Harbour, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Liev Schreiber, Glengarry Glen Ross
Michael Stuhlbarg, The Pillowman

Mireille Enos, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Heather Goldenhersh, Doubt
Dana Ivey, The Rivals
Adriane Lenox, Doubt
Ay Ryan, A Streetcar Named Desire

Dan Fogler, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Marc Kudisch, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Michael McGrath, Monty Python's Spamalot
Matthew Morrison, The Light in the Piazza
Christopher Sieber, Monty Python's Spamalot

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical

Joanna Gleason, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Celia Keenan-Bolger, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Jan Maxwell, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Kelli O'Hara, The Light in the Piazza
Sara Ramirez, Monty Python's Spamalot

John Lee Beatty, Doubt
David Gallo, Gem of the Ocean
Santo Loquasto, Glengarry Glen Ross
Scott Pask, The Pillowman

Tim Hatley, Monty Python's Spamalot
Rumi Matsui, Pacific Overtures
Anthony Ward, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Michael Yeargan, The Light in the Piazza

Jess Goldstein, The Rivals
Jane Greenwood, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
William Ivey Long, A Streetcar Named Desire
Constanza Romero, Gem of the Ocean

Tim Hatley, Monty Python's Spamalot
Junko Koshino, Pacific Overtures
William Ivey Long, La Cage aux Folles
Catherine Zuber, The Light in the Piazza

Pat Collins, Doubt
Donald Holder, Gem of the Ocean
Donald Holder, A Streetcar Named Desire
Brian MacDevitt, The Pillowman

Christopher Akerlind, The Light in the Piazza
Mark Henderson, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Kenneth Posner, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Hugh Vanstone, Monty Python's Spamalot

John Crowley, The Pillowman
Scott Ellis, Twelve Angry Men
Doug Hughes, Doubt
Joe Mantello, Glengarry Glen Ross

James Lapine, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Mike Nichols, Monty Python's Spamalot
Jack O'Brien, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Bartlett Sher, The Light in the Piazza

Wayne Cilento, Sweet Charity
Jerry Mitchell, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Jerry Mitchell, La Cage aux Folles
Casey Nicholaw, Monty Python's Spamalot

Larry Hochman, Monty Python's Spamalot
Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel and Bruce Coughlin, The Light in the Piazza
Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures
Harold Wheeler, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

14 - Monty Python's Spamalot
11 - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
11 - The Light in the Piazza|
8 - Doubt
6 - Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
6 - Glengarry Glen Ross
6 - The Pillowman
6 - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
5 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
5 - Gem of the Ocean
4 - La Cage aux Folles
4 - Pacific Overtures
3 - A Streetcar Named Desire
3 - Sweet Charity
3 - Twelve Angry Men
2 - On Golden Pond
2 - The Rivals