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The Official Website of the American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards
Tony Award
The 2008 Tony Awards Sunday, June 15th 8/7c CBS
Nominees & Awards 2008 Nominations
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Click on a show title for more information about the production. When you click on an artist's name, you will get his or her complete Broadway credits from Internet Broadway Database.

Best Book of a Musical
Mark O'DonnellThomas Meehan
Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, for Cry-Baby
O'Donnell won a Tony for the book of Hairspray (with Thomas Meehan). He is also a playwright, novelist, and essayist. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Meehan is a three time Tony winner, for the musical books of Hairspray (with Mark O’Donnell), The Producers (with Mel Brooks), and Annie. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Quiara Alegría Hudes
Quiara Alegría Hudes, for In The Heights
This is Hudes's first Tony nomination. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2007 for her play Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Stew
Stew Winner, for Passing Strange
 Speech
Stew received four 2008 Tony Award nominations: Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score Written for the Theatre, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, and Best Orchestrations, all for Passing Strange. He is a singer, songwriter, and the founder of the rock band The Negro Problem. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Douglas Carter Beane
Douglas Carter Beane, for Xanadu
Beane received a 2007 Best Play Tony Award nomination as the author of The Little Dog Laughed. Meet this nominee on Downstage Center.

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Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
David JaverbaumAdam Schlesinger
Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger, for Cry-Baby
This is Javerbaum's first Tony nomination. In addition to his work for the theatre, he is currently a writer for Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," having previously written for "The Late Show with David Letterman." Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Schlesinger is a songwriter, composer, and record producer. He is a member of the bands Fountains of Wayne (Grammy nomination) and Ivy. His songs have appeared in numerous films, and he received an Oscar nomination for That Thing You Do!. This is his first Tony nomination.

Lin-Manuel Miranda
Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda Winner, for In The Heights
 Speech
Miranda conceived In The Heights while studying at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He wrote the music and lyrics, and stars in the show as Usnavi. He has received 2008 Tony nominations for both Best Score and Best Actor for In The Heights.

Alan MenkenHoward Ashman
Glenn Slater
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, for The Little Mermaid
Menken is a past Tony nominee for Beauty and the Beast. He has also written the music for Little Shop of Horrors and many films. Meet this nominee on Downstage Center.

This is the late Howard Ashman's third Tony nomination. He was previously nominated for Smile and Beauty and the Beast. His other credits as a lyricist include Little Shop of Horrors.

Slater has written the lyrics for the stage production of Sister Act, the forthcoming Leap of Faith, and the film Home on the Range, among others.

Stew Heidi Rodewald
Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald
Lyrics: Stew, for Passing Strange
Stew received four 2008 Tony Award nominations: Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score Written for the Theatre, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, and Best Orchestrations, all for Passing Strange. He is a singer, songwriter, and the founder of the rock band The Negro Problem. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

A 2008 nominee (with Stew) for both Best Score and Best Orchestrations for Passing Strange, Rodewald is also a performer, arranger, producer and composer for the rock band The Negro Problem. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

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Best Direction of a Play
Maria Aitken
Maria Aitken, for The 39 Steps
The 39 Steps marks Aitken's Broadway directorial debut. She directs in both New York and London. As an actress, she has performed many leading roles on the West End.

Conor McPherson
Conor McPherson, for The Seafarer
McPherson has directed many productions of his own plays, as well as work by others, for the stage and television. He also received a Tony nomination as the author of The Seafarer.

Anna D. Shapiro
Anna D. Shapiro Winner, for August: Osage County
 Speech
August: Osage County marks Shapiro's Broadway directorial debut. She is an ensemble member at Steppenwolf, and the head of the graduate directing program at Northwestern University.

Matthew Warchus
Matthew Warchus, for Boeing-Boeing
This is Warchus's third nomination. He was previously nominated for True West and Art. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

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Best Direction of a Musical
Sam Buntrock
Sam Buntrock, for Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George marks the London-based Sam Buntrock's Broadway directorial debut.

Thomas Kail
Thomas Kail, for In The Heights
This is Kail's first Tony nomination. He is the co-creator and director of the hip-hop improv group "Freestyle Love Supreme," and artistic director of Back House Productions, the resident theatre company of NYC’s The Drama Book Shop.

Arthur Laurents
Arthur Laurents, for Gypsy
This is Laurents's fifth Tony nomination. He won a Tony for his direction of La Cage aux Folles, and was nominated in 1975 for direction of a previous Gypsy revival. He is the bookwriter of Gypsy. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Bartlett Sher
Bartlett Sher Winner, for South Pacific
 Speech
This is Sher's third Tony nomination. He was previously nominated for Awake and Sing! and The Light in the Piazza. He is the artistic director of Seattle’s Intiman Theatre. Meet this nominee on Downstage Center and Working in the Theatre.

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Best Choreography
Rob Ashford
Rob Ashford, for Cry-Baby
This is Ashford's fourth Tony nomination. He won for Best Choreography for Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002). He was also nominated for The Wedding Singer and Curtains. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre, Working in the Theatre 2, and Working at the Theatre 3.

Andy Blankenbuehler
Andy Blankenbuehler Winner, for In The Heights
 Speech
This is Blankenbuehler's first Tony nomination. On Broadway, he has choreographed The Apple Tree, Man of La Mancha, and Saturday Night Fever.

Christopher Gattelli
Christopher Gattelli, for South Pacific
This is Gattelli's first Tony nomination. This season he also did the musical staging for Sunday in the Park with George and contributed choreography to The Ritz.

Dan Knechtges
Dan Knechtges, for Xanadu
This is Knechtges's first Tony nomination. On Broadway he has also choreographed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and last season's 110 in the Shade.

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Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr
Jason Carr, for Sunday in the Park with George
On Broadway, Carr previously composed incidental music for A Doll's House and Indiscretions.

Alex LacamoireBill Sherman
Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman Winner, for In The Heights
 Speech
This is Lacamoire's first Tony nomination. On Broadway, he has previously worked on Legally Blonde The Musical, High Fidelity, Wicked, and Avenue Q.

Sherman is the composer for the second season of MTV's Gamekillers.

Stew Heidi Rodewald
Stew and Heidi Rodewald, for Passing Strange
Stew received four 2008 Tony Award nominations: Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score Written for the Theatre, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, and Best Orchestrations, all for Passing Strange. He is a singer, songwriter, and the founder of the rock band The Negro Problem. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

A 2008 nominee (with Stew) for both Best Score and Best Orchestrations for Passing Strange, Rodewald is also a performer, arranger, producer and composer for the rock band The Negro Problem. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Jonathan Tunick
Jonathan Tunick, for A Catered Affair
This is Tunick's eighth Tony nomination. He was nominated in 2007 for both 110 in the Shade and Lovemusik. He won the first-ever Tony Award for Best Orchestrations, for Titanic (1997).

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Best Scenic Design of a Play
Peter McKintosh
Peter McKintosh, for The 39 Steps
McKintosh was nominated for both his costumes and scenic design for The 39 Steps. Although he has worked extensively in the UK, this is his Broadway debut.

Scott Pask
Scott Pask, for Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Pask is a two-time past Tony winner, for The Coast of Utopia and The Pillowman. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Todd Rosenthal Winner, for August: Osage County
 Speech
This is Rosenthal's first Tony nomination. He is currently an assistant professor of design at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.

Anthony Ward
Anthony Ward, for Macbeth
Ward is a past Tony nominee for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

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Best Scenic Design of a Musical
David FarleyTimothy Bird
 The Knifedge Creative Network
David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network, for Sunday in the Park with George
Farley is nominated this year for both Best Costume Design of a Musical and Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Sunday in the Park with George.

Bird designed the projections for Sunday in the Park with George. This is his first Tony nomination.

The Knifedge Creative Network designed the projections for Sunday in the Park with George.

Anna Louizos
Anna Louizos, for In The Heights
Louizos was nominated for a Tony in 2007 for High Fidelity. On Broadway she also designed the scenery for Curtains. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Robin Wagner
Robin Wagner, for The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
This is Wagner's tenth Tony nomination. He has previously won for The Producers, City of Angels, and On the Twentieth Century. Meet this nominee on Career Guides.

Michael Yeargan
Michael Yeargan Winner, for South Pacific
 Speech
Yeargan is a two-time past Tony winner, for Awake and Sing! and The Light in the Piazza.

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Best Costume Design of a Play
Gregory Gale
Gregory Gale, for Cyrano de Bergerac
This is Gale's first Tony nomination. He has also designed the costumes for Broadway’s The Wedding Singer and Urinetown.

Rob Howell, for Boeing-Boeing
This is Howell's first Tony nomination. He also designed the costumes for The Graduate and Betrayal on Broadway.

Katrina Lindsay
Katrina Lindsay Winner, for Les Liaisons Dangereuses
 Speech
This is Lindsay's first Tony nomination and her Broadway debut. She has designed numerous productions in the UK.

Peter McKintosh
Peter McKintosh, for The 39 Steps
McKintosh was nominated for both his costumes and scenic design for The 39 Steps. Although he has worked extensively in the UK, this is his Broadway debut.

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Best Costume Design of a Musical
David Farley
David Farley, for Sunday in the Park with George
Farley is nominated this year for both Best Costume Design of a Musical and Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Sunday in the Park with George.

Martin Pakledinaz
Martin Pakledinaz, for Gypsy
This is Pakledinaz's sixth Tony nomination. He previously won a Tony for Kiss Me, Kate and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Paul Tazewell
Paul Tazewell, for In The Heights
Tazewell was previously nominated for Tony Awards for The Color Purple and Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk.

Catherine Zuber
Catherine Zuber Winner, for South Pacific
 Speech
This is Zuber's seventh Tony nomination. She has previously won for The Coast of Utopia, Awake and Sing!, and The Light in the Piazza. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

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Best Lighting Design of a Play
Kevin Adams
Kevin Adams Winner, for The 39 Steps
 Speech
Adams won a Tony Award in 2007 for his design of Spring Awakening. He also designed the lighting for this season's Passing Strange.

Howard Harrison
Howard Harrison, for Macbeth
Harrison was nominated in 2007 for his lighting design of Mary Poppins.

Donald Holder
Donald Holder, for Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Holder is nominated this year for Best Lighting Design of a Musical for South Pacific and for Best Lighting Design of a Play for Les Liaisons Dangereuses. He is a five-time past Tony nominee. He won in 1998 for The Lion King. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Ann G. Wrightson
Ann G. Wrightson, for August: Osage County
This is Wrightson's first nonimation. On Broadway, she has previously designed the lighting for Souvenir.

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Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington
Ken Billington, for Sunday in the Park with George
This is Billington's eighth Tony nomination. He won for Best Lighting Design of a Musical in 1997 for Chicago. Meet this nominee on Downstage Center and Working in the Theatre.

Howell Binkley
Howell Binkley, for In The Heights
This is Binkley's third Tony nomination. He was previously nominated for Kiss of the Spider Woman and won in 2006 for Jersey Boys.

Donald Holder
Donald Holder Winner, for South Pacific
 Speech
Holder is nominated this year for Best Lighting Design of a Musical for South Pacific and for Best Lighting Design of a Play for Les Liaisons Dangereuses. He is a five-time past Tony nominee. He won in 1998 for The Lion King. Meet this nominee on Working in the Theatre.

Natasha Katz
Natasha Katz, for The Little Mermaid
This is Katz's seventh Tony nomination. She has previously won for the lighting design of Aida and The Coast of Utopia.

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Best Sound Design of a Play
Simon Baker, for Boeing-Boeing
Baker designed the sound for the Broadway production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2005.

Adam Cork
Adam Cork, for Macbeth
Cork composed the music and designed the sound for last season's Best Play nominee Frost/Nixon.

Ian Dickinson, for Rock 'n' Roll
This is Dickinson's Broadway debut. He has designed numerous London productions.

Mic Pool
Mic Pool Winner, for The 39 Steps
 Speech
On Broadway, Pool also designed the sound for Art.

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Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, for In The Heights
Along with In The Heights, Acme Sound Partners also designed the sound for The Country Girl this season. The sound engineering partners are Tom Clark, Mark Menard, and Nevin Steinberg.

Sebastian Frost
Sebastian Frost, for Sunday in the Park with George
Frost's previous Broadway credits include Kat and the Kings.

Scott Lehrer
Scott Lehrer Winner, for South Pacific
 Speech
On Broadway Lehrer has previously designed the sound for Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, The Frogs, and The Caretaker.

Dan Moses Schreier
Dan Moses Schreier, for Gypsy
Schreier also designed the sound for A Catered Affair this season.

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