WTF's 'Visit,' 'Elephant Man' Rack Up Tony Nominations
 Roger Rees and Chita Rivera starred in 'The Visit' at Williamstown Theatre Festival last summer, under the direction of John Doyle, right. The production is up for five Tony Awards, including for Rivera for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. |
"The Visit," which ran last summer in Williamstown, and "The Elephant Man," which ran in 2012, each will be up for top honors in their respective categories when the Tonys are announced live on CBS television on June 7.
"The Visit" is up for Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Lighting Design and Outstanding Actress in a Musical.
Chita Rivera is a two-time Tony winner, having won the award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical in 1984 ("The Rink") and 1993 ("Kiss of the Spider Woman").
"I'm so grateful to receive this wonderful acknowledgement for 'The Visit,' " Rivera told "Playbill" on Tuesday.
"Broadway is my home, and I'm so happy to be back in this terrific musical written by my dear friends John Kander, Fred Ebb and Terrence McNally, directed by the incomparable John Doyle and choreographed by the dazzling Graciela Daniele. How lucky am I to have such great friends and co-star with the phenomenal Roger Rees?
"I share all these tributes with our extraordinary company who put their hearts and souls into this piece every day."
The legendary writing team of Kander and Ebb are nominated together for Best Score. Ebb died in 2004, three years after "The Visit's" original Broadway debut was derailed by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
McNally is up for Best Book.
.jpg) Bradley Cooper and Patricia Clarkson each received their first Tony nomination for their work in 'The Elephant Man.' |
All three nominated performers in WTF's "Elephant Man," reprised their roles in its limited three-month run on Broadway from November 2014 to February 2015.
Bradley Cooper and Patricia Clarkson each received their first Tony nomination for their work in "The Elephant Man."
"To be a part of a community that gathers together in a 13-block radius, eight shows a week, no matter what, in the greatest city in the world – for one sole purpose, to tell stories – I can't think of a better job to have," Cooper told "Playbill."
Williamstown Theatre Festival, which itself earned a Tony for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 2002, is listed as a producer on both "The Visit" and "The Elephant Man."
Tags: musical, tony award, WTF,
