
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 4, 1990                   TAG: 9006040129
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short

FEW SURPRISES AMONG TONY AWARD WINNERS

"City of Angels," a jazzy, satire of 1940s Hollywood and hardboiled detective fiction, won the Tony Award on Sunday night as best musical of the 1989-90 Broadway season.

"The Grapes of Wrath," an adaptation by Frank Galati of the John Steinbeck novel about Dust Bowl Okies, beat out August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" for best play. The production by Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater Company also won a directing Tony for Galati.

"City of Angels" picked up a total of six awards, more than any other production. James Naughton, the musical's macho detective hero, was named best actor.

The show also won a featured actress prize for Randy Graff, who plays a love-starved secretary in the show. "City of Angels" also collected prizes for best book of a musical - Larry Gelbart - and best score for composer Cy Coleman and lyricist David Zippel as well as the set design award for Robin Wagner.

Tommy Tune scored twice for "Grand Hotel," picking up awards for direction of a musical and choreography.

Robert Morse withstood some stiff competition, including Dustin Hoffman and Charles S. Dutton, to win the actor prize.

As expected, Maggie Smith won the best actress prize for her portrayal of an eccentric tour guide in "Lettice & Lovage."

Also no surprise was the best actress-musical award to Tyne Daly for her portrayal of Mama Rose in a revival of "Gypsy."

Michael Jeter, who plays a timid bookkeeper in "Grand Hotel," won for featured actor in a musical.

by CNB