ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, May 7, 1996 TAG: 9605070121
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: MICHAEL KUCHWARA AP DRAMA WRITER
``Rent,'' the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical whose young creator died hours after the final dress rehearsal, captured 10 Tony nominations Monday, more than any other show.
``Rent'' will get its stiffest competition for Broadway's highest honors from ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' Savion Glover's examination of musical beat as seen through the eyes of black Americans. It received nine nominations.
``Seven Guitars,'' August Wilson's murder tale set in Pittsburgh in 1948, received eight nominations, more than any other nonmusical.
``Victor/Victoria,'' which brought Julie Andrews back to Broadway after an absence of nearly 35 years, was shut out of the coveted best-musical category.
But Andrews, who has never won a Tony, was nominated for best actress in a musical for playing the title role - a woman pretending to be a man, pretending to be a woman. She played the same role in the 1982 movie version.
``Rent,'' a celebration of the down-and-out artists of New York's East Village, picked up two nominations - book and score - for its author, 35-year-old Jonathan Larson, who was found dead in his apartment on Jan. 25 of an aortic aneurysm. ``Rent,'' which won the Pulitzer for drama last month, was also nominated in eight other categories, including best musical.
George C. Scott, who left the cast of ``Inherit the Wind'' on Friday for medical tests the same week he was hit with a sexual harassment suit, was nominated for best actor in a play.
Among those nominated in the category of best actress-play were Zoe Caldwell, who portrays the diva Maria Callas in ``Master Class,'' and Carol Burnett for her performance in the comedy ``Moon Over Buffalo.''
Nathan Lane was nominated as best musical actor for his portrayal of a conniving slave in a revival of ``A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.'' Others include Lou Diamond Phillips, who plays the Siamese monarch in a lavish revival of ``The King and I.''
This year's Tony Award for outstanding regional theater will be given to the Alley Theater of Houston.
Some 720 voters, including members of the theater profession and journalists, will vote on the winners. They will be announced on CBS on June 2.
Tony nominees
Play: ``Buried Child'' Sam Shepard, ``Master Class'' Terrence McNally, ``Racing Demon'' David Hare, ``Seven Guitars'' August Wilson.
Musical: ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' ``Chronicle of a Death Foretold,'' ``Rent,' ``Swinging on a Star.''
Book of musical: ``Big,'' ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' ``Chronicle of a Death Foretold,'' ``Rent.''
Original score: ``Big,'' ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' ``Rent,'' ``State Fair.''
Revival of play: ``Delicate Balance,'' ``Midsummer Night's Dream,'' ``An Ideal Husband,'' ``Inherit the Wind.''
Revival of musical: ``Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,'' ``Company,'' ``King and I,'' ``Hello, Dolly!''
Leading actor in play: Philip Bosco ``Moon Over Buffalo,'' George Grizzard "Delicate Balance,'' George C. Scott ``Inherit the Wind,'' Martin Shaw ``Ideal Husband.''
Leading actress in play: Carol Burnett ``Moon Over Buffalo,'' Zoe Caldwell ``Master Class,'' Rosemary Harris: ``A Delicate Balance,'' Elaine Stritch ``A Delicate Balance.''
Leading actor in musical: Savion Glover ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' Nathan Lane ``Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,'' Adam Pascal ``Rent,'' Lou Diamond Phillips ``The King and I.''
Leading actress in musical: Julie Andrews ``Victor/Victoria,'' Crista Moore ``Big,'' Donna Murphy ``King and I,'' Daphne Rubin-Vega ``Rent.''
Featured actor in play: James Gammon ``Buried Child,'' Roger Robinson ``Seven Guitars,'' Reg Rogers ``Holiday,'' Ruben Santiago-Hudson ``Seven Guitars.''
Featured actress in play: : Viola Davis ``Seven Guitars,'' Audra McDonald ``Master Class,'' Michele Shay ``Seven Guitars,'' Lois Smith ``Buried Child.''
Featured actor in musical: Wilson Jermaine Heredia ``Rent,'' Lewis J. Stadlen ``Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,'' Brett Tabisel ``Big,'' Scott Wise ``State Fair.''
Featured actress in musical: Joohee Choi `` King and I,'' Veanne Cox ``Company,'' Ann Duquesnay ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' Idina Menzel ``Rent.''
Direction of play: Gerald Gutierrez `` Delicate Balance,'' Peter Hall `` Ideal Husband,'' Lloyd Richards ``Seven Guitars,'' Gary Sinise ``Buried Child.''
Direction of musical: Michael Greif ``Rent,'' Christopher Renshaw ``King and I,'' George C. Wolfe ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' Jerry Zaks ``Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.''
Scenic design: John Lee Beatty ``Delicate Balance,'' Scott Bradley ``Seven Guitars,'' Brian Thomson "King and I,'' Anthony Ward ``Midsummer Night's Dream.''
Costume design: Jane Greenwood ``Delicate Balance,'' Roger Kirk ``King and I,'' Allison Reeds ``Buried Child,'' Paul Tazewell ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk.''
Lighting: Christopher Akerlind ``Seven Guitars,'' Blake Burba ``Rent,'' Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' Nigel Levings ``King and I.''
Choreography: Graciela Daniele ``Chronicle of Death Foretold,'' Savion Glover ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' Susan Stroman ``Big,'' Marlies Yerby ``Rent.''
LENGTH: Long : 106 linesby CNB