Kinky Boots and Matilda musicals lead Tony Awards field

  • Published
Scenes from Kinky Boots and Matilda the Musical
Image caption,

Billy Porter (left) and Bertie Carvel (far right) are both nominated, for their work in Kinky Boots and Matilda respectively

Musical adaptations of 2005 British film Kinky Boots and Roald Dahl's children's book Matilda lead the nominations at the 2013 Tony awards.

Kinky Boots, about a shoe factory that finds a new outlet making fetish footwear, has received 13 nods, including one for Cyndi Lauper's original score.

Tim Minchin is also nominated, for his Matilda score - one of 12 nominations for the RSC production.

The Tonys will be presented on 9 June.

Tom Hanks receives his first Tony nomination, for his Broadway debut, in Nora Ephron's play Lucky Guy.

Hanks, who starred in Ephron's films Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail, received praise for his performance when it opened last month.

Ephron receives a posthumous best new play nomination for Lucky Guy, which she was writing when she died last year aged 71.

British actor Tom Sturridge, recognised for his role in the revival of Lyle Kessler's 1983 play Orphans, is up against Hanks for the best actor award.

Kinky Boots stars Billy Porter, who plays drag queen Lola, and Stark Sands, who portrays factory manager Charlie Price, are up against each other in the leading actor in a musical category.

The production is also nominated in the musical director, scenic design, costume design and choreography categories.

Kinky Boots's haul did not match the record number of nominations for a musical - 15 - set by The Producers in 2001 and equalled by Billy Elliot in 2009.

Matilda the Musical, which received rave reviews from US critics when it opened in April, also sees a best musical actor nomination for Bertie Carvel.

Image caption,

Tom Hanks is nominated for his work in Lucky Guy, as is co-star Courtney B Vance

The British star previously won an Olivier for playing tyrannical headmistress Miss Trunchbull - one of seven Oliviers the show won last year.

Pippin, a revival of a 1972 musical that tells the story of a young prince who joins a performance troupe, is close behind with 10 nods.

The coming-of-age story, for which Ben Vereen won a Tony in 1973, sees Patina Miller nominated for playing the same role - that of the 'Leading Player'.

Pippin also sees nods for Terrance Mann, who plays the title role, director Diane Paulus, and choreographer Chet Walker.

Kenneth Posner is nominated three times in the musical lighting design category, for his work on Pippin, Kinky Boots and Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella respectively.

His triple shout-out prompted laughter at the New York nomination announcement, made by former Tony winner Sutton Foster and Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

Posner is up against British Olivier winner Hugh Vanstone, shortlisted for his work on Matilda the Musical.

Image caption,

Pierce stars with Sigourney Weaver in Christopher Durang's comedy

The Broadway revival of Clifford Odets's 1937 drama Golden Boy is the most shortlisted play, with nominations in eight categories.

They include two in the category for best performance by a play actor in a featured role, which sees Danny Burstein vie against co-star Tony Shalhoub.

Lucky Guy's six nominations put it on the same footing as Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Christopher Durang's comic spin on the work of Anton Chekov.

Former Frasier actor David Hyde Pierce is nominated for his work in the play, as are no less than three of his co-stars.

The Tonys, regarded as the highest accolades for live Broadway theatre, will be presented in June at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

A full list of this year's nominations can be found on the Tony awards website, external.

Before Tuesday's announcement, it was revealed that playwright and activist Larry Kramer will receive the annual Isabelle Stevenson Award at this year's ceremony.

The prize is given to an individual who has made significant contributions to humanitarian or charitable causes.

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.