Arts News

Billy Elliot nabs 15 Tony nominations, ties record

May 5, 2009, 19:31 GMT

New York - The British play Billy Elliot, about a coal-miner's son with a passion for ballet, nabbed 15 nominations for the Tony Awards, tying a record set in 2001 by the comedy The Producers, which went on to win in 12 categories.

The play, directed by Stephen Daldry and scored by Sir Elton John, competes in the best new musical category with Next To Normal, which had 11 nominations, Shrek: The Musical and Rock of Ages.

The musical revival category will see critically-acclaimed productions of Hair and West Side Story compete with Pal Joey and Guys and Dolls. Up for the best play prize are 33 Variations, Dividing the Estate, God of Carnage and a play entitled: reasons to be pretty.

Among the stars of TV and film to get nominated for the prestigious US theatre prizes were Jeff Daniels, James Gandolfini, Raul Esparza, Geoffrey Rush, Allison Janney, Stockard Channing, Angela Lansbury, Martha Plimpton, Marcia Gay Harden, Hope Davis and Jane Fonda.

The 63rd Annual Tony Awards will be handed out June 7 in New York. The complete list of nominees is available at TonyAwards.com.