2005 TONY� AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

"Monty Python's Spamalot, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," "The Light in the Piazza," "Doubt," "Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "The Pillowman," "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," "Pacific Overtures," "La Cage aux Folles" and "A Streetcar Named Desire" Are Among Multiple Nominees

2004 Tony Winner Hugh Jackman Will Host "The 59th Annual Tony Awards," To Be Broadcast Sunday, June 5 On the CBS Television Network

Nominees for the American Theatre Wing's 2005 Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards, the most prestigious in the American theater, were announced today at a news conference held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in historic Time Square. The event was broadcast live on CBS's "The Early Show," with anchor Harry Smith serving as the Master of Ceremonies. The announcements were made by celebrated Broadway actors Alan Cumming, Lynn Redgrave, Kate Burton and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

THE 59TH ANNUAL TONY� AWARDS, a presentation of Tony Award Productions, which is a joint venture of the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing, will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall, Sunday, June 5 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET, delayed PT), on the CBS Television Network. 2004 Tony winner Hugh Jackman ("The Boy from Oz") will once again host. This will mark the eighth year that the historic Radio City Music Hall is home to the Tonys.

Among the multiple nominees which received Tony Award nominations are: "Monty Python's Spamalot" (14), "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (11), "The Light in the Piazza" (11), "Doubt" (8), "Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (6), "Glengarry Glen Ross" (6), "The Pillowman" (6), "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" (6), "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (5), "Gem of the Ocean" (5) and "La Cage aux Folles" (4). Other multiple nominees include: "Pacific Overtures," "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Sweet Charity."

It was also announced that a Tony Award for regional theater will be given to the Theatre de la Jeune Lune of Minneapolis. This award is given to a regional theater company that has displayed a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theater nationally. A Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater will be given to playwright Edward Albee.

The nominees are:

BEST PLAY (Award to Author; Award to Producer)

DEMOCRACY Author: Michael Frayn Producer: Boyett Ostar Productions, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Jean Doumanian, Stephanie P. McClelland, Arielle Tepper, Amy Nederlander, Eric Falkenstein, Roy Furman

DOUBT Author: John Patrick Shanley Producer: Carole Shorenstein Hays, MTC Productions, Inc., Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Roger Berlind, Scott Rudin

GEM OF THE OCEAN Author: August Wilson Producer: Carole Shorenstein Hays, Jujamcyn Theaters

THE PILLOWMAN Author: Martin McDonagh Producer: Boyett Ostar Productions, Robert Fox, Arielle Tepper, Stephanie P. McClelland, Debra Black, Dede Harris/Morton Swinsky, Roy Furman/Jon Avnet, Joyce Schweickert, The National Theatre of Great Britain

BEST MUSICAL (Award to Producer)

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS Producer: Marty Bell, David Brown, Aldo Scrofani, Roy Furman, Dede Harris, Amanda Lipitz, Greg Smith, Ruth Hendel, Chase Mishkin, Barry and Susan Tatelman, Debra Black, Sharon Karmazin, Joyce Schweickert, Bernie Abrams/Michael Speyer, Barbara Whitman, Weissberger Theater Group/Jay Harris, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Jean Cheever, Clear Channel Entertainment, Harvey Weinstein, MGM on Stage/Darcie Denkert & Dean Stolber

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA Producer: Lincoln Center Theater, Andr� Bishop, Bernard Gersten

MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT Producer: Boyett Ostar Productions, The Shubert Organization, Arielle Tepper, Stephanie McClelland/ Lawrence Horowitz, Elan V. McAllister/Allan S. Gordon, Independent Presenters Network, Roy Furman, GRS Associates, Jam Theatricals, TGA Entertainment, Clear Channel Entertainment

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM Producer: David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara COUNTY SPELLING BEE Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Barrington Stage Company, Second Stage Theatre

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS Book: Jeffrey Lane

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA Book: Craig Lucas

MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT Book: Eric Idle

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Book: Rachel Sheinkin

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA Music & Lyrics: Adam Guettel

MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT Music: John Du Prez & Eric Idle Lyrics: Eric Idle

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Music & Lyrics: William Finn

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

EDWARD ALBEE'S WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Producer: Elizabeth Ireland McCann, Daryl Roth, Terry Allen Kramer, Scott Rudin, Roger Berlind, James L. Nederlander, Nick Simunek, Joey Parnes

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS Producer: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jam Theatricals, Boyett Ostar Productions, Ronald Frankel, Philip Lacerte, Stephanie P. McClelland/CJM Productions, Barry Weisbord, Zendog Productions, Herbert Goldsmith Productions, Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard, Julia C. Levy

ON GOLDEN POND Producer: Jeffrey Finn, Arlene Scanlan, Stuart Thompson

TWELVE ANGRY MEN Producer: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard, Julia C. Levy

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES Producer: James L. Nederlander, Clear Channel Entertainment, Kenneth Greenblatt, Terry Allen Kramer, Martin Richards

PACIFIC OVERTURES Producer: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard, Julia C. Levy, Gorgeous Entertainment

SWEET CHARITY Producer: Barry and Fran Weissler, Clear Channel Entertainment, Edwin W. Schloss

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT

DAME EDNA: BACK WITH A VENGEANCE! Producer: Creative Battery, Harley Medcalf and Boxjellyfish LLC

LAUGH WHORE Producer: Showtime Networks

700 SUNDAYS Producer: Janice Crystal, Larry Magid, Face Productions

WHOOPI THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW Producer: Mike Nichols, Hal Luftig, Leonard Soloway, Steven M. Levy, Tom Leonardis, Eric Falkenstein, Amy Nederlander

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Philip Bosco TWELVE ANGRY MEN

Billy Crudup THE PILLOWMAN

Bill Irwin EDWARD ALBEE'S WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

James Earl Jones ON GOLDEN POND

Br�an F. O'Byrne DOUBT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Cherry Jones DOUBT

Laura Linney SIGHT UNSEEN

Mary-Louise Parker RECKLESS

Phylicia Rashad GEM OF THE OCEAN

Kathleen Turner EDWARD ALBEE'S WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Hank Azaria MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Gary Beach LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Norbert Leo Butz DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Tim Curry MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

John Lithgow DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Christina Applegate SWEET CHARITY

Victoria Clark THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Erin Dilly CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG

Sutton Foster LITTLE WOMEN, THE MUSICAL

Sherie Rene Scott DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Alan Alda GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

Gordon Clapp GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

David Harbour EDWARD ALBEE'S WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

Liev Schreiber GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

Michael Stuhlbarg THE PILLOWMAN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Mireille Enos EDWARD ALBEE'S WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

Heather Goldenhersh DOUBT

Dana Ivey THE RIVALS

Adriane Lenox DOUBT

Amy Ryan A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Dan Fogler THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Marc Kudisch CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG

Michael McGrath MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Matthew Morrison THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Christopher Sieber MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Joanna Gleason DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Celia Keenan-Bolger THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Jan Maxwell CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG

Kelli O'Hara THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Sara Ramirez MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

John Lee Beatty DOUBT

David Gallo GEM OF THE OCEAN

Santo Loquasto GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

Scott Pask THE PILLOWMAN

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Tim Hatley MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Rumi Matsui PACIFIC OVERTURES

Anthony Ward CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG

Michael Yeargan THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Jess Goldstein THE RIVALS

Jane Greenwood EDWARD ALBEE'S WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

William Ivey Long A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Constanza Romero GEM OF THE OCEAN

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Tim Hatley MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Junko Koshino PACIFIC OVERTURES

William Ivey Long LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Catherine Zuber THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Pat Collins DOUBT

Donald Holder GEM OF THE OCEAN

Donald Holder A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Brian MacDevitt THE PILLOWMAN

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Christopher Akerlind THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Mark Henderson CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG

Kenneth Posner DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Hugh Vanstone MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

John Crowley THE PILLOWMAN

Scott Ellis TWELVE ANGRY MEN

Doug Hughes DOUBT

Joe Mantello GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

James Lapine THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Mike Nichols MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Jack O'Brien DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Bartlett Sher THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Wayne Cilento SWEET CHARITY

Jerry Mitchell DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Jerry Mitchell LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Casey Nicholaw MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS

Larry Hochman MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel and Bruce Coughlin THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Jonathan Tunick PACIFIC OVERTURES

Harold Wheeler DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

The Tonys were founded in memorial to Antoinette ("Tony") Perry, the American Theatre Wing's World War II chairperson. The winners are selected by the governing board of Actors Equity, The Dramatists Guild, the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, the United Scenic Artists, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers, the Casting Society of America, the American Theatre Wing and members of the League of American Theatres and Producers, as well as journalists.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment return as executive producers. Weiss, who won an Emmy Award for the 2002 broadcast, will also serve as director for the fifth consecutive year. Elizabeth Ireland McCann returns as managing producer and Joey Parnes will serve as coordinating producer for Tony Award Productions. The Tony Awards Web site address is: http://www.tonyawards.com

RATING: To Be Announced