Category Archives: Tony Awards

ROCKing the TONYS – Jane Alexander and James Earl Jones

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Rock the Tonys

Jones and Alexander in 2012. Photo by Bruce Gilkas

Jones and Alexander in 2012. Photo by Bruce Gilkas

Jane Alexander and James Earl Jones

Little Rock connection: Alexander visited Little Rock when she was head of the National Endowment for the Arts in the Clinton Administration. Jones has appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and at UCA’s Public Appearance Series.

Alexander and Jones in THE GREAT WHITE HOPE. Photo by Fletcher Drake, courtesy of Arena Stage

Alexander and Jones in THE GREAT WHITE HOPE. Photo by Fletcher Drake, courtesy of Arena Stage

Tony Awards connection: Alexander and Jones both received Tony Awards on April 20, 1969 (45 years ago today) for their performances in The Great White Hope. Jones also received a 1987 Tony for his performance in Fences. Both have received numerous other Tony nominations. Alexander served as co-host of the 1979 Tony Awards ceremony. She and Jones have each made several appearances as presenters at Tony ceremonies.

ROCKing the TONYS – Helen Hayes

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Rock the TonysHelenHelen Hayes

Little Rock connection: Appeared at Robinson Auditorium in 1942.

Tony Awards connection: Received a Tony in 1947 (first ceremony) for her performance in Anita Loos’ Happy Birthday. In 1958, won the Actress in a Play Tony for Time Remembered.  Served as a host/presenter of the ceremonies in 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956.  Presented awards at ceremonies in 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1978, 1981 and 1986.  In 1987, she made a special Tony appearance as part of a tribute to George Abbott on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Her final appearance on the Tony Awards was at age 89 at the 1990 ceremony.

ROCKing the TONYS – Gertrude Lawrence

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Rock the TonysGertieGertrude Lawrence

Little Rock connection: Performed at Robinson Auditorium in 1940, the first year it was open.

Tony Awards connection: Won the 1952 Tony for Actress in a Musical for her performance as Mrs. Anna in The King and I.

ROCKing the TONYS – Rebecca Luker

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Rock the TonysRebecca LukerRebecca Luker

Little Rock connection: Has twice appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Once it was the Valentine Pops concert singing Broadway songs, the second was a semi-staged concert version of The Music Man.

Tony Awards connection: She has been nominated for three Tony Awards. The first was in 1995 as Actress in a Musical for Show Boat, the second was in 2000 as Actress in a Musical for The Music Man and the third was in 2007 as Featured Actress in a Musical for Mary Poppins.  She has also performed on the Tony Awards with The Secret Garden and The Sound of Music.

Today is her birthday.

ROCKing the TONYS – Japhy Weideman

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Rock the TonysJaphy Weideman

Japhy

Photo courtesy of Shevett Studios

Little Rock connection: Designed the lighting for several shows at Arkansas Repertory Theatre including The Grapes of Wrath, All My Sons and God’s Man in Texas.

Tony Awards connection: Received a 2013 nomination for his lighting design of The Nance.  This season he has been represented on Broadway with The Snow Geese, Macbeth and Of Mice and Men. The latter play, starring James Franco, Chris O’Dowd, Leighton Meester and Jim Norton, opens on Broadway tonight.

ROCKing the TONYs – Tallulah Bankhead

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Rock the TonysTallulah MidgieTallulah Bankhead

Little Rock connection: Appeared at Robinson Auditorium in 1941 and 1950.

Tony Awards connection: Received a Tony nomination for Actress in a Play for her performance in Midgie Purvis.  A play about her, entitled Looped netted Valerie Harper a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Bankhead.

ROCKing the TONYs – David Auburn (who also Rocked the Pulitzers too)

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Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

Rock the TonysDavid Auburn

Little Rock connection: Graduated from Hall High School. Participated in Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre.

Tony Awards connection: Won a Tony for writing Proof, 2001 Best Play. The play also won Tony’s for Actress in a Play (Mary-Louise Parker) and Director of a Play (Daniel Sullivan) and received three other nominations for the other members of the cast: Larry Bryggman, Ben Shenkman and Johanna Day. His 2013 play The Columnist netted a Tony nomination for John Lithgow.  His next play, Lost Lake, premieres Off Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club later this year.

Auburn also won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Proof. This year’s Pulitzer prizes are to be announced today.