What - Tonys

When - Sunday, June 7th on CBS at 8PM

Host - Neil Patrick Harris

Performances by - Poison, Liza Minnelli, Elton John, Stockard Channing, Dolly Parton

Presenters - Will Ferrell, James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Nicole Kidman, and Anne Hathaway

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This from Variety:

Awards News

Tonys add Poison to show
Metal band, Dolly Parton set for telecast

By GORDON COX
Posted: Tue., Jun. 2, 2009, 1:23pm PT

The 1980s hair-metal band Poison will perform during the Tony telecast -- as will more usual legit suspects Liza Minnelli, Elton John and Stockard Channing.

As expected, Dolly Parton, the nominated composer-lyricist of "9 to 5," will appear, alongside the cast of the tuner.

Poison will be joined by the thesps of "Rock of Ages," the '80s jukebox musical that features Poison songs "Nothing but a Good Time" and "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."

Minnelli appeared on the Rialto earlier this season in the nominated special event "Liza's at the Palace." John is nommed as composer of "Billy Elliot," while Channing is up for lead actress in a tuner for her perf in "Pal Joey."

Ceremony, considered the highest-profile opportunity for Broadway to market itself on a national basis, will include segs from every nominated tuner production as well as snippets from three touring shows.

List of presenters includes Will Ferrell, James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Nicole Kidman and Anne Hathaway.

Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, kudocast is set for Sunday on CBS.

Scheduled presenters:

Lucie Arnaz
Kate Burton
Kristin Chenoweth
Jeff Daniels
Hope Davis
Edie Falco
Will Ferrell
Carrie Fisher
Jane Fonda
Hallie Foote
James Gandolfini
Lauren Graham
Colin Hanks
Marcia Gay Harden
Anne Hathaway
Nicole Kidman
Jessica Lange
Frank Langella
Angela Lansbury
Audra McDonald
Piper Perabo
David Hyde Pierce
Oliver Platt
Susan Sarandon
Kevin Spacey
John Stamos
Chandra Wilson

From Tom's blog:
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Tony Awards serve Poison, Dolly Parton, Elton John, and Liza Minnelli

The lineup of presenters and performers at this Sunday's Tony Awards represents the wide array of shows on Broadway this season. There will be performances from the four nominated new musicals — "Billy Elliot," "Next to Normal," "Rock of Ages," and "Shrek" — as well as the quartet of revivals — "Guys and Dolls," "Hair," "Pal Joey," and "West Side Story" — contending for theater's top honor. In addition, the three-hour Tonycast on CBS will highlight the success of touring productions of long-running tuners.

Accompanying David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish — the three Tony-nominated teens who alternate playing the title role in "Billy Elliot" — will be the show's Tony-contending composer Elton John. This is John's third Tony bid after a loss for "The Lion King" in 1996 and a win for "Aida" in 2000.

Broadway newcomer Dolly Parton penned the songs for "9 to 5" and picked up a Tony nod for her efforts. While the show was snubbed for the top award of best musical, the cast will be joining Parton for a lively rendition of her Oscar-nominated title tune.

Poison will be performing with the cast of "Rock of Ages," an affectionate look back at the big hair, big sound rock bands of the 1980s. That show landed a surprise best musical nod at the expense of "9 to 5." And "American Idol" also-ran Constantine Maroulis earned a lead actor nom as well.

Among his competition is "Shrek" star Bryan D'Arcy James, who will be performing the number "What's Up, Duloc" along with the rest of the cast of this toon-come-to-life tuner, including Tony nominees Sutton Foster and Christopher Sieber.

Best musical actress front-runner Alice Ripley will sing a song from "Next to Normal," the critically acclaimed new musical about a woman dealing with bipolar disorder. Joining Ripley onstage will be her Tony-nominated castmates J. Robert Spencer and Jennifer Damiano, among others.

Another contender for the musical actress award is Stockard Channing, who won a Tony for her work in the play "Joe Egg" in 1985 and has competed four more times on that front since. This theater vet received her first musical nod for the revival of "Pal Joey," and she will be singing a number from that glorious Rodgers & Hart show.

Two-time musical actress Tony winner Liza Minnelli ("Flora the Red Menace," 1965; "The Act," 1978) made a triumphant return to the rialto last fall in a one-woman show at the Palace Theatre. She is nominated for special theatrical event and will be performing a number from that hit show.

The performance from 2006 best musical winner "Jersey Boys" will feature four actors currently playing the role of Frankie Valli on the road — Joseph Leo Bwarie (Toronto), Rick Faugno, (Las Vegas) Courter Simmons (national tour) and Dominic Scaglione Jr. (Chicago). 2002 musical nominee "Mamma Mia!" will be represented by national tour trio Michelle Dawson, Kittra Wynn Commer, and Robin Tyler. And the Tony-snubbed 2007 musical version of "Legally Blonde" will get a chance to sell tickets on the road with a performance by Becky Gulsvig.

I wished Rock of Ages would have performed Here I Go Again. It makes the most sense taken out of context, plus it features the whole cast. Nothin' But a Good Time features Drew, Lonny, & Dennis. But Every Rose Has Its Thorn does feature the whole cast.

But they need to get David Coverdale to introduce them, like he does before the show and at the beginning of the cast recording.

There are rumors that in addition to the design categories and orchestrations the awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Choreography and...most egregiously in this year when play revivals ruled...Best Revival of a Play are being pushed to the pre-show...

I believe all three were pre-showed last year, too...but if it's a choice between seeing those wins live or a performance by the road company of Legally Blonde...I'll take the awards.

What a dumbass decision! Is everything in this country about "the bottom line". And here I thought the Tony Awards still retained a modicum of integrity.

Is the pre-show aired online for people to watch? I really want to see these awards.

Yes, at least they're streamed on the official Tony website.

Best Play Revival will be part of the main show.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/a...ny_Telecast_20090605

Does anyone know who is presenting the first awards on the web-cast and also, when does it start?

**To answer my own question Laura Benanti & Briank Stokes Mitchell will host the Creative Arts Awards, which will start at 7/6c.

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I'm on the official website, but the only live video I can get is the red carpet arrivals. No creative arts feed. Anyone know what's up?

OK, live feed of the creative arts awards just began. Outstanding regional theater is first.

Best Orchestrations:
Tie!!

Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt - Next to Normal

Martin Koch - Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Lighting Design of a Play:

Brian MacDevitt - Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Lighting Design of a Musical:

Rick Fisher - Billy Elliot, The Musical

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BamaEd,

Yay Next to Normal! Already it has upset!

The tie was very exciting. Bodes for Next to Normal.

I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE PREDICTED JOE TURNER FOR LIGHTING! Darn.

Best Costume Design of a Play:

Anthony Ward - Mary Stuart

Best Costume Design of a Musical:

Tim Hatley - Shrek, The Musical

Costume Design of a Play -- "Mary Stuart"

Costume Design of a Musical -- "Shrek the Musical"

I knew Shrek would win, but I was rooting for Rock of Ages. Let's hear it for acid wash!!

Best Scenic Design of a Play:

Derek McLane - 33 Variations

Best Scenic Design of a Musical:

Ian MacNeil - Billy Elliott, The Musical