Anika Noni Rose News

'I'm having a good morning! I was actually watching the announcements on NY1 this morning- I'm not gonna lie, or try to be cool about that. I'm just so thrilled for the show. We really couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I'm so thrilled by all of the nominations the we got today, but I'm not surprised. We've always been thrilled doing the show and it's great that everyone's hard work is being recognized. Just working with the cast every night has been an absolute dream. To have so many of us nominated has been amazing. Particularly the fact that both Josh and I were nominated is amazing. We're both over the moon about the whole thing. The rest of the day I'll be making phone calls and sending emails. Later Scott Rudin has a little get-together planned, so there will be a celebration tonight!'

'I've having a pretty lovely morning. I have to say, I found out about the nomination on my iPhone! I kissed my little girl off to kindergarten and went back to bed. I knew generally the time range of when the announcement would be made, but I've never actually been awake for them. I was up late last night doing family stuff and I woke up to my phone a little after 9 and I had a lovely message from Todd Haimes and I had a lot of emails. I was thrilled but knew it could go either way. I try to focus on doing my job and the rest is sugar, icing, and candy. And today I got some sugar, icing and candy. I'm proud that this role is so different from anything else I've done and I'm proud to represent the show. Some of the things that seemed most challenging in the beginning are now my favorite moments in the show. I love that I've had the opportunity to have the process to discover the character. Now I've got to find something to wear to the press reception tomorrow morning! I still have to call my family, and I hope to see my little girl after school today before I leave for work!'

'I am in London right in the middle of Shrek tech rehearsals. So at some point I went backstage to look at my lists of the next things we had to do and my phone was lighting up. It was my agent and good friend and he told me the news. It was very exciting. As for celebrating we have a Shrek run tonight, so I won't be free for a while, but afterwards I would love to have a glass of champagne in my hotel room! You know, it is always a surprise. To be recognized like this is a total gift, and the show means so much to me. It was such a joy to do, Dan Radcliffe is a dream to work with, and to have this honor for the show... you just never know. And this is the best outcome. Of course it was a disappointment that Dan wasn't nominated, I think he is terrific. He is the leader of the production. But it is great that we were recognized... you just want everyone to feel as wonderful as you feel right now.'

'I think it's wonderful. Every single one of those persons deserved their nominations so I am so pleased. I thought David Rockwell was sadly robbed of a nomination, however, as he has produced one of the best sets on Broadway in my opinion. It has been so nice to have been a part of this process as a consultant and see this show play well. I trust George C. Wolfe completely. I am looking forward to The Normal Heart movie. Ryan Murphy who does GLEE has optioned the rights and announced that Mark Ruffalo will be playing Ned Weeks, so I hope that I can be a part of that process, too.'

'I am in Connecticut right now, so I watched the announcements on the news, and then Philip Rinaldi, my publicist called me. It was an exciting phone call! I was so very proud to be a member of that ensemble, and to get to work with the entire creative team. I feel that it is a bold and original piece of material, and I am thrilled that the TONY committee also feels the same way. I just listened to the cast album, it just makes me feel very nostalgic. As for today, no celebrating yet I will be headed back into NYC for rehearsal with NYC ballet.'

'This is the best morning that I have had in a long time. I was asleep in bed when my manager called me, and when he told me I felt like just jumping up and shouting! I immediately called my mother and father and told them, which was just wonderful to share. Really, I'm on cloud nine... this is a dream of mine. To be making my Broadway debut and to be nominated for it, it is just mind-blowing for me. And to share a nomination with everyone in my category as well as everyone on my team, it is just incredible. As for today, we are definitely all getting together and having a celebration, as we speak I am having a celebratory breakfast with my best friend and then I am going to work out, and then go shopping. It is going to be a wonderful day!'

'I am thrilled beyond belief! I was really shocked and a got really quiet and I've just now started to stop shaking. It overwhelming! It's beyond my wildest dream and certainly my childhood dream come true. I never could have imagined this. I had no idea what to expect our show is so different that I had no idea what to expect. When I saw the show coming up repeatedly this morning I was just blown away. I'm so thrilled that the people have put so much time are being recognized for their work. To celebrate I'm going to go to brunch with friends and go for a run in Central Park, which is my way of meditating in the city. And I'm so thrilled that I get to spend the rest of the day my wonderful cast.'

'Right now I am slightly hung over and a little constipated (not the best combination!) Working with Jeffrey Lane on this was a fantastic experience. He's brilliant. We went into this process together knowing that it was a giant challenge, and the early process of building this from the ground up was the best part of the experience for me. The fun really began when we were fortunate enough to get Pedro Almodovar involved. The on stage highlight for me was seeing Laura Benanti's number 'Model Behavior' fully realized. That was the product of true collaboration between me, Jeffrey, Bartlett Sher and Laura. That's what's special about musical theater - when one person's idea sets off another idea, which builds on another idea and then another. And then to watch Laura hit it out of the park was truly special. That was collaboration that worked. Tonight I play poker, which hopefully will be a continuation of the celebration (unless I lose, of course!).'

Past Tony winners Anika Noni Rose and Matthew Broderick announced the 2011 Tony Awards nominees live from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City. BroadwayWorld.com will be talking to all of the nominees to hear their exciting stories of how they heard, who they told and more! Click below to watch the video of the nominations, courtesy of Broadway Beat!

Los ganadores de la pasada edición de los Premios Tony: Anika Noni Rose y Matthew Broderick, han anunciado los nominados para los Premios Tony 2011. Se trata de la edición número 65 de los premios y tendrá lugar en el Beacon Theatre el próximo 12 de junio.

'It's kind of a really cool morning! I'm in LA at the moment, so I was in my hotel room bed, and I think, okay, let's watch the announcements just for fun and see whats up. Once they started reading and saying 'The Scottsboro Boys' my heart started racing. Anika is my very best friend in the whole world, and as she is reading off the nominations she hits the podium, and I thought, 'wow, she must be excited for something.' Then she read my name! It couldn't be more perfect than to have your best friend reading your name for a nomination. She called me right after they were off the air and she told me that originally Matthew was supposed to read that part but she took it from him. (Laughs.) In regards to all the nominations post closing, and the idea of reopening, well, it would be nice to reopen! This all just shows you that anything can happen. This helps me know that what we did was something significant, something the audience felt was as special as we thought it was, and it is nice to know that that was appreciated. As for The Scottsboro Boys returning in London or Broadway, the location isn't as important. It is just nice to know that it is not the end of the journey. To celebrate I am going to go to Denny's, because I am starving! And I have been on the phone for hours, so I am going to order a grand slam, or maybe a lumber jack special while I change my flight to get back to the press junket tomorrow.'

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 65th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 3, 2011 by Tony Award winning actor Matthew Broderick and Tony Award winning actress Anika Noni Rose, at the Tony Award Nominations Announcement sponsored by IBM.

'I feel pretty remarkable. In fact, it's pretty remarkable how many phone calls the iPhone can handle. I've heard noises and beeps from this thing this morning that I've never heard before. It's so exciting and what an honor. I was avoiding reading or watching anything so that if I didn't get nominated it wouldn't feel like such a bust. I didn't even know what time the nominations were being announced. But then the phone rang with my manger screaming as I was feeding the baby, so then I squealed, which then set off this chain reaction of the baby screaming and the dog barking and then the baby messing the diaper, so my joy lasted for about two seconds but it was a good two seconds. 14 nominations for the show...wow! Of course I prayed that it would happen, but I never imagined to be honored like this! I feel so lucky to have been able to originate this role with this amazing creative team and have the opportunity to give it my voice. Having been able to build something from scratch over the course of three years is the greatest achievement for me.'

Los ganadores de la pasada edición de los Premios Tony: Anika Noni Rose y Matthew Broderick, han anunciado los nominados para los Premios Tony 2011. Se trata de la edición número 65 de los premios y tendrá lugar en el Beacon Theatre el próximo 12 de junio.

Past Tony winners Anika Noni Rose and Matthew Broderick announced the 2011 Tony Awards nominees live from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City this morning, May 3. BroadwayWorld.com was on hand for the big announcements and brings you photo coverage below!

'I was sleeping in bed when the announcement came, I don't know if it is a 'head in the sand type thing,' where it can only be good news if I'm not watching! (Laughs.) But anyway, my good friend called me and let me know. I have a really amazing support system and great friends. Once I found out I called my brother and sister in law, I wanted to catch them before they left for work. Then I had to track my mother down, she works in a hospital so I had to call five different nursing stations to find her! We were cried together. Later today I am getting a massage and I'm getting together with the cast for a lunch to celebrate the 14 nominations. In regards to being surprised about the show's multiple nominations, you can't know until you know. You can feel really positive and I did, but I also haven't seen a lot of the other shows. The best moment for me was when I saw that Andrew and Josh were nominated as well. I believe that the show is so good because every person is doing the best work possible.'

'Well, I had to be sitting up in front of the TV for in the nominations because my mother is in Australia and she insisted on hearing them live with me. I had to hold the phone up to the TV and it turned out that she couldn't hear it, so I had to remember them and repeat it all! It's extraordinary and so nice I've been from the show since the first workshop, building the character. I've had so much input onto the show and my character and I feel so emotionally invested in the production -- it's the first all Australian musical on Broadway. Audiences in New York have been exactly the same, it's an audience show rather than a critics show and the audiences just go crazy every night. It's very exciting, there's a roar that goes up every night at the end of the show so we know we're doing something right!'

'I was waiting for the book fair to begin at my son's school when my manager and friend Richie Jackson called with the news of my Tony nomination. I am deeply honored to have been acknowledged in this way - for theater in New York City - this is a very big thrill for me.'

'I am very excited and gratified for all 5 of these well deservered nominations. I am so happy for everyone involved with the show. I woke up early and actually listened to the live feed on BWW, and started jumping up and down with my wife when the news come through. It's been a long and complicated journey, it's been absolutely thrilling to have the show finally land in New York and watch the audience enjoy it every night. This show is about fun and these nominations are just icing on the cake.' Glenn Slater, nominee for Best Original Score for Sister Act

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 65th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 3, 2011 by Tony Award winning actor Matthew Broderick and Tony Award winning actress Anika Noni Rose, at the Tony Award Nominations Announcement sponsored by IBM.