New TONY Rulings on RAIN, PEE-WEE, VENICE, ELF, FREEMAN and EARNEST

The Tony Awards Administration Committee met today for the second time this season to decide the eligibility of six Broadway productions for the 2011 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. The Tony Awards Administration Committee will meet a total of four times throughout the 2010-2011 season to decide the eligibility for the 2011 Tony Awards.

The six productions discussed include: Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, The Merchant of Venice, Elf, A Free Man of Color and The Importance of Being Earnest.

Paul Reubens will be considered eligible in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his performance in The Pee-Wee Herman Show.

Lily Rabe will be considered eligible in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her performance in The Merchant of Venice.

Sebastian Arcelus will be considered eligible in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his performance in Elf.

Jeffrey Wright will be considered eligible in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his performance in A Free Man of Color.

Santino Fontana and David Furr will be considered eligible in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for their respective performances in The Importance of Being Earnest.

All other decisions were consistent with the opening night credits.

The 65th Annual Tony Awards will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from the Beacon Theatre on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 12, 2011.

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