Alan Wasser News

This year's Tony nominations will be announced on May 3. The 65th annual Tony Awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, June 12, 2011, broadcast on CBS. EW.com has revealed this morning that the announcers will be former Tony recipients Matthew Broderick (The Producers, The Odd Couple, The Philanthropist, Brighton Beach Memiors, How To Succeed in Business...) and Anika Noni Rose (Caroline or Change). The nominations will be announced at Lincoln Center's Public Library for Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center beginning at 8:30am.

He told the Dallas Magazine today that 'Billionaire businessman Donald Trump counseled rocker Bret Michaels to file suit against CBS Entertainment and others over injuries Michaels suffered at the 2009 Tony Awards, the Poison lead singer said in Dallas Saturday. Talks to resolve the matter earlier broke down because, 'let's just say, they were pretty cold,' Michaels said, referring to the defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed in L.A. by his lawyers Friday. While Trump offered to intercede and advised him to sue aggressively, Michaels said, he decided mainly to ask to be compensated for work-time lost due to his injuries, which included stitches with a cut lip and a broken nose.' He also notes 'They never needed to show me getting hurt,' he added. 'They didn't offer to pay my medical costs or anything. ... I'm sorry it came to this.'

Rocker and former Poison frontman Bret Michaels has filed a lawsuit agains the Tony Awards - including Tony Awards Productions, White Cherry Entertainment, Inc, Richard Kirshner, Glen Weiss, Alan Wasser Associates LLC, Alan Wasser, Allan Williams and CBS Entertainment, stating that a near-fatal brain hemmorhage that he suffered is related to the injuries he received at the 2009 ceremony.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that the Tony Awards Administration Committee is set to meet for the third time this season on March 31.

Algonquin Theater Productions announces its plans to move to Pier 17 and the South Street Seaport, starting in March, 2011.

According to a Tony Awards spokesperson, the Tony Awards Administration Committee will will meet on December 9 for the first time this season.

As BroadwayWorld reported this summer, the Tony Awards is in search of a new home for 2011 and beyond, now that their 13 year occupation of Radio City Music Hall in midtown is complete. (Radio City will be occupied with a Cirque du Soliel production during Tony time next year). While the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, who present the Tonys, have not yet released an official statement on a specific move, published reports have suggested a likely option was the 3,400+ seat United Palace Theater in Washington Heights.

CBS announced that it extended its agreement with the Tony Awards to broadcast the ceremony through 2013. The Tonys, which won 2 Emmys earlier this year have been broadcast on the network since 1978.

It's not just the venue that might be moving for the 2011 Tony Awards (Radio City is booked). The New York Times is reporting that the normal end of April cutoff for Tony eligibility might be moved earlier this year. The Times quotes an email from Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League saying that:

The June 2009 broadcast of the 63rd Annual Tony Awards was honored this evening with a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Dave Boone, Writer and Special Material Written by Paul Greenberg. As previously announced, the telecast was presented with the Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Programs - Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producer; Glenn Weiss, Executive Producer; and Neil Patrick Harris, Host; at the Creative Arts Emmys on August 21st.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today the Nominating Committee for the 2010-2011 Broadway season. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Michael Ridel reports in the New York Post this morning that the Tony Awards may be taking up shop in a surprising location next year: specifically, the United Palace Theatre at 175th and Broadway. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the Tony Awards will not be returning to its longtime home of 13 years at Radio City Music Hall come next year and have been in search of an appropriate replacement venue for some time. Radio City will be unavailable next year, as it will be housing a new Cirque du Soliel production.

The June 2009 broadcast of the 63rd Annual Tony Awards was honored today with four Prime Time Emmy Award nominations in the categories of Outstanding Special Class Programs - Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producer and Glenn Weiss Executive Producer; Outstanding Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Glenn Weiss, Director; Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Dave Boone, Writer; and Outstanding Art Direction for Variety, Music or Nonfiction Programming - Steve Bass, Production Designer and Seth Easter, Art Director.

The 2010 Tony Awards are fast approaching, and the performers have been taken to the stage to practice for Sunday's big night. GLEE's Lea Michele & Matthew Morrison were at Radio City Music Hall to rehearse their performances, and photos of the pair have been released!

Theatre is about telling a story. TonyAwards.com collaborated with SMITH Magazine (SmithMag.net), the creators of the Six-Word Memoirs (TM) project, by asking the 2010 Tony Award nominees to create their own Six-Word Memoirs to define that singular moment, 'What's your nomination story?' Their humorous heartfelt stories, in six, five, four...click below for their responses!

BroadwayWorld.com has confirmed with multiple production sources many of the online reports and rumors surrounding the performances for Sunday nights Tony Awards. We're told that nothing is set in stone and that performances (which are already being rehearsed) may change as the week goes on.

Meryl Streep, Hugh Jackman, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jay-Z join a host of legendary stars of stage and screen who have lent their signatures to Audemars Piguet (O-de-mar Pee-gay) timepieces to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Meryl Streep, Hugh Jackman, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jay-Z join a host of legendary stars of stage and screen who have lent their signatures to Audemars Piguet (O-de-mar Pee-gay) timepieces to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Meryl Streep, Hugh Jackman, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jay-Z join a host of legendary stars of stage and screen who have lent their signatures to Audemars Piguet (O-de-mar Pee-gay) timepieces to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The Tony Awards has unveiled their updated website, www.tonyawards.com, integrating new features and interactive fan capabilities, and debuting a brand new look.