NEW YORK -- "Not About Nightingales," a prison drama written more than 60 years ago by Tennessee Williams, was nominated Monday as best play of the Broadway season.
"Nightingales," not seen on stage until a production last year in England, will compete against another American play, "Side Man," Warren Leight's portrait of a jazz musician and his family, for the top prize.Also nominated for best play were two foreign entries, "Closer," English playwright Patrick Marber's acerbic look at love and sex at the end of the century, and Martin McDonagh's "The Lonesome West," a black comedy about two battling brothers set in rural Ireland.
The Williams play received six nominations, including one for its star, Corin Redgrave, who plays a prison warden in the show. Also receiving six nominations was the revival of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman."
The revival category for play is expected to provide the most spirited competition, with "Salesman" going up against three other critically acclaimed productions -- "Electra," "The Iceman Cometh" and "Twelfth Night."
Another tough category is best actor in a play with Redgrave facing Brian Dennehy, who plays Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman," Kevin Spacey in "The Iceman Cometh" and Brian F. O'Byrne, one of the brothers in "The Lonesome West."
"Parade," a musical that sharply divided critics and audiences and closed in February after a short run, received nine nominations, more than any other show. The musical was based on the true story of a 1913 murder in Georgia and the subsequent lynching of a Jewish man.
Its competition for best musical will be "Fosse," a celebration of the dances of the late, great choreographer Bob Fosse; "It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues," a history of the blues, and "The Civil War," Frank Wildhorn's pop version of the Battle of the Blue and Gray.
Judi Dench, already an Oscar winner this year for "Shakespeare in Love," was nominated for best actress in a play for "Amy's View," a London success. Her challengers: Stockard Channing, "The Lion in Winter"; Marian Seldes, "Ring Round the Moon" and Zoe Wanamaker, "Electra."
Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat, her co-star in "Annie Get Your Gun," were nominated for their performances in the revival of the Irving Berlin musical. Peters is the favorite in the best actress in a musical category, competing against Carolee Carmello, "Parade"; Dee Hoty, "Footloose"; and Sian Phillips' portrayal of film great Marlene Dietrich in "Marlene.
Wopat faces Martin Short, who played seven roles in "Little Me"; Brent Carver of "Parade"; and Adam Cooper, who danced the lead swan in "Swan Lake."
The 53rd annual Tony Awards will be given June 6 in ceremonies televised from the Gershwin Theater. No guest host has been announced. Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, credited with boosting the telecast's ratings, declined to take the job for a third straight year, citing scheduling difficulties.
Here are the 1999 Tony Award nominations:
Play: "Closer, "Not About Nightingales," "Side Man," "The Lonesome West."
Musical: "Fosse," "It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues," "Parade," "The Civil War."
Book of a Musical: Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie "Footloose," Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor and Dan Wheetman "It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues," Pam Gems "Marlene," Alfred Uhry "Parade."
Original Score: Tom Snow, Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman "Footloose", Jason Robert Brown "Parade," Frank Wildhorn and Jack Murphy "The Civil War," Jeanine Tesori "Twelfth Night."
Revival-Play: "Death of a Salesman," "Electra," "The Iceman Cometh," "Twelfth Night."
Revival-Musical: "Annie Get Your Gun," "Little Me," "Peter Pan," "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown."
Actor-Play: Brian Dennehy "Death of a Salesman," Brian O'Byrne "The Lonesome West," Corin Redgrave "Not About Nightingales," Kevin Spacey "The Iceman Cometh."
Actress-Play: Stockard Channing "The Lion in Winter," Judi Dench "Amy's View," Marian Seldes "Ring Round the Moon," Zoe Wanamaker "Electra."
Actor-Musical: Brent Carver "Parade," Adam Cooper "Swan Lake," Martin Short "Little Me," Tom Wopat "Annie Get Your Gun."
Actress-Musical: Carolee Carmello "Parade," Dee Hoty "Footloose," Bernadette Peters "Annie Get Your Gun," Sian Phillips "Marlene."
Featured (supporting) Actor-Play: Kevin Anderson "Death of a Salesman," Finbar Lynch "Not About Nightingales," Howard Witt "Death of a Salesman," Frank Wood "Side Man."
Featured Actress-Play: Claire Bloom "Electra," Samantha Bond "Amy's View," Dawn Bradfield "The Lonesome West," Elizabeth Franz "Death of a Salesman."
Featured Actor-Musical: Roger Bart "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," Desmond Richardson "Fosse," Ron Taylor "It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues," Scott Wise "Fosse."
Featured Actress-Musical: Gretha Boston "It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues," Kristin Chenoweth "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," Valarie Pettiford "Fosse," Mary Testa "On the Town."
Director-Play: Howard Davies "The Iceman Cometh," Robert Falls "Death of a Salesman," Garry Hynes "The Lonesome West," Trevor Nunn "Not About Nightingales."
Director-Musical: Matthew Bourne "Swan Lake," Richard Maltby Jr. and Ann Reinking "Fosse," Michael Mayer "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," Harold Prince "Parade."
Scenic Design: Bob Crowley "The Iceman Cometh," Bob Crowley "Twelfth Night," Riccardo Hernandez "Parade," Richard Hoover "Not About Nightingales."
Costume Design: Lez Brotherston "Swan Lake," Santo Loquasto "Fosse," John David Ridge "Ring Round the Moon," Catherine Zuber "Twelfth Night."
Lighting Design: Andrew Bridge "Fosse," Mark Henderson "The Iceman Cometh," Natasha Katz "Twelfth Night," Chris Parry "Not About Nightingales."
Choreography: Patricia Birch "Parade," Matthew Bourne "Swan Lake," A.C. Ciulla "Footloose," Rob Marshall "Little Me."
Orchestrations: Ralph Burns and Douglas Besterman "Fosse," David Cullen "Swan Lake," Don Sebesky "Parade," Harold Wheeler "Little Me."
Special Awards: Uta Hagen, Arthur Miller, Isabelle Stevenson and the production of "Fool Moon."
Regional Theater: Crossroads Theater Company, New Brunswick, N.J.