February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
“Doubt,” by Irish-American playwright John Patrick Shanley, has topped the list with eight Tony nominations, including Best Play, Doug Hughes for Best Director, Brian F. O’Byrne for Best Actor and Cherry Jones and Adriane Lenox for Best Actress.
O’Byrne scooped the Best Featured Actor gong last year for his performance in “Frozen,” and in 1998 for his role in “Beauty Queen of Lenane.”
The Pulitzer-prize winning drama, which tells the story of clerical abuse in a Catholic school in the Bronx, has received critical acclaim since it opened on Broadway earlier this year.
“I’m so pleased, it’s a very exciting time to be a playwright in New York,” said Shanley in an interview.
“I’m delighted that my whole cast and director are included — nobody got left out in the cold.”
“The Pillowman,” Martin McDonagh’s disturbing tale of human cruelty, is not far behind with six Tony nominations.
The two plays will compete for the three main awards; in addition to its nomination for Best Play, “The Pillowman” director John Crowley and lead actor Billy Crudup are also nominated in their respective categories.
“I’m honored to be up against a giant of a playwright like McDonagh,” said Shanley.
“It’s the Irish against the Irish. I said I’d vote for him!”
The Tony Awards will take place in a ceremony at Radio City Hall on June 5.