Tony Awards eliminating special theatrical event category beginning 2009-10 season

September 9th, 2009 BRAD PAISLEY will lead the charge at the 2009 Country Music Awards after landing six nominations. Paisley - who will host the event with Carrie Underwood - scored the most nominations when they were announced on U.S.

September 9th, 2009 2010 Tony Awards set for June 13 at Radio CityNEW YORK — Broadway's fall shows haven't even arrived yet but the date for the 2010 Tony Awards has been set — Sunday June 13 — at Radio City Music Hall. Winners of awards honoring the best of the 2009-2010 Broadway season will be announced during a live, three-hour telecast by CBS, 8:00 p.m.-11 p.m.

June 24th, 2009 Billy Crystal takes '700 Sundays' on the roadNEW YORK — Billy Crystal is taking his acclaimed stage autobiography, "700 Sundays," on the road this fall. "700 Sundays" was a Broadway success during the 2004-2005 season, playing to sold-out houses and winning a Tony Award for special theatrical experience.

June 8th, 2009 List of winners of 2009 Tony AwardWinners of the 2009 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards, announced Sunday. BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Lee Hall, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Derek McLane, "33 Variations." SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Ian MacNeil, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Anthony Ward, "Mary Stuart." COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Tim Hatley, "Shrek The Musical." LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Brian MacDevitt, "Joe Turner's Come and Gone." LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Rick Fisher, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Gregory Clarke, "Equus." SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Paul Arditti, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." CHOREOGRAPHY: Peter Darling, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." ORCHESTRATIONS: Martin Koch, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"; Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, "Next to Normal." SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE: Jerry Herman.

June 8th, 2009 Notable quotes from 2009 Tony AwardsQuotes from 2009 Tony Awards, presented Sunday night: David Alvarez, one of three Tony-winning Billy Eliots, on his trophy: "We have to put these back, though, and they give us, like, a real one." Elton John, musical, "Billy Eliot,' on the live-performance aspect of the Tonys: "It's a lot more enjoyable than the Oscars because you're entertained from start to finish." Angela Lansbury, featured actress in a play, "Blithe Spirit": "Bringing Hair back at this time and having it be a huge success is wonderful for Broadway," Angela Lansbury. "I'd love to work with James Gandolfini.

June 8th, 2009 Best Tony Award ratings since 2006NEW YORK — Tony Awards organizers can be pleased about a winning night at the television turnstiles. Broadway's big night was seen by 7.45 million people.

June 8th, 2009 'God of Carnage' takes Tony for best playNEW YORK — "God of Carnage" has won the Tony for best play. The satiric comedy by Yasmina (YAS'-me-nah) Reza (RAY'-zah) has been one of the biggest hits of the Broadway season.

June 8th, 2009 'Billy Elliot' takes 8 Tonys; 'Carnage' best playNEW YORK — "Billy Elliot" dominated Sunday night's Tonys, collecting eight awards, including director of a musical, book of a musical and choreography, but the show and its composer Elton John were upset for best score. That award was taken by "Next to Normal" — which seemed to stun "Normal" composer Tom Kitt and lyricist Brian Yorkey.

June 8th, 2009 'Billy Elliot' takes Tony for best musicalNEW YORK — "Billy Elliot" has won the Tony as Broadway's best musical. The show about a British coal miner's son who dreams to dance was the biggest musical hit of the season.

June 8th, 2009 NEW YORK - Billy Elliot, the unlikely British musical about a miner's son with a passion for ballet, dominated the Tony Awards, scooping up 10 prizes, including the coveted prize for best musical. The Tony for best play went Sunday night to the searing marital comedy "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza while the remake of the musical "Hair" won the prize for best revival of a musical.

June 8th, 2009 What shows won what awards at the 2009 TonysThe prizes won Sunday by plays and musicals at the 2009 Tony Awards. "Billy Elliot" (10): musical; actor-musical; director-musical; book-musical; choreography; featured-actor musical; sets-musical; lighting-musical; sound-musical; orchestrations (tie).

June 8th, 2009 Partial list of winners of 2009 Tony AwardWinners of the 2009 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards, announced Sunday. PLAY: "God of Carnage." REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: "Hair." BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Lee Hall, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE: "Next to Normal." REVIVAL OF A PLAY: "The Norman Conquests." SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: "Liza's at The Palace." PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Geoffrey Rush, "Exit the King." PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Marcia Gay Harden, "God of Carnage." PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Alice Ripley, "Next to Normal." PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Roger Robinson, "Joe Turner's Come and Gone." PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Angela Lansbury, "Blithe Spirit." PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Gregory Jbara, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Karen Olivo, "West Side Story." SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Derek McLane, "33 Variations." SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Ian MacNeil, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Anthony Ward, "Mary Stuart." COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Tim Hatley, "Shrek The Musical." LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Brian MacDevitt, "Joe Turner's Come and Gone." LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Rick Fisher, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Gregory Clarke, "Equus." SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Paul Arditti, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Matthew Warchus, "God of Carnage." DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Stephen Daldry, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." CHOREOGRAPHY: Peter Darling, "Billy Elliot, The Musical." ORCHESTRATIONS: Martin Koch, "Billy Elliot, The Musical"; Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, "Next to Normal." SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE: Jerry Herman.

June 5th, 2009 No more polka album Grammys for Jimmy SturrLOS ANGELES — It's enough to make any serious polka fan shove his plate of sausage aside, fling his lederhosen in the closet and go out and shed a few tears in his beer. The waltz is over for America's Polka King, Jimmy Sturr, not to mention every other squeezebox-loving, ompah-dancing fanatic who followed the Grammy Awards each year just to learn whether Sturr would collect yet another trophy for best polka album of the year.

May 14th, 2009 Neil Patrick Harris set to host Tony Awards showNEW YORK — From Doogie to Barney to Tony. Neil Patrick Harris will host the 2009 Tony Awards, honoring the best of the Broadway season.

May 4th, 2009 Composer Jerry Herman set for a special Tony AwardNEW YORK — Jerry Herman is set for a special Tony Award. The Tony administration committee says the composer of "Hello, Dolly!" and "Mame" will receive a special lifetime-achievement prize during the awards ceremony June 7 at Radio City Music Hall.