Broadway's black talent captures Tony nominations

Jet, May 27, 2002

In a year that promises to be landmark for African-Americans in the arts, another jewel was added to the collective crown of Black talent when the 2002 Tony nominations honoring Broadway's best were announced recently in New York.

Topdog/Underdog, written by Black playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, earned two nominations: Best Play and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.

The drama, directed by George C. Wolfe (The Colored Museum) and starring rapper Mos Defand Jeffrey Wright, who received the Best Actor nomination, explores how a game of three-card monte changes the lives two African-American brothers struggling to come out on top. Parks recently won a Pulitzer Prize for drama for Top dog/Underdog.

Singer-actress Vanessa Williams also received accolades for her starring role as a witch in the fairy-tale musical Into the Woods. She was nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. The musical, which blends the stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack, the Giant Killer, received 10 nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actor, Best Featured Actor and Featured Actress, and Best Costume Design.

And the jazz musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, co-produced by Whoopi Goldberg and featuring actress, singer and dancer Sheryl Lee Ralph collected 11 Tony nominations--the most of any production this season--including Best Musical.

The 56th Annual Tony Awards, presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing, takes place June 2, 2002, at Radio City Music Hall in New York and airs live on CBS and PBS.