'An American in Paris' sweeps Broadway award nominations

Hit musicals "An American in Paris," adapted from the Oscar-winning classic, and "Fun Home," about a lesbian coming of age, swept the board Tuesday in nominations for Broadway's Tony Awards.

Each won 12 nominations, including for "best musical" and in a host of best actor categories.

"Fun Home" has won rave reviews since being adapted from the novel by Lisa Kron and moving onto Broadway from a smaller theater in New York.

"An American in Paris," which made its Broadway debut this month after moving from the French capital, is directed by British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, who was nominated in two of its 12 categories.

British imports, "Wolf Hall," "Skylight" and "The Audience" scooped eight, seven and three nominations respectively.

Author Hillary Mantel, who won the Booker Prize for "Wolf Hall" and its sequel "Bring Up the Bodies," was nominated as co-author with Mike Poulton for best play.

Stars of the screen dominated nominations in the best actor categories.

Hollywood heartthrob and Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper won one of four nominations for "The Elephant Man" as best actor.

Elisabeth Moss, who plays Peggy Olson in hit TV show "Mad Men," was nominated as best actress in "The Heidi Chronicles" despite producers announcing the play is to close early next week.

British film star Helen Mirren was nominated for her role as the Queen in "The Audience" as were Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan each in "Skylight."

"The Last Ship," a semi-autobiographical musical written by British pop star Sting, closed in January after poor sales, but won two nominations for best original score and best orchestrations.

There were nine nominations for Broadway's revival of "The King and I" and six nominations, including best play, best director and best actor, for "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time."

"Disgraced," the Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a successful lawyer forced to consider why he has disguised his Pakistani Muslim heritage, won one nomination in the best author category for Ayad Akhtar.

The winners of the Tony Awards will be announced on June 7.
Source: AFP