Year by Year

2011 - 65th Annual Tony Awards

Sunday, June 12, 2011
Beacon Theatre

Broadcast on CBS
Executive Producers: Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, White Cherry Entertainment
Director: Glenn Weiss
Musical Direction: Elliot Lawrence
Writer: Dave Boone

General Managers: Alan Wasser and Allan Williams

"See Broadway at Its Brightest"

Host

Neil Patrick Harris

Presenters

Alec Baldwin, Bono, Christie Brinkley, Matthew Broderick, Don Cheadle, Stephen Colbert, Harry Connick, Jr., Tyne Daly, Viola Davis, The Edge, Whoopi Goldberg, Kelsey Grammer, Joel Grey, Marg Helgenberger, Samuel L. Jackson, James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Robert Morse, Jim Parsons, David Hyde Pierce, Daniel Radcliffe, Vanessa Redgrave, Chris Rock, Brooke Shields, Robin Williams, Patrick Wilson, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Musical Numbers

• Opening number: Host Neil Patrick Harris sang an original song by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger titled “It’s Not Just for Gays Anymore” featuring chorus members from Broadway shows, with vocal cameos by Stephen Colbert, Brooke Shields, and Bobby Cannavale.
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - Daniel Radcliffe, Tony-winner John Larroquette, Rob Bartlett, Ellen Harvey and the male ensemble celebrated the “Brotherhood of Man.”
• Catch Me if You Can – The company performed “Live and Living Color” led by Aaron Tveit, followed by Tony-winner Norbert Leo Butz with “Don’t Break the Rules.”
• The Scottsboro Boys – Nominee Joshua Henry and the company performed a medley of “Hey Hey Hey Hey!” and “Commencing in Chattanooga.”
• The Book of Mormon – Nominee Andrew Rannells sang “I Believe” with cast members from the show.
• Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark – Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano performed “If the World Should End.”
• Sister Act – Nominee Patina Miller inspired the company to “Raise Your Voice.”
• Memphis – The cast of 2010 Best Musical reprised the show’s closing number, “Steal Your Rock ‘n’ Roll,” along with kids from KIPP STAR College Prep Charter School in Harlem.
• Hugh Jackman sparred with Neil Patrick Harris in a competitive musical medley about who is the better award-show host.
• The all-star cast of the New York Philharmonic's April 2011 limited run of the Stephen Sondheim/George Furth musical  Company reassembled for a performance of “Side by Side.” Performers included Neil Patrick Harris (as “Bobby”), Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer, Katie Finneran, Christina Hendricks, Aaron Lazar, Patti LuPone, Jill Paice, Martha Plimpton, Anika Noni Rose, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Jim Walton and Chryssie Whitehead.
• Paul Shaffer and Martha Wash joined nominee Tony Sheldon, Nick Adams, Will Swenson and the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert in singing the disco anthem “It’s Raining Men.”
• Anything Goes – Tony-winner Sutton Foster and the cast sang and tapped their way through the show’s title song.
• Finale – Host Neil Patrick Harris preformed a freestyle rap recapping the evening’s events.

Other Elements

John Leguizamo delivered a comic monologue about the “long and oderous” road to Broadway from his solo show Ghetto Klown.

Tony winners Laura Benanti and Katie Finneran hosted the presentation of the Creative Arts Awards (sponsored by InterContinental Hotels and Resorts), which took place prior to and during breaks in the telecast.

For the third consecutive year, the Tony Awards were simulcast live on Clear Channel's SpectacolorHD screen in Times Square. Four-time Tony-nominee Tovah Feldshuh hosted the festivities, which included the Tony Awards Red Carpet which was presented by Audemars Piguet, courtesy of NY1; the entirety of the Tony Awards show, including the Creative Arts Awards.

Emmy Awards

Outstanding Special Class Programs - 2012
Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producer; Glenn Weiss, Executive Producer; Neil Patrick Harris, Producer/Host

Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special - 2012
Glenn Weiss, Director

Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics - 2012
Song: "It's Not Just For Gays Anymore"
Music by Adam Schlesinger; lyrics by David Javerbaum

Outstanding Art Direction For Variety Or Nonfiction Programming - 2012
Steve Bass, Production Designer; Seth Easter, Art Director