'Oklahoma!' Star On The Tonys

(CBS)  Appearing in only his third Broadway show, actor Patrick Wilson has received his second Tony nomination in two years. This one is for playing the cowboy Curly in a new revival of Rogers and Hammerstein's classic musical "Oklahoma!".

On The Early Show Thursday, Wilson told Jane Clayson he has been practicing his Tony acceptance speech "for a very long time." Performing live theater is something he has wanted to do since he was a child, he said, and something he has been studying for since he was 15 or 16.

But until he opened in "Oklahoma!" earlier this year, he said, he has "never been part of a show that reaches that diverse an audience."

Wilson and other cast members will perform the opening number- a tribute to Richard Rodgers - when the Tonys are handed out Sunday, June 2, at Radio City Music Hall. The entire cast of "Oklahoma!" will sing the show's second act opener "The Farmer and the Cowman."

"Oklahoma!" is nominated for seven awards, including Best Musical Revival. Wilson is nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. He is nominated against Gavin Creel, "Thoroughly Modern Millie;" John Cullum, "Urinetown, The Musical;" John Lithgow, "Sweet Smell Of Success;" and John McMartin, "Into The Woods"

John Lithgow is considered the frontrunner.

Fast Facts About Patrick Wilson

Born in Norfolk, Va., 1973. His mother is a singer and voice teacher. His father is a TV anchor in Florida.

1995: He majored in theater from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa. Soon after graduation, he obtained the Equity card working at Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera. He moved to New York City and landed a role in a touring company of "Miss Saigon."

1996: Toured as Billy Bigelow in "Carousel," staged by Nicholas Hytner.

1997: Portrayed a young reporter in love in "Lucky in the Rain," produced at the Goodspeed Opera House. He also had a leading role as Erwin 'Chopin' Bootz, the pianist, who performed with the German musical group the Comedian Harmonists in "Harmony," a musical by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman.

1998: Played dramatic role in the six-hour stage adaptation of "The Cider House Rules," produced at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Center.

1999: Made his Broadway debut as part of the ensemble of the short-lived Broadway musical "The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm." He later was cast in the lead role of Jamie, the fact-checker and would-be writer, in the stage musical "Bright Lights, Big City," produced Off-Off-Broadway at New York Theater Workshop. He starred as Romeo opposite Irene Molloy in Terrence Mann's musical version of "Romeo and Juliet."

2000: Had lead in the stage musical "The Full Monty," originated part at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre before reprising it on Broadway in 2001. Wilson earned a Tony nominationfor this, but lost the award to Nathan Lane for "The Producers."

2001: Starred in the independent film "My Sister's Wedding." The romantic comedy tells the story of two sisters and what happens when one of them gets married and the other tries to plan the wedding.

2002: Returned to Broadway as Curly in the revival of "Oklahoma!". Currently filming the HBO miniseries adaptation of Tony Kushner's award-winning "Angels in America," directed by Mike Nichols and starring Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, and Mary Louise Parker.