'Hairspray' Gets 13 Tony Nominations

(AP)  "Hairspray," the buoyant musical celebration of 1960s Baltimore, dominated the 2003 Tony Award nominations Monday with 13, while "Movin' Out," Twyla Tharp's stage tribute to Billy Joel, received 10.

The revival of "Nine," a 1982 Tony winner about a woman-obsessed Italian film director, received eight nominations, including one for its star, Antonio Banderas, and three for its actresses in the feature category.

"Long Day's Journey Into Night," a revival of Eugene O'Neill's epic family drama, got seven nominations, including nods for its stars Brian Dennehy, Vanessa Redgrave, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert Sean Leonard.

Paul Newman picked up a nomination for his role in a revival of "Our Town," while Bernadette Peters received a nomination for her role as Mama Rose in "Gypsy."

Nominees were announced at Sardi's, the theater-district restaurant. John Lithgow and Melanie Griffith did the honors. Lithgow was a Tony winner last year for the musical "Sweet Smell of Success," while Griffith goes into the cast of "Chicago" in July to play Roxie Hart.

Vying with "Hairspray" and "Movin' Out" for best musical are the short-lived "Amour," a Gallic fantasy about a man who could walk through walls, and the charming children's show "A Year With Frog and Toad."

Best play nominees include "Take Me Out," about a gay baseball player; "Enchanted April," the story of four Englishwomen on vacation in Italy; "Say Goodnight Gracie," a one-man show about George Burns; and "Vincent in Brixton," about artist Vincent van Gogh's brief stay in London.

Banderas' main competition is Harvey Fierstein, who plays the housewife Edna Turnblad in "Hairspray." Brian Stokes Mitchell, who stars in a revival of "Man of La Mancha," Malcolm Gets from "Amour" and John Selya, "Movin' Out," fill out the category.

Peters, who recently missed performances because of a respiratory ailment, faces Melissa Errico, "Amour"; Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, "Man of La Mancha"; Elizabeth Parkinson, "Movin' Out"; and Marissa Jaret Winokur, who plays Fierstein's daughter in "Hairspray."

Besides Newman and Dennehy, leading actor nominations in a play include Brian Bedford for "Tartuffe," Eddie Izzard for "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" and Stanley Tucci for "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune."

Leading actress nominees include Redgrave, Jayne Atkinson for "Enchanted April," Victoria Hamilton for "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg," Clare Higgins for "Vincent in Brixton" and Fiona Shaw for "Medea."

Tony winners will be announced June 8 in televised ceremonies from Radio City Music Hall.