Neil Patrick Harris To Host Tonys

"How I Met Your Mother" Star, Who Has Appeared On Broadway, Is Thrilled To Host On June 7

(AP)  Neil Patrick Harris will host the 2009 Tony Awards, honoring the best of the Broadway season. The show will be broadcast on CBS on June 7 from Radio City Music Hall.

Harris has appeared in hit TV series such as "How I Met Your Mother," where he plays the womanizing Barney Stinson, and "Doogie Howser, M.D." On Broadway, he has appeared in the revivals of "Cabaret" and in "Assassins" (playing the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald) as well as in the Tony-winning drama "Proof."

"The discipline of live theater - doing the same perfect thing night after night, eight times a week - never ceases to amaze me," Harris said in a statement Thursday. "I'm truly honored to have been chosen as the master of ceremonies for this year's Tony Awards, and I hope to help provide a first-class evening for all."

The nominations in 27 competitive categories were announced May 5. Competing for best musical are "Billy Elliot," "Next to Normal," "Rock of Ages" and "Shrek The Musical." Best play nominees are "Dividing the Estate," "God of Carnage," "reasons to be pretty" and "33 Variations." Winners will be chosen by more than 800 members of the theater community.

The Tonys are presented by the Broadway League, the industry trade group, and the American Theatre Wing, which founded the awards in 1947.

[nphfan]

oh, and by the way, check any of those names. they have all very legitimately contributed to the theatre. and those were just off the top of my head. those are just starters.

[nphfan]

uh homosexuals have always been in the theatre. it's an open, honest place. homosexuals play a large part in american theatre. harvey fierstein, lisa kron, dick scanlan, carolyn gage, cole porter, denis o'hare, dan butler, elizabeth mcgovern, jerry herman, paula vogel, leonard bernstein, lucy newman-williams, nathan lane, and chad allen. anyone who thinks that homosexuals don't belong in the theatre clearly doesn't know anything about theatre. and i thought that homosexuals in the theatre was the stereotype. aren't bigots like keithle1 supposed to believe stereotypes? nph is a terrific actor who has done plenty of theatre, including assassins, my favorite show of all time. he's worked with the roundabout theatre company, my favorite company, twice. he's a talented, funny guy who is clearly good at hosting as shown by his abundant hosting credentials. he is absolutely deserving of this honor. keithle1, i suggest that you start judging people by their experience and talent rather than which gender they like. being homosexual has nothing to do with it. in fact, seeing as an outwardly gay person has the courage to face something true but difficult about himself clearly knows how to deal with difficult issues, homosexuals benefit the theatre's honest atmosphere immensely and prevent artificiality.

[twinsav]

He's gay? What does that have to do with it? Plenty of people involved in the arts as in any other profession. Get a clue folks

[keithle1]

But he's gay!!!!!!!!!!! The theater is not a place for homosexuals.

[mutnauq4842]

He played Dookie Howser I think-tragedy of young stars that can't make the transition to adult stars.

What ever became of little Lindsay Lohan? Wasn't she the little kid in the Disney movies?

[whatsup49]

thank the gods that i don't watch the tony awards. this dude is a bad actor and his show is terrible.

[caldwellptr]

When will there be a revival of CATS? :)

[budmag06]

Neil who?