'Spring Awakening' is tops with 11 Tony nods

NEW YORK - In a season rich with contenders, "Spring Awakening," a dark rock musical based on a 19th century German play about sexually anguished teenagers, led the field of Tony Award nominations yesterday morning with 11, including chances at awards for best musical, director and best actor for two of its cast.

The show moved uptown from off-Broadway, a move that originally seemed risky. But in the musical category, it is closely followed this year by another off-Broadway transfer: "Grey Gardens," about the eccentric Little and Big Edie Beales, which received 10 nominations, including shots at best director and acting nods for two of its performers.

The other shows in the top Tony category are "Curtains," a Kander and Ebb musical about a backstage murder in a Boston theater, and "Mary Poppins," about, well, exactly what you think it's about.

The nominations were announced by Jane Krakowski, a Tony winner herself, and Taye Diggs at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center.

The awards ceremony will be held June 10 at Radio City Music Hall, and broadcast live on CBS.

Though the straight-play category was robust this year, there were few surprises: "The Coast of Utopia," Tom Stoppard's sprawling trilogy of 19th century Russian intelligentsia, picked up a whopping 10 nominations, including best original play.

Others nominated for best play are "The Little Dog Laughed," Douglas Carter Beane's comedy about a closeted film actor; "Frost/Nixon," Peter Morgan's play about the 1977 interview of Richard Nixon by David Frost; and "Radio Golf," the last play in August Wilson's 10-play cycle on the black American experience in the 20th century. *