Three-Time Nominee Bill T. Jones Predicts a 'Wild Evening' at Fela!

The morning the Tony nominations are announced, phones start ringing off the hook for the happy few who get nods. As usual, Broadway.com is among the callers offering congratulations and getting responses. Here are the first reactions from 2010 Tony nominees. Congrats to all!

Bill T. Jones
Nominated for Best Director of a Musical, Best Choreography and Best Book, Fela!
“It’s funny—I’m up at Bard College with my dance company right now doing a two-week residence to both teach and to get away from New York for a little while, and of course a wonderful thing like this happens as soon as I leave. It’s like a balloon filled with confetti exploding. It’s suddenly hard to focus on the work up here! I’m filled with joy about the news, but I’ve been in shock ever since I got the call. I don’t take good news well! When I think of the journey this show has been on over the last eight years, I feel very grateful. The first time I was nominated for a Tony [for Spring Awakening] I was an infant—I felt lucky to have even been allowed in. When I won, as you’ve probably seen from the YouTube videos, I was a little out of control! [Laughs.] This time, there’s a lot of me invested personally in the show. I’m especially hoping to see our producer and co-creator [Stephen Hendel] rewarded for thinking with his heart and daring to do something unexpected. God, it sounds like I’m giving an acceptance speech right now—I don’t mean to! Let’s just say right now my companion and I, as well as his 90-year-old mother who’s visiting from France, are making sudden plans to make it back to the city in time for Fela!’s performance tonight. These performers always give 100%, but it is going to be a wild evening at Fela!!”

For reactions from more of this year's Tony nominees, click here!