Broadway.com Exclusive: Memphis Star Chad Kimball's Whirlwind New Life as a Tony Nominee

It’s not quite a redemption story, but it does have that Hollywood feel-good-movie vibe: In 2005, after bit parts in back-to-back flops Good Vibrations and Lennon, Chad Kimball left New York—and Broadway—after seven years as a resident. “I was tired of pouring my heart and soul into shows and hoping and then not getting that reaction you hope for,” he admits. “I needed a change of scenery.” Now that Kimball is officially back in New York, it’s safe to say the scenery has changed. On May 4, 2010, the star of new musical Memphis was announced as a Tony Award nominee for Best Actor in a Musical, and his rhythm and blues show—an underdog success story itself—is nominated for an additional seven awards, including Best Musical. On May 5, Broadway.com joined Kimball for a whirlwind morning at the 2010 Tony Award “Meet the Nominees” press reception. Click through for an up-close and personal look at both this rising star and the experience of a first-time nominee.

Reporting by Kimberly Kaye