Chenoweth, Baldwin, Krakowski, Ferrell & More Nab 2009 Emmy Nominations

Theater artists were well represented in the list of nominees for the 61st Prime Time Emmy Awards, which were announced on July 16 and will be presented on September 20 in a live CBS telecast to be hosted by Best Supporting Actor nominee Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother).

The complete list of Emmy nominees runs more than 60 pages and includes categories ranging from makeup to casting to title theme songs. Tony winner Rob Ashford, for example, was nominated for Outstanding Choreography for the “Musicals Are Back” number in the Academy Awards ceremony, and the Cry-Baby team of Adam Schlesinger and David Javerbaum drew an Outstanding Music and Lyrics nod for “Much Worse Things,” a song they wrote for the Comedy Central special A Colbert Christmas. Will Ferrell’s live performance of the Broadway hit You’re Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush was nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

Among the acting nominations, Broadway names did very well. Both female stars of God of Carnage were honored: Hope Davis received a nomination for In Treatment in a supporting actress category that also includes Grey’s Anatomy stars Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, Dianne Wiest (In Treatment) and Cherry Jones (24). The only non-theater star in the category is Rose Byrne of Damages. Recent Tony winner Marcia Gay Harden was nominated for her supporting role in the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. Ironically, she is up against fellow Tony nominee Janet McTeer, who played Clementine Churchill in the HBO movie Into the Storm.

Theater divas Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) and Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) will go head to head in the supporting actress category for a comedy series, competing against SNL stars Amy Poehler and Kristin Wiig and Elizabeth Perkins of Weeds.

The lead actress categories are packed with stage pros. Mary-Louise Parker was nominated for Weeds, which is classified as a comedy series. Chandra Wilson received a second Emmy nod for the TV movie Accidental Friendship, which pits her against Shirley MacLaine (Coco Chanel), Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange (Grey Gardens) and Sigourney Weaver (Prayers for Bobby).

Among drama series, the lead actress nominees are Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer), Glenn Close (Damages), Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) and Holly Hunter (Saving Grace).

How about the men? Frequent winners Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) and Tony Shalhoub (Monk) are once again nominated for lead actor in a comedy; Michael C. Hall (Dexter) and Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment) are nominated for lead actor in a drama, and a pair of stage-to-TV adaptations drew lead actor nominations for Kevin Kline (Cyrano de Bergerac) and Sir Ian McKellen (King Lear).

As usual, the guest performer categories drew a wide-range of nominees, including a list that pits three 30 Rock guest stars (Jon Hamm, Steve Martin and Alan Alda) against Beau Bridges (Desperate Housewives) and Justin Timberlake (Saturday Night Live). Among the ladies, Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory and Elaine Stritch (30 Rock) are up against Gena Rowlands (Monk), Betty White (My Name Is Earl), Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live) and Jennifer Aniston (30 Rock).