Tony Committee Makes Final Eligibility Decisions for 2007-2008 Season

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has released its fourth and final batch of decisions concerning eligibility of shows opening during the 2007-2008 Broadway season. Typically, actors who are billed above the title are considered in the leading acting categories, while below-the-title performers are featured. However, producers can campaign to go against such billing decisions, or the Tony committee itself can decide shift things around.

Below are highlights of the decisions, by show:

A Catered Affair - Harvey Fierstein will be considered in the Featured Actor in a Musical category for his performance as Uncle Winston.

Boeing-Boeing - Despite being billed above the title alongside Bradley Whitford and Mark Rylance, Christine Baranski has been moved down to the Featured Actress in a Play category for her performance as deadpan French maid Berthe.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Phylicia Rashad, who is billed above the title along with co-stars Terrence Howard, Anika Noni Rose and James Earl Jones, will be considered in the Featured Actress in a Play category. The others will stay in the leading category.

Cry-Baby - Although none of the performers in this new musical are billed above the title, stars James Snyder and Elizabeth Stanley will now be considered respectively in the Leading Actor and Actress in a Musical categories.

Glory Days - The new musical that opened and closed in one night will not be eligible in any category.

Gypsy - Though Arthur Laurents has directed Gypsy for which he also wrote the libretto twice before, he has been deemed eligible in the Best Direction of a Musical category for the current revival of the musical.

Macbeth - Patrick Stewart, who plays the title role, and Kate Fleetwood, who plays lady Macbeth, will be considered respectively in the Leading Actor and Actress in a Play.

South Pacific - Though billed below the title, Paulo Szot and Kelli O'Hara will now be considered respectively for Leading Actor and Actress in a Musical.

Top Girls - Caryl Churchill's 1982 play will be considered in the Best Revival of a Play category, though it has never before been on Broadway.

All other decisions were consistent with the opening night credits.

The 2008 Tony Award nominations will be announced on Tuesday, May 13 by Tony winners David Hyde Pierce and Sara Ramirez. The ceremony, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 15.