Kelsey Grammer's interpretation of a
gay nightclub owner in the Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles
has earned him a Best Actor in a Musical Tony Award nomination.
“The Tony Award is as good as it
gets,” Grammer told all-things-Broadway website TheaterMania.com.
The revival of the 1993 musical that
inspired the hit film The Birdcage staring Robin Williams and
Nathan Lane led the pack with 11 nominations.
The play revolves around the lives of
Georges (played by Grammer) and his flamboyant partner Albin, the
star attraction at their St. Tropez drag nightclub. Englishman
Douglas Hodge, who plays the part of Albin, is also being considered
for the acting prize.
“As for La Cage, when I first
saw it in London I connected to the idea that with Georges and Albin,
this is one of the best relationships we'll ever see on stage,”
Grammer said. “I fell in love with the dream of love, the
difficulties of love, the triumphs of love.”
Hodge said working with Grammer has
been enjoyable, saying, “I couldn't have asked for an easier person
to work together with.”
The 55-year-old Grammer, who's
been recently criticized for his part in the conservative upstart
network RightNetwork, told the Wall Street Journal that
the play is just fun, no politics: “My take on homosexual,
heterosexual, transgender relationships, interracial relationships,
it's all up to you and the person you love, and frankly I've never
thought that politics and marriage mixed in any way.”
“So I'm not a big proponent of big
government being in charge of weddings,” he added.
The 64th annual Tony Awards
will be televised June 13 from Radio City Music Hall on CBS.