The
46th Annual Tony Awards, hosted by Glenn Close on
May 31, 1992
by Scott Susong
Guys and Dolls is nominated
for 8 Tony Awards and takes home 4:
Best Revival
Best Scenic Design, Tony
Walton
Best Director of a Musical,
Jerry Zaks
Best Actress in a Musical,
Faith Prince
Faith's fellow nominees
were:
Jodi Benson, Crazy for You
Josie de Guzman, Guys and
Dolls
Sophie Hayden, The Most Happy
Fella
The presenters for Best
Actress in a Musical were
Alan Alda and Sigourney Weaver
Faith's Tony Acceptance
Speech
(Alan Alda announces Faith the
winner for Guys and Dolls. The audience goes wild
Faith throws back her head and kisses her husband
and tearing up walks to the stage as the
orchestra plays Luck Be A Lady Tonight. The
audience is still wild, whistling and cheering.
Faith accepts her award, waves to the balcony,
smiles in disbelief and throws a kiss to the
audience with her left hand. The audience won't
stop applauding. Faith shakes her head and throws
two more kisses to the audience and bows her head
. . . they finally quiet down. Faith lets out a
big sigh.) This is why I eloped! (The audience
laughs.) I'm not very good at ceremonies, Umm.
(Then more seriously) I have a lot of people to
thank. I'm sorry Joe Cates, when you get your
first Tony (Showing it) . . . you just have to!
(Faith flashes a big smile and the audience
applauds) Forty years ago Frank Loesser, Abe
Burrows, and Joe Swerling wrote an incredible
show and an incredible role, Miss Adelaide. I
thank them. I thank Jo Sullivan Loesser for
letting us do it this season on Broadway. I thank
my producers, my director, Jerry Zaks for giving
me this great chance and for believing in me and
guiding me with such genius. His assitant, Lori
Steinbergh (Someone in the audience shouts out
and the audience applauds. Faith smiles.) All
right, Lori! Chris Chadman, for creating the
illusion that I can dance (laughter) and Linda
Haberman for making sure that I do. I'd also like
to thank the design team, Tony Walton, William
Ivey Long, Paul Gallo, David Lawrence, for hair,
Woody Shelp, for my wonderful hats. Phoebe
Hunter, my dresser, who is my right arm. I
couldn't do what I do every night without her.
And an incredible, impeccable cast lead by my
partner, I'm bonded at the hip, (Faith begins to
tear up) Nathan Lane. (Faith gestures toward
Nathan and the audience applauds. Nathan is
crying and Faith blows him a kiss and mouths I
Love You.) Peter Gallagher, Josie De Guzman and a
superb, superb cast. An orchestra lead by Eddie
Strauss. And I couldn't be here without my agents
Charles Bogner, David Shaw, and especially Peter
Strain, who I have been with for 12 years. This
has been an incredible time and he's shaped my
career with such integrity and love. My husband,
my new husband whose unsustained . . . love has
been there for me and . . . uh . . . UH. I would
have been crazy without him. And not . . . I
couldn't thank my family (Sigh) for teaching me
that, great passion mixed with perseverance and
hard work pay off. And they were right! (Faith
lifts her Tony in the air!) Thank you so much.
(Faith smiles and exits left as the crowd goes
wild again with applause.)
Faith had been nominated
for a Tony once before in 1989 as
Best Featured Actress in a
Musical:
Jane Lanier, Jerome Robbins'
Broadway
Faith Prince, Jerome Robbins'
Broadway
*Debbie Shapiro, Jerome
Robbins' Broadway
Julie Wilson, Legs Diamond
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