And the winners in the category for luckiest producers are….from Larchmont!

Tony Nominees for “Raisin,” “Caroline” and “Frozen”

by Joan R. Simon

(May 17, 2004) Theatre producer and Larchmont resident Ruth Hendel seems to have a magic touch. Three of the shows she’s involved with, Raisin in the Sun, Caroline, or Change, and Frozen have just been nominated for a total of 14 Tony awards. Fellow Larchmonter Barbara

Producers Barbara Whitman (l)and Ruth Hendel with "Raisin" star Sean Combs on opening night.

Whitman, who is just starting out in the business, is another producer of the promising Raisin in the Sun. The 1959 classic revived on Broadway this spring garnered four nominations: play revival, actress in a play (Phylicia Rashad) and two for featured actress in a play (Sanaa Lathan and Audra McDonald). (See: "A Raisin in the Sun" Shines Again on Broadway- with Two Larchmont Producers).

On May 16, Raisin won Drama Desk Awards for Phylicia Rashad (best actress in a play) and Audra McDonald (best featured actress). Caroline, or Change received the award for best music.

Ms. Hendel was “thrilled” and “very excited” about all the Tony “nods.” She noted, the cast has “worked tirelessly” on the Raisin production. She reported, Tonya Pinkins of Caroline, who recieved a nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, “has a magnificent rich voice and her 'aria' brings down the house every night.”

Caroline is up for six Tony awards including: best musical, book, score, direction, actress and featureda ctress. Not bad for a show that only opened in New York on May 2, though it has been in previews since April12 and had a previous run at The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival. Frozen, a recent off-Broadway transfer, received four nominations, including best play. The Tony Awards ceremony will be televised on CBS on June 6.