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Updates

8 Nov : A news update from Shuler! He will be on vacation from 16th to 22nd December, so won't be appearing in Oklahoma! that week. He will also be leaving the show early next year, but the exact date has yet to be confirmed.

12 Oct : Just discovered that the Frankenstein website has been revamped and my links weren't working. Sorry!  I've now updated everything, plus I've added a link for ordering the 21 track Audio CD. Frankenstein page    

24 Sept : More thanks to Elaine for news of another article! This time in Playbill magazine, where Shuler talks about "being in the right place at the right time" for roles in Oklahoma! and Someone Like You, and says he just allows things to happen. "People in charge are drawn to people who are just themselves, not looking for the work so desperately."

11 Sept : Shuler sang Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone" at the end of a Candlelight Vigil and Tribute concert in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, honouring the memory of those who died on 9/11. Similar ceremonies were held in each of the five New York City boroughs. 

1 August : Thanks to Elaine for news of a great article in this month's Opera News (published by the Metropolitan Opera) - already available to subscribers and I believe just about to hit the shops. Has some nice insight into Shuler's operatic career, plus two beautiful colour photographs. Shuler sang Don Giovanni, Marcello, Escamillo and Onegin while at the Curtis Institute and continues to take voice lessons. He is apparently intrigued by three opera roles - Iago, Tarquinus (Rape of Lucretia) and Nick Shadow (Rake's Progress), and the article ends with a reference to this and to his sympathetic portrayal of Jud Fry : "Who knows? One day he may simply slither over the fence that separates the Great White Way from Lincoln Center and show us that these sinister characters are worth rooting for too!"

30 July : Found this on Georgia Bulldogs, the official University of Georgia website - June 3, 2002 : Shuler Hensley, a former Georgia Bulldog walk-on pitcher in 1986-87, won a Tony Award Sunday night in the category of Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. Hensley won for his performance as "Jud Fry" in the Broadway hit "Oklahoma!" The Tony awards ceremony was held Sunday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. A Tony Award is one of Broadway theatre's highest honors. The League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing are the two organizations that present the awards annually. This was Hensley's first Tony nomination and award. Shuler was born in Atlanta, grew up in Marietta and graduated from Atlanta's Westminster Schools in 1985 before attending the University of Georgia

8 July : Shuler's caricature to be hung in Sardi's restaurant tomorrow, Tuesday 9 July!!! (Photos of the event added to Gallery, 11 July)

6 July : Shuler will be among the performers taking part in the 4th annual pet adoption event Broadway Barks 4! Produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, it will be held in Shubert Alley on Saturday, 13 July at 3:30pm.(rain date 20 July). More at TheaterMania

16 June : Shuler and other cast members from Oklahoma! featured in the Richard Rodgers tribute concert "Falling in Love" on A&E cable television. Shuler sang Lonely Room. The concert will be repeated next Sunday, 23rd June, from 8 to 10 AM. More detail in Stage

6 June : Shuler's pre-Tony "Theater Talk" interview (see entry for 24 May) will be repeated early tomorrow morning : 1.30am, Channel Thirteen, WNET, New York.

You can also buy a videotape of the show. Shuler's interview is approx 15 mins long, and the tape has a similar length interview with Alan Bates and Frank Langella. Transcript, screen caps and full details here  

3 June : Fabulous news!!! Last night Shuler received a Tony Award, Broadway's best known honour, for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. 
This is his third award this year and fourth award in all for his universally acclaimed portrayal of Jud Fry in Trevor Nunn's revival of Oklahoma! A spectacular achievement. Many congratulations, Shuler, on your well-deserved success!

3 June : Broadway.com Soundbite, from the Tony Press Room : 
"When I start looking like Tom Hanks in Castaway, I'll start shaving." - Oklahoma's Shuler Hensley on his scruffy look!

30 May : Listen to the 9 minute interview Shuler gave to National Public Radio on 11 May. Weekend Edition - Saturday Audio on the the NPR website.

25 May : Shuler interviewed in the NY1 theatre show On Stage in which, together with other Tony nominees, he was asked about his first stage appearance. This was at age 3 and a half, in one of his mother's productions of The Nutcracker. According to Shuler : "I played Fritz, the little boy who breaks the Nutcracker, and I've been breaking things ever since!" 

24 May : Shuler interviewed on Theatre Talk, the acclaimed PBS talk show which features interviews with top theatre celebrities and critics. Hosted by New York Post theatre columnist Michael Riedel and producer Susan Haskins, the program aired on WNET/Thirteen.

23 May : Shuler is presented with his Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical by Brad Oscar (star of The Producers) in a ceremony at Sardi's Restaurant in New York City. 
And some exciting news - Sardis are currently preparing a portrait of Shuler for inclusion in their famous celebrity gallery!

19 May : Shuler receives the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor (Musical)!!! This is his 2nd award of the season! See Awards section for more detail. Oklahoma! also won an award for Outstanding Choreography (Susan Stroman).

14 May : Shuler attends New Dramatists Luncheon in honour of Barbara Cook. Ms Cook received the organization's 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award in a ceremony held in the Broadway Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square.

11 May : Shuler interviewed by Scott Simon for National Public Radio Weekend Edition.

"The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma is quintessentially American, but it has been revived by London's Royal National Theater. The production is now appearing on Broadway. In it, performer Shuler Hensley brings a new interpretation to the sometimes one-sided villain of the play, Jud Fry. His performance hinges on the singing of a solo number -- "Lonely Room" -- which was cut from the film version of the musical. Scott Simon talks to Shuler Hensley about his performance as Jud Fry, and his childhood in Georgia, when his ballet director mother and football player father encouraged him to follow dual paths of athletics and the arts." 

10 May : Shuler is honoured at the 68th Annual Drama League Awards Luncheon, where he is named as one of the Outstanding Artists of the 2001 - 2002 season. More detail on Awards page.

6 May : Shuler's reaction to the news of his Tony nomination! (from Broadway.com) :
"I was asleep. I have a 21-month-old baby girl and she woke me up. Then I got a phone call from [publicist] Judy Katz and then we turned on the TV. It's great—the best way to start the week! But it's all really just icing on the cake. I really love the show so much. It's such a big part of me. I've been with it since it started, so it's just lovely. I'm glad for all of the nominations that we received. I just believe in the show so much. Who will I take? There are two women in my life so they're gonna have to fight it out. I think my wife Paula will win out in the end!." 

6 May : The 2002 Tony Award Nominations are out! - and Shuler has received a Tony Award Nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical!!! This is his 3rd award nomination of the year for his fantastic performance in the Broadway production of Oklahoma! The Tony Award is Broadway theatre's best known honour, and the Awards ceremony will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall, NYC on Sunday, 2 June. Oklahoma! gained 7 nominations in all. A complete list of Awards and Nominees is on the Tony Awards website 

30 April : More exciting awards news! Shuler has today received another award nomination! This time, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical!
The other nominees in the category are : Justin Bohon (Oklahoma!), Norbert Leo Butz (Thou Shalt Not), Jerry Dixon (tick, tick...BOOM!), Gregg Edelman (Into the Woods) and Marc Kudisch (Thoroughly Modern Millie). Oklahoma! received 9 nominations in all. 
The Drama Desk Awards are presented in 27 categories and honour both off-Broadway and Broadway theatrical events. More than 120 theatre critics, reporters and editors make up the Drama Desk and vote on the awards. The awards ceremony will take place on May 19 at the F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center.

28 April : It's just been announced that Shuler has WON the 2002 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical! Congratulations, Shuler!!! Oklahoma! topped the roster of winners, with 5 awards in all. (Outstanding Revival, Choreography, Set Design and Lighting Design are the other 4). The Awards Ceremony will be held on 23 May at Sardi's Restaurant at 4pm. (The Outer Critics Circle is a 52-year-old organization of more than 75 individuals who write about New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media. Awards were given in 22 categories this year.)

28 April : Complete list of Drama League nominees posted.

17 April : See separate page for full details of the Drama League Luncheon which Shuler will attend on 10 May, including how to purchase tickets for the event.

15 April : It's just been announced that Shuler has been nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical!!! 
The other nominees in this category are - Justin Bohon (Oklahoma!), Marc Kudisch (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Norbert Leo Butz (Thou Shalt Not). Oklahoma! has received 10 nominations in all! The Outer Critics Circle is an organization of over 75 out-of-town critics and writers whose annual Award nominations unofficially kick off New York's theatrical awards season. Winners will be announced on 29 April and the awards ceremony will be held on 23 May at Sardi’s Restaurant.

7 April : Shuler will attend the Drama League Luncheon on 10 May.

7 April : Shuler will be singing on 9 April at the Metropolitan Museum in another Richard Rodgers celebratory concert, part of the Sound of Broadway Series. The Series is unfortunately sold out. More details in Stage

21 March : Today is Oklahoma's Official Opening Day! Break a leg, Shuler!!!

18 February : Oklahoma! previews begin 23 February. $90 top price preview tickets for the following performances can be bought (subject to availability) for just $60 - Mon 25 Feb, Tues 26 Feb, Wed 27 Feb (evening only), Thurs 28 Feb, and Mon 4 March. Buy online at www.ticketmaster.com  or by 'phone (212) 307-4100, or at the Gershwin Theatre box office,  quoting code JOK2.

20 January : Shuler has been invited by the Juilliard School to sing Lonely Room  for their upcoming Richard Rodgers gala, Some Enchanted Evening. Rodger's daughter, Mary Rodgers Guettel, has cited that Jud's song was her father's favorite composition!!! The concert will also star Glenn Close, Barbara Cook, Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, Michael Feinstein, Elaine Strich, Michael Hayden, Karen Ziemba, and will be hosted by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. To be held in the Juilliard Theater on 4 February 2002. It's black tie, call (212) 573-6933 for tickets.

10 January : Shuler is contracted to Oklahoma! for one year, taking him through to March 2003.