The 35th Annual Tony Awards

Elizabeth attended The 35th Annual Tony Awards as a nominee in the Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play category for her bravura performance in her stage debut as the rapacious Regina Giddens in The Little Foxes. (The award ultimately went to Jane Lapotaire for Piaf.)

She also had presenting duties that evening. Elizabeth was greeted with a standing ovation when she walked onstage at the Mark Hellinger Theatre to award Best Musical. She first, however, took a moment to thank the Broadway community for their warm welcome. “You are a warm and most generous group and you have made me feel so at home in the theatrical community,” she said. “It’s been the most exciting experience of my life being here and working on Broadway and I want to thank everybody that made it possible. This isn’t an acceptance speech,” she added, dissolving into laughter along with the audience. “I just want to thank you all.”

She then paid tribute to America’s greatest theatrical export, the Broadway musical, before reading the list of nominees. Elizabeth’s legendary sense of humour was on display, poking fun at herself as she struggled with some of the producers’ names—“Forgive me, I can’t read very well”—drawing the biggest laugh when she mispronounced James M. Nederlander as “James Needleheimer.” “Jimmy, I’m sorry!” she said. Fortunately, the next name was one she knew well. “Warner! I can say that!”

The award went to producer David Merrick for 42nd Street.