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Updated 06/03/2009 10:55 AM

Broadway Stars Prepare To Shine On Tony Night

By: Roma Torre

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Nominees for this year's Tony Awards are getting ready for Broadway's biggest night. NY1's Roma Torre filed the following report.

With the Tony Awards just a few days away, the stars of this year's Broadway season are ready to make their Radio City Music Hall entrances. While not everyone will make it to the stage, they'll all have their stylish red carpet moments.

Similar to his character Greg in "Reasons To Be Pretty," Tony nominee Thomas Sadoski isn't one for tuxes or suits. So Sadoski has two folks helping him get "pretty" for his big night - his wife and Kenneth Cole.

"Whatever my wife is going to tell me I'm going to look best in is probably, that's going to be the deciding factor," says Sadoski. "If I'm comfortable and she says I look good, I trust her."

As for the boys in "Hair," nominees Gavin Creel and Will Swenson will conform to the dress code in "Hair"-themed tuxedos, compliments of the musical's costumer, Michael McDonald. Hopefully they will return them intact.

"We wanted to go out there a little bit hippie-fied," says Swenson.

"It's the Tony Awards and we want to honor and be respectful," Creed says. "But, we were like, 'We don't want to behave totally, we're in 'Hair,' we're playing hippies. So we want to have some fun."

And what would the Tonys be without gowns and jewels? Even though Haydn Gwynne of "Billy Elliot" would not let NY1 see her final Randi Rahm-designed dress, she says she will shine in over 400 carats of stones, including diamonds and sapphires from Verdura.

"I've never really borrowed a huge amount of [jewels], you know. I've worn more costume jewelry than real jewelry," says Gwynne. "I thought I didn't miss them from my life, but I went 'Oh, I see, yes I get it, I get it now.'"

Broadway Stars Prepare To Shine On Tony Night
Nominee Alice Ripley, who plays Diana in "Next To Normal," is getting a dress designed by her costume designer Jeff Mahshie that was inspired by her eyes.

"Well, it's going to be blue, like a cobalt blue, and it's an evening gown that has sleeves. So that's unique, and I think it's wonderful for women of a certain age," says Ripley. "It's like a built-in little shawl and then it has these little straps here that make it a little more interesting."

The dress has a touch of blue and maybe even a little touch of luck.

"I did Idina Menzel's dress when she won for 'Wicked,' I did Katie Finneran's dress when she won her Tony for 'Noises Off,'" says Mahshie. "I do have to say I've never designed a dress for an actress who's never won an award."

If Tony style's your thing, you can judge for yourself, by turning to NY1 at 6 p.m. Sunday for live red carpet coverage.