PLAYBILL

2011 Tony Awards Preview: Best Play

David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People takes us to South Boston where an unemployed Margie Walsh (nominee Frances McDormand) wrestles with feelings of resentment after she pays a visit to a former flame. Stephen Adly Guirgis's The Motherf**ker with the Hat follows a former inmate (nominee Bobby Cannavalle) seeking to rebuild his life with the help of a less-than-honest 12-step sponsor (Chris Rock). Jez Butterworth's Jerusalem takes us the outskirts of London where "Rooster" Byron (nominee Mark Rylance) leads a brigade of kids who seek his bizarre wisdom and drugs.

Finally, the epic tale of a horse and his master during WWI takes center stage in War Horse. This London import, adapted by Nick Stafford from the children's book by Michael Morpurgo, features dazzling puppets by the Handspring Puppet Company.

To see photos of the nominees, click here.