“I couldn’t ask for a better dance partner,” says Shively, also a first-time Tony nominee. He has put in the hard work to get to this point, touring with “Memphis: the Musical,” “A Chorus Line” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
“When you are prepared for an opportunity and you seize it, then the hard work definitely pays off.”ĭuPont is, appropriately, a Virgo, reflecting his zodiac sign affinity for a practical and systematic approach to life. “The one thing I can say about this journey is that hard work, kindness and dedication - I know everybody says this - but it really pays off,” he says. DuPont, 30, has been nominated for a Chita Rivera Award and a Tony Award this season for his work on “Paradise Square,” with Variety cheering his “earthy, sometimes modern, style that leads from the center” and The Wall Street Journal saying he made “a strong impression.” DuPont is nominated for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical. Of course, the rest of the world is catching up with Rivera. Rivera asked him his name and said: “I’m so glad to get to know it before the rest of the world does.” I don’t think I washed my face for the next two days,” says DuPont. “It was one of the best experiences of my life. Off came her shoes and out came her hand - all out of love. Rivera was so taken by the performance that she had tears in her eyes and her astonished reaction almost looked like fury.
