BILLY ELLIOT, THE MUSICAL is leading the way at this year's Tony Awards (09) after scooping 15 nominations - tying with THE PRODUCERS for the most nominations ever garnered by one show.

The production, based on the 2000 film about a coal miner's son who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer, will go up against Next To Normal, Shrek The Musical and Rock Of Ages in the coveted Best Musical category at the 63rd annual prizegiving, which honours the best on Broadway.

Sir Elton John, who has been nominated for the show's original score, says of the nomination: "It's been an amazing experience. It's made an incredible impact on my life."

The drama 33 Variations was nominated for Best Play, competing against God of Carnage, Dividing the Estate and Reasons to be Pretty.

Meanwhile, Hollywood actors James Gandolfini and Jeff Daniels, who both star in God Of Carnage, have been pitted against each other for the Leading Actor In A Play award.

Their co-stars Marcia Gay Harden and Hope Davis will battle it out in the Leading Actress In A Play category, which also includes veteran actress Jane Fonda for her role as a dying musicologist in 33 Variations.

The winners will be announced on 7 June (09) at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The main list of nominees is as follows:

Best Play:

Dividing the Estate - Horton Foote

God of Carnage - Yasmina Reza

Reasons to be Pretty - Neil LaBute

33 Variations - Moises Kaufman

Best Musical:

Billy Elliot

Next to Normal

Rock of Ages

Shrek the Musical

Leading Actor in a Play:

Jeff Daniels - God of Carnage

Raul Esparza - Speed-the-Plow

James Gandolfini - God of Carnage

Geoffrey Rush - Exit the King

Thomas Sadoski - Reasons to be Pretty

Leading Actress in a Play:

Hope Davis - God of Carnage

Jane Fonda - 33 Variations

Marsha Gay Harden - God of Carnage

Janet McTeer - Mary Stuart

Harriet Walter - Mary Stuart

Leading Actor in a Musical:

David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish - Billy Elliot

Gavin Creel - Hair

Brian d’Arcy James - Shrek the Musical

Constantine Maroulis - Rock of Ages

J. Robert Spencer - Next to Normal

Leading Actress in a Musical:

Stockard Channing - Pal Joey

Sutton Foster - Shrek the Musical

Allison Janney - 9 to 5

Alice Ripley - Next to Normal

Josefina Scaglione - West Side Story

Score:

Billy Elliot

Next to Normal

9 to 5

Shrek the Musical.