DOES GREY AREA IN RULES SPOIL JOELS TONY BID?
BY MICHAEL RIEDEL Wednesday, April 23th 1997, 2:02AM ONE OF THE BRIGHT spots of the current Broadway season is Joel Grey’s performance in the hit revival of “Chicago.” As the cuckolded husband of Second City murderess Roxie Hart, the pint-sized actor stops the show every night with the song “Mr. Cellophane.” Grey’s turn is so memorable that ever since “Chicago” opened last fall, theater people have been saying he’s a shoo-in for the Tony Award for supporting actor in a musical. But that’s not going to happen. Because of an oversight on the part of “Chicago” producers Fran and Barry Weissler, the Tony Award administrative committee has deemed Grey ineligible for the supporting-actor honors. If he’s nominated at all, it will be for best actor, which will probably pit him against his “Chicago” co-star, James Naughton, who has a much bigger part. And that, say many theater people, is a race Grey cannot win. How was he deprived of his all-but-certain award? According to the Tony rules, acto
