Video: How Kelli O'Hara's Passion Project Turned Into a Tony Nomination

Oh my goodness, I feel so so grateful and almost emotional about the fact that the show

has been recognized, that we're here today. It's just been, as I've talked about ad nauseum, a passion project for almost 22 years

And so creating these roles, building this from scratch is not something we get to do

every day, if ever. And so this piece is just, it's going to have a special place in my heart, maybe the

most special place in my heart, forever. I was going to say, you've worked on so many special projects, but this is really a special

project from the heart, right? Yeah, you know, it dawns on me that while I was doing all those other special projects

you know, this one was always looming in my mind, because when Adam and I first talked

about it, it was 2002, that summer, and so I hadn't done Light in the Piazza on Broadway

I hadn't done Pajama Game or South Pacific or King and I or Bridges or anything

And so I was always thinking, oh, but Days of Wine and Roses is ahead. So there's a little sadness that Days of Wine and Roses has happened, and now what am I

looking toward? But that's how special it is to me. It's been with me along this journey this whole time

Sharing the stage with Brian Darcy James, what that has meant to you

I can't explain the feeling that I have for Brian. He's the most collaborative, safe, gentlemanly, powerful, strong, dependable partner I've

ever had. He's a beautiful person, but when he gets on that stage, he is 110% what he needs to

be for the role and what I need him to be for my role

It happened every single night. We never missed a show. He and I are just, I think, a wonderful team, and my greatest hope is that we're working

back together again on something very soon. What I love about Adam is he always pushes the envelope forward of what he does in the

musical theater and what that means to you as an artist working with him. Yes, I think Adam Gettle is ahead of his time

I think you'll look back and you'll, as we already do with Floyd Collins and Myths and

Hymns and Light in the Piazza, obviously, and when we opened Light in the Piazza, people

didn't really get the music right away, and now it's one of the most gorgeous scores

I think, well maybe if not the most gorgeous score. Adam is writing from the center of hugely high intelligence, deeply emotional writing

and thinking about music in a way that nobody does. So that kind of experience, getting to build this with him, is, gosh, it's what it's about

for me. Yeah. You've been down this road before on Tony Day. Who are you looking forward to the most about meeting today

Oh, good, good. Oh, my friends. You know, I want to see Celia, and I just want to see all the people from Merrilee

just across the board. I want to meet some of the young, amazing young people who are doing the Outsiders and

all sorts of the shows that I've seen this season, and I want to celebrate them in person

and just say, you knocked my socks off