BROADWAY is not only about people breaking into song and dance. Two highly acclaimed plays vie for Tony Awards next week for Best Play. Full price and/or discount tickets are available at playbill.com and other ticket sources.

“Next Fall” is a new comedy with drama written by actor Geoffrey Nauffts and produced by none other than Sir Elton John whose other productions include, to varying creative and producing degrees, “Billy Elliott” and “The Lion King.” The play, which was produced off Broadway last summer, focuses on the religious implications for a gay couple; older, nebbish Adam (Patrick Breen) is an agnostic and his younger and very attractive partner, Luke (Patrick Heusinger), is a devout Christian who believes homosexuality is a sin. The story unfolds in flashbacks and in present time when tragedy strikes, and family members and friends are brought together. Helmed by Sheryl Kaller, the cast is solid (especially Connie Ray as Luke’s mother) even if sometimes the proceedings feel like a movie-of-the-week with sitcom moments. The play doesn’t wear religion on its sleeve and effectively tries to show all sides of faith – religious and in each other.

“Red” is a two-character play by John Logan about the Abstract Expressionist painter, Mark Rothko. Imported from London’s Donmar Warehouse, it revolves around Rothko’s commission to paint murals for the Four Seasons in New York in the late 1950s which ultimately he refused to deliver; most of the paintings now reside at the Tate Gallery in London. Alfred Molina stars as Rothko along with Eddie Redmayne as the artist’s assistant, Ken; each are nominated for Tonys but in different categories. Both actors are fiercely connected to their characters; Molina’s sharply captures the intensity of Rothko’s rage as artist and Redmayne’s Ken becomes a force to reckon with as he develops his talents as an artist beyond getting Chinese food and hoisting canvases for Rothko. The power shift is very palpable and culminates in a showdown that’s now hard to predict, but worth the wait.

And finally, a heartfelt tribute to actress Rue McClanahan who died last week in New York at age 76. Most known for her Emmy-winning role as the feisty, oversexed Blanche Devereaux on “The Golden Girls,” McClanahan’s career spanned 40-plus years and also included memorable TV roles as best friend Vivian in “Maude.” On Broadway, she appeared in “Wicked” and enthralled audiences in “The Women” when the all-female cast took their bows in lacey lingerie designed by Isaac Mizrahi. It was pure fun to see McClanahan, post- Blanche, cat-walk in a negligee as the audience cheered her sass and sexiness. I met McClanahan in Los Angeles taping a TV special that reunited her with her “Maude” and “Golden Girls” co-stars, Bea Arthur and Betty White. She teased the audience as Blanche (or perhaps Rue) and reveled in it. Rue was charming, gracious and all heart.