`RENT,' `BRING IN 'DA NOISE' BATTLE FOR TOP TONYS.

Byline: Daryl H. Miller Daily News Theater Critic

No need to rent a tux, just park yourself in front of the tube Sunday night and be ready to bring in 'da noise, bring in 'da funk.

Televised at 9 p.m. on KCBS (Channel 2), the annual Tony Award ceremony will spotlight the tony New York theater crowd as it cheers for ``Rent'' and ``Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk,'' which enter the race with the most nominations - 10 and nine, respectively - and will go toe-to-toe for the coveted best musical prize.

Although Tonys are granted only to shows playing on Broadway, Southland theater lovers have a stake in this year's ceremony because several of the nominated shows played here before hitting New York: ``Master Class,'' ``Seven Guitars,'' ``State Fair,'' ``Racing Demon'' and ``Hello, Dolly!'' What's more, the hottest shows are sure to arrive here sooner or later, touting their accumulated Tonys.

Here's a look at a few of this year's most-watched categories, by someone who just returned from an intensive theater-going trip to the Big Apple.

Best musical: Sure, there are two other contenders in the race, but the real showdown is between ``Rent'' and ``Bring in 'da Noise.'' The latter is an incredibly imaginative show - a short course in African-American history, as told through an earthy, street vernacular-inflected form of tap dance.

But strong as it is, it's not going to stop the mushrooming phenomenon of ``Rent,'' which already pocketed this year's Pulitzer Prize. The show takes a gritty look at the lives of East Village bohemians - musicians, filmmakers, performance artists, dirty dancers and drag queens, many of whom are HIV-positive - and through a series of edgy but tuneful rock songs, reminds us that life is merely rented to us, so we'd better make the most of it while we can.

Best leading actress in a musical: Julie Andrews remains on the ballot, even though she rejected her nomination because it was the only one bestowed upon ``Victor/Victoria.'' (Julie, darling, face the truth: Your show - which somehow manages to be undernourished and bloated at the same time - doesn't deserve any other nominations.) Andrews may still pull out a sympathy vote because she's never received a Tony. If not, my money's on Daphne Rubin-Vega, who's absolutely electric as the tragic drug-using dancer in ``Rent.''

Best revival of a musical: Neither Nathan Lane's performance nor the production itself generated as much heat as expected, so ``A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is probably in a dead heat with the other top contender, the Lou Diamond Phillips/Donna Murphy ``King and I.'' A tossup.

Best actress in a play: Although ``Master Class'' didn't end up telling us much about tragic opera diva Maria Callas, Zoe Caldwell's towering performance taught us volumes about what it takes to be a theatrical diva. A lock.