Tonys, Phonies & Snubs, OH MY!!

Photo by BroadwayWorld.com

Before the 68^th annual American Theatre Wing Tony Awards ceremony airs this Sunday, June 8^th, I wanted to reflect on this past year of Broadway magic: the nominees, the likely winners, as well as some of the snubs. Hopefully this won’t become a novel.

Firstly, I would love to discuss the nominees for Best Musical. Out of the four nominees (“After Midnight”, “Aladdin”, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”), I’ve seen two: “Beautiful” and “…Gentleman’s Guide…”

Between them, I have to say that “…Gentleman’s Guide…” will, without a doubt, take home the coveted prize. Besides its wit, charm and utter hilarity, it is probably the best-reviewed show of the season. Subsequently, all of New York is rooting for its triumph.

Likewise, all of New York is rooting for Jefferson Mays to take home the trophy for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. As the star of “…Gentleman’s Guide…”, Mays plays about 8 different characters, each one crazier than the next. His hard work and sheer talent should lead him to a glorious victory on Sunday.

Lisa O'Hare, photo by HartfordStage.org

But while we’re on the topic of “Gentleman’s Guide…”, I have to say that I am thoroughly disappointed with Bryce Pinkham’s nomination in the category of Best Leading Actor in a Musical. Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Pinkham is not “bad” by any standard of the word. I just have to wonder why so many people believe his performance to be more nomination-worthy than Norbert Leo Butz’s tour-de-force turn in “Big Fish”. The two bodies of work aren't even comparable and quite frankly, the idea seems absolutely ridiculous. Norbert took on a beast of an endeavor and was FLAWLESS in his execution.

Then again, so was Lisa O’Hare in “…Gentleman’s Guide…”, and she too was denied a nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Like Butz, this modelesque, British blonde was one of my favorite performers of the season, and without a doubt my favorite in her show (my apologies, Mr. Mays). Her timing, poise and gorgeous soprano blew me away. How she and Norbert were overlooked by the Tony voters is a complete mystery. It’s quite reminiscent of last year’s debacle concerning the sensational Rachel Bay Jones in “Pippin”. But alas: politics, politics, politics.

I digress. In the category of Best Lead Actress in a Musical, I expect it to be a toss up. After this week’s Drama Desk Awards, most people probably presume that Jessie Mueller is the shoe-in… and there is definitely some merit to that thought. But given this particular category’s unpredictability, any one of the five women could be crowned supreme. After all, the last time Idina Menzel was nominated, she lost the Drama Desk to Donna Murphy and went on to win the Tony the following week. Moreover, last year's 2013 Tony Award winner Patina Miller wasn’t even NOMINATED for a Drama Desk. This category is a MESS.

The same can typically be said for the Best Lead Actress in a Play category, but this year it seems like the choice will be come down to only two contenders: Audra McDonald for “Lady Day…” and Cherry Jones for “The Glass Menagerie”. Both have multiple Tonys to their name, and both are beloved in the community. Either one’s victory will be justly deserved (though I’m happily rooting for Jones).

To sum the rest up, I will try to be quick and dirty. I am SO happy to see Mark Rylance nominated as both Best Leading Actor in a Play and Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work in “Richard III/Twelfth Night”. His Lady Olivia in “Twelfth Night” was a REVELATION, as was Paul Chihadi’s performance as Maria.

I am also thrilled to see Anika Larsen and Jarrod Spector nominated for their work in “Beautiful”, along with both Celia Keenan-Bolger and Brian J. Smith for “The Glass Menagerie”. Each of these four was a standout in their featured role, and I think any one of them could garner a win this weekend.

As for the rest of the categories and nominees…I just don’t know. For the first time in five years, I’ve seen less than a third of the nominated performances and productions. Working in Branson this year has taken me out of the loop! But with that said, I'll still be anxiously watching on Sunday, popcorn in hand, and I hope you will be too!

Below is my list of predictions for 2014 :-)
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BEST PLAY

"Act One"

"All the Way"

“Casa Valentina"

"Mothers and Sons"

"Outside Mullingar"

BEST MUSICAL

"After Midnight"

"Aladdin"

"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical"

"A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder"

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

"The Cripple of Inishmaan"

"The Glass Menagerie"

"A Raisin in the Sun"

"Twelfth Night"

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

"Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

"Les Miserables"

"Violet"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

Samuel Barnett, "Twelfth Night"

Bryan Cranston, "All the Way"

Chris O'Dowd, "Of Mice and Men

Mark Rylance, "Richard III"

Tony Shalhoub, "Act One"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY 

Tyne Daly, "Mothers and Sons"

LaTanya Richardson-Jackson, "A Raisin in the Sun"

Cherry Jones, "The Glass Menagerie"

Audra McDonald, "Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill"

Estelle Parsons, "The Velocity of Autumn"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Neil Patrick Harris, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

Ramin Karimloo, "Les Miserables"

Andy Karl, "Rocky"

Jefferson Mays, "A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder"

Bryce Pinkham, "A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Mary Bridget Davies, "A Night With Janis Joplin"

Sutton Foster, "Violet"

Idina Menzel, "If/Then"

Jessie Mueller, "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical"

Kelli O’Hara, "The Bridges of Madison County"

  

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

Chad Beguelin, "Aladdin"

Douglas McGrath, "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical"

Woody Allen, "Bullets Over Broadway"

Robert L. Freedman, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE

"Aladdin" Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin

"The Bridges of Madison County" Music & Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown

"A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder" Music: Steven Lutvak, Lyrics: Robert L. Freedman & Steven Lutvak

"If/Then" Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Reed Birney, "Casa Valentina"

Paul Chahidi, "Twelfth Night"

Stephen Fry, "Twelfth Night"

Mark Rylance, "Twelfth Night"

Brian J. Smith, "The Glass Menagerie"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Sarah Greene, "The Cripple of Inishmaan"

Celia Keenan-Bolger, "The Glass Menagerie"

Sophie Okonedo, "A Raisin in the Sun"

Anika Noni Rose, "A Raisin in the Sun"

Mare Winningham, "Casa Valentina"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Danny Burstein, "Cabaret"

Nick Cordero, "Bullets Over Broadway"

Joshua Henry, "Violet"

James Monroe Iglehart, "Aladdin"

Jarrod Spector, "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Linda Emond, "Cabaret"

Lena Hall, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

Anika Larsen, "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical"

Adriane Lenox, "After Midnight"

Lauren Worsham, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Beowulf Boritt, "Act One"

Bob Crowley, "The Glass Menagerie"

Es Devlin, "Machinal"

Christopher Oram, "The Cripple of Inishmaan"

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Christopher Barreca, "Rocky"

Julian Crouch, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

Alexander Dodge, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"

Santo Loquasto, "Bullets Over Broadway"

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Jane Greenwood, "Act One"

Michael Krass, "Machinal"

Rita Ryack, "Casa Valentina"

Jenny Tiramani, "Twelfth Night"

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Linda Cho, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"

William Ivey Long, "Bullets Over Broadway"

Arianne Phillips, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

Isabel Toledo, "After Midnight"

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Paule Constable, "The Cripple of Inishmaan"

Jane Cox, "Machinal"

Natasha Katz, "The Glass Menagerie"

Japhy Weideman, "Of Mice and Men"

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Kevin Adams, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

Christopher Akerlind, "Rocky"

Howell Binkley, "After Midnight"

Donald Holder, "The Bridges of Madison County"

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Alex Baranowski, "The Cripple of Inishmaan"

Steve Canyon Kennedy, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill"

Dan Moses Schreier, "Act One"

Matt Tierney, "Machinal"

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Peter Hylenski, "After Midnight"

Tim O'Heir, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

Mick Potter, "Les Miserables"

Brian Ronan, "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical"

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Tim Carroll, "Twelfth Night"

Michael Grandage, "The Cripple of Inishmaan"

Kenny Leon, "A Raisin in the Sun"

John Tiffany, "The Glass Menagerie"

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Warren Carlyle, "After Midnight"

Michael Mayer, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

Leigh Silverman, "Violet"

Darko Tresnjak, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Warren Carlyle, "After Midnight"

Steven Hoggett & Kelly Devine, "Rocky"

Casey Nicholaw, "Aladdin"

Susan Stroman, "Bullets Over Broadway"

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS

Doug Besterman, "Bullets Over Broadway"

Jason Robert Brown, "The Bridges of Madison County"

Steve Sidwell, "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical”
Jonathan Tunick, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"

Until next time,

Jordan.