2019 Tony Nominations

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Mister Tee
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Re: 2019 Tony Nominations

Post by Mister Tee »

So, 50 hours or so from now, the awards will be given out.

I have no reason to waver on my prediction of The Ferryman, easily the best play in several seasons. I think the show's heft will carry along Sam Mendes as director, but there's a possibility affection for To Kill a Mockingbird could give the prize to Bart Sher.

Since the nominations, I've had the pleasure of seeing Hadestown, a show I found about 85% sensational (with my usual persnickety reservations). It's got a great, memorable score, the staging is simply world-class, and the cast is terrific. All this was enough to make me go "Wow" at the final curtain, despite my long-expressed aversion to reworkings of already-done material (i.e., the oft-rendered Orpheus myth). I think Rachel Chavkin should be unbeatable for best director, but there's always the chance something breezier or more audience-pleasing could take best musical. The fact that opinion is split -- between Tootsie and The Prom -- over just which audience-favorite that would be, no doubt helps Hadestown, which I hope wins it all.

The top-line musical Tonys seem about certain to go to Santino Fontana and Stephanie J. Block. Elaine May seems a equal certainty for actress in a play, but lead actor is the one up-in-the-air contest of the group. Former winner Cranston could definitely triumph, but I'm thinking never-won Jeff Daniels could top in this battle of the Oscar roles. (Paddy Considine is a small possibility, but his leaving the show months ago hurts his chances.)

Supporting contests are more fluid. I hope long-time Broadway vet Andre De Shields wins for his wonderful master of ceremonies in Hadestown, but he has competition from his deep-voiced co-star Patrick Page and Andy Grotelueschen, who has the Bill Murray part it Tootsie. Supporting actress in a musical could go to Amber Gray of Hadestown, Sarah Stiles of Tootsie, or Ali Stroker in Oklahoma. The latter has, in addition to a much-praised Ado Annie performance, the attention-getting fact of being the first wheelchair-bound Tony nominee, which might put her over the top.

On the play side, Celia Keenan-Bolger seems the near-universal choice for supporting female, but supporting male is unsettled. I'll stick with my initial instinct of Bertie Carvel, but wonder about Benjamin Walker.

The Oklahoma! revival is very divisive, but should probably win over a pale-pastel Kiss Me, Kate. Among play revivals, The Waverly Gallery and The Boys in the Band were the most praised, but there's always a question if closed shows can compete with those still running, given that some Tony voters only see the shows post-nominations. If that's a factor, All My Sons or Burn This might have a shot.

Tootsie should win book of a musical, Hadestown score. Beetleuice might eke out set design, The Cher Show costumes, Hadestown lighting. I don't really have much instinct on the straight-play side, but when in doubt (except for costumes) think Ferryman. Kiss Me, Kate is thought to have the edge for choreography, but maybe not.

Hopefully James Corden makes the evening a lively one.
Big Magilla
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Re: 2019 Tony Nominations

Post by Big Magilla »

The only one of the nominated plays that I have any interest in seeing is The Ferryman.

As usual, I'm more familiar with the musicals thanks to their cast recordings, though few from the current season have yet to be released.

The Prom is a delight whenever the old pros, Beth Leavel, Brooks Ashmanskas and Christopher Sieber are on, the younger performers less so, but it's better than most of the recent shows that have been recorded.

Hadestown sounds like a winner. Looking forward to the release of that one on CD, maybe even seeing it at some point.

I'm generally not a fan of juke box musicals, but Ain't Too Proud has a lot of substance, most of it provided by Derrick Baskin who not only plays Otis Williams, but narrates as well.

The Cher Show is a more typical juke box musical with one redeeming performance, that of Stephanie J. Block who plays the older Cher with warmth and emotion that is lacking in the other performers.

What I've seen of the current revival of Oklahoma! looks hideous. Kiss Me, Kate with Kelli O'Hara and Will Chase would seem to be more my taste, but how many revivals of Kiss Me, Kate do we need and when is Kelli O'Hara going to do something worthwhile that is new?
Reza
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Re: 2019 Tony Nominations

Post by Reza »

Mister Tee wrote:
Reza wrote:I don't recognise the names of at least 90% of the actors in the four supporting categories.
Well, featured actress/play doesn't deserve that kind of dismissal. Ruth Wilson has been everywhere in recent years, notably in Luther and The Affair; Fionnula Flangan should be familiar from The Others and Lost; Julie White is a Tony winner for The Little Dog Laughed; Kristine Nielsen was terrific in Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike (and dated my old roommate in college); and Celia Keenan-Bolger was Laura in the Cherry Jones Glass Menagerie.

As for the others: Bertie Carvel won great acclaim for Matilda (and is probably the favorite here, partially as a result), and Benjamin Walker scored personal successes as the male leads in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and the Scarlett Johansson Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

The musical categories I'll grant you are more obscure...though Andre de Shields and Mary Testa are long-standing New York favorites.
Unfortunately only familiar with Ruth White and Fionnula Flanagan.
Mister Tee
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Re: 2019 Tony Nominations

Post by Mister Tee »

Reza wrote:I don't recognise the names of at least 90% of the actors in the four supporting categories.
Well, featured actress/play doesn't deserve that kind of dismissal. Ruth Wilson has been everywhere in recent years, notably in Luther and The Affair; Fionnula Flangan should be familiar from The Others and Lost; Julie White is a Tony winner for The Little Dog Laughed; Kristine Nielsen was terrific in Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike (and dated my old roommate in college); and Celia Keenan-Bolger was Laura in the Cherry Jones Glass Menagerie.

As for the others: Bertie Carvel won great acclaim for Matilda (and is probably the favorite here, partially as a result), and Benjamin Walker scored personal successes as the male leads in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and the Scarlett Johansson Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

The musical categories I'll grant you are more obscure...though Andre de Shields and Mary Testa are long-standing New York favorites.
Reza
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Re: 2019 Tony Nominations

Post by Reza »

I don't recognise the names of at least 90% of the actors in the four supporting categories.
Mister Tee
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Re: 2019 Tony Nominations

Post by Mister Tee »

Thoughts on first glance:

The Ferryman is a wonderful play -- best thing I've seen in several years -- and should be a easy winner for play and director. (Mendes' non-Broadway production of The Lehman Trilogy will provide extra credit points.)

The nominating committee evidently decided Network and To Kill a Mockingbird weren't REALLY new plays -- citing elements, but not the overall production.

The overall negative response to King Lear blocked out Glenda Jackson despite personal raves. Ruth Wilson, hot off her PBS grandmother chronicle, was the only nominee from the production.

Best actress is a super-strong category even without Jackson. Elaine May is presumably the sentimental (as well as critical) choice, but in many a year, Heidi Shreck would be a shoo-in.

Best actor in a play seems a real toss-up.

I'd spent much of the season thinking The Prom would be the comfort-food choice for best musical, but Tootsie shocked me by getting very strong reviews. (A friendh ad seen it during its Chicago tryout and thought nothing of it.) The face-off with Hadestown seems a classic art show vs. audience show, and, given recent tendencies (Fun Home over An American in Paris and Something Rotten, Dear Evan Hansen over Come from Away, The Band's Visit uber alles), I wouldn't bet against Hadestown.

Santino Fonana, however, seems the clear favorite for lead actor in a musical. And someone will win best actress.
Mister Tee
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2019 Tony Nominations

Post by Mister Tee »

This place is slipping. All these hours later, and no one's posted these.

Best Play

Choir Boy
The Ferryman
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ink
What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Musical

Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie

Best Revival of a Play

Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
The Boys in the Band
Burn This
Torch Song
The Waverly Gallery

Best Revival of a Musical

Kiss Me, Kate
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Best Book of a Musical

Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Be More Chill
Music & Lyrics: Joe Iconis
Beetlejuice
Music & Lyrics: Eddie Perfect
Hadestown
Music & Lyrics: Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom
Music: Matthew Sklar
Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
To Kill a Mockingbird
Music: Adam Guettel
Tootsie
Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Annette Bening, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O’Hara, Kiss Me, Kate

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Bertie Carvel, Ink
Robin De Jesús, The Boys in the Band
Gideon Glick, To Kill a Mockingbird
Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
Benjamin Walker, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman
Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ruth Wilson, King Lear

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

André De Shields, Hadestown
Andy Grotelueschen, Tootsie
Patrick Page, Hadestown
Jeremy Pope, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Ephraim Sykes, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Lilli Cooper, Tootsie
Amber Gray, Hadestown
Sarah Stiles, Tootsie
Ali Stroker, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Mary Testa, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, To Kill a Mockingbird
Bunny Christie, Ink
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Santo Loquasto, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Jan Versweyveld, Network

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Peter England, King Kong
Rachel Hauck, Hadestown
Laura Jellinek, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
David Korins, Beetlejuice

Best Costume Design of a Play

Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Toni-Leslie James, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Clint Ramos, Torch Song
Ann Roth, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ann Roth, To Kill a Mockingbird

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Michael Krass, Hadestown
William Ivey Long, Beetlejuice
William Ivey Long, Tootsie
Bob Mackie, The Cher Show
Paul Tazewell, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, Ink
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Peter Mumford, The Ferryman
Jennifer Tipton, To Kill a Mockingbird
Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, Network

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, The Cher Show
Howell Binkley, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Bradley King, Hadestown
Peter Mumford, King Kong
Kenneth Posner and Peter Nigrini, Beetlejuice

Best Sound Design of a Play

Adam Cork, Ink
Scott Lehrer, To Kill a Mockingbird
Fitz Patton, Choir Boy
Nick Powell, The Ferryman
Eric Sleichim, Network

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Peter Hylenski, Beetlejuice
Peter Hylenski, King Kong
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Drew Levy, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, Hadestown

Best Direction of a Play

Rupert Goold, Ink
Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
Bartlett Sher, To Kill a Mockingbird
Ivo van Hove, Network
George C. Wolfe, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

Best Direction of a Musical

Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Scott Ellis, Tootsie
Daniel Fish, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Des McAnuff, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Casey Nicholaw, The Prom

Best Choreography

Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy
Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate
Denis Jones, Tootsie
David Neumann, Hadestown
Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Orchestrations

Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown
Simon Hale, Tootsie
Larry Hochman, Kiss Me, Kate
Daniel Kluger, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Harold Wheeler, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
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