"There's so much love for Bob Crowley's AiP set, which I found really clunky and cold... I'd much rather see a nod for Fun Home...; to me it's one of the very best set designs in recent memory."
I'm really interested in your take on both sets, given that I feel exactly the opposite. I wonder if you saw FUN HOME down at the Public previously. As a new viewer to the show, that furniture bobbing up and down from the trap room in different arrangements each time thoroughly confused me. I assumed the funeral home and domestic home were in the same building as a result. I assumed the house was finished at the start of the story since the pieces were all there at the top, as best I could follow. I was very confused when people on the boards described a reveal of the finished home, since I'd been watching the same pieces roll around the stage the whole evening by then. The two looks that worked perfectly for me were the revolve for the car scenes, and the open traps that made up the old house Bruce was planning to renovate. The absence of floor was the best look of the night.
I agree that that stage space is a tricky one to make work, but I've seen gorgeous evocative productions there so it is possible. (Richard Hoover's brilliant prison set for NOT ABOUT NIGHTINGALES leaps to mind.)
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS? I found the sets there the opposite of clunky and cold-- I found them transcendent views of a city I love, that was perhaps never portrayed onstage so beautifully before. The lighting, the projections, the perspectives, the telling details that informed each built set piece, it was all of a piece and all brand new to me. And even though it was an enormous big-budget production, some of the most beautiful effects were the most simple-- 6 sloped mirror panels forming a dance studio, a backdrop of shimmering scribbles and 2 floating boats in space creating a view of the Seine, 3 curved counter units joining in infinite varieties to create all the corners of the Galleries Laffayette shopping floor. Without anyone dancing a step on that stage, we were already tearing up at the sheer beauty of it all.
I personally loved the Fun Home design. Anyone who has seen it at the Public knows this was a major overhaul in terms of scenic/lighting/sound design and direction. I thought all elements in the new stage setup not only improved the show but were instrumental in the storytelling of the piece. It definitely deserves to be nominated for Scenic Design et al.
But don't get me wrong, I adored the set and projections of An American in Paris. Beautiful and elegant and striking. Ditto The Visit. Looks to be a strong category for thoughtful, artful designs.
*Potential displacer: Renée Fleming, Living On Love
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, Fun Home
Brian d'Arcy James, Something Rotten
Robert Fairchild, An American In Paris
Ken Watanabe, The King And I
Tony Yazbek, On The Town*
*Potential displacer: Matthew Morrison, Finding Neverland
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kristin Chenoweth, On The Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope, An American In Paris*
Beth Malone, Fun Home
Kelli O'Hara, The King And I
Chita Rivera, The Visit
*Potential displacer/6th nominee: Lisa Howard, It Shoulda Been You
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
K. Todd Freeman, Airline Highway
Richard McCabe, The Audience*
Alessandro Nivola, The Elephant Man*
Nathanial Parker, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Bryce Pinkham, The Heidi Chronicles
*Potential displacers: Matthew Beard, Skylight; Marc Kudisch, Hand To God
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Patricia Clarkson, The Elephant Man
Francesca Faridany, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time*
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Sarah Stiles,Hand To God*
Julie White, Airline Highway
*Potential displacer: Annaleigh Ashford, You Can't Take It With You; Judith Ivey, The Audience
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Christian Borle, Something Rotten
Kelsey Grammer, Finding Neverland*
Josh Grisetti, It Shoulda Been You*
Brad Oscar, Something Rotten
Max von Essen, An American In Paris
*Potential displacer: Andy Karl, On The Twentieth Century; Paul Alexander Nolan, Doctor Zhivago
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (a.k.a. the most packed category, now two years in a row!)
Victoria Clark, Gigi*
Tyne Daly, It Shoulda Been You*
Judy Kuhn, Fun Home
Sydney Lucas, Fun Home
Ruthie Ann Miles, The King And I
*Potential displacers: Ashley Park, The King And I; Mary Louise Wilson, On The Twentieth Century; not to mention all of the ladies from An American In Paris and On The Town, Dee Hoty from Gigi, Nancy Opel from Honeymoon in Vegas, and the other two ladies from Fun Home
Best Director of a Play
Stephen Daldry, The Audience*
Marianne Elliott, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
Scott Ellis, The Elephant Man
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Hand To God
*Potential displacer: Scott Ellis, You Can't Take It With You
Best Director of a Musical
Scott Ellis, On The Twentieth Century*
Sam Gold, Fun Home
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten
Bartlett Sher, The King And I
Christopher Wheeldon, An American In Paris
*Potential displacer: John Rando, On The Town
Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, On The Town
Warren Carlyle, On The Twentieth Century*
Christopher Gattelli, The King And I
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten
Christopher Wheeldon, An American In Paris
*Potential displacer: Graciela Daniele, The Visit
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics)
Fun Home; Music by Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics by Lisa Kron
It Shoulda Been You;Music byBarbara Anselmi, Lyrics by Brian Hargrove*
Something Rotten!; Music and Lyrics by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick
The Visit; Music by John Kander, and Lyrics by Fred Ebb
*Potential displacer: The Last Ship; Music and Lyrics by Sting
Best Book of a Musical
Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell, Something Rotten!
Lisa Kron, Fun Home
Craig Lucas, An American In Paris*
Terrence McNally, The Visit
*Potential displacer: Brian Hargrove, It Shoulda Been You
Best Orchestrations
Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, and Bill Elliott, An American In Paris
John Clancy, Fun Home*
Larry Hochman, On The Twentieth Century
Larry Hochman, Something Rotten!
*Potential displacer: Larry Hochman, The Visit
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Borritt, Hand To God
Bunny Christie and Finn Ross, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Scott Pask, Airline Highway*
*Potential displacer: Bob Crowley, Skylight
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions, An American In Paris
Scott Pask, The Visit*
Michael Yeargan, The King And I
David Zinn, Fun Home
*Potential displacer: Scott Pask, Something Rotten!
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
Paule Constable and David Platter, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
I find it interesting that so many are predicting a nomination for Megan Fairchild. I think she's wonderful, but out of the three On the Town ladies, I felt she was the most lackluster.
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I'm with bjh2114 on the Tony nomination predictions. The award that I'm sure that will/should win for Best Revival of a Musical is THE KING AND I there is no doubt about it at this point.
It would be nice if Sher did get nominated again, he is without a single moments thought, one of the best directors working on Broadway right now. Even the works Sher directed that weren't successful are interesting.
I am also surprised people were saying Megan Fairchild too. her dancing is obviously amazing, but her acting was not the best IMO. Looking forward to seeing these nominations tomorrow.
Just had to get my predictions out there somewhere...I only did the Musicals because I saw more of them this season.
Best Musical
An American in Paris
Fun Home
Something Rotten!
The Visit
If there are 5:The Last Ship
Best Revival of a Musical
The King & I
On The 20th Century
On The Town
If there are 4: Side Show
Best Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, Fun Home
Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Brian d’Arcy James, Something Rotten
Ken Watanabe, The King & I*
Tony Yazbek, On The Town
Alternate: *Peter Gallagher, On The 20th Century
Best Actress in a Musical
Kristin Chenoweth, On The 20th Century
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris*
Beth Malone, Fun Home
Kelli O’Hara, The King & I
Chita Rivera, The Visit
Alternate: *Lisa Howard, It Shoulda Been You
Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Christian Borle, Something Rotten
Andy Karl, On The 20th Century
Jay Armstrong Johnson, On The Town*
Brad Oscar, Something Rotten
Max von Essen, An American in Paris
Alternate: *Kelsey Grammer, Finding Neverland
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Ruthie Ann Miles, The King & I
Veanne Cox, An American in Paris*
Megan Fairchild, On The Town
Judy Kuhn, Fun Home
Sydney Lucas, Fun Home
Alternate: Tyne Daly, It Shoulda Been You (Sadly I think Clark misses out due to Gigi's reviews)
Best Director of a Musical
John Doyle, The Visit
Sam Gold, Fun Home
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten*
Barlett Sher, The King & I
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris
Alternate: *David Hyde Pierce, It Shoulda Been You
Best Score of a Musical
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Visit
Wayne & Karey Kirkpatrick, Something Rotten
Jeanine Tesori & Lisa Kron, Fun Home
Sting, The Last Ship*
Alternate: *Jason Robert Brown, Honeymoon in Vegas
Best Book of a Musical
Lisa Kron, Fun Home
Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell, Something Rotten
Craig Lucas, An American in Paris
Terrence McNally, The Visit*
Alternate: *Brian Yorkey, The Last Ship
Best Chorography
Joshua Bergasse, On The Town
Warren Carlyle, On The 20th Century*
Christopher Gattelli, The King & I
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris
Alternate: *Steven Hoggett, The Last Ship
Best Orchestrations
An American in Paris
Fun Home
*The Last Ship
Something Rotten
Alternate: *The Visit
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
An American in Paris
*Fun Home
The King & I
The Visit
Alternate: *The Last Ship
Best Costume Design of a Musical
An American in Paris
Fun Home
*Gigi
The King & I
Alternate: *Something Rotten
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
An American in Paris
Fun Home
The King & I
*The Visit
Alternate: *Something Rotten
I think Finding Neverland gets shut out, and The Last Ship & It Shoulda Been You pop up in a few categories we didn't expect to see them in.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards