Wanted to put some feelers out on the word of mouth in regards to this season's Tony Awards. Doesn't seem like a lot of things have really stuck as locks so far, so it could be a very exciting and interesting year!
So... here goes nothing. If you're going to be rude, don't bother. This is purely for discussion and interest.
I just listed what seem to be the contenders and put a * next to the ones that seem to be the likeliest bets so far.
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Best Musical *MATILDA *BRING IT ON CHAPLIN KINKY BOOTS *MOTOWN SCANDALOUS *HANDS ON A HARDBODY A CHRISTMAS STORY
Best Play (having a tough time with this category. it can't be this bare?) *THE PERFORMERS DEAD ACCOUNTS *THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES *LUCKY GUY *THE OTHER PLACE
Best Revival of a Musical ANNIE *JEKYLL & HYDE *THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD *CINDERELLA ELF HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS *PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES
Best Revival of a Play BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S THE HEIRESS *WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? THE BIG KNIFE PICNIC *GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS CYRANO DE BERGERAC *CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF *GOLDEN BOY HARVEY
Best Director of a Musical (crowded) James Lapine, ANNIE *Matthew Warchus, MATILDA Andy Blankenbuehler, BRING IT ON Charles Randolph-Wright, MOTOWN *Scott Ellis, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD Neil Pepe, HANDS ON A HARDBODY Jerry Mitchell, KINKY BOOTS *John Doyle, PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES *Mark Brokaw, CINDERELLA
Best Director of a Play (crowded) *Pam McKinnon, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? *Joe Mantello, THE OTHER PLACE George C. Wolfe, LUCKY GUY *Bartlett Sher, GOLDEN BOY *Daniel Sullivan, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS Doug Hughes, THE BIG KNIFE Rob Ashford, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF Evan Cabnet, THE PERFORMERS Lynne Meadow, THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES
Best Leading Actress in a Musical Lilla Crawford, ANNIE *Katie Finneran, ANNIE *Matildas, MATILDA Taylor Louderman, BRING IT ON Adrienne Warren, BRING IT ON *Stephanie J. Block, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD *Laura Osnes, CINDERELLA Carolee Carmello, SCANDALOUS *Valisia Lekae, MOTOWN
Best Leading Actress in a Play (can't choose a fifth. I think it's a sight unseen) *Laurie Metcalf, THE OTHER PLACE *Scarlett Johansson, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF Emilia Clark, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S *Amy Morton, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Jessica Chastain, THE HEIRESS *Jessica Hecht, THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES Patti LuPone, THE ANARCHIST Debra Winger, THE ANARCHIST Katie Holmes, DEAD ACCOUNTS
Best Leading Actor in a Musical *Bertie Carvel, MATILDA (assuming he makes the trip over the pond for this company) *Constantine Maroulis, JEKYLL & HYDE Rob McClure, CHAPLIN *Will Chase, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD Brandon Victor Dixon, MOTOWN Billy Porter, KINKY BOOTS Stark Sands, KINKY BOOTS *Santino Fontana, CINDERELLA *Anthony Warlow, ANNIE George Hearn, SCANDALOUS
Best Leading Actor in a Play (i've got to be missing some huge players here) *Al Pacino, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS *Douglas Hodge, CYRANO DE BERGERAC Cheyenne Jackson, THE PERFORMERS *Tom Hanks, LUCKY GUY *Jim Parsons, HARVEY Norbert Leo Butz, DEAD ACCOUNTS *Bobby Cannavale, THE BIG KNIFE
Best Featured Actress in a Musical *Chita Rivera, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD Annaleigh Ashford, KINKY BOOTS *Harriet Harris, CINDERELLA *Victoria Clark, CINDERELLA Marla Mindelle, CINDERELLA Ann Harada, CINDERELLA Leslie Kritzer, ELF Jessie Mueller, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD *Erin Dilly, A CHRISTMAS STORY Teal Wicks, JEKYLL & HYDE *Ryann Redmond, BRING IT ON
Best Featured Actress in a Play *Debra Monk, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF *Judith Light, THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES Alicia Silverstone, THE PERFORMERS *Zoe Perry, THE OTHER PLACE *Ellen Burstyn, PICNIC Jessica Hecht, HARVEY *Carrie Coon, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Ari Graynor, THE PERFORMERS
Best Featured Actor in a Musical *Gregg Edelman, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD *Paul Kaye, MATILDA (assuming he joins this production as well) *Jim Norton, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD Dan Lauria, A CHRISTMAS STORY *John Bolton, A CHRISTMAS STORY Laird Mackintosh, JEKYLL & HYDE *Chestor Gregory, BRING IT ON
Best Featured Actor in a Play *Bobby Cannavale, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS John Schiappa, THE OTHER PLACE *Daniel Stern, THE OTHER PLACE *Henry Winkler, THE PERFORMERS *Jeremy Shamos, THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES Madison Dirks, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? David Strathairn, THE HEIRESS Dan Stevens, THE HEIRESS *Danny Burstein, GOLDEN BOY
Best Original Score *Amanda Green, Tom Kitt, Lin Manuel Miranda, BRING IT ON *Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, A CHRISTMAS STORY Trey Anastasio, Amanda Green, HANDS ON A HARDBODY *Tim Minchin, MATILDA Christopher Curtis, CHAPLIN *Cyndi Lauper, KINKY BOOTS David Pomeranz, David Friedman, Kathie Lee Gifford, SCANDALOUS
Best Book *Dennis Kelly, MATILDA *Jeff Whitty, BRING IT ON Berry Gordy, MOTOWN Christopher Curtis, Tom Meehan, CHAPLIN *Harvey Fierstein, KINKY BOOTS *Doug Wright, HANDS ON A HARDBODY
Best Choreography *Andy Blankenbuehler, BRING IT ON Josh Rhodes, CINDERELLA *Peter Darling, MATILDA Warren Carlyle, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD *Sergio Trujillo, HANDS ON A HARDBODY Warren Carlyle, A CHRISTMAS STORY *Andy Blankenbuehler, ANNIE Jerry Mitchell, KINKY BOOTS
Tech awards maybe another time when there's more to go off of besides thought and speculation.
Considering most shows haven't even started PREVIEWS, and, therefore, no one has seen much of anything, this is just silly.
(BTW...you can't dictate how people will respond on a PUBLIC thread.)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Do you think Prince of Broadway will finally have happened by 2036? :)
Also, isn't Carolee Carmello kinda serving Katie Finneran and Stephanie J Block for lunch right about now? (I know her show's terrible, but that hasn't stopped her getting nominated before!)
And I've been told by Matilda cast members that Bertie Carvel will not be reprising his role in the broadway production. Sorry.
I don't think ELF or GRINCH will be eligible for Tonys. ELF was just on Broadway 2 years ago, and the Tony rules state that there must be 3 years between productions in order to consider it a revival. The new cast members might be petitioned to be considered, but the production should not be eligible.
GRINCH is playing at Madison Square Garden, not on Broadway, so it would need to specially petition to be considered, and it doesn't seem worth it when they are not very likely to get any nominations and they would just lose money if they make free tickets available to all the Tony voters.
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
Wouldn't Cinderella be in the Best Musical theoretically it hasn't been on Broadway before while some of its interpolated songs have. This hasn't discounted other shows before.
From the Tony Rules: "A play or musical that is determined by the Tony Awards Administration Committee (in its sole discretion) to be a “classic” or in the historical or popular repertoire shall not be eligible for an Award in the Best Play or Best Musical category but may be eligible in the appropriate Best Revival category, if any, provided it meets all other eligibility requirements set forth in these Rules."
I would assume CINDERELLA would meet these requirements.
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
CINDERELLA will likely be placed in the revival category, however it is possible it could be eligible for Book.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
I think there may be some discussion of CINDERELLA's position. No one has ever seen THIS version and the score has never been heard on BWay. Although OACDYCSF was similar.
I know Al Pacino is Al Pacino, but his performance currently for Glengarry is nowhere near nomination worthy. I'd move Bobby up to leading actor, he's much more likely to get a nomination regardless.
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? will win Best Actor in a Play, Best Director of a Play, and Best Revival of a Play unless pigs start to fly in the Spring season.
Granted, I haven't seen all the other nominees yet, but Warlow is a strong contender for ANNIE. He was just that good. Really loved his performance. Will he win? Who knows!
I would remove Henry Winkler from your list.....seems like a very nice man, but his performance in THE PERFORMERS is, imho, very bad.
Also, I loved THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and look forward to seeing it again soon. That said, Stephanie J. Block always comes across as way too modern and this performance is no exception. And as much as I love and admire Chita Rivera, she really disappointed me in this. It was a very dull and half hearted take on a part that can really steal the show.
Jesse Mueller is the supporting performance from this that I would nominate. She was FANTASTIC!
Jeez, I sure hope something comes along in the play category and The Performers doesn't get a Best Play nomination simply because it isn't as bad as the others...
There's always room for things to sneak in, etc. Water By The Spoonful is opening in December at 2nd Stage. It won the Pulitzer. If it does well off-Broadway, I would think they'd look to move it.
And who knows if some of the big contenders that are open now will even be running come May/June.
I think probably the only sure bets for nominations (and quite possibly wins) as of right now are Matilda and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?...other than that it's far too early.
I wouldn't be surprised if Tracy Letts walks away with the Tony given the caliber of his performance. I would say Amy Morton too but we have a lot of potentially very strong female performances this season, though she will certainly be nominated.
The Anarchist, Ann, and The Nance are also eligible for Best Play. If they invited Tony voters (which I doubt), Mike Tyson and Lewis Black's shows are, too.
It looks like Matilda is the only announced London import for this season, which is surprising. I wonder if there will be others later.
If Virginia Woolf closes in February as currently scheduled, all bets are off in terms of awards attention. I would like to think Matilda will live up to the hype, but that doesn't always happen. Enron was a slam dunk for Best Play before it came over.
"What was the name of that cheese that I like?"
"you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start"
"well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"
You did not include The Anarchist, Ann or Pippin. Patty LuPone may walk with her third Tony. And I hear Pippin will be amazing with the changes added to the story.