Revival of "Angels in American": A Tony Award Dilemma?

[neil30043]

When the original productions opened on Broadway, they did not compete against each other because they opened in separate award seasons; "Millennium Approaches" and "Perestroika" both won Best Play Tony Awards, and for instance, Stephen Spinella won a Tony for Feature Actor for "MA" and Lead Actor for "Perestroika".   How might the Tony Board/Producers approach this unique situation with the incoming revival(s)?  BTW, Ron Leibman won the Lead Actor for "Millennium Approaches" with the Drama Desk Awards, and then was nominated for Featured Actor for "Perestroika", losing to Jeffrey Wright (as Belize).

[TheGingerBreadMan]

They will likely be considered to be one play in one production. 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Considering you are unable to (currently) purchase tickets for just one part, it seems clear that the producers will petition the production to be considered as a single play with two parts. The only real dilemma will be that this will most likely cause Lane and Garfield to both be placed in Leading Actor. 

[ColorTheHours048]

I think Lane could easily be petitioned in Featured Actor. Especially when comparing the size of his role vs. Prior in both parts. They’re likely going for as many awards as they can and scoring two or three acting statues is better than the showiness of having two competing lead performances, regardless of how big a name the two of them are.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Kind of interesting how we'll have two plays on Broadway this season that are presented in two parts, the other being Harry...Cursed Child. I can't remember the last time we even had one.

[Esther]

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Kind of interesting how we'll have two plays on Broadway this season that are presented in two parts, the other being Harry...Cursed Child. I can't remember the last time we even had one."

Wolf Hall, parts 1 & 2 2014-2015 season. 

Before that, the Coast of Utopia trilogy in 2009-10 comes to mind. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

ColorTheHours048 said: "I think Lane could easily be petitioned in Featured Actor. Especially when comparing the size of his role vs. Prior in both parts. They’re likely going for as many awards as they can and scoring two or three acting statues is better than the showiness of having two competing lead performances, regardless of how big a name the two of them are."

Not to mention that next year's Tony race for Lead Actor in a Play is already crowded with the likes of Tom Hollander, Joshua Jackson, Jamie Parker, Mark Rylance, Denzel Washington, etc.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Esther said: "Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Kind of interesting how we'll have two plays on Broadway this season that are presented in two parts, the other being Harry...Cursed Child. I can't remember the last time we even had one."

Wolf Hall, parts 1 & 2 2014-2015 season.

Before that, the Coast of Utopia trilogy in 2009-10 comes to mind."

The Coast of Utopia took place in the 2006-07 season, not 2009-10.

 

[Kad]

The Norman Conquests trilogy, in 08-09, which won Best Revival.

[JBroadway]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Not to mention that next year's Tony race for Lead Actor in a Play is already crowded with the likes of Tom Hollander, Joshua Jackson, Jamie Parker, Mark Rylance, Denzel Washington, etc." 

 

Jamie Parker is great as Harry Potter. I have nothing against his performance. But his Olivier win was a total joke - a blatant popularity contest. If the Tonys have a modicum of credibility left, Parker won't stand a chance against this season's heavy-hitters, especially if he's up against Lane or Garfield. 

 

[bdn223]

This is the first 2 parter that was considered separately and won 2 best play tony's separately during its original run. I could see producers trying to have the production itself be considered for Best Revival, but try and get the acting nominations considered to each installment, as the roles size vary in each installment. Will the committee allow them to do this is the real question. 

I think the more interesting question will be when we inevitably a repertory or marathon revival of A Raisin in the Sun and Clybourne Park, as  latter is both a prequel and sequel to the former, despite being by a different playwright. 

[SomethingPeculiar]

I would imagine the producers want Garfield in leading and Lane in featured so they could potentially have 2 wins, as long as Lane’s willing to do go into the Featured category. Lane could easily win in featured, and Garfield has the much bigger role when looking at the 2 plays side by side. But who knows at this point...

[Kad]

The only reason the original productions were not considered together was because that was literally not an option. Millennium Approaches started performances over six months before Perestroika.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

SomethingPeculiar said: "I would imagine the producers want Garfield in leading and Lane in featured so they could potentially have 2 wins, as long as Lane’s willing to do go into the Featured category.

I'm sure Nathan wouldn't mind competing as a featured actor, he was nominated in that category this past year for The Front Page.

[Esther]

The Coast of Utopia took place in the 2006-07 season, not 2009-10.

"

Ack- and I knew that, just in denial that it was so long ago.

 

 

 

[FutureDirector]

Lane may do what David Hyde Pierce did last year and ask to be considered leading as it's such a stiff leading category but not as much in featured and the actor playing Belize may have a good shot at winning.

Or they may do what the film did and put Garfield into featured to give him a good shot at it.