Best Play - Tonys

[VernonGersch]

Now that THE MINUTES isn't coming in this Winter - what are the current best bets for Tonys (and other critics groups) for Best Play?

[JBroadway]

I think Harry Potter is almost certain to win. Not based on the quality of the script, but rather because of the production, but much like War Horse or Curious Incident. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

It’s definitely going to Harry Potter this year.

[ARTc3]

I loved Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, script and all. It was a truly magical day of theater. The production was extraordinary, as were the performances, but despite the harsh words around the script, I found both the story and writing excellent.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

As of now, I think this year's nominees for Best Play will be...

The Children
Farinelli & the King
Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
Junk

[Dancingthrulife2]

Harry Potter has a horrific script hollowed out by its egregious plotholes and overall lazy writing. The presentation is breathtaking--I'll give it that--but that doesn't mean the show deserves the "best play" award.

[IdinaBellFoster]

I mean, the script for WAR HORSE is pretty dreadful.

[JBroadway]

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Harry Potter has a horrific script hollowed out by its egregious plotholes and overall lazy writing. The presentation is breathtaking--I'll give it that--but that doesn't mean the show deserves the "best play" award."

 

We're constantly running into this issue in this particular category, because there really aught to be a "best script" category and a "best overall production of a play" category (not necessarily with those names). Just as there is a "Best Musical" category along with "Best Book" and "Best Score." Because they are lumped into one, we frequently end up in a situation where a brilliant production with a mediocre script competes against plays with great scripts and serviceable productions. And that seems to be the case this year, although there doesn't seem to be a clear "script" frontrunner that has a chance of beating Harry Potter's production strengths. 

[HogansHero]

The nice thing about Christmas is that there is no way of knowing what plays (especially) might come in before the Tony deadline. Not to mention that the critical response to plays has not come in yet, and could surprise. So any guesses are just that. The only thing we know is that the Potter play will be a success.

[jbird5]

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Harry Potter has a horrific script hollowed out by its egregious plotholes and overall lazy writing. The presentation is breathtaking--I'll give it that--but that doesn't mean the show deserves the "best play" award."

People don’t come to Broadway and pay Broadway prices for the script, they come for the spectacle. That’s what the Pulitzers are for.

[GeorgeandDot]

Harry Potter 100% should not win best play. Best set and lighting? Yes, but commercial success does not equal quality and I expect the Tonys to award quality. The script is horrible and filled with plot holes. It reads as poorly written fan fiction. That being said, none of the plays this year have been perfect so far, but at least they have competent scripts. I would love for The Wolves to transfer this season, but if not, I would probably give my vote to Farinelli, even if it isn't perfect. At least the script is better.

Also @ the people talking about War Horse, the Tonys have changed since then. They used to give the Best Play and Best Musical awards to the showiest production (a la Billy Elliott over Next to Normal, Spamalot over The Light in the Piazza and Spelling Bee), but now we're starting to see them award quality over quantity. I wouldn't count on Harry Potter winning just because of the size of the production.

[JBroadway]

GeorgeandDot said: "Harry Potter 100% should not win best play. Best set and lighting? Yes, but commercial success does not equal quality and I expect the Tonys to award quality. The script is horrible and filled with plot holes. It reads as poorly written fan fiction. That being said, none of the plays this year have been perfect so far, but at least they have competent scripts. I would love for The Wolves to transfer this season, but if not, I would probably give my vote to Farinelli, even if it isn't perfect. At least the script is better. 

Also @ the people talking about War Horse, the Tonys have changed since then. They used to give the Best Play and Best Musical awards to the showiest production (a la Billy Elliott over Next to Normal, Spamalot over The Light in the Piazza and Spelling Bee), but now we're starting to see them award quality over quantity. I wouldn't count on Harry Potter winning just because of the size of the production.

 

First of all: as much as we might wish otherwise, the Tonys are not free from bias, politics, and commercial thinking. Second of all: Even if they are somewhat influenced by commercial appeal, I don't necessarily agree that this is a "quality vs. quantity" situation. I do think it's "quality vs. quality," but measuring the quality by extremely different criteria. You may disagree, but I would argue that the production of Harry Potter is not just large and well-designed, I think it's really intelligently executed, with a lot of creativity and artistry. It is a high-quality piece of theatre, it's just that the quality lies in the staging and not the script. It would be nice the winner could have both, but at the moment it doesn't seem like there are any competitors with a script strong enough to beat the quality of HP's production. Farinelli may be a lot more well-written than HP, but if a show is going to beat HP's beautiful production, it can't just be MORE well-written, it has to pack a serious, Pulitzer-level punch. 

 

[HogansHero]

politics does not help Potter

[RippedMan]

Well plays are meant to be seen.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Harry Potter has it in the bag (cue Jan Maxwell joke). Unlike anything I've seen and more deserving than anything I've ever seen. That being said, a relatively week year for plays. Loved Junk, but this season is lacking in the category. 

[The Other One]

A shame Describe The Night isn't going to transfer.  I thought it was the best-written, most original and ambitious play I have seen in a long while, and I say that having liked Oslo, A Doll's House Part 2 and Sweat very much last season as well as Junk this season.

[jbird5]

Agree on Describe the Night, but it would need a huge star or two to make the jump. Even that’s not a guarantee these days.

[ViniFromBrazil]

Is Lobby Hero going to be considered a new musical or a revival?

[The Other One]

Unless Pasek & Paul have written songs for it and Rob Ashford is over-choreographing it, it should be considered a revival of a play.

[djoko84]

If The Wolves transfers to Broadway like Oslo did last year then it can definitely give Harry Potter a run for its money. If not then Harry Potter has it locked.

[Jarethan]

I agree that there should be  best script and best production award for the Tony.  In the year of War Horse, I would argue that War Horse was unequivocally the best production; however, the other three nominees all had far superior scripts.  

Whether that will be the case with Harry Potter remains to be seen.  Based on what we know so far, this is not looking to be a great Broadway season for original plays (I'd argue that it looks like it might be a pretty dismal season overall for new plays and musicals, although the revival categories certainly have potential, if not quantity.  

Re original plays, until we see what else is opening, who knows.  Even if the juggernaut wins, I certainly hope there will be SOMETHING that we all whine should have won.  Re the plays that have already opened, I don't think there is.  It would certainly be great to have some more dramas open, even better if they are a little spread out, so they don't hurt each other's business by opening as a glut. 

 

[Jarethan]

I agree that there should be  best script and best production award for the Tony.  In the year of War Horse, I would argue that War Horse was unequivocally the best production; however, the other three nominees all had far superior scripts.  

Whether that will be the case with Harry Potter remains to be seen.  Based on what we know so far, this is not looking to be a great Broadway season for original plays (I'd argue that it looks like it might be a pretty dismal season overall for new plays and musicals, although the revival categories certainly have potential, if not quantity.  

Re original plays, until we see what else is opening, who knows.  Even if the juggernaut wins, I certainly hope there will be SOMETHING that we all whine should have won.  Re the plays that have already opened, I don't think there is.  It would certainly be great to have some more dramas open, even better if they are a little spread out, so they don't hurt each other's business by opening as a glut. 

 

[Mister Matt]

Also @ the people talking about War Horse, the Tonys have changed since then.

No, they haven't.  The nominees obviously change and to some extent, the voters change, but it's not really as if there was some major shift in voting, especially with the plays, with respect to artistic integrity or anything.  It will always be a matter of opinion and anyone can make a case for why their favorite did or did not win.  Loads of people did not believe Vonya or Red or Clybourne Park or Curious Incident deserved to win.  Look-a-wise (or like-a-ways) Once, Kinky Boots, Gentleman's Guide and Dear Evan Hansen for Best Musical (including me, regarding Kinky Boots and DEH).  I loved War Horse and felt the production and script served each other brilliantly.  And though I loved both, I probably would have given Billy Elliot the award over Next to Normal by a slim margin.  I hated The Producers and its mediocre forgettable score.  And I thought all the other nominees for Best Play in 2008 were superior to the overstuffed and overlong August: Osage County.  There are plays and musicals I agreed with winning and those I don't.  Just like everybody else.

I wasn't a huge fan of the script to Harry Potter, but seeing both parts in one day in London was genuinely one of the most thrilling days I've experienced in the theatre, play or musical.  And until script is given its own category, the Tony could be awarded for the script or production or both, should the results coincide favorably.  Do I believe the script deserves its own Tony category?  Absolutely.  Until it is, I wouldn't expect the award to be weighted towards the script.  The award is for the sum, not the parts.  And in that respect, I could easily see Harry Potter winning.

[JBroadway]

Mister Matt said: "Look-a-wise (or like-a-ways)"

 

Love a good MHF reference! 

[Mister Matt]

I couldn't help myself.  One of my all-time favorites.