We talk so much about musicals on here, but I thought it was worth pointing out the embarrassment of riches we have in the Lead Actor and Actress in a Play races this season. I tried compiling a list of all those eligible below (with a short list of those I was unsure about at the bottom—please feel free to correct me on any of them!):
Lead Actor in a Play Bobby Cannavale, The Lifespan of a Fact Paddy Considine, The Ferryman Bryan Cranston, Network Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird Adam Driver, Burn This Nathan Lane, Gary Tracy Letts, All My Sons John Lithgow, Hillary & Clinton Jim Parsons, The Boys in the Band Steven Pasquale, American Son Daniel Radcliffe, The Lifespan of a Fact Michael Urie, Torch Song
Lead Actress in a Play Annette Bening, All My Sons Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman Glenda Jackson, King Lear Cherry Jones, The Lifespan of a Fact Andrea Martin, Gary Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery Laurie Metcalf, Hillary & Clinton Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet Keri Russell, Burn This Kerry Washington, American Son
Unsure if Lead/Featured Any roles from Choir Boy Paul Dano, True West Ethan Hawke, True West Lucas Hedges, The Waverly Gallery Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird Tatiana Maslany, Network Kristine Nielsen, Gary Mercedes Ruehl, Torch Song
I don't know much about the show, and I know that he won the Olivier Award for Supporting Actor, but isn't Bertie Carvel, as Rupert Murdoch, the lead in Ink?
Nathan Lane is the only one above the title. I know they could petition, but I wonder if there’s a reason for that?
Also, Jackson could suffer from having just won last year, but May could suffer from being in a fall show and be overshadowed by Jackson come spring time. I think it’ll easily be between the two of them, but will May ever have another chance to win a Tony? She hasn’t been on Broadway in 57 years and she’s giving an astounding performance. It could easily tip her way.
Also, most of the actors you listed in the “unsure” category should probably go featured if they want a chance. The leading categories are so stacked with huge names giving huge performances, so some of those others might not stand a chance of even getting nominated against them.
Definitely an embarrassment of riches in the plays this year, but you can take out the two men from Bernhardt/Hamlet - they ruled on that one already and they’re both being considered as Featured.
For Choir Boy, I’d imagine that Jeremy Pope will be considered Leading, and everyone else will be Featured. (That’s just my guess, though. Bernhardt/Hamlet is official.)
My prediction (without having seen many of these since they’re not open yet)
Laura Donnelly Glenda Jackson Andrea Martin Elaine May (winner) Laurie Metcalf
Paddy Consadine Bryan Cranston (winner) Jeff Daniels Nathan Lane John Lithgow
All of those people would be deserving (assuming the spring performances are up to par with their usual excellent work), but it’s also #TonysSoWhite, so...
It also leaves out a lot of really fantastic, award-worthy performances. I hope there will be six nominees in a few of these play acting categories this year. I have no idea how they’re going to choose.
King Lear could be a total hot mess, so it's hard to say. Cranston will def win. The National is going to have some awards come June. But the women are a toss up since we don't know those plays just yet.
I think the sentimental factor with Elaine May is going to be hard for anyone else to overcome. “When is she going to have another chance?” I think that worked in Glenda’s favor last year, but here she is back again this year. I don’t see that happening with May though.
Then again Lois Smith keeps getting work and June Squibb is on Broadway, so who knows.
Also, I think if Cannavale were to drop back into the featured category, he would have a chance at winning. He saved that play for me. His main competition would be one of the kids from Ferryman, but it’s hard to pick one out (Tom Glynn-Carney would be my choice but Fra Free has a more central role).
Paddy Considine, The Ferryman (lock) Bryan Cranston, Network (lock) Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird (lock) Tracy Letts, All My Sons
Nathan Lane, Gary
alt.: Michael Urie, Torch Song
Lead Actress in a Play Annette Bening, All My Sons Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman Glenda Jackson, King Lear Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery Laurie Metcalf, Hillary & Clinton
Alt.: Keri Russell, Burn This
Cranston and May will win.
I'm shooked with the amount of talented people this season. Just WOW!