Tony Nomination Time Again!

Good luck to all of the brave souls who share their talent and their moxie every night on a Broadway stage!  I sure couldn't do what they do - even when I don't love the result, I greatly appreciate the process and commitment!  

Yes, it's that crazy time of year again, time for a small group of people to decide who gets to ride the crazy Tony Award ride and who doesn't.  I don't have as many friends involved in award races this year, so I'm feeling a little low-key about the whole thing.  Like last year, I focused most of my theater viewing on Off-Broadway shows, so I haven't seen a lot of stuff that's eligible for a Tony.  In fact, I only saw one Broadway musical during the season and you may recall I didn't love it all that much.  So I'm not even going to mention any of the musical categories in my predictions/hopes below, which will make this post awfully brief.  Oh well.  I have tickets to a couple of probable nominees coming up, so maybe my negative thoughts will change as we head into the award season madness...

PLAY

Choir Boy, Tarell Alvin McCraney
The Ferryman, Jez Butterworth
Straight White Men, Young Jean Lee
What the Constitution Means to Me, Heidi Schreck

I haven't seen the three plays that are probably the front-runners for the award (though Constitution is certainly making some noise): Hilary and Clinton, Network and To Kill a Mockingbird.  But I'm happy with my foursome - two women, two writers of color, four stories I haven't heard before.  That spells best new play to me.  


REVIVAL OF A PLAY

Torch Song Trilogy, Harvey Fierstein
The Waverly Gallery, Kenneth Lonergan

I didn't love All My Sons or True West, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them on this list.  I would love for Burn This and Lanford Wilson to be acknowledged, but I'm not sure if it will make the cut.  I need to see it, though.  Too bad no discounts are available (the Star Wars factor, I'm sure).









ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

I'm guessing the three frontrunners here are Glenda Jackson, Annette Bening, and Laurie Metcalf.  I haven't seen Glenda or Laurie (yet), and I personally wouldn't put Bening's performance above the three I have listed.  I doubt McTeer will make it, but I thought she was incredible.  Heidi Schreck is amazing and Elaine May was out of this world!  I like my list!  :)

photo credit: Joan Marcus

ACTOR IN A PLAY

Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy
Michael Urie, Torch Song Trilogy

Again, I'm guessing that I haven't seen the gents who are most likely to win/receive a nom: Bryan Cranston and Jeff Daniels.  John Lithgow is popular, and his show just opened, so he could wind up here.  Same with Nathan Lane.  Is this the year Daniel Radcliffe finally gets a nomination?  Hmmm.  The common thread with my nominees is charm.  You can't teach it, you can't manufacture it, but these three actors had charm to spare.  And their charm was paired with great empathy and skill.  So I'm happy with them.  Frankly, I doubt any of the three will make the list, but we'll see...


FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Joan Allen, The Waverly Gallery
Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman

I hope Allen is remembered here, her performance as the daughter trying to hold her family together was fantastic, very detailed and specific, but relatable and moving.  I loved her.  Flanagan has been a favorite of mine for decades, and she's received nominations elsewhere, so I'm hopeful.  


FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

John Clay III, Choir Boy
Jason Butler Harner, Bernardt/Hamlet
Austin Pendleton, Choir Boy
Benjamin Walker, All My Sons

I wouldn't be surprised to see a bunch of Ferryman actors here, or Boys in the Band actors, or even more of the Choir Boy cast (Chuck Cooper has won before, so that probably helps him).  I just picked my two favorite actors from the supporting cast.  I'm also pretty sure Benjamin Walker will pick up a nod; Jason Butler Harner is a total longshot, I'm sure, but I'm a longtime fan and his reaction at the first act curtain still tickles me.


To sum up:  it's pretty dumb that I have no ideas about musicals, but since I've only seen one, it seemed even dumber to try to pick which performers would get attention.  So I'll just be happy for whoever gets their name called.  I'm sure when I pick up TDF tickets to some of the nominated shows, I'll be glad they were remembered.  Next year, I need to think about doing a Drama Desk nomination prediction post, so I can get all my Off-Broadway love on the page...