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Editor’s Notes: Talkin’ Tony’s
Is Neil Patrick Harris the new Hugh Jackman (who made a surprise visit to the Tony announcements plugging the Tony Award show June 8th)?
Talkin’ Tony’s
By Jeanne Lieberman Of all the awards the Tonys are the most commercial. Winning means big money at the box office and the subsequent touring companies. Losing or, worse, being snubbed, could result in an early demise. Fortunes are lost, dreams dashed, careers compromised. This years nominated delivered a series of surprises, shocks and snubs. One might say this weeding process is necessary for the general health of the theater industry (much like culling a herd) but it seems nevertheless heartless. There are so many shows on Broadway they are cannibalizing the audience population. And most out of towners are influenced by the imprimatur ”Tony Winner” when making their choices. (I am always amused at the thought of people in the regions rushing to see Spring Awakening, though a Tony winner, a decidedly morbid musical about masturbation, incest, suicide among other issues) Most if not all Tony voters are industry related; connected to one production or another. Years ago when I was writing for the New York Law Journal, my name was suggested as part of the now 33 member nominating committee. Unfortunately that was the year then Tony President Isabel Stevenson decided to eliminate theater journalists because “we only want voters who are objective, who see everything and are not connected to any particular production”. Huh??!! In fact press agents confide they have trouble getting the Tony voters to see the others shows while we overworked theater journalists struggle mightily to see all the shows so we can vote impartially – sometimes seeing as many as 40 plus shows night after night (two a day on matinees) to meet voting deadlines. In addition, the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards include both Broadway and Off Broadway and represent a more comprehensive view of the theater scene in their nominations – even more work for us! Also one third of the voters are regional theater owners so their choice of winner is based on attractability to the rest of the country Once a show courted them assiduously promoting then touring rights and then won the Tony but, at the last minute signed an exclusive deal with Las Vegas (where it did not do well despite a special theater built for them). That show is back on Off Broadway now where it belongs and began. Best Play Category
Will it be All The Way or Act One: Politics vs. Theater – TV’s Bryan Cranston vs. TV’s Tony Shaloub – hard to call. My hunch is that the theater community will back their own – Moss Hart’s theater memoirs. Casa Valentina – message too obscure Best Revival of a Play
Twelfth Night: Shakespeare scored significantly this season and captured the hearts of the voters The Cripple of Inishmaan – of limited appeal
beside Radcliff
I am saddened that Of Mice and Men, a strong, stirring production, was overlooked. (perhaps due to James Franco’s instagram calling out Ben Brantley after a negative review– which drew lot of secret and not so secret support from those in the field.)
Erin N. Moore, Virgil “Lil O” Gadson, Karine Plantadit Photos by Joseph Marzullo/WENN The most exciting category, The New Musicals, was full of shocks and surprises. Though an unusual fifth nominee slot was made possible by an awards rules change this winter, Bullets Over Broadway: The Musical (great fun for everyone but the critics), The Bridges of Madison County (beloved by women), Rocky (crated to attract hetero men) If/Then beloved of no one) were shut out of the category. After Midnight is a
revue – with no book Aladdin the only great old fashioned musical but voters traditionally shy away from Disney.
Neil Patrick Harris as Hedwig (Joan Marcus) Best Revival of a Musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch
surprisingly well received due to Harris’s can-do-no-wrong appeal to the Tony
voters
Hedwig and Violet, basically new to most theatergoers because of their initial short off Bway runs now competing with mega musicals revivals Les Miserables
Cabaret was left out of the best musical revival category, even though there were only four eligible shows and, theoretically, four nomination slots available. (Cabaret not eligible because it is almost an exact replica of the original decides ago - which I do not understand)
Best Actress in a Musical or a Play?
Audra MacDonald could win her first Tony as an actress as Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill oddly categorized as a play with music by the Tonys and Drama Desk and as Revival of a musical by Outer Critics Circle Ms. McDonald could become the first performer to win six Tonys for acting; Julie Harris is the only performer with six, though one is a special lifetime achievement award. Ms. McDonald, 43, faces some tough competition, however; also nominated are other favorites: Tyne Daly (“Mothers and Sons”), LaTanya Richardson Jackson (“A Raisin in the Sun”), Cherry Jones (“The Glass Menagerie”), and Estelle Parsons (“The Velocity of Autumn”). Ms. Jones was a shoo in earlier in the season, having won two best actress Tonys. Also notable: If Ms. McDonald wins, she will become the first person ever to win a Tony in each of the four acting categories. Best Actress in a Musical That leaves a clearer field for Tony Nominees
Kelli O’Hara, and early favorite, now facing Sutton Foster, Jessie Mueller and Adina Menzel
SNUBS
Perhaps to prove that the Tonys are Hollywood actor immune notable snubs include Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, James Franco, all of whom are keeping new York’s Mounties in crowd control these days, Ian McClellan and Patrick Stewart All received well deserved rave reviews (except Franco – see above)
Bullets Over Broadway and The Bridges of Madison County went from assumed Tony favorites to the now in jeopardy lists
No Nods for Directors of New Plays The lack of enthusiasm for the season’s new plays is reflected in the nominations for best director. All four were in charge of revivals: John Tiffany (“The Glass Menagerie”); Kenny Leon (“A Raisin in the Sun”); Tim Carroll (“Twelfth Night”); and Michael Grandage (“The Cripple of Inishmaan”). James Lapine and Bill Rauch, who kept many (many) characters in motion in the large-cast “Act One” and “All The Way,” respectively, went unnoticed. The 2013-2014 Tony Award nominations. JUNE 8 AT 8/7C The rest of the list: Best Book of a Musical Aladdin - only slightly altered from the movie Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre Aladdin(Gorgeous)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play ALL GREAT! Samuel
Barnett, Twelfth Night Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play A tie? Tyne Daly, Mothers and Sons Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical ALL GREAT! Neil
Patrick Harris, Hedwig and the Angry Inch Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Its Kelli’s turn Mary
Bridget Davies, A Night with Janis Joplin Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play ALL GREAT! Reed
Birney, Casa Valentina Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play The Raisin gals Sarah
Greene, The Cripple of Inishmaan Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical A Genie
for the Ages Jarrod Spector, Beautiful — The Carole King Musical Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical Linda
Emond, Cabaret Best Scenic Design of a Play Beowulf
Boritt, Act One Best Scenic Design of a Musical Should be Les Miz Christopher
Barreca, Rocky Best Costume Design of a Play Jane
Greenwood, Act One Best Costume Design of a Musical Linda Cho, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Best Lighting Design of a Play Paule
Constable, The Cripple of Inishmaan Best Lighting Design of a Musical Should be Les Miz Kevin
Adams, Hedwig and the Angry Inch Best Sound Design of a Play (?) Alex
Baranowski, The Cripple of Inishmaan Best Sound Design of a Musical Peter
Hylenski, After Midnight - in a word, Marsalis Best Direction of a Play Tim
Carroll, Twelfth Night Best Direction of a Musical Warren Carlyle, After Midnight Best Choreography Warren Carlyle, After Midnight – Steven
Hoggett & Kelly Devine, Rocky Best Orchestrations Doug
Besterman, Bullets Over Broadway Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories Special
Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Regional
Theatre Award Isabelle
Stevenson Award Tony
Honors for Excellence in the Theatre Tony Nominations by Production A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - 10
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