I have been a long time fan of the theatre. Musicals, costumes, plays… and while I did try my hand for a short time in local theatre, I found I enjoyed it most either from the sound booth, or in the audience. Broadway and all that its mystique holds has always fascinated me. So many of Hollywood’s greats are on stage right now – Sally Field, Glenn Close, Cate Blanchett, Broadway veteran Patti Lupone, Kevin Kline and of course Bette Midler. When I read she was reviving Hello Dolly, I practically replayed the entire musical in my head imagining how amazing she must be on stage as Dolly. I also remember when Evita first came to Broadway with Patti Lupone, and how completely mesmerizing just the tv commercials were and how amazing she sings.
The Tony Awards will be hosted by the great Kevin Spacey (another amazing actor!), from Radio City Music Hall, and will be broadcast on CBS, Sunday June 11th. Enough of my musings however. Let’s do a short run down of this year’s Tony nominees, and see who and what we (I) hope will win. For more, keep scrolling on down!!
Best Play:
“A Doll’s House, Part 2”
“Indecent”
“Oslo”
“Sweat”
Best Musical:
“Come From Away”
“Dear Evan Hansen”
“Groundhog Day The Musical”
“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Best Book of a Musical:
“Come From Away” — Irene Sankoff and David Hein
“Dear Evan Hansen” — Steven Levenson
“Groundhog Day The Musical” — Danny Rubin
“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” — Dave Malloy
Best Original Score:
“Come From Away” — Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
“Dear Evan Hansen” — Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
“Groundhog Day The Musical” — Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin
“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” — Music & Lyrics: Dave Malloy
Best Revival of a Play:
“August Wilson’s Jitney”
“Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
“Present Laughter”
“Six Degrees of Separation”
Best Revival of a Musical:
“Falsettos”
“Hello, Dolly!”
“Miss Saigon”
Denis Arndt, “Heisenberg”
Chris Cooper, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Corey Hawkins, “Six Degrees of Separation”
Kevin Kline, “Present Laughter”
Jefferson Mays, “Oslo”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play:
Cate Blanchett, “The Present”
Jennifer Ehle, “Oslo”
Sally Field, “The Glass Menagerie”
Laura Linney, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Laurie Metcalf, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Christian Borle, “Falsettos”
Josh Groban, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Andy Karl, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
David Hyde Pierce, “Hello, Dolly!”
Ben Platt, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Denee Benton, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Christine Ebersole, “War Paint”
Patti LuPone, “War Paint”
Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!”
Eva Noblezada, “Miss Saigon”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play:
Michael Aronov, “Oslo”
Danny DeVito, “Arthur Miller’s The Price”
Nathan Lane, “The Front Page”
Richard Thomas, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
John Douglas Thompson, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play:
Johanna Day, “Sweat”
Jayne Houdyshell, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Cynthia Nixon, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Condola Rashad, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Michelle Wilson, “Sweat”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Gavin Creel, “Hello, Dolly!”
Mike Faist, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Andrew Rannells, “Falsettos”
Lucas Steele, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Brandon Uranowitz, “Falsettos”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Kate Baldwin, “Hello, Dolly!”
Stephanie J. Block, “Falsettos”
Jenn Colella, “Come From Away”
Rachel Bay Jones, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Mary Beth Peil, “Anastasia”
Best Scenic Design of a Play:
David Gallo, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Nigel Hook, “The Play That Goes Wrong”
Douglas W. Schmidt, “The Front Page”
Michael Yeargan, “Oslo”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
Rob Howell, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
David Korins, “War Paint”
Mimi Lien, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Santo Loquasto, “Hello, Dolly!”
Best Costume Design of a Play:
Jane Greenwood, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Susan Hilferty, “Present Laughter”
Toni-Leslie James, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
David Zinn, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Costume Design of a Musical:
Linda Cho, “Anastasia”
Santo Loquasto, “Hello, Dolly!”
Paloma Young, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Catherine Zuber, “War Paint”
Best Lighting Design of a Play:
Christopher Akerlind, “Indecent”
Jane Cox, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Donald Holder, “Oslo”
Jennifer Tipton, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Howell Binkley, “Come From Away”
Natasha Katz, “Hello, Dolly!”
Bradley King, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Japhy Weideman, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Best Direction of a Play:
Sam Gold, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Bartlett Sher, “Oslo”
Daniel Sullivan, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Rebecca Taichman, “Indecent”
Best Direction of a Musical:
Christopher Ashley, “Come From Away”
Rachel Chavkin, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Michael Greif, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Matthew Warchus, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
Jerry Zaks, “Hello, Dolly!”
Best Choreography:
Andy Blankenbuehler, “Bandstand”
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
Kelly Devine, “Come From Away”
Denis Jones, “Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical”
Sam Pinkleton, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Best Orchestrations:
Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, “Bandstand”
Larry Hochman, “Hello, Dolly!”
Alex Lacamoire, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Dave Malloy, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre:
James Earl Jones
Special Tony Award:
Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin, sound designers for “The Encounter”
Regional Theatre Tony Award:
Dallas Theater Center in Dallas, Texas
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award:
Baayork Lee
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre:
Nina Lannan and Alan Wasser
In looking over Variety’s list of Surprises and Snubs, it seems like there have been quite a few surprises already, so fasten your seatbelts, this year’s Tony Awards could prove to be full of them.
One closing thought… no matter what are the nom nods, be sure to make some time and go to a theatre production at least once in the near future.
- Here is your first starting point – a list of ALL of the shows currently on Broadway. You can also select Off-Broadway, and Regional or on Tour Productions.
Whether it is local or regional theatre, or the bright lights of New York and Broadway, go to the theatre dahlings… it is always so worth it.