It was a strong year for plays, both new and old, on the Great White Way and a mediocre and slight year for musicals. Period. Let’s hope next season brings a better crop.
There are some tight acting races and some no-brainer, slam-dunks! But no real nail-biter like last year’s Nicole vs. Audra smackdown. (Tony voters got that one so right, thank the theatre gods.)
Most of the deserving artists did get recognized but Becky Shaw and the cast of The Balusters deserved more love.
That said, here are my predictions.
Best Play
The Balusters Author: David Lindsay-Abaire
Giant Author: Mark Rosenblatt
Liberation Author: Bess Wohl
Little Bear Ridge Road Author: Samuel D. Hunter
Any of the four nominees could win. The critics darling here is Little Bear Ridge Road. Liberation, which has since closed, is probably the front-runner since it won the Pulitzer and Drama League Awards. The Balusters is quite popular with voters and won the Drama Desk Award for Best Play (of course it was the only Broadway show nominated). And don’t count out the power of Giant.
Prediction: Liberation
Preference: The Balusters
Should Have Been Nominated: Punch
Best Musical
The Lost Boys
Schmigadoon!
Titaníque
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
It’s another 4-way race. The Lost Boys feels like it’s been picking up steam but the glossy Schmigadoon! seems to have the edge. Photo finish.
Prediction: Schmigadoon!
Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Becky Shaw
Every Brilliant Thing
Fallen Angels
Oedipus
Prediction: Death of a Salesman
Preference: Becky Shaw
Should Have Been Nominated: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Best Revival of a Musical
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Ragtime
Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Prediction: Ragtime
Preference: The Rocky Horror Show
Should Have Been Nominated: Chess (despite the misguided book)
Best Book of a Musical
The Lost Boys David Hornsby and Chris Hoch
Schmigadoon! Cinco Paul
Titaníque Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) Jim Barne and Kit Buchan
Prediction: Schmigadoon!
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Music: Caroline Shaw
August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone Music: Steve Bargonetti
The Lost Boys Music & Lyrics: The Rescues
Schmigadoon! Music & Lyrics: Cinco Paul
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) Music & Lyrics: Jim Barne and Kit Buchan
Prediction: Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Will Harrison, Punch
Nathan Lane, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
John Lithgow, Giant
Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing
Mark Strong, Oedipus
It’s Lane vs. Lithgow in a super strong category.
Prediction: John Lithgow
Preference: Will Harrison
Should Have Been Nominated: Jon Bernthal, Dog Day Afternoon
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels
Carrie Coon, Bug
Susannah Flood, Liberation
Lesley Manville, Oedipus
Kelli O’Hara, Fallen Angels
O’Hara and Byrne are fabulous, but this one must go to Manville.
Prediction & Preference: Lesley Manville
Should Have Been Nominated: Ayo Edibiri, Proof, Anika Noni Rose, The Balusters
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Luke Evans, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Joshua Henry, Ragtime
Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Prediction: Joshua Henry
Preference: Luke Evans
Should Have Been Nominated: LJ Benet, The Lost Boys
Should Not Have Been Placed in Lead: Aaron Tveit, Chess, Andrew Durand, The Rocky Horror Show
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!
Stephanie Hsu, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Caissie Levy, Ragtime
Marla Mindelle, Titaníque
Christiani Pitts, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Prediction: Caissie Levy
Preference: Caissie Levy
Should Have Been Nominated: Lea Michelle, Chess
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Christopher Abbott, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime
Brandon J. Dirden, Waiting for Godot
Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Richard Thomas, The Balusters
A super stacked category — and so many worthy performances were left off this list!!! Abbott could take it. Burstein is beloved as is Thomas. But one performance seared the stage…
Prediction & Preference: Alden Ehrenreich
Should Have Been Nominated: Ben Ahlers, Death of a Salesman, Joshua Boone, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Patrick Ball, Becky Shaw
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Betsy Aidem, Liberation
Marylouise Burke, The Balusters
Aya Cash, Giant
Laurie Metcalf, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
June Squibb, Marjorie Prime
The legion of great featured performances eligible here proves that the category needs to be expanded to include more than just five nominees!
Prediction: Laurie Metcalf
Preference: Marylouise Burke
Should Have Been Nominated: Linda Emond, Becky Shaw, Margaret Colin, The Balusters, Jessica Hecht, Dog Day Afternoon, Kara Young, Proof
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys
André De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Bryce Pinkham, Chess
Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime
Layton Williams, Titaníque
A Broadway legend vs. two amazing Broadway newcomers who killed! Both Bourzgui and Ross are doing extraordinary, star-making work.
Prediction: André De Shields
Preference: Ali Louis Bourzgui or Ben Levi Ross
Should Have Been Nominated: Constantine Rousouli, Titanique, Max Clayton, Schmigadoon, The aforementioned Tveit & Durand
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Shoshana Bean, The Lost Boys
Hannah Cruz, Chess
Rachel Dratch, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Ana Gasteyer, Schmigadoon!
Nichelle Lewis, Ragtime
Prediction: Shoshana Bean
Preference: Shoshana Bean or Hannah Cruz
Should Have Been Nominated: McKenzie Kurtz, Schmigadoon!, Juliette Lewis, The Rocky Horror Show
Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, Giant
Robert Icke, Oedipus
Kenny Leon, The Balusters
Joe Mantello, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Whitney White, Liberation
Prediction: Joe Mantello
Preference: Kenny Leon
Should Have Been Nominated: Trip Cullman, Becky Shaw
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Tim Jackson, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Prediction: Christopher Gattelli
Should Have Been Nominated: Sam Pinkleton, The Rocky Horror Show
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Hildegard Bechtler, Oedipus
Takeshi Kata, Bug
Chloe Lamford, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
David Korins, Dog Day Afternoon
David Rockwell, Fallen Angels
Prediction: Fallen Angels
Preference: Dog Day Afternoon
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
dots, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Soutra Gilmour, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Rachel Hauck, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!
Prediction: The Lost Boys
Preference: The Lost Boys
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo, Dog Day Afternoon
Qween Jean, Liberation
Jeff Mahshie, Fallen Angels
Emilio Sosa, The Balusters
Paul Tazewell, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Prediction: Fallen Angels
Preference: Dog Day Afternoon
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, Ragtime
Linda Cho, Schmigadoon!
Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Ryan Park, The Lost Boys
David I. Reynoso, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Prediction: Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Preference: The Rocky Horror Show
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Isabella Byrd, Dog Day Afternoon
Natasha Chivers, Oedipus
Stacey Derosier, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Heather Gilbert, Bug
Heather Gilbert, The Fear of 13
Jack Knowles, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Prediction & Preference: Death of a Salesman
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, Chess
Jane Cox, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Donald Holder, Schmigadoon!
Adam Honoré, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Adam Honoré and Donald Holder (Lighting) and 59 Studio (Projection), Ragtime
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Prediction & Preference: The Lost Boys
Best Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Tom Gibbons, Oedipus
Lee Kinney, The Fear of 13
Josh Schmidt, Bug
Mikaal Sulaiman, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Prediction: Death of a Salesman
Preference: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Kai Harada, Ragtime
Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys
Brian Ronan, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Walter Trarbach, Schmigadoon!
Prediction & Preference: The Lost Boys
Best Choreography
Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Ellenore Scott, Ragtime
Ani Taj, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys
Prediction: Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Best Orchestrations
Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, Schmigadoon!
Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez and Gabriel Mann, The Lost Boys
Lux Pyramid, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brian Usifer, Chess
Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder and Doug Schadt, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Prediction: Schmigadoon!
Preference: Chess
