Do You Have Tony Fever Yet?

I wonder if the Tony nominating committee got Hunter Foster's memo and decided to not nominate any stars this year. Also, shows from the fall were not completely overlooked, with The Scottsboro Boys getting a surprising 12 nominations, but I'm sad about the total shutouts of The Pitmen Painters and A Free Man of Color. Here's the complete list of nominations, followed by my thoughts in most of the categories:

Best Play
Good People, David Lindsay-Abaire
Jerusalem, Jez Butterworth
The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Stephen Adly Guirgis
War Horse, Nick Stafford

This is a really strong year for new plays. I haven't seen War Horse yet, but Good People, Jerusalem, and Motherf**ker are all deserving. Still, I'm extremely disappointed that Rajiv Joseph's Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo and John Guare's A Free Man of Color (both Pulitzer finalists) were overlooked. From what I've heard, War Horse might be the one to beat, but I'm rooting for The Motherf**ker with the Hat (note: I hate the use of asterisks, but I think that's the official spelling of the play's name now).

Best Musical
The Book of Mormon
Catch Me If You Can
The Scottsboro Boys
Sister Act

The biggest snub here is Priscilla Queen of Desert, which I haven't seen yet. I also haven't seen Sister Act, but I did enjoy Catch Me If You Can, even if it's not in the same league with The Scottsboro Boys and The Book of Mormon. Nothing is a sure thing at the Tonys (just ask Raul Esparza), but I expect The Book of Mormon to win and deservedly so.

Best Book of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Alex Timbers
The Book of Mormon, Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys, David Thompson
Sister Act, Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner, and Douglas Carter Beane

I wasn't the biggest fan of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson's book, but I can't deny that parts of it were very clever. It's nice that two closed musicals from the fall (Bloody Bloody and The Scottsboro Boys) were not forgotten. The Book of Mormon had some of the offensive humor you'd expect from the South Park/Avenue Q guys, but overall I found that it wasn't mean-spirited and it had a surprisingly sweet story, so I hope they take it.

Best Original Score
The Book of Mormon, Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys, Music & Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb
Sister Act, Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn Slater
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

My love for David Yazbek is no secret, and even if I didn't think Women on the Verge was his best work, Yazbek not at his best is still better than a lot of other composers out there. Again, I'd be happy if either Mormon or Scottsboro won.

Best Revival of a Play
Arcadia
The Importance of Being Earnest
The Merchant of Venice
The Normal Heart

I overall loved this production of Arcadia, but it had its share of haters, so I'm surprised with its nomination. The Merchant of Venice and The Importance of Being Earnest were also very strong productions. I haven't seen The Normal Heart yet, which got some of the best reviews of the season, so I expect that to win. That Championship Season was rightfully shut out, though I did enjoy Born Yesterday and La Bête.

Best Revival of a Musical
Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

No surprises here as there were only two musical revivals this season. I have to say that I preferred How To Succeed, but Anything Goes (which I also liked) is generally considered to be the better production, so I expect it to take the award.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest
Bobby Cannavale, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Joe Mantello, The Normal Heart
Al Pacino, The Merchant of Venice
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem

I was hoping Mark Rylance would get two nominations, the other for La Bete, but it was such a competitive year, that it almost wouldn't be fair for him to get two slots. As much as I liked Brian Bedfored, I don't understand how he is considered a lead when he's only in a few scenes. I was really hoping Bobby Cannavale would get nominated, so I'm super excited for him. I was very impressed with Robin William's understated performance in Bengal Tiger, so it's a shame he was left out, as was Dan Lauria for Lombardi.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda, Born Yesterday
Frances McDormand, Good People
Lily Rabe, The Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter

Biggest surprise here is Hannah Yelland for Brief Encounter. I was one of the few people who didn't like Lily Rabe's Portia (I only saw her performance in the park, not on Broadway). I hope Nina Arianda wins and I think she has a really good shot. Her biggest competition is probably Frances McDormand.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can
Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

I'm so torn in this category. I'm sad to see that Daniel Radcliffe was snubbed again (the first time was for Equus). He is giving his all up on that stage and he deserves to be recognized for it. The other big snubs were Aaron Tveit for Catch Me If You Can--but if only one male from the show was going to be nominated, I'd rather it be Norbert Leo Butz--and Benjamin Walker, who was the best thing about Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. I'm pleasantly surprised that both Gad and Rannells were recognized as well as Joshua Henry. I really have no idea who will win this one.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Beth Leavel, Baby It's You!
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture

This was such a weak year for women in musicals that there were only four nominations. I've only seen Sutton Foster so far, so I have little to say here, but I think she's looking at another Tony win.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Mackenzie Crook, Jerusalem
Billy Crudup, Arcadia
John Benjamin Hickey, The Normal Heart
Arian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Yul Vázquez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat

Probably my favorite category this year. I'm surprised with Crudup's nomination, since his performance got some of the more mixed reviews out of the actors in the show. As much as I love Crudup, Tom Riley deserved it more. Still, I'm glad to see that Crook, Moayed, and Vázquez were all recognized, especially Vázquez, who is so hilarious in Motherf**ker, but also delivers the sweetest moment in the show.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves
Judith Light, Lombardi
Joanna Lumley, La Bête
Elizabeth Rodriguez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat

I'm so glad that Light was nominated since Lombardi was shut out of most categories. It is I believe the only show to open in the fall that is still running, so in that sense, it's the little show that could (of course, it does have NFL power behind it).

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Adam Godley, Anything Goes
John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
Rory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon

Colman Domingo and Forrest McClendon!!!! I wish there was an ensemble award so The Scottsboro Boys could be nominated in that because the whole cast deserves recognition. I would have also loved to see John Cullum get nominated, but these two guys were outstanding. Rory O'Malley won me over in one of the show-stopping numbers in The Book of Mormon, "Turn it Off." Same with Adam Godley's "The Gypsy in Me."

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Tammy Blanchard, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Victoria Clark, Sister Act
Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

All I have to say is I really hope Benanti wins. She was the best thing about Women on the Verge. I'm not really sure why LuPone was nominated, to be honest. It was a fun performance to watch because she was enjoying herself so much, but she didn't have much to do.

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Todd Rosenthal, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Rae Smith, War Horse
Ultz, Jerusalem
Mark Wendland, The Merchant of Venice

Again, I haven't seen War Horse yet, but I loved all three of the other nominated sets. I would give the edge to Ultz. But where are Bengal Tiger and Born Yesterday?

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, The Scottsboro Boys
Derek McLane, Anything Goes
Scott Pask, The Book of Mormon
Donyale Werle, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

This is the one category Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson really deserves to win.

Best Costume Design of a Play
Jess Goldstein, The Merchant of Venice
Desmond Heeley, The Importance of Being Earnest
Mark Thompson, La Bête
Catherine Zuber, Born Yesterday

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Martin Pakledinaz, Anything Goes
Ann Roth, The Book of Mormon
Catherine Zuber, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

This is the one place I thought Wonderland might get a nomination. Oh well.

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, War Horse
David Lander, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Kenneth Posner, The Merchant of Venice
Mimi Jordan Sherin, Jerusalem

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, The Scottsboro Boys
Howell Binkley, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Peter Kaczorowski, Anything Goes
Brian MacDevitt, The Book of Mormon

Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners & Cricket S. Myers, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Simon Baker, Brief Encounter
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, Jerusalem
Christopher Shutt, War Horse

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Catch Me If You Can
Brian Ronan, Anything Goes
Brian Ronan, The Book of Mormon

Best Direction of a Play
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse
Joel Grey & George C. Wolfe, The Normal Heart
Anna D. Shapiro, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Daniel Sullivan, The Merchant of Venice

Sullivan made some brilliant choices in The Merchant of Venice, so I'm glad he was recognized. I really need to see War Horse and The Normal Heart.

Best Direction of a Musical
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
The best direction of a musical category is almost the exact same as best choreography (with the exception of Trey Parker). Musical theater history buffs, has that ever happened before?

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Marshall's choreography is impressive, but a little too by-the-book for me. It's exactly what I'd expect in an Anything Goes revival. Ashford did some interesting things with his choreography, but I'm pulling for Nicholaw or Stroman.

Best Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys
Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, The Book of Mormon
Marc Shaiman & Larry Blank, Catch Me If You Can

What do you think of the nominations? Did I forget to mention any snubs?