Annual Tony (Or Hamiltony) Nomination Post

A lot has changed since I started this blog in 2006, but one constant is my annual Tony nomination post. I do this partly for myself, to organize my thoughts after the initial excitement/anger, and in an attempt to start a conversation with other theater lovers. So let's get to it. Here's the complete list of nominees, followed by thoughts in each category about what the nominators got right, who they left out, and who deserves to win.

Best Play

Eclipsed

Author: Danai Gurira
Producers: Stephen C. Byrd, Alia Jones-Harvey, Paula Marie Black, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Alani Lala Anthony, Michael Magers, Kenny Ozoude, Willette Klausner, Davelle, Dominion Pictures, Emanon Productions, FG Productions, The Forstalls, MA Theatricals, The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham

The Father

Author: Florian Zeller
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

The Humans

Author: Stephen Karam
Producers: Scott Rudin, Barry Diller, Fox Theatricals, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Roy Furman, Daryl Roth, Jon B. Platt, Eli Bush, Broadway Across America, Jack Lane, Barbara Whitman, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Scott M. Delman, Sonia Friedman, Amanda Lipitz, Peter May, Stephanie P. McClelland, Lauren Stein, The Shubert Organization, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers

King Charles III

Author: Mike Bartlett
Producers: Stuart Thompson, Sonia Friedman Productions, Almeida Theatre, Robert G. Bartner, Norman Tulchin, Lee Dean & Charles Diamond, Scott M. Delman, Ruth Hendel, Stephanie P. McClelland, Jon B. Platt, Scott Rudin, Richard Winkler, Zeilinger Productions, The Shubert Organization

This was a good year for new plays. I loved King Charles III, The Humans, and Eclipsed. I liked the idea of The Father--it was from Frank Langella's character's perspective, so you experienced dementia with him--but it didn't have a lasting impact on me. Still, I don't think any of the other eligible new plays are deserving of the fourth spot, so I'm fine with this. It's going to be a tough race and I'm not sure what will win. The Shakespeare nerd/Anglophile in me wants King Charles III to win, but then again, Stephen Karam is one of the finest playwrights of his generation and the family dynamics and dialogue in The Humans are so realistic.

Best Musical

Bright Star

Producers: Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Zebulon LLC, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Len Blavatnik, James L. Nederlander, Carson & Joseph Gleberman, Balboa Park Productions, The Shubert Organization, Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler/Cricket Jiranek, Rodger Hess, A.C. Orange International, Broadway Across America, Sally Jacobs & Warren Baker, Diana DiMenna, Exeter Capital, Agnes Gund, True Love Productions, The Old Globe

Hamilton

Producers: Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, The Public Theater

School of Rock—The Musical

Producers: Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Really Useful Group, Warner Music Group & Access Industries, The Shubert Organization, The Nederlander Organization

Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

Producers: Scott Rudin, Roy Furman, Columbia Live Stage, Center Theatre Group, Roger Berlind, William Berlind, Broadway Across America, Heni Koenigsberg, The Araca Group, Peter May, Jon B. Platt, Daryl Roth, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Scott M. Delman, Sonia Friedman, Ruth Hendel, Independent Presenters Network, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Spring Sirkin, Eli Bush, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Color Mad Productions, Len Blavatnik

Waitress

Producers: Barry and Fran Weissler, Norton and Elayne Herrick, David I. Berley, Independent Presenters Network, A.C. Orange International, Peter May, Michael Roiff, Ken Schur, Marisa Sechrest, Jam Theatricals, 42nd.club/Square 1 Theatrics, Benjamin Simpson & Joseph Longthorne/Shira Friedman, The American Repertory Theater

Hamilton will and should win. I don't really need to go into the brilliance of Hamilton here. I'm not seeing Shuffle Along until Saturday, so I can only talk about the shows I've seen. So far, Waitress is my favorite new Broadway musical that isn't Hamilton this season. After that, American Psycho. Even though it's sometimes messy, it dares to be different, and that's more than I can say for the unoriginal and predictable Bright Star. I enjoyed myself at School of Rock, but I'd rather watch the movie. The other new musicals this season were Amazing Grace, which I didn't see, Tuck Everlasting, On Your Feet!, Disaster!, and Allegiance!, and though they all have their issues, I'd have probably given the fifth spot to one of them over Bright Star.

Best Revival of a Play

Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Producers: Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Roger Berlind, William Berlind, Len Blavatnik, Roy Furman, Peter May, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Scott M. Delman, Heni Koenigsberg, Daryl Roth, Jane Bergère, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ruth Hendel, JFL Theatricals, Stacey Mindich, Jon B. Platt, Megan Savage, Spring Sirkin, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson

Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge

Producers: Scott Rudin, Lincoln Center Theater, Eli Bush, Robert G. Bartner, Roger Berlind, William Berlind, Roy Furman, Peter May, Amanda Lipitz, Stephanie P. McClelland, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Scott M. Delman, Sonia Friedman, John Gore, Ruth Hendel, JFL Theatricals, Heni Koenigsberg, Jon B. Platt, Daryl Roth, Spring Sirkin, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, The Young Vic

Blackbird

Producers: Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Roger Berlind, William Berlind, Scott M. Delman, Peter May, Jon B. Platt, Len Blavatnik, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Heni Koenigsberg, Stacey Mindich, Wendy Federman, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson

Long Day's Journey Into Night

Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers, Ryan Murphy

Noises Off

Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers

I think A View from the Bridge has a good chance of winning this, and it should. I wouldn't be mad if The Crucible won. Noises Off was a lot of fun, but it didn't make me look at the play in a new way the way the other two productions did (I'm not even an Arthur Miller fan). I had mixed feelings about Long Day's and this production of Blackbird was the weakest work I've seen from Joe Mantello, who can normally do no wrong.

Best Revival of a Musical

The Color Purple

Producers: Scott Sanders Productions, Roy Furman, Oprah Winfrey, David Babani, Tom Siracusa, Caiola Productions, James Fantaci, Ted Liebowitz, Stephanie P. McClelland, James L. Nederlander, Darren Bagert, Candy Spelling, Adam Zotovich, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Tanya Link Productions, Adam S. Gordon, Jam Theatricals, Kelsey Grammer, Independent Presenters Network, Carol Fineman, Sandy Block, Menier Chocolate Factory Productions

Fiddler on the Roof

Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jam Theatricals, Louise Gund, Jerry Frankel, Broadway Across America, Rebecca Gold, Stephanie P. McClelland, Barbara Freitag & Company/Catherine Schreiber & Company, Greenleaf Productions, Orin Wolf, Patty Baker, Caiola Productions, The Nederlander Organization, Gabrielle Palitz, Kit Seidel, TenTex Partners, Edward M. Kaufmann, Soffer/Namoff Entertainment, Healy Theatricals, Clear Channel Spectacolor, Jessica Genick, Will Trice

She Loves Me

Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers

Spring Awakening

Producers: Ken Davenport, Cody Lassen, Hunter Arnold, David J. Kurs, Deaf West Theatre, Carl Daikeler, Sandi Moran, Chockstone Pictures, Caiola Productions, Marguerite Hoffman, H. Richard Hopper, Learytodd Productions, Markoltop Productions, R&D Theatricals, Brian Cromwell Smith, Invisible Wall Productions, Monica Horan Rosenthal

I'm so glad Spring Awakening was remembered. It was such a special production and I hope it wins to give more visibility to Deaf artists. But the Roundabout She Loves Me production is perfection. It will be hard for either to beat The Color Purple, which is also deserving. I have mixed feelings about this production of Fiddler with its unnecessary framing device, but the fourth slot had to go to something I suppose.

Best Book of a Musical

Bright Star

Steve Martin

Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda

School of Rock—The Musical

Julian Fellowes

Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

George C. Wolfe

The biggest WTF of all the nominations is how Bright Star got nominated for book of a musical. There are things about that show that I liked, but the book is terrible. I would have given that spot to Jessie Nelson for Waitress. It was based on a movie and still had more originality than Bright Star, which wasn't based on anything. Also, almost all the best lines in School of Rock's book were from the movie.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Bright Star

Music: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
Lyrics: Edie Brickell

Hamilton

Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda

School of Rock—The Musical

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics: Glenn Slater

Waitress

Music & Lyrics: Sara Bareilles

Bright Star is a good example of why music and lyrics should be separate categories. The music itself is deserving of a nomination, if you don't pay attention to the lyrics. Anyway, again Hamilton will and should win, but it's too bad Waitress didn't open another year so Sara Bareilles could get a Tony. She writes good music and lyrics.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge

I would have nominated Ben Whishaw from Arthur Miller's The Crucible over Jeff Daniels. For me, it's between Tim Pigott-Smith and Mark Strong.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Laurie Metcalf, Misery
Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird

I completely forgot that Misery happened this season, so I'm impressed the nominators remembered. Laurie Metcalf was really good in it, as she always is. I wasn't a fan of Michelle Williams in Blackbird. Sophie Okonedo was the standout in The Crucible, but I hope it goes to Lupita Nyong'o who was absolutely mesmerizing.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Alex Brightman, School of Rock—The Musical
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

In any other year, I'd want Danny Burstein to finally get a Tony for his very human portrayal of Tevye. In any other year, I'd want Zachary Levi to get a Tony for his charming Georg and off-the-charts chemistry with Laura Benanti. You're aces, Zachary Levi (yes, that's an intentional Chuck reference). I've been a fan of Alex Brightman for years and he made the role his own, which is not easy considering how memorable Jack Black is in the movie. But I want Leslie Odom, Jr. to win with all my heart. Miranda is great and he wrote the damn show, but Odom is giving what is for my money the best performance of the season. He makes you care about a murderer. I even get chills when I listen to the cast recording because his performance comes through in each note. Edit: I forgot to mention this before, but Ben Walker deserved a nomination for American Psycho.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton

I would not want to have to pick between these five ladies. Carmen Cusack was the best thing about Bright Star and the show's most deserving nomination. As perfect as Laura Benanti and Jessie Mueller are in their shows, it's probably between Cynthia Erivo and Phillipa Soo and I'll be happy no matter who wins. I haven't seen Audra McDonald yet, but I'm shocked she wasn't nominated. I didn't know it was possible for her to be in a show and not get a nomination. It was too crowded a year for Ana Villafañe from On Your Feet! to get a nomination, but just want to give her a shout out because she is very natural in the role and channels Gloria Estefan.  

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Reed Birney, The Humans
Bill Camp, Arthur Miller's The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey Into Night

I was not expecting to see Richard Goulding here for his Prince Harry, so that was a nice surprise. Michael Shannon was the best thing about Long Day's. I would have probably nominated Rob McClure from Noises Off over David Furr just for his nervous shaking. Anyway, if you follow me on Twitter, you know that I'm the president of the Reed Birney fan club and I'm rooting for him, although it's weird that he is considered featured, since he is onstage for most of the play.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed

Another perfect category, though it would have also been nice to see Saoirse Ronan on here for her chilling performance in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. I'm glad that both Pascale Armand and Saycon Sengbloh were nominated. As I said, it's hard to take your eyes of Nyong'o, but they made you with their heartbreaking and hilarious performances. Megan Hilty was the star of that production of Noises Off. The Humans makes a good case for ensemble awards, but if I had to give an award to only one of them, I'd give it to Houdyshell. While we're on the subject, here's an interview I did with her and her on-stage daughters.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton

I didn't see Brandon Victor Dixon yet, but I did get to interview him and after hearing him talk about what being in the show means to him, I couldn't be happier for him. Nice to see so many guys from Hamilton on here and I would have been just as happy to see Anthony Ramos and Okieriete Onaodowan, but I think this award belongs to Daveed Diggs and deservedly so. In any other year, I'd want scene-stealer Christopher Fitzgerald to win. I'm sad that Gavin Creel didn't get any award nominations this year for She Loves Me. When the cast recording comes out, I'll be listening to his "Ilona" on repeat. Another dream nomination that I didn't expect to happen was Daniel Durant for Spring Awakening.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

After Leslie Odom, Jr., Renée Elise Goldsberry is giving the performance in Hamilton I talk about the most. She has to win this, but again, what a category. I only knew Danielle Brooks from Orange is the New Black, so I didn't know she could sing like that, but she blew me away. And Jane Krakowski and Jennifer Simard are giving such strong comedic performances. I've heard great things about Adrienne Warren and I can't wait to see her.

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans

I barely remember the set from Hughie (or the show, to be honest), Beowulf Borritt should win this. Remember that flat that was basically floating in the air? That was amazing!

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Es Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton
Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
David Rockwell, She Loves Me

Well, at least American Psycho got nominated for something, and the set was pretty great, but David Rockwell's music box of a set for She Loves Me is so lovely that this is the one category I'd like to see Hamilton lose (I don't think it will).

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jane Greenwood, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Michael Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Tom Scutt, King Charles III

I really don't have strong opinions about this.

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

Interesting that this is Tuck Everlasting's one nomination as the costumes didn't stand out to me. Anyway, give it to Hamilton.

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge

I might give it to Long Day's, but they're all deserving.

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho

Spring Awakening got another nomination! 

Best Direction of a Play

Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge

Ivo Van Hove should have been nominated for Arthur Miller's The Crucible as well, but that's fine. I hope he wins, but I wouldn't be mad if Liesl Tommy or Joe Mantello won.

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

I'm so happy to see Michael Arden on this list. He incorporated the communication struggles of Deaf students at a time when sign language use was forbidden in schools into the story of Spring Awakening without changing a word of it. I saw the first preview in L.A. and interviewed Arden that first week, so it's been exciting watching the show reach more and more people. Anyway, I feel like I'm repeating myself here, but everyone is deserving and Hamilton will and should win.

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan

As I said, I had mixed feelings about the revival of Fiddler, but one of the highlights was the dancing, so it's nice to see Hofesh Shechter on this list. And I know without having seen Shuffle Along yet that Savion Glover deserves his nomination. The highlight of Tuck Everlasting was the ballet at the end, so I would have given Casey Nicholaw Randy Skinner's spot. Actually, I would have probably given it to Spencer Liff for his Spring Awakening choreography that beautifully incorporated ASL. Anyway, congrats Andy Blankenbuehler.

Best Orchestrations

August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

Hamilton. Nothing left to say.