TONY Awards Set 2017 Ceremony Date

If the summer had you missing the fervor and excitement of Tony season, here's something to get excited about!

The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League announced that the 71st Annual Tony Awards will take place on Sunday June 11, 2017. CBS will once again broadcast the telecast (for the 40th year in a row) at 8:00pm Eastern Time.

This will be the second consecutive year the Tony Awards will take place on the second Sunday in June, rather than the first Sunday of the month, as had become customary in recent years. The date change was prompted last year due to a conflict with previously used venue Radio City Music Hall. Instead of the Rockette's home turf, the Tonys played at the Beacon Theatre in the Upper West Side. The announced date could indicate that the ceremony will return to the Beacon once again, but no venue was formally announced.

The eligibility cut-off date for these kudos will be Thursday April 27, 2017. Broadway productions must be open on or before that date to be considered eligible for nominations. Nominations for the 71st Tony Awards will be announced live on May 2nd, 2017.

Are you keeping up with the eligible shows? The 2016-2017 Broadway season is already underway, with Cirque du Soleil's "Paramour". We've even seen our first closing (sorry "Motown"). Other shows in the hunt for Tony lvoe that are open or in previews include "Cats", "Heisenberg", "The Cherry Orchard", and "The Front Page". Thus far, there is no "Hamilton" type juggernaut looming over the race. That's lucky for us Broadway fans, maybe we can actually score tickets to some of these shows. Head over to the season Production Guide for a run down of everything that has been announced, and take a gander at the Contenders pages for peek at how the competition is shaping up.

New Broadway Season Announcements!

I took a small break from writing here. Life got hectic on my end with a new job, lots of traveling, and crying over Orlando. But I'm back! With the 2016 Tony Awards behind us, it's time to look forward to the 2016-2017 season.

Cirque du Soleil kicked off the current season before Tonys were even handed out, with their new circus/musical hybrid "Paramour". Most of the critics shrugged their shoulders at the conventional musical plot, but the dazzling acrobatics are getting butts in seats.

The newest season announcement arrived today courtesy of The New York Times: Roundabout's Off-Broadway hit, "Significant Other", will make the leap to the main stem this season. Jeffrey Richards will be producing the Broadway run, at a yet-to-be-announced Shubert owned theater. Previews are slated to begin sometime in February with a target opening in March.

"Significant Other" had its world premier at Roundabout's Laura Pels Theatre, off-Broadway. Its director there, Trip Cullman, will also helm the Broadway mounting. Casting is not 100% confirmed, but Richards is attempting to reunite the original Off-Broadway cast, which featured: Gideon Glick, Lindsay Mendez, Sas Goldberg, Cara Patterson, and Barbara Barrie.

The play, written by 33 year old Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews), follows a young gay man (Glick) desperate to find love in the city. He hangs with his three gal pals on most nights, but the inseparable group of singles gradually starts to dissolve. The women all start to find relationships, and singles nights turn into wedding planning sessions and bachelorette parties. I saw the the play in its original run, and it has a relatable and modern quality to the dialogue rarely seen in new plays. The surprise success of Tony winner "The Humans" (another show that began at Roundabout) has obviously emboldened Richards to make another move to Broadway. I hope "Significant Other" finds the same success. It deserves it.

Another fun tidbit released today: there will be a staged reading today of the long-gestating revival of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". Rob Ashford is still set to direct and choreograph the musical, despite several delays. The cast for today's reading is impressive: Kristin Chenoweth (Miss Mona), Jennifer Holliday (Jewel), Kevin McKidd (Earl Dodd), Christopher Sieber (Melvin P. Thorpe), James Naughton (Governor), Kerry Butler (Doatsey Mae), Jim Newton (Bandleader), and Helene Yorke (Angel).

The A-List casting doesn't necessarily mean we will see all those faces in the eventual Broadway run of course. But, it would be hard to find fault with any of these choices (though should Cheno turn down the role of Mona, may I suggest Tony nominee Carmen Cusack of "Bright Star". She's in need of a job now, and has the gravitas and earthy voice to nail the part). If "Whorehouse" makes it to Broadway this season, it will compete with "Cats", "Falsettos", and "Hello, Dolly!" for the Best Revival of a Musical Tony.

If you want to take a look at all the confirmed shows for the 2016-2017 season, I've compiled them (as always!) in a handy Production Guide. You can find it listed above the Contenders pages. Is it too early to think about the 2017 Tonys?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be singing some 'Hard Candy Christmas' to get in the mood. Take it away, Dolly.

The 2016 Sammy Awards, Or, If I was a Tony Voter and All That Followed

Trying to get Cheno and Alan to host The Sammys, these costumes required

Its that time of year again. After a dynamite season I've seen around 20 Broadway shows. And I still feel like I missed out on some big shows (Shakespeare in the Park continues to elude me, and I never got to take in Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones in The Gin Game). But this has been a landmark season in New York, thanks in large part to Hamilton putting Broadway in the national news. But that show wasn't the only production worth celebrating.

I was pleasantly surprised by a number of shows I thought I wouldn't care for. When I first heard that Andrew Lloyd Webber was doing a rock musical adaptation of a Jack Black movie, my initial reaction was a Scooby Doo-esque "HUH?". But School of Rock turned out to be one of the most fun nights I had in a theatre all year. I was also worried that a re-imagined version of Spring Awakening could never live up to the thrilling first experience I had with that musical. But Michael Arden and Deaf West crafted a beautiful and heart-wrenching show about communication. Or really miscommunication, and its tragic consequences. I was a puddle of tears at the final tableaux and I wish that revival was still with us.

The Public has been on a roll ever since Fun Home. Now in addition to spawning mega-hit Hamilton, they've also given us a powerful drama in Danai Gurira's Eclipsed. The first Broadway play written, directed, and starring all women. Get it Michonne. Roundabout also had a stellar season, including a hilarious staging of Noises Off, a long-but-totally-worth-it-trust-me production of Long Day's Journey Into Night, and Stephen Karam's The Humans. I went into The Humans totally blind as to what is was about and I truly haven't stopped thinking about it since the show ended. I laughed, I cried, I clutched my pearls in absolute terror. Don't even talk to me if you haven't seen this show.

And I havent even mentioned all the career defining performances this season gave us by the likes of Jessica Lange (oh you thought she wasn't a stage actress? Wrong), Megan Hilty (I laughed so hard at the "NO BAG!" moment that people stared), Laura Benanti (Amalia was basically created for her, just a few decades early), and Danny Burstein (I'm not sure if Male Kelli O'Hara will finally win a Tony, but he is THE reason to see Fiddler). Oh and there is also Cynthia Erivo. I guess I didn't include her before because her talent and skills are so astounding I'm not sure she's human. Special shout out too, to her new co-star Heather headley who had me in tears 3 words into a song. #Aida4lyf. The Color Purple has maybe the best singing I've heard on Broadway.

So, since I'm a person of many strong opinions: it's time for the 2016 Sammys! The Sammy Awards are sort of like the Tony Awards, except they are solely decided by me. And obviously a sassy blogger's stamp of approval is a lot more fun than some shiny trophy and exposure on national television. Of course, if you're looking for more things about said Tony Awards, my final rankings and predictions are over in the contenders column to the right (or if you're on a mobile device, a much less exciting and less intuitive drop down box at the top of the screen. Huzzah!).

Without further ado: The 2016 Sammy Awards

Best Musical
Hamilton (winner)
Shuffle Along...
School of Rock
Waitress (runner-up)

Best Play
Eclipsed (runner-up)
The Father
The Humans (winner)
King Charles III

Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple (runner-up)
Fiddler on the Roof
She Love Me
Spring Awakening (winner)

Best Revival of a Play
Fool for Love
Fully Committed
Long Day's Journey Into Night (winner)
Noises Off (runner-up)

Director of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening (winner)
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton (runner-up)
Diane Paulus, Waitress

Director of a Play
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jeremy Herrin, Noises Off (runner-up)
Jonathan Kent, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans (winner)
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed

Best Lead Actor in a Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof (runner-up)
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton (winner)
Benjamin Walker, American Psycho

Best Lead Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me (runner-up)
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple (winner)
Audra McDonald, Shuffle Along
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Philippa Soo, Hamilton

Best Lead Actor in a Play
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father (winner)
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III (runner-up)
Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge

Best Lead Actress in a Play
Nina Arianda, Fool for Love
Jessica Lange, Long Day's Jounrey Into Night (winner)
Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed (runner-up)
Sophie Okonedo, The Crucible
Nicola Walker, A View From the Bridge

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Gavin Creel, She Loves Me
Daniel N. Durant, Spring Awakening (winner)
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton (runner-up)
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton
Billy Porter, Shuffle Along

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton (winner)
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me (runner-up)
Krysta Rodriguez, Spring Awakening
Helene Yorke, American Psycho

Best Featured Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans (winner)
David Furr, Noises Off
John Gallagher Jr., Long Day's Jounrey Into Night
Robert Sella, Sylvia
Michael Shannon, Long Day's Jourey Into Night (runner-up)

Best Featured Actress in a Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off (winner-tie)
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans (winner-tie) 
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed
...these are my awards and I refuse to choose between these two women

Best Score
Bright Star (Steve Martin and Edie Brickell)
Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) (winner)
School of Rock (Andrew Lloyd Webber & Glenn Slater)
Waitress (Sara Bareilles) (runner-up)

Best Book
American Psycho
Hamilton (winner)
School of Rock (runner-up)
Waitress

Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton (runner-up)
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along (winner)
Spencer Liff, Spring Awakening
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet!

Best Orchestrations
Fiddler on the Roof
Hamilton (winner)
She Loves Me (runner-up)
Shuffle Along...

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
American Psycho
Hamilton
She Loves Me (winner)
Tuck Everlasting (runner-up)

Best Scenic Design of a Play
The Humans (runner-up)
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Misery
Therese Raquin (winner)

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Hamilton (winner)
On Your Feet!
She Loves Me
Shuffle Along... (runner-up)

Best Costume Design of a Play
King Charles III (runner-up)
Long Day's Journey Into Night (winner)
Noises Off
Therese Raquin

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
American Psycho (runner-up)
Hamilton (winner)
Shuffle Along...
Tuck Everlasting

Best Lighting Design of a Play
The Crucible
The Humans (runner-up)
Long Day's Journey Into Night (winner)
Therese Raquin

Best Sound Design of a Musical
American Psycho (winner)
Hamilton (runner-up)
School of Rock
Spring Awakening

Best Sound Design of a Play
The Crucible (runner-up)
Eclipsed
The Humans (winner)
A View From the Bridge

OFF-BROADWAY 

Unfortunately, I do not posses the time and resources to see each and every Off-Broadway offering that New York City is blessed with. So, like you I get shut out of hits like Grounded with Anne Hathaway, or miss limited runs of critical darlings. But this sector of theatre still deserves kudos and congratulations. So here are some picks from the shows I did see this season.

Best Off-Broadway Production
Cinderella (Company XIV)
Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage) (winner)
Head of Passes (The Public Theater)
Perfect Arrangement (Primary Stages)
The Robber Bridegroom (Roundabout Theatre Company) (runner-up)

Best Performance in an Off-Broadway Musical
Michael C. Hall, Lazarus
Leslie Kritzer, The Robber Bridegroom (winner)
Steven Pasquale, The Robber Bridegroom
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen (runner-up)
Marcy Richardson, Cinderella

Best Performance in an Off-Broadway Play
John Benjamin Hickey, Dad Woof, Papa Hot
James Lecsene, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Phylicia Rashad, Head of Passes (winner)
Lois Smith, John (runner-up)
Jennifer Van Dyck, Perfect Arrangement


Top Ten New Songs of the Season
10.) "My Most Beautiful Day", Tuck Everlasting
9.) "Selling Out", American Psycho
8.) "At Long Last", Bright Star
7.) "Where Did the Rock Go?", School of Rock
6.) "Sun's Gonna Shine", Bright Star
5.) "Stick it to the Man", School of Rock
4.) "My Shot", Hamilton
3.) "She Used to be Mine", Waitress
2.) "The Room Where it Happens", Hamilton
1.) "Satisfied", Hamilton

Totals                                            Wins   Nominations
Hamilton -                                        8               16
The Humans -                                   5                7
Long Day's Journey Into Night -      4                9
Spring Awakening -                          3                6
She Loves Me                                   1                9
Noises Off                                         1               6
Shuffle Along                                    1               6
American Psycho                              1               6
The Color Purple                               1               4
Therese Raquin                                 1                3
The Father                                         1               2

70th Annual Tony Award Nominations Announced

Nominees for the 2016 Tony Awards were announced this morning by Tony winner Nikki M. James and Tony nominee Andrew Rannells, from the Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel.

The 70th Annual Tony Awards ceremony will be presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing on Sunday June 12. CBS will broadcast the event live from the Beacon Theatre.

Without further ado, this years Tony nominees:

BEST MUSICAL
Bright Star
Hamilton
Shuffle Along
School of Rock
Waitress

BEST PLAY
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans
King Charles III

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
The Color Purple
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Blackbird
The Crucible
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Noises Off
A View From the Bridge

BEST DIRECTOR (MUSICAL)
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
Jonathan Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along...

BEST DIRECTOR (PLAY)
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo van Hove, A View from the Bridge

LEAD ACTOR (MUSICAL)
Alex Brightman, School of Rock
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton

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

LEAD ACTOR (PLAY)
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge

LEAD ACTRESS (PLAY)
Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Laurie Metcalf, Misery
Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird

ORIGINAL SCORE
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock
Waitress

BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock
Shuffle Along...

CHOREOGRAPHY
Hamilton
Shuffle Along
Fiddler on the Roof
Dames at Sea
On Your Feet!

FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL)
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along...
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton

FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL)
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along...

FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY)
Reed Birney, The Humans
Bill Camp, The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey Into Night

FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY)
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed

COSTUME DESIGN (MUSICAL) 
Tuck Everlasting
She Loves Me
Shuffle Along
Hamitlon

COSTUME DESIGN (PLAY)
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Noises Off
Eclipsed
King Charles III

SCENIC DESIGN (MUSICAL)
American Psycho
Hamilton
Shuffle Along
She Loves Me

SCENIC DESIGN (PLAY)
View From the Bridge
Hughie
The Humans
Therese Raquin

LIGHTING DESIGN (MUSICAL)
American Psycho
Hamilton
Shuffle Along...
Spring Awakening

LIGHTING DESIGN (PLAY)
Long Days Journey Inot Night
The Humans
The Crucible
A View From the Bridge

ORCHESTRATIONS
Bright Star
She Loves Me
Hamilton
Shuffle Along...

Final 2016 Tony Eligibilty Decisions

The Tony Awards Administrative Committee met for the fourth and final time today to determine eligibility for nine Broadway productions.

Discussed productions are American Psycho, Bright Star, The crucible, The Father, Fully Committed, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Shuffle Along..., Tuck Everlasting, and Waitress.

The following determinations were made:

Carmen Cusack will be eligible in Lead Actress in a Musical for Bright Star.

Ciarin Hinds and Saoirse Ronan will be eligible in Featured Actor/Actress in a Play for their respective performances in The Crucible.

Frank Langella will be considered eligible in Lead Actor in a Play for The Father.

Es Devlin and Finn Ross will be considered jointly eligible in Scenic Design of a Musical for American Psycho.

Fully Committed will be eligible in Best Revival of a Play.

Sarah Charles Lewis will be eligible in Lead Actress in a Musical for Tuck Everlasting.

Michael Shannon and John Gallagher Jr. will both be considered eligible in Featured Actor in a Play for their respective performances in Long Day's Journey Into Night.

Brandon Victor Dixon, Joshua Henry, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Billy Porter will all be considered eligible in Featured Actor in a Musical for their respective performances in Shuffle Along...

Shuffle Along... will be considered eligible in Best Musical.

All other determinations were consistent with opening night billing.


The biggest impact is the decisions regarding Shuffle Along. Press notes for the musical had continually referred to the piece as a revival, obviously hoping to avoid competing with the unstoppable Hamilton for the top award. The committee didn't buy it and rightfully placed them in competition with this season's new musicals.

More surprising is that all the men in the production will now compete in Featured Actor in a Musical. I assumed at least Brian Stokes Mitchell would fall under the Lead Actor category, but now the co-stars will have to compete with themselves for nominations. Audra McDonald is now the only performer from the show classified as lead.

Also of note, is the joint eligibility of Es Devlin and Finn Ross for American Psycho. A scenic designer and video designer double bill helped Curious Incident take home a Tony last year, and I suspect this move will make American Psycho more competitive in the Scenic Design of a Musical category.

Other determinations went according to expectations. Tony nominations will be announced Tuesday May 4th at 8:30am.

2016 Outer Critics Circle Nominees Announced

Broadway veterans Brian d'Arcy James (Something Rotten!) and Jennifer Simard (Disaster) announced the nominees for the 2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards today at the Algonquin Hotel. They are the first major theatre awards body to announce nominees this season.

The group is creating a new award this season for "Outstanding Video/Projection Design", mirroring a similar category that recently popped up at the Drama Desk Awards. This recognition of increasingly used projection elements brings the number of categories at the OCC to 25.

This season marks the 66th year of the Outer Critics Circle Awards, which bestow honors to productions both on and off Broadway. Winners will be announced May 9th. Note: Because they were eligible for their Off-Broadway incarnations, the productions Hamilton, Blackbird, and Disaster! were only eligible for new elements.

UPDATE: Since Shuffle Along is not open and has not invited any press yet, the producers asked the OCC voters to consider the musical for next season's awards. The musical will still qualify for the Tony Awards, but the OCC has decided to consider it for the 2016-2017 season.

The nominees are as follows:

Outstanding New Broadway Musical
American Psycho
Bright Star
On Your Feet!
Tuck Everlasting
Waitress

Outstanding New Broadway Play
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans
King Charles III
Therese Raquin

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
Cagney
Daddy Long Legs
Dear Evan Hansen
Lazarus
Southern Comfort

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
The Christians by Lucas Hnath
Familiar by Danai Gurira
Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Hold On to Me Darling by Kenneth Lonergan
The Legend of Georgia McBride by Matthew Lopez

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple
Dames at Sea
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Blackbird
The Crucible
Fool for Love
Long Day's Journey Into Night
A View From the Bridge

Outstanding Solo Performance
Mike Birbiglia in Thank God for Jokes
Kathleen Chalfant in Rose
Anne Hathaway in Grounded
James Lecesne in The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Daphne Rubin-Vega in Empanada Loca

John Gassner Playwriting Award (for an American play, preferably a new author)
Boy by Anna Ziegler
I and You by Lauren Gunderson
Ironbound by Martyna Majok
The Royale by Marco Ramirez
Ugly Lies the Bone by Lindsey Ferrentino

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Robert Creighton, Cagney
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Benjamin Walker, American Psycho

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Frank Langella, The Father
Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge
Ben Whishaw, The Crucible

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Ana Villafañe, On Your Feet!

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed
Nicola Walker, A View From the Bridge
Michelle Williams, Blackbird

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Nicholas Barasch, She Loves Me
Roger Bart, Disaster!
Michael Esper, Lazarus
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Terrence Mann, Tuck Everlasting

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Andrea Burns, On Your Feet!
Sophia Anne Caruso, Lazarus
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Hélene Yorke, American Psycho

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Sanjit De Silva, Dry Powder
Matt McGrath, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Jim Norton, The Crucible
Robert Sella, Sylvia
Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Zainab Jah, Eclipsed
Judith Light, Thérèse Raquin
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed
Myra Lucretia Taylor, Familiar

Outstanding New Score
Sara Bareilles, Waitress
Paul Gordon, Daddy Long Legs
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Star
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen
Duncan Sheik, American Psycho

Outstanding Book of a Musical
David Bowie and Enda Walsh, Lazarus
John Caird, Daddy Long Legs
Alexander Dinelaris, On Your Feet!
Steven Levenson, Dear Evan Hansen
Steve Martin, Bright Star

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
Walter Bobbie, Bright Star
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Rupert Goold, American Psycho
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen

Outstanding Director of a Play
Evan Cabnet, Gloria
Mike Donahue, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Ivo van Hove, A View From the Bridge

Outstanding Choreographer
Joshua Bergasse, Cagney
Spencer Liff, Spring Awakening
Josh Rhodes, Bright Star
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet!

Outstanding Set Design (Play or Musical)
Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
David Korins, Misery
Mimi Lien, John
David Rockwell, She Loves Me
Walt Spangler, Tuck Everlasting

Outstanding Lighting Design (Play of Musical)
Donald Holder, She Loves Me
Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Kenneth Posner, On Your Feet!
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho

Outstanding Costume Design (Play or Musical)
ESosa, On Your Feet!
Jane Greenwood, Bright Star
Katrina Lindsay, American Psycho
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Tom Scutt, King Charles III

Outstanding Video/Projection Design (Play or Musical)
Lucy Mackinnon, Spring Awakening
Peter Nigrini, Dear Evan Hansen
Peter Nigrini, Grounded
Finn Ross, American Psycho
Tal Yarden, Lazarus

Hamilton Wins 2016 Pulitzer Prize

Hamilton has won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was announced today in a press conference by Mike Pride, administer of The Pulitzer Prizes. Lin-Manuel Miranda is the recipient of the award for having created the music, lyrics, and book. This is the 100th year of the Pulitzer Prizes.

The other finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama were The Humans by Stephen Karam (currently playing on Broadway) and Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (which previously played The Vineyard Theatre Off-Broadway).

Usually awarded to a play, Hamilton is the first musical to win the award since 2010's Next to Normal. Hamilton is actually just the 9th musical to take this award. Besides the two mentioned above, the other winners are Rent (1996), Sunday in the Park with George (1984-85), A Chorus Line (1975-76), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961-61), Fiorello! (1959-60), South Pacific (1949-50), and Of Thee I Sing (1931-32).

This continues an unprecedented success rate for Miranda's hip hop musical. If the show was not already sold out for months, this may have made tickets harder to come by. But, its already the toughest ticket to find, with the musical regularly grossing around $1.7 million a week. And with a certain Tony win in June, the buzz on this show is not going to die down anytime soon. Start saving your money for those dastardly priced re-sale tickets.

Tony Eligibility 2016 - Part 3!

The Tony Awards Administration Committee met April 7th for the third time this season to determine eligibility of eleven productions for the upcoming 2016 Tony Awards. This committee will meet one more time at the end of the season.

The shows discussed were School of Rock, The Color Purple, Fiddler on the Roof, Noises Off, Our Mother's Brief Affair, The Humans, Hughie, Eclipsed, Disaster!, Blackbird, and She Loves Me. Note: despite having already opened, the revival of Arthur Miller's The Crucible and the new musical Bright Star were not discussed at this time and determinations will be discussed at the next meeting this month.

The group made the following determinations:

Alex Brightman will be eligible for Best Performance by an Lead Actor in a Musical for School of Rock.

Jennifer Hudson will be eligible for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for The Color Purple.

Jessica Hecht will be eligible for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for Fiddler on the Roof.

Andrea Martin, Campbell Scott, Tracee Chimo, Daniel Davis, David Furr, Kate Jennings Grant, Megan Hilty, Rob McClure, and Jeremy Shamos will all be eligible for Best Featured Actor/Actress in a Play for their respective roles in Noises Off.

Linda Lavin will be eligible for Best Lead Actress in a Play for Our Mother's Brief Affair.

Blackbird will be eligible for Best Revival of a Play.

Gavin Creel, Michael McGrath, Byron Jennings, and Jane Krakowski will be eligible for Best Featured Actor/Actress in a Musical for their respective roles in She Loves Me.

All other decisions were consistent with opening night billing.

So, what are the biggest take-aways and surprises?

With no member of The Humans cast billed above the title and no alternate determination made, the entire cast (including Reed Birney and Jayne Houdyshell in prominent parental roles) are all eligible for Featured Actor/Actress in a Play.

Jessica Hecht's move to the Featured Actress in a Musical category gives her increased odds of landing a nomination for her portrayal of Golde, now that she can avoid the competitive Lead Actress category.

Despite their first billing, Andrea Martin and Campbell Scott will compete with the rest of their Noises Off cast, making the Featured Actor/Actress in a Play categories extremely crowded.

Disaster! is another show that has no above-the-title star, and with no change from the committee its entire cast will be eligible in the Featured Actor/Actress in a Musical categories.

Who Will Win the Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award?

The Drama League announced today that Megan Hilty (Noises Off) and Zachary Levi (She Loves Me) will host the 2016 Drama League nominees on Friday May 20th.

One of the highlights of the theatre award season is guessing which sole performer will take the group's Distinguished Performance Award. Only one performer is awarded per year, from eligible Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. And once a person has won the award, they can never win it again.

Last year, the legendary Chita Rivera won for Kander and Ebb's final musical The Visit. In years prior it was Neil Patrick Harris (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Nathan Lane (The Nance), Audra McDonald (Porgy and Bess), and Mark Rylance (Jerusalem). As you can see, the award often goes to an iconic performance that helped define the theatre season. Who fits that bill this year?

The first person who comes to mind is the front-runner for the Best Actress in a Musical Tony, Cynthia Erivo. The British belter made her Broadway debut in The Color Purple and has been the talk of the town since the first performance. With a voice that soars to the stratosphere and a deep emotional well to mine on stage, she is an early favorite.

Close behind her is her Tony competition: Laura Benanti. She was born to play Amalia in She Loves Me. In the musical comedy classic, Benanti gets to showcase her signature comedic chops as well as a glorious coloratura soprano rarely heard on Broadway these days. And since she is a New York theatre mainstay, voters will be more familiar with her and her work.

As for other performers the League will be quite familiar with, Danny Burstein makes a worthy choice for his first Broadway leading role in Fiddler on the Roof. After working for years and graduating from ensemble member to the industry's go to supporting man, Burstein finally gets the chance to anchor a big Broadway musical. As Tevye, his pitch perfect performance is able to capture the character's humor and intense internal struggle about navigating a drastically changing world.

Should the League be feeling more inclined to reward a drama, Phylicia Rashad makes a strong case for herself in Head of Passes, Off-Broadway at the Public Theatre. A contemporary parable of The Book of Job, Rashad portrays a woman who sees her life collapsing around her in apocalyptic fashion. At the end of her gut wrenching journey, there isn't a dry eye in the house.

Of course, one cannot discount the unparalleled year that Hamilton is having. Leading men Leslie Odom Jr. and Lin-Manuel Miranda both make sense as a winner here. Though I think Odom Jr. is ahead in the Tony race, thanks to "The Room Where it Happened", Miranda might be ahead for this particular kudos. No other persona in New York has had as much buzz and exposure as he. And though both men were eligible and did not win for the musical's Off-Broadway run, a Miranda win would be a fitting cap to the year that Hamilton took over our lives.

Performers Frank Langella, Audra McDonald, and Brian Stokes Mitchell are on stage this season, but ineligible for this award having previously won. For my money, one of the six actors mentioned above will get to join them at the winner's table next year.

The Drama League Announces 2016 Special Honors

The Drama League announced Monday that three visionaries of the stage will be honored at the upcoming 82nd Annual Drama League Awards. The awards ceremony will take place on May 20th at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.

The Tony winning Deaf West Theatre will receive the "Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award". The LA based company was represented on Broadway this season with their highly acclaimed signed-and-sung revival of Spring Awakening.

Sheldon Harnick will receive the "distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award". The Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist is currently represented on Broadway with the revivals of Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me. He was a frequent collaborator of composer Jerry Bock. other celebrated works include Fiorello!, The Apple Tree, and Cyrano: The Musical.

Finally, Olivier Award winning director Ivo van Hove will take home the "Founders Award for Excellence in Directing". The avant-garde director has had a banner year in New York and abroad. He was represented on Broadway this season with The Crucible and A View From the Bridge, as well as Off-Broadway with Antigone (BAM) and Lazarus (New York Theatre Worskshop).

In addition to the special honors, the Drama League gives out awards in five competitive categories: Outstanding Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the Distinguished Performance Award. The nominees for these fields, culled from On and Off Broadway, will be announced Wednesday April 20th at Sardi's.

An Early Look at the TONY Musical Contenders

Today, GoldDerby got the jump on their Tony Awards prediction center. So I figured I would throw in my hat and take a much-too-early look at the upcoming Tony season. And today, I'm talking musicals.

If you need any confirmation as to why it really is too soon to be analyzing who takes home trophies in June, look no further than NERDS: the musical. The Bill Gates/Steve Jobs musical comedy was the most recently announced addition to the season. It was slated to begin previews on April 1st, and open on the last day of Tony eligibility. That is, until the cast had the rug pulled out from under them and producers announced the run was "postponed" (read: canceled). I hadn't heard a great deal about how the show was coming along, but was excited at the prospect of having Rory O'Malley and Lindsay Mendez back on the boards. I hope they find other work fast.

With the cancellation of NERDS and the abrupt shuttering of Forest Whitaker vehicle Hughie after some poisonous word-of-mouth, that leaves two prime Broadway theatres vacant for Tony season. It is technically possible for a show to swoop in at the last minute, but it would already need every element set and ready to go, given the time crunch to open by April 28th. As it stands, odds are the Booth and Longacre will lay dormant for a few months.

So, what WILL be open and racking up those nominations? There's this little show about a founding father, maybe you've heard of it, which my instinct says will take, among other categories, Best Musical. but at the risk of a boring awards season, lets take a look at shows that aren't Hamilton and can actually make a big splash.

Shuffle Along (Or, the musical with the really long subtitle) has the all-star cast and historical significance to become a Broadway hit. It stars Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, Brandon Victor Dixon, and Joshua Henry. Maybe you've heard of them. Celebrated Broadway performers Brooks Ashmanskas, Amber Iman, and Darius de Haas also fill out the cast. Couple this lineup with direction and book from George C. Wolfe, and choreography by Savion Glover and its safe to say its going to be a hot ticket. The only issue is figuring out where it will compete. Much of the original material from the musical Shuffle Along will be performed, so it does not feature an original score. But the new book, detailing the behind the scenes drama does make it a "new" show. For the time being, I'm including this in the best musical lineup, but don't be surprised if the Tony administration declares it a revival.

In terms of musicals that have already opened, don't expect to see much Tony love for the long forgotten Amazing Grace, or the departed Allegiance, or the frothy spoof Disaster! (no matter how much you love Rachel York and Adam Pascal). The Gloria and Emilio Estefan bio-musical On Your Feet has been packing them in at the Marquis theatre. I think it will be competitive for choreography and well-reviewed newcomer Ana Villafane could be a dark horse best actress contender. but, the musical will ultimately be too light to break into the top race. Possibly faring better is Andrew Lloyd Weber's latest outing, School of Rock. The show has cornered the coveted family demographic and pleasantly surprised critics who mostly to put away their knives and had an great time.

I'm putting myself out on a limb and predicting a good showing for the Sara Bareilles scored Waitress. Based on the film of the same name, it garnered positive word of mouth at its tryout in Boston, and the songs are already racking up plays on Spotify. I expect its all-female creative team and Tony winning star to make a play for some Tony hardware. One should also never count out a Casey Nicholaw musical in the awards race. The man knows how to build a showstopper and Tuck Everlasting could introduce him to a more family-friendly audience. It also provides hardworking actor and blogger Andrew Keenan-Bolger with the best shot of his career thus far at scoring a Tony nomination.

Two other shows on the horizon are Bright Star and American Psycho. The former could win points from its famous composing duo of Steven Martin and Edie Brickell. The bluegrass infused music has the potential to set itself apart from the rest of the contenders. The show also boasts the Broadway debut of powerhouse singer Carmen Cusak who is already getting great publicity and buzz in her leading role. American Psycho has music from Tony winner (and 90s pop guru) Duncan Sheik. The dark nature of the show could prove divisive, so I'm not predicting a nomination in the top category until I see it, but the talented cast (Benjamin Walker, Alice Ripley, Jennifer Damiano, Helene York) will certainly draw interest.

And then we have the revivals. This one is going to get ugly. It has been a tremendous season for this category, as all the contenders are/were truly stellar. Of the five eligible, Dames at Sea is the most likely to be left in the dust due to its early closure and lack of buzz. But after that its anyone's guess. How is one to choose between these awesome productions of The Color Purple, Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me, and Spring Awakening? There will be three nomination slots unless there is a tie (within 3 votes) for third place. I'm not one to advocate for voter fraud, but I would be perfectly happy if the nominating committee planning out their votes so this scenario plays out. Otherwise, something truly worthy will get left off the list no matter what. I have a feeling that they may opt to give Deaf West/Spring Awakening a Special Tony Award (as they did with their last Broadway outing, Big River). That way they can reward the closed production and find space for the other three which are still playing.

Stay tuned and check the Contender pages for up to date listings and personal rankings.

"The Sammys" 2016: If I Was an Oscar Voter

After sifting through as many movies as I could, and listening to an awards race that hasn't always represented my own personal tastes, I've whittled down my own personal picks for who should be the nominees and winners this year.

The hardest category by far was Cinematography. It has been a banner year for the craft and I could have easily filled out ten nomination slots. I'm still not happy with my lineup because I was forced to leave out stunning photography from the likes of Carol, Brooklyn, and Black Mass. But I forced myself to make some Sophie's choices and get to five nominees.

As for best picture, the year in film came down to two defining movie-going experiences. Brooklyn and Mad Max: Fury Road. It is a crime that neither has much hope at an actual Oscar win for Best Picture.

One one hand is George Miller's magnum opus. The director revisits his crown jewel franchise after nearly four decades, brings a celebrated cinematographer out of retirement, suffers an unprecedented amount of production woes and setbacks, and rockets his cast through the desert on actual tricked out rigs. The result is a nearly wordless action-opera raging with adrenaline, that has a surprising amount to say about survival, women, greed, and humanity. And it does so through wondrous visual storytelling that creates a world so fully realized, it seems to have existed even before Miller set foot there. After the dust settles on this awards season, Mad Max will be long remembered as the year's crowning achievement.

In the other hand sits Brooklyn. Detractors have jabbed the film for being too "classic" or predictable in its story. I would argue that crafting a classic romance such as this in toady's attention deficit society is a near impossible feat. The story is rather straightforward, but skillfully adapted to bring each character to life and has the audience hanging on every moment. Saoirse Ronan proves herself to be one of the most captivating actors of her generation. As Eilis, her eyes soak in as much emotion as they give back, and through subtle shifts in voice and physicality, she transforms into a new woman before our eyes.

I oscillated between these two stunning films over and over. But eventually, the emotional gut punch of Brooklyn cemented the film as my winner. I may not have traveled across the Atlantic, but the film's conception of new beginnings and "home" struck a chord. A year after graduating college, I hopped on a bus with nothing but two large bags and an address, and moved to New York. The mixed feelings of excitement and liberation, coupled with dread and anxiety, that this sort of "starting over" brings has never been so perfectly captured on film. Rarely has a film made me feel as emotionally full as Brooklyn. It deserves its spot at the top.

Now to the good stuff: The 2016 "Sammys"

Best Picture
10.) Spy
9.) Carol
8.) The Martian
7.) Room
6.) Star Wars: The Force Awakens
5.) Ex Machina
4.) Spotlight
3.) Inside Out
2.) Mad Max: Fury Road
1.) Brooklyn

Best Director
John Crowley Brooklyn
Pete Docter, Inside Out
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road (winner)
Ridley Scott, The Martian (runner-up)

Best Actor
Tom Courtenay, 45 Years
Matt Damon, The Martian (runner-up)
Leonardo Dicaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Jacob Tremblay, Room (winner)

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Marion Cotillard, Macbeth
Brie Larson, Room (runner-up)
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn (winner)
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

Best Supporting Actor
Emory Cohen, Brooklyn
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation (runner-up)
Harrison Ford, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina (winner)
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Best Supporting Actress
Rose Byrne, Spy
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Sarah Paulson, Carol
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina (winner)
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs (runner-up)

Best Original Screenplay
Ex Machina
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out (runner-up)
Spotlight (winner)
Spy

Best Adapted Screenplay
45 Years
Brooklyn (winner)
The Martian
Room
Steve Jobs (runner-up)

Best Animated Film
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out (winner)
The Prophet
When Marnie Was There (runner-up)

Best Film Editing
The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road (winner)
Sicario (runner-up)
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Cinematography
It Follows
The Revenant (winner)
Macbeth
Mad Max: Fury Road (runner-up)
Sicario

Best Production Design
Bridge of Spies
Crimson Peak (winner)
Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road (runner-up)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Costume Design
Brooklyn (winner)
Carol (runner-up)
Cinderella
Crimson Peak
Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Black Mass
Carol
Macbeth (runner-up)
Mad Max: Fury Road (winner)
Mr. Holmes

Best Visual Effects
Ant-Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Mad Max: Fury Road (runner-up)
The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (winner)

Best Score
The Hateful Eight
It Follows (winner)
The Revenant
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (runner-up)

Best Sound Editing
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road (winner)
The Martian
Sicario (runner-up)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Sound Mixing
Love and Mercy
Mad Max: Fury Road (winner)
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (runner-up)
Straight Outta Compton

Best Ensemble
Dope (runner-up)
The Martian
Spotlight (winner)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Straight Outta Compton

Best Breakthrough Performer
Abraham Attah
John Boyega
Daisy Ridley (runner-up)
Jacob Tremblay
Alicia Vikander (winner)

Biggest Disappointment of the Year
The Danish Girl

Entertainer of the Year
Cate Blanchett
Michael Fassbender
Harrison Ford
Domhnall Gleeson
Tom Hardy
Jennifer Lawrence
Pixar Animation Studios (winner)
Chris Pratt
Amy Schumer
Charlize Theron
Alicia Vikander


WINS
Mad Max: Fury Road - 5
Brooklyn - 4
Ex Machina - 2
Spotlight - 2
Crimson Peak  - 1
Inside Out - 1
It Follows - 1
Room - 1
The Revenant  - 1
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - 1

Final Predictions: Who Will Win?

After an awards season full of surprises and shifting front-runners, we are almost at Oscar night. I have compiled a breakdown of every Oscar category (even the shorts!) and who I'm placing bets on to emerge victorious. If you want to be the envy of your Oscar viewing party or win the office pool, look no further. Of course, no one truly knows what will happen, or what goes on in the minds of Academy voters (and surprises always make the evening fun), but this is the best guess and final word on the 2016 Oscars.

I have withheld on including a "should win" citation because I am releasing my annual list of personal nominees and winners tomorrow before the ceremony. Stay tuned!

BEST PICTURE

Will Win: The Revenant

Could Win: The Big Short or Spotlight

The guilds have given us mixed tea leaves by going three ways: SAG (actors) chose Spotlight, PGA (producers) chose The Big Short, and the DGA (directors) chose The Revenant. The PGA uses the same preferential ballot that the Oscars use to determine Best Picture, and that alone makes me want to go with the timely The Big Short. However, The Revenant train gained steam late in the game, just after PGA voting and picked up the BAFTA along the way and leads with nominations. I can't see The Big Short winning any other category except adapted screenplay, while Leo's slog through the snow could easily net 4-5 wins. The race is the closest I've ever seen, but I have to put money on The Revenant.

BEST DIRECTOR

Will Win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, The Revenant

Could Win: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Winning back to back director prizes is rare (only John Ford and Joseph Mankiewicz have achieved that feat), but Inarritu looks poised to strike gold again. He has the Globes, BAFTA, and (most importantly) DGA backing his claim. George Miller helmed the other epic in contention, but he really needed the guild or the Brits to speak up for him to be more of a threat. 

BEST ACTOR

Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Could Win: Bryan Cranston, Trumbo...but not really

Leo has run the table with the Critics, Globes, SAG, and BAFTA. All of Hollywood is in agreement that it is finally time to give the overdue actor his Oscar and I can't see anything slowing him down. Bryan Cranston is charming and a savvy campaigner (he was really Argo's secret Oscar weapon), but as the sole nominee from Trumbo, he will have to be content to watch from his seat.

BEST ACTRESS

Will Win: Brie Larson, Room

Could Win: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Brie Larson is just about as locked up as Leo, similarly claiming nearly every best actress prize this season. Some have tried to throw mystery into the race by saying her absence in the film's second half makes her vulnerable. But her main challenger (Ronan) really needed the BAFTA to come to her aide...and they didnt. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Will Win: Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Could Win: Tom Hardy, The Revenant

Sometimes getting the nomination is the biggest hurdle. And now that Sly has crossed it, there is no reason not to expect "the champ" on the Oscar stage. He has the best narrative of any nominee this year (he failed to win for Rocky almost four decades ago) and he has been charming his way through Oscar season. Many pundits think his challenger is Mark Rylance, but that Hollywood outsider has been working on a new play and is not one to actively campaign. The real threat to Mr. Balboa is Hardy, who stars in not one, but two best picture nominees. It's a long shot, but he stands a small chance at getting swept in with The Revenant.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Will Win: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Could Win: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Vikander benefits from having a lead performance (aka more screentime) in a supporting category, and voters will have also watched her in the twice nominated Ex Machina. Kate Winslet has taken the Globe and BAFTA for her powerful role in Steve Jobs, but only when she was not competing against Viaknder's role in The Danish Girl. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Will Win: Spotlight

Could Win: Straight Outta Compton

Spotlight has this one in the bag and it is likely the film's only win of the night. Inside Out or Straight Outta Compton would be more of a threat if either had broke into the best picture field, or amassed precursor support. 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Will Win: The Big Short

Could Win: The Martian

Another easy call for a well liked best picture frontrunner. It's possible The Martian or Room could come out of left field for a win (they only have one credited writer, which the Academy likes), but The Big Short tackled a complicated subject well and should take this one in a landslide.  

BEST FILM EDITING

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

Could Win: The Big Short

The winner here is often the one with the "most" editing, or most obvious editing (see: Whiplash over Boyhood). So the immense, un-ending car chase of Mad Max should easily find votes here. Though The Big Short has been singled out for its stylish editing, and if it wins this category, look out for the film to surprise in best picture at the end of the night.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Will Win: The Revenant

Could Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

It looks like a three-peat for Emmanuel Lubezki. His work on The Revenant has swept the awards circuit and the Oscars will follow suit. If a surprise is lurking its John Seale, who came out of retirement to shoot the beautiful chaos of Mad Max.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

Could Win: Bridge of Spies

The production design in Mad Max is responsible for creating an entire world, from the tricked out death-mobiles to the cult members fortress. Unless they feel like rewarding a meticulously done period piece (and a best picture winner likely to go home empty handed) with Bridge of Spies, this is a sure bet for Mad Max. 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

Could Win: The Danish Girl...or any of them

One of the hardest categories to predict. Truly, all five have a shot at winning. I think voters will appreciate the overall look and tone of Mad Max, and voters will check this one off to go with the movie's other two design wins. The Danish Girl has further support with a production design and two acting nominations, so the period gowns could score here. Though the same can be said for Carol. It'll be close, but I'm going for a Mad Max design sweep.

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

Could Win: The Revenant

Mad Max has the most makeup, and its also the boldest. As said above, the design elements are necessary aides for the film's world building. In The Revenant, everyone just looks dirty.

BEST SCORE

Will Win: The Hateful Eight

Could Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Quentin Tarantino has been beating the drum loudly for legendary composer Ennio Morricone to finally take home a competitive Oscar after scoring (literally) hundreds of films. However, composers names do not appear on the Oscar ballot, so voters who are unaware of that narrative might go for John William's pronounced work on the latest Star Wars (his 50th nomination).

BEST SONG

Will Win: 'Til it Happens to You', The Hunting Ground

Could Win: 'Earned it', Fifty Shades of Grey

Eighth time should be the charm for perennial Oscar loser Dianne Warren. With no anthemic radio hit in contention this year, the Warren/Lady Gaga collaboration creates a winner with a powerful message at its core. The Weekend could potentially rain on their parade thanks to a boost from his recent Grammy performance and wins. Ultimately, I think many voters might balk at awarding Fifty Shades of Grey an Oscar, no matter how good the song is. 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Will Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Could Win: Mad Max: Fury Road or The Revenant

Precedent tells us that a best picture nominee will win this category if one is in contention. But Star Wars screams visual effects more than any other film and it's an easy place for them to reward the biggest movie of the year. Mad Max might win over actual effects artists for its practical work, and The Revenant could pull of an upset for the strikingly realistic bear attack scene. 

BEST SOUND EDITING

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

Could Win: The Revenant

The corresponding guild does not announce winners until tonight, so we are a bit blind in this category. The loudest film tends to win, and it helps to be a best picture nominee. The car chases and explosions should give this to Mad Max, but don't count out the intense battle sequences of The Revenant. 

BEST SOUND MIXING

Will Win: The Revenant

Could Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

I'm dangerously picking a split in the sound categories. While this is not uncommon, it is a risky move since most voters don't know what the difference between the categories are, and you can pick the wrong split. My thought is that voters will appreciate the soundscape of the wilderness that comes together during The Revenant's many dialogue free stretches. But Mad Max could easily get checked off for both editing and mixing. 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Will Win: Inside Out

Don't overthink this one you guys. Nothing else stands a chance. Sorry, Anomalisa.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Will Win: Amy

Could Win: Cartel Land

Amy has the perfect storm of critical and popular success. Its an excellent documentary and its also the most widely seen of the bunch. Netlfix has poured tons of money into its campaign for What Happened Miss Simone?, and if it wasn't competing against a more popular music doc, it might win. But the real spoiler is the powerful and timely Cartel Land, which has struck a chord with many Academy voters.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Will Win: Son of Saul

Could Win: Mustang

If voters actually watched all the nominees, then this would be a real horse race between the two frontrunners. But many members vote without seeing them all (or any of them, sadly). So the film about the holocaust and with more name recognition will take it. 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

Will Win: Sanjay's Super Team

Could Win: Bear Story

Both frontrunners contain the heartwarming "aww" factor necessary to win this category. Sanjay's Super Team benefits from a wide release and an army of Pixar/Disney voters in the Academy who are bound to support it. Bear Story has made its way to Netflix and is reminiscent of the quirky art direction of past winner Mr. Hublot. I give Pixar the edge in a close race.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Will Win: Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah

Could Win: Body Team 12 or Girl in the River

Remember how I mentioned that not every voters sees all the films? They may not have seen all the shorts but the older members of the Academy will know Claude Lanzmann and his film Shoah. So he may get votes via name recognition as a way to honor him. Body Team 12 and Girl in the River received more favorable reviews, and will get votes from those who have watched the films. 

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT

Will Win: Ave Maria

Could Win: Shok

Ave Maria is the lightest film of the bunch. While critics and audiences are divided over the success of its comedy, the tone will set it apart from its heavier competition. If the Academy is willing to embrace weightier subject matter, they might lean towards Shok. The film is set in the Kosovo war and has been cited for its stellar screenplay and central performance. 

NERDS Full Cast Announced!

The latest musical to make a last minute announcement for this season was the long gestating NERDS. The new musical comedy chronicles the rivalry of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and will being previews at the Longacre Theatre on April 1st, with an opening night set for April 24th.

Today, the creative team announced Tony nominee Rory O'Malley (Book of Mormon) and Bryan Fenkart (Memphis) will lead the company as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, respectively. The cast will also feature Lindsay Mendez as Myrtle, Patti Murin as Sally, Benny Elledge as Steve Wozniak, Rob Morrison as Paul Allen, and Kevin Pariseau as Tom Watson.

NERDS features book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton & Erik Weiner, music by Hal Goldberg, direction by Casey Hushion, and choreography by Joshua Bergasse. Additional choreography from Denis Jones.

Contenders pages will be updated to reflect this new set of Nerds!

2016 Oscar Nominations Reaction

Well, we knew there would be surprises.

Despite my best efforts at predicting the shockers (like moving Alicia Vikander into Lead for The Danish Girl, oops!) I still had many a miss on my ballot. Though I got four of the nominees correct in most categories. And all eight Best Picture contenders were listed in my top ten. So where do we stand now?

The race is wide open. Perhaps even more so than before. With a whopping 12 nominations (only the 15th film in Academy history to reach that number), The Revenant is looking pretty damn good. True it missed a screenplay nod, but it isn't a particularly dialogue heavy film. It's strength lies in its stark contrast to the smaller "issue driven" front-runners (I'll get to them in a minute). The Revenant is epic film-making. This is a filmmaker's movie, one that you go to the cinema to see.

The two other films which had previous sat atop the pile were Spotlight and The Big Short. Both films give you a cause to root for them, sexual abuse in the church and the destruction of the housing market, respectively. They are well made movies with actors you love. And they scored across the important categories: director, acting, screenplay, and editing. Spotlight is slightly ahead the way I see it. After struggling to find nominations for its actors in the precursors and getting shut out of the Eddie awards, it rallied with two acting nominations and showed up in editing at the Oscars.

Trailing close behind is Mad Max: Fury Road. In second place for most nominations with an impressive 10, the film has resonated across most of the Academy branches. It has great odds to dominate the crafts categories and even wind up with the most wins of the night. One other curious revelation occurred in it's favor: The Martian director Ridley Scott was shockingly snubbed. Scott has been competing with George Miller all season for the best director trophy as a sort of de facto lifetime achievement award. Miller now has a major hurdle out of the way.

Can any of the other films take the top prize? The Martian was ranked high in many pundit's predictions, but the film may have been crippled by its snubs in director and editing. If the campaign can smartly turn Ridley Scott's absence into outrage (a la Ben Affleck and Argo) then maybe the film has a shot. But when it has to go up against Mad Max, Star Wars, and The Revenant in most of the craft categories...how many trophies can it really win?

Bridge of Spies performed well, but came up short for Spielberg and the Coen brothers. It has a shot at supporting actor and score, but not much else. Brooklyn has the fewest nominations of the best picture players, but distributor Fox Searchlight is an expert at navigating the awards field (they've won the past two years). Best Picture may not be in the cards this time, but I wouldn't be shocked if their savvy campaign can eek out best actress or adapted screenplay.

Room is the true dark horse candidate this year. After performing terribly with the guilds, it made a comeback taking a best director slot for Lenny Abrahamson. I would have loved to see young Jacob Tremblay nominated as well, but he didn't stand a chance in the crowded supporting actor field.

Speaking of which: get ready for Sly Stallone. His biggest hurdle was just getting the nomination, and he managed that. He has the best narrative of any nominee this year. He is campaigning, being humble and charming and saying all the right things. Everyone wants to see him on stage, finally taking home a trophy decades after creating Rocky. His closest competition is Mark Rylance. The theatre legend will certainly take the BAFTA in his native UK and has the love for Bridge of Spies on his side, but he is still relatively unknown in Hollywood.

Supporting Actress is the most difficult to predict. Kate Winslet recently took home the Golden Globe, but she didn't have to compete with Alicia Vikander and Rooney Mara. The Oscar voters listened to the category fraud and said "eh, we don't care" and threw both ladies in supporting. As recent winners indicate, a beefy lead role in supporting tends to take home the gold. Vikander is the "it girl" of the season and portrays a more dominant character, so she has a slight edge. But that category is anyone's game.

Over in animated feature we saw my GKIDS prediction come true, though not necessarily the way I thought. I'm angry for not sticking with my gut, which told me The Good Dinosaur was out and When Marnie Was There was in...alas. I am surprised The Prophet didn't make the cut, but it seems the branch preferred the more inventive art style of Boy and the World. In any case, Inside Out has this one in the bag. Sorry, Anomalisa.

Now that the entire Academy can vote on the winners of best foreign film and documentary, the widely seen entries are far out in front. So, Son of Saul and Amy should feel comfy in their respective categories. Their closest competitors are the only female directed nominees in any category: Mustang and What Happened Miss Simone?. Though I don't think either of them have the campaign or awards presence to take down their bigger rivals.

As for disappointments on nomination morning, I will again bang the drum to going back to a set number of ten nominees. Academy members are annoyed Star Wars didn't make the cut to boost their ratings. More dire is the absence of Straight Outta Compton from the best picture lineup and the reintroduction of #OscarsSoWhite. I normally don't go in on the Academy for the lack of diversity since they are so often a symptom and not the root problem. By and large it is the industry itself that needs to change. But, when you have a film like Compton that did well with audiences, critics, and the box office? Frankly, it looks ridiculous to not include it among the year's best. Idris Elba's snub stings too. This should have been the year when an actor who continually puts out exceptional work (seriously, has he ever been bad in anything??) finally gets his due. If the Academy went back to a guaranteed ten best picture nominees, look at the bubble films that may have made the cut: Straight Outta Compton and Creed (two excellent films from black filmmakers), Carol (a film from a female perspective so desperately needed), and Inside Out (how does the most inventive film of the year not break out of its ghettoized category?). Any of those films would have made the Best Picture lineup more diverse, more interesting, more emblematic of the wonderful year in film that was 2015.

The Oscar ceremony will air Sunday February 28th. The race can (and probably will) shift a number of ways until then, as studios shovel cash into heavy campaigning in this wide open season. One thing is for certain: as the only black man guaranteed to take the Oscar stage, Chris Rock is going to have a field day.

DGA Nominees Solidify Oscar Hopefuls

The 2016 Directors Guild of America announced their annual nominees today. This is an important precursor in the Oscar race since it is a guild of around 1,600 members (much larger than the 377 strong directors branch of The Academy). In fact, this guild award is often more significant in terms of predicting Best Picture nominees than Best Director at the Oscars, because of the large voting body. So while the directors in the Academy sometimes have a slot for a dark horse, quirky candidate, the DGA shows who is leading the pack. And today's nominations reflect the presumed front-runners of this awards season:

Best Director
Alejandro Gonzalez Inaritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian

In addition, the DGA announced nominees for the inaugural "best directorial achievement for a first time feature film director". Eligible films must be released in New York and Los Angeles within 2015. Foreign films and non-DGA members are eligible for this award.

Best First Feature Film Director
Fernando Coimbra, A Wolf at the Door
Joel Edgerton, The Gift
Alex Garland, Ex Machina
Marielle Heller, Diary of a Teenage Girl
Laszlo Nemes, Son of Saul

So are the five DGA picks our Oscar nominees as well? Likely. But the smaller number of voters at the Academy makes room for more distinctive choices. McCarthy, McKay and Miller would all be first time Oscar nominees (they are first time DGA nominees as well) and one does wonder if the Academy has room for 3 "new" faces. Especially with old guard types like Spielberg and Haynes are waiting in the wings. While one of the three Academy newcomers may be unexpectedly snubbed, the DGA shows that all five films have serious widespread appeal. They are all but certain to show up in Best Picture.

PGA Nominations Shake Up Oscar Race

Hello all!

I have been slacking a bit and not posting thoughts about the Oscar race thus far (though as usual, I have kept the contenders pages pretty up to date with my predictions/thoughts). Perhaps slacking isn't the best word: in addition to my day job, I have been lucky enough to do a good deal of traveling and performing. But now I'm back, and today is the make or break day for many Oscar hopeful films.

Below are the just announced 2016 PGA Nominees:

Motion Picture
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton

Animated Motion Picture
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
Minions
The Peanuts Movie

The PGA is the most important of the guild awards in terms of Oscar prognosticators, because it uses the same preferential ballot as the Academy to decide its Best Picture nominees. Last year, the PGA nominees foresaw 7 our of 8 Oscar nominees (The PGA guarantees 10 slots, while the Academy has anywhere from 5-10). So scoring with the producers is a very good omen.

Last year, the three darkest PGA contenders (Gone Girl, Nightcrawler, and Foxcatcher) were the ones to miss at the Oscars. With that in mind, the picture most likely left out of the Academy lineup would be the android thriller Ex Machina (though I will jump for joy if it makes the cut). It also means The Hateful Eight is likely dead in the water in terms of Best Picture odds. Room was also left out of the PGA field, but the intimate nature of the film is more in line with Academy tastes, so don't lose hope on it yet.

The most notable snubs are Carol and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. After dominating many a critic award, Carol also failed to net a Art Directors Guild nomination this morning (the equivalent of Best Production Design at the Oscars). Not great tea leaves for the lesbian period drama. Is it perhaps just an "actor's movie" rather than an all around player? It's also bad news for Star Wars' Best Picture hopes. The movie is essentially tailor made for this guild, and the miss here certainly stings. Though the film is dominating the zeitgeist and easily surpassing Avatar's box office record with no signs of showing. The Force Awakens hasn't played by awards season rules so far, and it could still be "too big to ignore" for the Academy.

The Big Short is looking great. It has been scoring across the board and has me thinking it is the real challenger to Spotlight's frontrunner status. The producers have also revived Straight Outta Compton (showing up on a preferential ballot pairs nicely with its SAG ensemble nomination) and Brooklyn (many pundits fretted about the Globes shunning it from their drama category). And is Sicario is emerging as a real threat in the race, despite being a long shot in most major categories? Watch out.

So how does the Oscar race look now? Based on the guilds it's The Big Short vs. Spotlight for Best Picture. With Mad Max: Fury Road and The Martian as potential spoilers. Academy Award nominations are announced on January 14th and voting is underway. Expect campaigns to be in high gear this week. "What a lovely day".