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.
Friday, April 29, 2016
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
2016 Outer Critics Circle Nominees Announced
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
Monday, April 18, 2016
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.
Friday, April 8, 2016
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.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
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.
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