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