Nominations were announced this morning for the 2018 tony Awards. Many of the top categories panned out as expected, though plenty of surprises were in store.
"Harry Potter" racked up an impressive tally of 10, but "Angels in America" slipped in with 11. That is good enough for the most nominated play in Tony history, surpassing "The Coast of Utopia" and "Fences" (they both had 10 like "Harry Potter"). Never underestimate the home field advantage when it comes to the Tonys. Over in Best Play, "Latin History for Morons" edged into the new fifth slot as it's sole nomination (though John Leguizamo will also receive a Special Tony Award).
"The Band's Visit" remains out front for Best Musical with 11 nominations, but "Mean Girls" and "SpongeBob SquarePants" made a strong showing, bolstered by plenty of design support for 12 nominations a piece. Voters didn't care much for "Frozen" which saw both Caissie Levy and Patti Murin left out in the cold, despite a 6 nominee strong Lead Actress category. The show racked up three nominations for Musical, Score, and Book; fields they were expected to place in by default.
Musical Revival remains the most competitive top category. "Once on This Island" was shut out of both featured acting races and, even more puzzling, Choreography. Michael Arden still feels competitive for Director though. "Carousel" on the other hand, over-performed with 11 noms, including all four acting categories. "My Fair Lady" managed a quartet of acting nominations as well.
For me, the most shocking snub was James McArdle. His Louis was a highlight of "Angels in America," a play the nominators clearly loved. His spot was taken by Michael Cera ("Lobby Hero"), who is very effective in his role, but should have been deemed Lead. Elsewhere, Camille A. Brown's choreography in "Once on This Island" was worthy of a win, but she isn't even nominated. Standout performers Kate Rockwell, Alex Newell, Ron Cook, Lee Pace, and Kenita R. Miller were also given the cold shoulder.
There was happier news for surprise inclusions like LaChanze and Ariana DeBose of "Summer," Renee Fleming and Alexander Gemignani of "Carousel," and Deborah Findlay of "The Children." The strangest nominee? "Angels in America" appearing in Best Score. Since there were far less than 9 eligible scores (which would have automatically pushed the category to 5 nominees), a fifth spot for "Angels" meant there was a tie in voting...which probably means one or more of the ones nominated have little support. Even weirder was the lack of ruling to deem "Angels in America" eligible for this category in the first place. Dear Tony Awards: PLEASE make eligibility rulings more straightforward in the future. It shouldn't take a Sherlock Holmes investigative team to decipher who can compete where after reading your quarterly decisions.
full list below
Best Musical
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants”
“The Band’s Visit”
Best Musical Revival
“Carousel”
“My Fair Lady”
“Once On This Island”
Best Actor (Musical)
Harry Hadden-Paton, “My Fair Lady”
Joshua Henry, “Carousel”
Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”
Ethan Slater, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Best Actress (Musical)
Lauren Ambrose, “My Fair Lady”
Hailey Kilgore, Once On This Island”
LaChanze, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”
Taylor Louderman, “Mean Girls”
Jessie Mueller, “Carousel”
Best Featured Actor (Musical)
Norbert Leo Butz, “My Fair Lady”
Alexander Gemignani, “Carousel”
Grey Henson, “Mean Girls”
Gavin Lee, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”
Best Featured Actress (Musical)
Ariana DeBose, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Renée Fleming, “Carousel”
Lindsay Mendez, “Carousel”
Ashley Park, “Mean Girls”
Diana Rigg, “My Fair Lady”
Best Director (Musical)
Michael Arden, “Once On This Island”
David Cromer, “The Band’s Visit”
Tina Landau, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Bartlett Sher, “My Fair Lady”
Best Choreography
Christopher Gattelli, “My Fair Lady”
Christopher Gattelli, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Steven Hoggett, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Justin Peck, “Carousel”
Best Book of a Musical
“The Band’s Visit,” Itamar Moses
“Frozen,” Jennifer Lee
“Mean Girls, Tina Fey
“SpongeBob SquarePants,” Kyle Jarrow
Best Original Score
“Angels in America”
Music: Adrian Sutton
“The Band’s Visit”
Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
“Frozen”
Music & Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
“Mean Girls”
Music: Jeff Richmond, Lyrics: Nell Benjamin
“SpongeBob SquarePants”
Music & Lyrics: Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., Domani & Lil’C
Best Orchestrations
John Clancy, “Mean Girls”
Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Annmarie Milazzo & Michael Starobin, “Once On This Island”
Jamshied Sharifi, “The Band’s Visit”
Jonathan Tunick, “Carousel”
Best Costume Design (Musical)
Gregg Barnes, “Mean Girls”
Clint Ramos, “Once On This Island”
Ann Roth, “Carousel”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”
Best Lighting Design (Musical)
Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, “Once On This Island”
Donald Holder, “My Fair Lady”
Brian MacDevitt, “Carousel”
Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”
Best Scenic Design (Musical)
Dane Laffrey, “Once On This Island”
Scott Pask, “The Band’s Visit
Scott Pask, Finn Ross, Adam Young, “Mean Girls”
Michael Yeargan, “My Fair Lady”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Best Sound Design (Musical)
Kai Harada, “The Band’s Visit”
Peter Hylenski, “Once On This Island”
Scott Lehrer, “Carousel”
Brian Ronan, “Mean Girls”
Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Best Play
“The Children”
“Farinelli and the King”
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
“Latin History for Morons”
“Junk”
Best Play Revival
“Angels in America”
“The Iceman Cometh”
“Lobby Hero”
“Three Tall Women”
“Travesties”
Best Actor (Play)
Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”
Tom Hollander, “Travesties”
Jamie Parker, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Mark Rylance, “Farinelli and the King”
Denzel Washington, “The Iceman Cometh”
Best Actress (Play)
Glenda Jackson, “Three Tall Women”
Condola Rashad, “Saint Joan”
Lauren Ridloff, “Children of a Lesser God”
Amy Schumer, “Meteor Shower”
Best Featured Actor (Play)
Anthony Boyle, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Michael Cera, “Lobby Hero”
Brian Tyree Henry, “Lobby Hero”
Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”
David Morse, “The Iceman Cometh”
Best Featured Actress (Play)
Susan Brown, “Angels in America”
Noma Dumezweni, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Deborah Findlay, “The Children”
Denise Gough, “Angels in America”
Laurie Metcalf, “Three Tall Women”
Best Director (Play)
Marianne Elliott, “Angels in America”
Joe Mantello, “Three Tall Women”
Patrick Marber, “Travesties”
John Tiffany, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
George C. Wolfe, “The Iceman Cometh”
Best Costume Design (Play)
Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and The King”
Nicky Gillibrand, “Angels in America”
Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Ann Roth, “Three Tall Women”
Ann Roth, “The Iceman Cometh”
Best Lighting Design (Play)
Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Paule Constable, “Angels in America”
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, “The Iceman Cometh”
Paul Russell, “Farinelli and The King”
Ben Stanton, “Junk”
Best Scenic Design (Play)
Miriam Buether, “Three Tall Women”
Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and The King”
Christine Jones, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Santo Loquasto, “The Iceman Cometh”
Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce, “Angels in America”
Best Sound Design (Play)
Adam Cork, “Travesties”
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Angels in America”
Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Tom Gibbons, “1984”
Dan Moses Schreier, “The Iceman Cometh”
