Drama Desk Winners 2015: Updating Live

The winners of the 60th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced Sunday May 31st. The ceremony was held at Town Hall and hosted by Tony winner Laura Benanti. The show was live-streamed on theatremania.com.

Click the link to view the complete list of nominees:
http://samonstage.blogspot.com/2015/04/2015-drama-desk-nominees-complete-list.html

Check out this year's winners below!


OUTSTANDING PLAY
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL
HAMILTON

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
THE ELEPHANT MAN

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
THE KING AND I

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
ALEX SHARP, CURIOUS INCIDENT...

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
HELEN MIRREN, THE AUDIENCE

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
ROBERT FAIRCHILD, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
KRISTIN CHENOWETH, ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
K. TODD FREEMAN, AIRLINE HIGHWAY

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
ANNALEIGH ASHFORD, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
CHRISTIAN BORLE, SOMETHING ROTTEN!

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
RENEE ELISE GOLDSBERRY, HAMILTON

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
THOMAS KAIL, HAMILTON

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
MARIANNE ELLIOTT, CURIOUS INCIDENT...

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

OUTSTANDING MUSIC
LIN -MANUEL MIRANDA, HAMILTON

OUTSTANDING LYRICS
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, HAMILTON

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, HAMILTON

OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRATIONS
CHRISTOPHER AUSTIN, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

OUTSTANDING MUSIC IN A PLAY
ARTHUR SOLARI & JANE SHAW, TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT

OUTSTANDING REVUE
JUST JIM DALE

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
BOB CROWLEY, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
CATHERINE ZUBER, GIGI

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
PAULE CONSTABLE, CURIOUS INCIDENT...

OUTSTANDING PROJECTION DESIGN
FINN ROSS, CURIOUS INCIDENT...

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
NEVIN STEINBERG, HAMILTON

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
IAN DICKINSON, CURIOUS INCIDENT...

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
BENJAMIN SCHEUER, THE LION

UNIQUE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE
QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

SPECIAL AWARDS (previously announced)
Outstanding Ensemble to: the cast of A.R. Gurney's WAYSIDE MOTOR INN

Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award to: BESS WOHL

Special Awards to:
JOHN DOUGLAS THOMPSON
ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE
ANDY BLANKENBUEHLER

Tony Awards Telecast Takes Shape

Announcements have begun to roll in regarding the performance lineup at the 2015 Tony Awards. We were first treated to the news that three shows who didn't receive nominations will perform a number on the awards show: Findging Neverland, Gigi, and It Shoulda Been You.

Today, specific performer and song details have been revealed for many of this year's nominees.

The cast of The King and I, up for nine Tony Awards, will feature nominees Kelli O'Hara, Ken Watanabe, and Ruthie Ann Miles. They will perform a medley of three classic songs from the show: "Getting to Know You", "Something Wonderful", and "Shall We Dance".

The entire cast of Best Musical Revival nominee On the Town will perform a selection of songs, featuring "New York, New York" and highlighting the three sailors (Tony Yazbeck, Clive Alves, and Jay Armstrong Johnson).

Roundabout's revival of On the Twentieth Century will follow the medley trend, performing "Life is Like a Train", "Babette", and "On the 20th Century". Tony nominated actors Kristin Chenoweth and Andy Karl, as well as star Peter Gallagher, will all be featured.

Best Musical nominee The Visit will showcase Chita Rivera's signature number "Love and Love Alone" (with a portion of the ballet duet), and the more up-tempo eunuch number "I Would Never Leave You".

Best Musical front-runner Fun Home will stick with one song, and one performer. The youngest nominee of the night, Syndey Lucas, will take the stage for the touching "Ring of Keys".

Musical rival Something Rotten! will showcase nominated actors Brian d'Arcy James and Brad Oscar, with the act one showstopper "A Musical". Expect a standing ovation.

The snubbed Finding Neverland will perform the act one finale "Stronger". The number will feature stars Matthew Morrison and Kelsey Grammer.

[UPDATE]: It Shoulda Been You will trot out powerhouse Lisa Howard to sing "Jenny's Blues" from the wedding themed musical. It is unknown if the previously announced Tyne Daly will make any appearance.

Announcements from An American in Paris, Gigi, and It Shoulda Been You will be coming shortly. (Gigi and It Shoulda Been You have previously reported their numbers will feature stars Vanessa Hudgens and Tyne Daly, respectively).

VOTE!

Who do you think should take home the gold on Tony night? Let your voice be heard in this short survey below. I will share the readers' Tony winners before the real ceremony on June 7th.
http://surveynuts.com/surveys/take?id=28813&c=209412901PFJR

Outer Critics Circle Awards 2015: Winners Announced!

The Outer Critics Circle announced the winners of their 65th annual kudos today. The winners will be celebrated at a special ceremony at Sardi's on May 21st.

The Outer Critic's Circle honors productions both on and off Broadway. Several of this year's leading Tony contenders were feted at these awards. But, it is important to note that some of the biggest Tony competition (Fun Home, Hand to God, Disgraced) were not eligible for these awards, having already competed for their Off-Broadway runs. The OCC is also not bound to Tony eligibility rulings so some performers compete in other categories at these kudos (ie: Christian Borle in Lead instead of Featured).

The big winners were The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, An American in Paris, and Off-Broadway sensation Hamilton. Without Fun Home standing in it's path, An American in Paris took four awards including the Best Broadway Musical Prize (and double wins for Christopher Wheeldon).

The King and I picked up three wins including Best Revival of a Musical, but leading lady Kelli O'Hara lost to her fiery competitor Kristin Chenoweth. Will the same outcome repeat itself at the Tonys?

The Featured Acting (Play) races are particularly tough to predict for the Tonys. The OCC lineup includes many of the front-runners. Featured Actress went to Annaleigh Ashford, who prevailed over Tony competition Patricia Clarkson and Lydia Leonard. With the men: Richard McCabe won featured actor over Nathaniel Parker and Alessandro Nivola. Can these two featured performers continue their winning streaks and clear up these confusing categories?  While there is zero overlap between voting bodies, any amount of buzz can help in races this tight.

Complete list of winners below:

BEST BROADWAY MUSICAL
*An American in Paris
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

BEST BROADWAY PLAY
The Audience
*Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Wolf Hall

BEST OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
A Christmas Memory
Disenchanted
Fortress of Solitude
*Hamilton
Lonesome Traveler

BEST OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
*Between Riverside and Crazy
The City of Conversation
The Nether
Rasheeda Speaking
The Village Bike

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Into the Woods
*The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
Side Show

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
The Elephant Man
Fashions for Men
The Heidi Chronicles
Skylight
*You Can't Take it With You

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
*Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

BEST SCORE
*Hamilton
It Shoulda Been You
The Last Ship
Something Rotten!
The Visit

BEST ACTOR (PLAY)
Reed Birney, I'm Gonna Pray for You so Hard
Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy
Ben Miles, Wolf Hall
*Alex Sharp, Curious Incident...

BEST ACTRESS (PLAY)
Greta Gerwig, The Village Bike
Jan Maxwell, The city of Conversation
*Helen Mirren, The Audience
Elizabeth Moss, The Heidi Chronicles
Tonya Pinkins, Rasheeda Speaking

BEST ACTOR (MUSICAL)
Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Brian d'Arcy James, Something Rotten!
*Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Peter Gallagher, On the Twentieth Century
Tony Yazbeck, On the Town

BEST ACTRESS (MUSICAL)
*Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris
Tyne Daly, It Shoulda Been You
Kelli O'Hara, The King and I
Chita Rivera, The Visit

BEST FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY)
Paul Jesson, Wolf Hall
*Richard McCabe, The Audience
Alessandro Nivola, The Elephant Man
Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall
Bryce Pinkham, The Heidi Chronicles

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY)
*Annaleigh Ashford, You Can't Take it With You
Patricia Clarkson, The Elephant Man
Francessca Faridany, Curious Incident...
Julie Halston, you Can't Take it With You
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL)
Heidi Blickenstaff, Something Rotten!
Victoria Clark, Gigi
Megan Fairchild, On the Town
*Ruthie Ann Miles, The King and I
Mary Louise Wilson, On the Twentieth Century

BEST FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL)
John Cariani, Something Rotten!
Josh Grisetti, It Shoulda Been You
*Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Paul Alexander Nolan, Doctor Zhivago
Max Von Essen, An American in Paris

BEST DIRECTOR (MUSICAL)
Scott Ellis, On the Twentieth Century
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
David Hyde Pierce, It Shoulda Been You
*Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

BEST DIRECTOR (PLAY)
Stephen Daldry, The Audience
*Marianne Elliott, Curious Incident...
Scott Ellis, The Elephant Man
Scott Ellis, You Can't Take it With You
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
Joshua Bergasse, On the Town
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Warren Carlyle, On the Twentieth Century
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
*Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

BEST SET DESIGN
*Bunny Christie, Curious Incident
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
Scott Pask, Something Rotten!
David Rockwell, On the Twentieth Century
Michael Yeargan, The King and I

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Gregg Barnes, Something Rotten!
Bob Crowley, The Audience
William Ivey Long, On the Twentieth Century
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall
*Catherine Zuber, The King and I

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
*Paule Constable, Curious Incident...
Jeff Croiter, Something Rotten!
Rick Fisher, The Audience
Natasha Katz, An American in Paris
Japhy Weidemen, The Visit

BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE
Joe Assadourian, The Bullpen
*Jim Dale, Just Jim Dale
Tom Dugan, Wiesenthal
Cush Jumbo, Josephine and I
Benjamin Scheuer, The Lion

JOHN GASSNER AWARD (for an American play)
*Ayad Akhtar, The Invisible Hand
Halley Feiffer, I'm Gonna Pray for You so Hard
Elizabeth Irwin, My Manana Comes
Markus Potter, Stalking the Bogeyman
Benjamin Scheuer, The Lion

Musical Revivals Vie for Tony Votes

It has been widely assumed for some time that the race for Best Musical Revival is a done deal. The King and I features director Bartlett Sher re-teaming with star Kelli O'Hara for another lush Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. Tony voters loved South Pacific in 2008, so Lincoln Center has another Tony winner on their hands. Right?

Well not so fast. On nominations morning, The King and I did well, as expected, with nine nominations. But it was the musical's two competitors for Best Revival that performed outside of expectations. On the Twentieth Century netted acting notices for superstar Kristin Chenoweth and featured player Andy Karl as well as two design awards. But director Scott Ellis was kicked out of the Best Director category.

Who should take Mr. Ellis' place was non other than On the Town director John Rando. On the Town's choreographer Joshua Bergasse claimed his expected nomination for Best Choreography. But On the Twentieth Century stumbled in that category as well when last year's champ Warren Carlyle lost his spot to a straight play: The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time.

If you're keeping score, The King and I and On the Town are both represented across three key disciplines: directing, acting, and choreography. On the Twentieth Century is only seen in acting.

Seizing the moment, the struggling On the Town announces a national tour for 2016! And to top it off, their Tony nominated leading man, Tony Yazbeck, will headline the tour. Tours can be a significant factor in Tony voting. A sizable block of voters are "road voters". They prefer to vote for shows that play well in their regional markets. This is why shows like An American in Paris and Something Rotten! quickly announced their own national tours. Essentially they're signalling: "Hey we're commercial! And we're already committed to going on the road! Pick me!".

Well not to be outdone, just a day later Lincoln Center has swooped in to steal their thunder. As announced earlier today: The King and I will launch a national tour as well. They have also done one better by announcing that the Broadway production has been extended indefinitely. Now Tony voters can vote for the perpetually sold out open run, or the "probably-will-close-in-September-even-if-it-wins" show.

The King and I seems like it is still in the best position to win. But, I'm thrilled to see the true fight the producers of On the Town are putting up. The race needed a little suspense (and frankly all three nominated revivals are too good for it to be a one horse race). We will have to wait and see if any of these plays turn into Tony wins for On the Town.

The industry affection for the show is also quite heartening. On the Town is a expertly crafted, charming revival. It was unfortunately cursed with a theatre too large for...well, any show really. Rumors suggest that Cirque du Soleil wants to take over the Lyric Theatre whenever it becomes available. Should that happen I'd like to suggest yet another name change for the space: The Broadway Airplane Hanger. Let's just call a spade a spade and let the acrobats deal with it.

2015 Tony Nominations and Reactions

It's been a busy day here in New York. Bruce Willis and Mary Louise Parker announced the Tony nominations this morning and I'm here to give you the run down of all my observations

Shut Outs:
Harvey and the Finding Neverland team will have to console themselves with their huge box office, because they have not a single nomination to call their own. Strangely, the Tonys did not spread the wealth this year. Only five of this years new musicals were cited with nominations. In addition to the JM Barrie musical, Honeymoon in Vegas didn't pick up nods for Rob McClure or Jason Robert Brown, and It Shoulda Been You actresses Lisa Howard and Tyne Daly failed to make the cut. I'm still shocked Honeymoon didn't show up anywhere (c'mon guys, even Spider-Man got in for Costume Design).

One Nominee Wonders:
Best Play and Best Revival of a Play have one contender each that scored in these top categories...but nowhere else. Disgraced beat out multiple nominees The Audience and Airline Highway. This is Our Youth surprised by taking down It's Only a Play (also with a single nod for featured player Micah Stock) and A Delicate Balance (zero nominations, despite a powerhouse cast). The best chances for additional nominations from the two productions were probably Kieran Culkin and Hari Dhillon. But both men were left out of the crowded Lead Actor field.

Scott Pask:
I don't know if the nominating committee got bad information, but Scott Pask designed five incredible sets this season. And failing to feature ANY of them is just plain wrong. So his masterful work on Airline Highway, Finding Neverland, It's Only a Play, Something Rotten!, and The Visit will sit out the scenic design race. You're a winner in my book Mr. Pask.

Tie Rule Used Once:
None of the Best Production categories took advantage of the rule allowing five nominees (four in Musical Revival) in the case of a tie or coming within three votes of fourth place. A similar rule for the acting categories was put into place this year, and Best Featured Actor in a Play was the only category to use it. Best guess is that Micah Stock (only nod from his play) or Matthew Beard (a fairly small part) was number six. Either way I'm angry that past nominee Bryce Pinkham still missed in an expanded category for his touching performance in The Heidi Chronicles.

Is On the Town a Threat?
The King and I has been the assumed Musical Revival frontrunner, with On the Town sitting in third place. But this morning, John Rando scored a surprise nomination for Director (kicking On the Twentieth Century's Scott Ellis out of contention) and Curious Incident took a Choreography slot from Warren Carlyle. This leaves On the Town dance master Joshua Bergasse with only Christopher Wheeldon as his main competitor. Add in Tony Yazbeck's Best Actor nomination (in one of the most competitive categories) and it's time we take this musical seriously during Tony season.

Musical Frontrunners Double (and Triple) Up on Actors:
The leading contenders for the top award managed to net nominations for multiple performers in the same category. Something Rotten! is represented in Featured Actor by Christian Borle and Brad Oscar. The same category has two players from An American in Paris: Max Von Essen and Brandon Uranowitz. Meanwhile, Fun Home pulled off a rare triple: Judy Kuhn, Sydney Lucas, and Emily Skeggs will all compete in Featured Actress.

A complete list of Tony nominees below:

Best Play
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Author: Simon Stephens
Disgraced, Author: Ayad Akhtar
Hand to God, Author: Robert Askins
Wolf Hall Parts One & Two, Co-Authors: Hilary Mantel and Mike Poulton

Best Musical
An American in Paris
Fun Home
Something Rotten
The Visit

Best Revival of a Play
The Elephant Man
Skylight
This Is Our Youth
You Can't Take it With You

Best Revival of a Musical
The King and I
On the Town
On the 20th Century

Best Book of a Musical
An American in Paris, Craig Lucas
Fun Home, Lisa Kron
Something Rotten! Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell
The Visit, Terrence McNally

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Fun Home, Music: Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: Lisa Kron
The Last Ship, Music & Lyrics: Sting
Something Rotten! Music & Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick
The Visit, Music: John Kander, Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Steven Boyer, Hand to God
Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
Ben Miles, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Bill Nighy, Skylight
Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Geneva Carr, Hand to God
Helen Mirren, The Audience
Elisabeth Moss, The Heidi Chronicles
Carey Mulligan, Skylight
Ruth Wilson, Constellations

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, Fun Home
Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Brian d'Arcy James, Something Rotten!
Ken Watanabe, The King and I
Tony Yazbeck, On the Town

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris
Beth Malone, Fun Home
Kelli O'Hara, The King and I
Chita Rivera, The Visit

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Matthew Beard, Skylight
K. Todd Freeman, Airline Highway
Richard McCabe, The Audience
Alessandro Nivola, The Elephant Man
Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Micah Stock, It's Only a Play

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford, You Can't Take It with You
Patricia Clarkson, The Elephant Man
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Sarah Stiles, Hand to God
Julie White, Airline Highway

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Brad Oscar, Something Rotten!
Brandon Uranowitz, An American in Paris
Max von Essen, An American in Paris

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Victoria Clark, Gigi
Judy Kuhn, Fun Home
Sydney Lucas, Fun Home
Ruthie Ann Miles, The King and I
Emily Skeggs, Fun Home

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Bunny Christie and Finn Ross, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Bob Crowley, Skylight
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
David Rockwell, You Can't Take It with You

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions, An American in Paris
David Rockwell, On the Twentieth Century
Michael Yeargan, The King and I
David Zinn, Fun Home

Best Costume Design of a Play
Bob Crowley, The Audience
Jane Greenwood, You Can't Take It with You
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
David Zinn, Airline Highway

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Something Rotten!
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
William Ivey Long, On the Twentieth Century
Catherine Zuber, The King and I

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Paule Constable and David Plater, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Natasha Katz, Skylight
Japhy Weideman, Airline Highway

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Donald Holder, The King and I
Natasha Katz, An American in Paris
Ben Stanton, Fun Home
Japhy Weideman, The Visit

Best Direction of a Play
Stephen Daldry, Skylight
Marianne Elliott, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Scott Ellis, You Can't Take It with You
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two
Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Hand to God

Best Direction of a Musical
Sam Gold, Fun Home
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
John Rando, On the Town
Bartlett Sher, The King and I
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, On the Town
Christopher Gattelli, The King and I
Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Best Orchestrations
Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, Bill Elliott, An American in Paris
John Clancy, Fun Home
Larry Hochman, Something Rotten!
Rob Mathes, The Last Ship

By Show
An American in Paris - 12
Fun Home - 12
Something Rotten! - 10
The King and I - 9
Wolf Hall Parts One & Two - 8
Skylight - 7
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - 6
Hand to God - 5
On the Twentieth Century - 5
The Visit - 5
You Can't Take It with You - 5
Airline Highway - 4
The Elephant Man - 4
On the Town - 4
The Audience - 3
The Last Ship - 2
Constellations - 1
Disgraced - 1
Gigi - 1
The Heidi Chronicles - 1
It's Only a Play - 1
This Is Our Youth - 1

Lift Up Your Hands: Final Predictions and a Special Announcement

Twas the night before Tony noms, and in every Broadway house, creatures were stirring, and totally freaking out.

Tomorrow at 8:30 am, Mary Louise Parker and Bruce Willis will announce the 2015 Tony Nominations. The Contenders section of the blog has been updated with all my final predictions. Some more confident than others. But as often the case with a strong season like the one we've had, many worthy artists will have a disappointing Tuesday morning.

Perhaps that's why the Tonys are leading into the anticipated morning with exciting news. John Cameron Mitchell will be the recipient of the 2015 Special Tony Award. The actor and co-creator of the Tony winning musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch just completed a run as the title character. A role he originated downtown.

Having recently seen him in the role, I couldn't be happier for him. With no disrespect to the talented men who inhabited her glittery heels: JCM is the definitive Hedwig. I'm not sure I have ever seen a performer so comfortable in a role. It is also a nice gesture considering he was not eligible to receive a Tony for Hedwig's Broadway debut, since it was classified a revival (a rare event that was amended with a rule change regarding authors and composers this season).

Stephen Schwartz, known for creating music and lyrics to the likes of Wicked and Godspell, will receive the 2015 Isabelle Stevenson Award. The award is presented to a member of the theatre community who dedicates their time to a charity or humanitarian organization. Mr. Schwartz is being cited for fostering new talent through ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, ASCAP Foundation, and developing new partnerships as President of the Dramatists Guild.

Congrats to the well deserved Tony honorees. At least there will be two people who won't be sweating at 8:30 in the morning.

Check out the Tony predictions and see just how right (or horribly wrong) I am in the morning.

Hey, Tonys: Don't Forget Them! Contenders Who Need Love

The Tony Nominating committee will soon be meeting to decide the nominees for the 2015 Tony Awards. This group of about 40 theatre professionals are required to see every Broadway show in the 2014-2015 season. This factor ensures a fairly equal playing field, but the nominators can still fall victim to short term memory voting (STMV for short, a deadly disease).

Many worthy performers fall victim to the effects of STMV when a show opens early in the season or closes prematurely. To help refresh the nominators memories, here is a list of who should be remembered come Tony time, even if their shows or buzz have disappeared.

Best Lead Actor in a Musical
Rob McClure, Honeymoon in Vegas

Honeymoon in Vegas was great fun and Rob McClure anchored the whole shebang. From the moment he entered singing "I Love Betsy", I was totally on board with everything the show had to offer. He has a wonderful voice and knows how to sell the endearing yet awkward role. It was quite simply one of the best musical performances this year, and if he misses out on a nomination it will be a crime.

Best Lead Actress in a Musical
Rachel Tucker, The Last Ship

This category features several Broadway divas who dominate their respective musicals. Ms. Tucker may not have been the dominant star of The Last Ship, but boy did she eat up every scene she was given. A refreshingly nuanced portrayal of a woman digging into her painful past and reconciling it with her new life. It also helps that she has impeccable vocal precision on songs like "If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor"...which may or may not be on constant rotation on my Spotify.

Best Lead Actor in a Play
Jake Gyllenhaal, Constellations

As with the recent Oscar season, Jake finds himself on the bubble for a Tony nomination. The Oscars failed to recognize him for Nightcrawler, and it would be a real shame for the Tonys to shun him for his beautiful work in Constellations. Never leaving the stage, he and co-star Ruth Wilson took us on a detailed journey of two people, and all the possible paths their lives could take. Watching the actor hurl himself through different emotional states in the blink of an eye was mesmerizing. With his Broadway debut, he proved to be a more than capable stage actor.

Best Lead Actress in a Play 
Glenn Close and Lindsay Duncan, A Delicate Balance

Who would have thought I would need to remind nominators of these two titans? But it seems I do. Both women compete against each other for votes in a crowded Best Actress field. They each tackle one of Albee's most dense plays in brilliantly different manners. As the alcoholic hanger-on Claire, stage veteran Duncan steals every scene she's in with wild physicality. She also proves an excellent marksman as she hurls Mr. Albee's signature barbs at her landlord sister and brother-in-law. Agnes on the other hand is performed by Glenn Close with a restraint rarely seen from the actress. It's ever more impressive in the plays final act when we realize every glance and gesture has been a well placed maneuver to bend the house to her will.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Alysha Umphress, On the Town

Hildy's signature song "I Can Cook Too" has been interpreted by many a great theatre artist, but you've never seen it performed like this. Umphress showcases her powerhouse vocals, creating a glorious wall of sound. And when she launches into a riff/scat freestyle, I lost control and literally shouted out "Yaasss! SING" ...Yeah, I was that guy. And I'm not sorry because this lady took me to church and my body could not contain the euphoria. She needs a nomination. It's not up for discussion.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Fred Applegate, The Last Ship

The Last Ship may not have been a perfect musical, but Fred Applegate's performance of the title song will haunt me forever. The actor is well known for comedic shows like The Producers, but here he served as the beating heart of Sting's emotional score. The bellowing voice and delicate care he brought to Father O'Brien may be his best work thus far. The Featured Actor category is extremely crowded, but room must be made for this marvelous performance.

Best Featured Actress in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford, You Can't Take it With You

The revival of You Can't Take it With You was an unexpected highlight of the season. Every single performer knocked it out of the park. I could have chosen to single out Kristine Nielsen or Julie Halston, both of whom also deserve nods. But it was Annaleigh Ashford who had me roaring in my seat without having to say a word. Her hysterically bad interpretive ballet dancing, and clumsy attempts at graceful fealty to the house-guests are still replaying in my mind. She Could Have Danced All Night...and I wouldn't have minded.

Best Featured Actor in a Play
Micah Stock, It's Only a Play

It's Only a Play became a smash hit this fall due to the plethora of huge names above the title. But as coat check guy Gus, it's unknown Micah Stock in his Broadway debut who makes the biggest splash. The setup is familiar, he is tasked with attending to the big stars' fine coats, but hopes they'll recognize his acting talent. But Stock's hilarious deadpan and genuine innocence provides the show with some of its best moments. The advertising of this show touted the number of Tony, Oscar, and Emmy nominations and/or wins its stars have received. It's time for Stock to get a nomination of his own.

Who do you hope gets remembered with a Tony nomination?