Will Win and Could Win: Your Ultimate 2019 Oscars Guide

After a long and confusing season, we are in the home stretch. It is the most unpredictable year perhaps ever. Each precursor has pointed in the direction of a different film. PGA went for "Green Book." SAG went for "Black Panther." DGA for "Roma." The Editors went for "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Favourite." And then the Writers backed "Eighth Grade" and "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" which weren't even nominated for Best Picture.

Here is my final choices for "will win" and "could win" (as well as a ranked list of Best Picture nominees). There are a ton of races up in the air this year, because stats are being broken at every turn. So read this, go with your gut, consult your tarot cards, and hope for the best as your make your predictions.

Best Picture

1. Roma
2. Green Book
3. Black Panther
4. BlacKkKlansman
5. The Favourite
6. Bohemian Rhapsody
7. A Star is Born
8. Vice

It's all up in the air, folks. "Roma" won DGA and BAFTA. It's missing a nomination for Film Editing. No foreign language film has ever won Best Picture, and it's unclear if the Academy is ready to embrace Netflix so fully. But it's been deemed a masterpiece and allows Academy members to back art house fare in a year dominated by popular tent-pole films.

"Green Book" won the PGA, the only group that uses the same preferential voting system as the Oscars. Why did "Roma" lose there? Unclear. But "Green Book" is the type of conventional feel-good movie voters love to embrace. It's been dogged by a plethora of controversies, but many voters don't seem to care. The bigger factor against it is the lack of directing nomination. "Argo" overcame that setback when Ben Affleck was snubbed in Director, but people certainly have not rallied around Peter Farrelly in the same way. In any case it's probably one of these two films for the win.

"Black Panther" and "BlacKkKlansman" are the only others that have an edge to snag the top prize. "Black Panther" won SAG Ensemble...but lacks nominations in director, acting, writing, or film editing. Stats-wise, it would have to break every rule in the book to win. But it also seems like that type of year. It also seems like a movie people will rank high on their ballots given the cultural significance it carries. "BlacKkKlansman", meanwhile, is that stats king. It has nominations for director, acting, writing, and film editing. Yet, it just lost WGA to "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" I still think Spike Lee takes Adapted Screenplay...but that could be the film's only award.

Best Director
Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron, "Roma"
Could Win: Spike Lee, "BlacKkKlansman"

Alfonso Cuaron has this in the bag. His finger prints are all over Roma, one of the most beloved films of the year, and a sort of film-journal for the auteur. Pawel Pawlikowski ("Cold War," the other hit foreign film) and Spike Lee ("BlacKkKlansman," his first ever directing nomination) both have ardent fans. But Cuaron has won every major award this season.

Lead Actor
Will Win: Rami Malek, "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Could Win: Christian Bale, "Vice"

I suppose Bradley Cooper may get some sympathy votes here for being snubbed in director, but this award is Malek's to lose. They liked his performance so much that they shoved the movie into the Best Picture field, giving him a path to victory (Actor is generally tied to a Best Picture nom). Christian Bale is similarly transformative, but plays a disliked figure in a divisive movie. It's Malek's moment.

Lead Actress
Will Win: Glenn Close, "The Wife"
Could Win: Olivia Colman, "The Favourite"

It's hard to win when you're the only nominee for your movie. But no one has as storied a career as Close. She is on her 7th Oscar nomination and has never won, which has been a cornerstone of a very smart awards campaign for this role. Her Golden Globes speech basically sealed the deal. Still, Colman also won a Globe (Comedy) and took her native BAFTA award. But it feels like it's finally Glenn's year.

Supporting Actor
Will Win: Mahershala Ali, "Green Book"
Could Win: Richard E. Grant, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"

Oh how I'd love to see Grant step up to the podium for his fully lived in role. He's charming in the movie and equally charming on the campaign trail, despite the studio's overall effort for the film falling a bit short. But Ali has won nearly every precursor award and it just seems inevitable at this point. BFCA, SAG, Globe, BAFTA...next stop Oscar.

Supporting Actress
Will Win: Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk"
Could Win: Rachel Weisz, "The Favourite" or Marina de Tavira, "Roma"

Too close to call, really. King was the perceived frontrunner, winning BFCA and the Globe. Then she wasn't even nominated at SAG or BAFTA. SAG gave a trophy to not-nominated Emily Blunt. BAFTA went with hometown girl Weisz. Weisz is fascinating and could steal it, but those of us who underestimated King at the Emmys (several times) know she is fully capable of pulling out a surprise win that defies stats. Also, if voters love "Roma" so much (and trust, they do) they might just check of de Tavira here to give the film an acting win. She's made appearances all over town and worked the circuit hard.

Original Screenplay
Will Win: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, "The Favourite"
Could Win: Tony Vallelonga and Brian Curry, "Green Book"...or really any of them.

If anyone tells you they are certain about the winner here, they're a fool. WGA awarded not-nominated (but should have been) "Eighth Grade" and gave us no tea leaves. "The Favourite" was ineligible for that guild, but won BAFTA. "Roma" and "Green Book" are both Best Picture frontrunners. Paul Schrader has NEVER won an Oscar....and he wrote "Chinatown" so that is insane. They might want to finally give him one for "First Reformed." But "The Favourite" is so dialogue heavy, and obviously is propelled by its script. In a nail-biter race, I'll go with that one.

Adapted Screenplay
Will Win: Spike Lee, "BlacKkKlansman"
Could Win: Barry Jenkins, "If Beale Street Could Talk"

This is the best place to reward Lee and give him his first ever Oscar. He just won the BAFTA too. Still, Jenkins' script is a more "obvious" work of adaptation, and flows like the poetic pieces which it's based on. WGA went with Nicole Holofcener for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" but that win makes sense with only writers voting since the film is about a writer. Expect the Academy at large to lean towards Spike.

Cinematography
Will Win: "Roma"
Could Win: "Cold War"

Could Win? Forget it Jake. It's "Roma."

Film Editing
Will Win: "Vice"
Could Win: "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Toss up. "Vice" undoubtedly has the showiest editing work. And often times it's the film with the most cuts, the most obvious use of the craft, that wins. BUT. The editors guild (ACE) awarded their drama prize to "Bohemian Rhapsody" and their comedy prize to "The Favourite." either of those could take it, but I give a slight edge to the Freddie Mercury pic, since the work stands out more. Especially the finale at Live Aid.

Animated Feature
Will Win: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse"
Could Win: Incredibles 2"

The only sequel to ever win this category was "Toy Story 3" which was also a Best Picture nominee. That's bad news for "Ralph 2" and "Incredibles 2." Especially since Spidey emerged as a late favorite and had everyone talking during the voting period. It's quality storytelling and unique visuals will help it pull off a rare Disney/Pixar defeat.

Foreign Language Feature
Will Win: "Roma"
Could Win: "Cold War"

"Cold War" over performed with directing and cinematography nominations, spurring many pundits to think about an upset here. But "Roma" should easily win given the massive amounts of love for it.

Documentary Feature
Will Win: "Free Solo"
Could Win: "RBG" or "Minding the Gap"

Without a certain Mr. Rogers pic nominated, this category is wide open. I've changed my mind between the above 3 docs more times than I can count, and will surely continue. "RBG" has the most cultural currency and is an easy, feel-good watch. "Free Solo" has the most dazzling visuals, being filmed from dizzy heights on the subject's daring Yosemite climb. It recently won the BAFTA. But "Minding the Gap" gained steam late in the race, and peaked as voters were marking their ballots. Not only does it have heart, but it's unlikely word of mouth success made voters feel like they "discovered" something when watching it. That's a powerful factor in a close race.

Production Design
Will Win: "The Favourite"
Could Win: "Black Panther"

A coin toss between "The Favourite" and "Black Panther." If any voters feel like too much of the production was CGI for "Panther" they may opt for the decked out real life locales in "The Favourite." I give it a razor thin edge.

Costume Design
Will Win: "Black Panther"
Could Win: The Favourite"

Same two movies go head to head again. Maybe I'm silly for predicting the two categories to split, but the costumes in "Black Panther" are just so colorful and vibrant and unique. And there's so MANY of them.

Makeup and Hairstyling
Will Win: "Vice"
Could Win: "Mary Queen of Scots"

Foreign entry "Border" really should be winning for the outstanding prosthetic work, but I highly doubt every voter has seen it. So "Vice" will win as the only Best Picture nominee of the three for transforming its cast into real life figures. The usual way to win this category.

Score
Will Win: Ludwig Goransson, "Black Panther"
Could Win: Nicholas Brittell "If Beale Street Could Talk" or Terrence Blanchard, "BlacKkKlansman"

What a crapshoot. There is no guild or precursor award to help us here. "Black Panther" and "BlacKkKlansman" are the two Best Picture nominees and either would make sense. The Marvel film just won a Grammy for its soundtrack. But then there's Nicholas Brittell and his gorgeous work in "If Beale Street Could Talk." I'd say that's the score with the most talk around it...but is there enough support for the film to push it through? And though heat has faded from the movie, "Mary Poppins Returns" would make a winner out of Marc Shaiman and the music is the center of the movie. Possibly the hardest to predict of the night, any of them could take it.

Original Song
Will Win: 'Shallow' from "A Star is Born"
Could Win: nah

Shockingly, this could be the only win "A Star is Born." Lady Gaga finally gets her Oscar, as none of the other nominated songs have had anywhere near the impact that this one has. I suppose there's a (looong) shot that 'All the Stars' from "Black Panther" could upset. But you'd be crazy to predict it.

Sound Editing
Will Win: "A Quiet Place"
Could Win: "First Man" or "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Can "A Quiet Place" really win its only nomination? They were just rewarded by the sound editors guild, so...maybe? It's certainly the most obvious use of sound effects in a movie. "First Man" is the type of thing that normally wins here (or something with big battles like "Black Panther"), but the guild's other award went to "Bohemian Rhapsody." That film has been underestimated by pundits all season long, but the industry has truly embraced it. Too close to call. They could even back "Roma" yet again.

Sound Mixing
Will Win: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Could Win: "A Star is Born"

Music driven films do well in this category. "Bohemian Rhapsody" just picked up the relevant guild award from sound mixers. "A Star is Born" may have a chance considering it uses elements of live singing, but I feel pretty good about "Rhapsody" here. Of course if votes are close between these two music films, it gives a chance for something like "First Man" to surprise.

Visual Effects
Will Win: "First Man"
Could Win: "Avengers: Infinity War"

"Avengers" dominated the guild award (VES), with a couple wins from "Ready Player One." Most people think "Avengers" has it in the bag. However, the Academy is not enamored with Marvel. And this isn't even the big Marvel movie they finally embraced. Disney didn't launch a robust campaign for "Avengers" b/c they didn't want it to eat attention away from "Black Panther." "First Man" DID have a large campaign, even if it ultimately disappointed and was left out of Best Picture. It won a supporting effects trophy from VES and is the type of prestige pic that voters will feel good about voting. Remember when everyone thought the "Planet of the Apes" trilogy would take this after dominating the VES? And then they were bested by more prestigious movies with bigger campaigns: "Hugo," "Interstellar" and "Bladerunner 2049."

Live Action Short
Will Win: "Marguerite"
Could Win: "Skin" or "Fauve"

In a category of depressing shorts, "Marguerite" stands out as a beautiful and affecting story that tugs on the heartstrings. Unlike the others it just makes you feel good. It's beautiful because of its simplicity and presents an easy to follow narrative. Still, "Skin" and "Fauve" are both compelling and expertly shot. But their depressing subject matter could hold them back.

Documentary Short
Will Win: "Period. End of Sentence."
Could Win: "Black Sheep"

What a category. Most pundits are heading towards "Black Sheep," a haunting recollection of racism. But I'm diverging from the pack. "Period. End of Sentence." has a push from Netflix and famed Oscar strategist Lisa Taback. While gender bias from the old boys club in The Academy could hold it back from winning (it's about ending taboo around menstruation in rural India), it is incredibly uplifting. Just like in Live Action Short, this is the feel-good apple in a bag of depressing oranges. Holocaust films also have strong history here, but "Night at the Garden" is all told through archival footage and may leave voters wanting.

Animated Short
Will Win: "Bao"
Could Win: "Late Afternoon"

"Bao" is Pixar. It's widely seen. It's cute. It's simple but affecting. It'll win. "Late Afternoon" is also incredibly emotional, right from the start. It could gain votes if people actually watch them all. But I'm not betting against Pixar.

If I was a Tony voter: The 2018 Sammys

The 2018 Tony Awards are upon us! But before we gather to watch the real nominees and winners tonight, it's time for my annual list of Dream Tonys: The Sammys!

I love the Tonys, but like any awards show they always get a few things wrong. So thank God Sondheim I'm here to set things straight. I stick to the same categories with only a few adjustments: I have a Best New Script category because it continually blows my mind that our playwrights don't have a race of their own at the Tonys. And that category, as well as Score and Book only have 3 nominees each. In a thin year for new work and original scores, that's all that seemed necessary. As you can see by the totals at the bottom of this list, I ended up spreading the wealth quite a bit.

Full list of nominees and winners below!

Best Musical
"The Band's Visit" (winner)
"Frozen"
"Mean Girls"
"SpongeBob SquarePants" (runner-up)

Best Play
"The Children" (winner)
"Farinelli and the King'
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" (runner-up)
"Junk"

Best Revival of a Musical
"Carousel"
"My Fair Lady" (runner-up)
"Once on This Island" (winner)

Best Revival of a Play
"Angels in America" (winner)
"Lobby Hero"
"Three Tall Women" (runner-up)
"Travesties"

Lead Actor in a Musical
Harry Hadden-Paton, "My Fair Lady" (runner-up)
Joshua Henry, "Carousel"
Tony Shalhoub, "The Band's Visit"
Ethan Slater, "SpongeBob SquarePants" (winner)

Lead Actress in a Musical
Lauren Ambrose, "My Fair Lady" (runner-up)
Hailey Kilgore, "Once on This Island"
Katrina Lenk, "The Band's Visit" (winner)
Taylor Louderman, "Mean Girls"
Patti Murin, "Frozen"

Lead Actor in a Play
Andrew Garfield, "Angels in America" (winner)
Tom Hollander, "Travesties" (runner-up)
John Lithgow, "Stories by Heart"
Steven Pasquale, "Junk"
Mark Rylance, "Farinelli and the King"

Lead Actress in a Play
Glenda Jackson, "Three Tall Women" (winner)
Condola Rashad, "Saint Joan"
Lauren Ridloff, "Children of a Lesser God" (runner-up)
Lili Taylor, "Marvin's Room"

Featured Actor in a Musical
Adam Kantor, "The Band's Visit"
Norbert Leo Butz, "My Fair Lady" (winner)
Gavin Lee, "SpongeBob SquarePants"
Alex Newell, "Once on This Island" (runner-up)
Wesley Taylor, "SpongeBob SquarePants"

Featured Actress in a Musical
Ariana DeBose, "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical"
Lindsay Mendez, "Carousel" (winner)
Kenita R. Miller, "Once on This Island" (runner-up)
Ashley Park, "Mean Girls"
Kate Rockwell, "Mean Girls"

Featured Actor in a Play
Anthony Boyle, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"
Ron Cook, "The Children"
Nathan Lane, "Angels in America" (winner)
James McArdle, "Angels in America" (runner-up)
Lee Pace, "Angels in America"

Featured Actress in a Play
Francesca Annis, "The Children"
Susan Brown, "Angels in America"
Deborah Findlay, "The Children" (winner)
Denise Gough, "Angels in America" (runner-up)
Laurie Metcalf, "Three Tall Women"

Director of a Musical
Michael Arden, "Once on This Island" (winner)
David Cromer, "The Band's Visit" (runner-up)
Tina Landau, "SpongeBob SquarePants"
Casey Nicholaw, "Mean Girls"
Bartlett Sher, "My Fair Lady"

Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott, "Angels in America" (runner-up)
James Macdonald, "The Children"
Joe Mantello, "Three Tall Women"
Patrick Marber, "Travesties"
John Tiffany, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" (winner)

Original Score
Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, "Frozen"
David Yazbeck, "The Band's Visit" (winner)
Various Artists, "SpongeBob SquarePants"

Book of a Musical
Tina Fey, "Mean Girls"
Kyle Jarrow, "SpongeBob SquarePants"
Itamar Moses, "The Band's Visit" (winner)

New Script
Ayad Akhtar, "Junk"
John Leguizamo, "Latin History for Morons"
Lucy Kirkwood, "The Children" (winner)

Choreography
Camille A. Brown, "Once on This Island" (winner)
Christopher Gattelli, "SpongeBob SquarePants"
Steven Hoggett, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"
Casey Nicholaw, "Mean Girls"
Justin Peck, "Carousel" (runner-up)

Orchestrations
"The Band's Visit" (winner)
"Carousel"
"Once on This Island"
"Prince of Broadway"
"SpongeBob SquarePants" (runner-up)

Scenic Design of a Musical
"The Band's Visit"
"Frozen"
"My Fair Lady" (runner-up)
"Once on This Island" (winner)
"SpongeBob SquarePants"

Scenic Design of a Play
"Angels in America"
"The Children"
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" (winner)
"Three Tall Women" (runner-up)
"Travesties"

Costume Design of a Musical
"Mean Girls"
"My Fair Lady" (winner)
"Once on This Island" (runner-up)
"SpongeBob SquarePants"
"Summer: The Donna Summer Musical"

Costume Design of a Play
"Angels in America"
"Farinelli and the King" (winner)
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" (runner-up)
"Time and the Conways"
"Three Tall Women"

Lighting Design of a Musical
"The Band's Visit" (runner-up)
"Carousel"
"My Fair Lady" (winner)
"Once on This Island"
"SpongeBob SquarePants"

Lighting Design of a Play
"Angels in America" (runner-up)
"The Children"
"Farinelli and the King"
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" (winner)
"Junk"

Sound Design of a Musical
"The Band's Visit" (runner-up)
"Carousel"
"My Fair Lady"
"Once on This Island"
"SpongeBob SquarePants" (winner)

Sound Design of a Play
"Angels in America" (winner)
"The Children"
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" (runner-up)
"Time and the Conways"
"Travesties"

WINS
"The Band's Visit" - 5
"Angels in America" - 4
"Once on This Island" - 4
"The Children" - 3
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" - 3
"My Fair Lady" - 3
"SpongeBob SquarePants" - 2
"Carousel" - 1
"Farinelli and the King" - 1
"Three Tall Women" - 1

MOST NOMINATED
"SpongeBob SquarePants" - 13
"Angels in America" - 12
"The Band's Visit" - 11
"Once on This Island" - 11
"The Children" - 9
"My Fair Lady" - 9
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" - 8
"Mean Girls" - 8
"Carousel" - 7
"Three Tall Women" - 6
"Frozen" - 5
"Travesties" - 5

2018 Tony Award Nominations

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”

2018 Drama Desk Nominations (mostly) tell the Broadway season to Sashay Away

The Drama Desks revealed their 2018 nominations, which include Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. And boy are they...weird.

It appears that the nominating committee didn't care for the Broadway season as much as the shows taking place in smaller venues Off-Broadway. Not a single new Broadway play was nominated for Best Play. "Frozen" was tossed out of the Best Musical category. "Harry Potter" couldn't even break into Scenic Design. A seemingly bizarre list is often the case with this awards body given the small pool of nominators who choose to sift through an entire season of New York theater. When you have just 8 people deciding the nominees, it is easy for singular tastes to emerge in the results.

So can we use any of this to predict the Tonys? Not really, but there are still some curiosities to mention. After the OCC noms, this is the second group to snub "The Iceman Cometh" for Play Revival, Lead Actor, and Director. Yet both Drama Desks and OCC cited Robert Morse in Featured Actor. So he should definitely be considered a threat. Ditto Brian Tyree Henry for "Lobby Hero." The play is well liked enough for one of it's three actors to break through, and the critical darling might be who voters are settling on.

Over in Featured Actor in a Musical, Alexander Gemignani racks up a second nomination for "Carousel." He should be competitive, but I still worry that he will be knocked out of the Tony race by one of the men from "The Band's Visit." Tony Yazbeck keeps popping up too, and he could surprise as the only Tony nomination for "Prince of Broadway." As for Featured Actress in a Musical...who knows. Lindsay Mendez is on track for her first Tony nomination. Other than that, it's clear the category will have at least two ladies from "Mean Girls" but there is zero consensus on which ones. Flip a coin I suppose.

Full list below:

Outstanding Play
Admissions, by Joshua Harmon, Lincoln Center Theater
Mary Jane, by Amy Herzog, New York Theatre Workshop
Miles for Mary, by The Mad Ones, Playwrights Horizons
People, Places & Things, by Duncan Macmillan, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Theater

Outstanding Musical
Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theatre Company/Woodshed Collective
Mean Girls
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Angels in America
Hindle Wakes, Mint Theater Company
In the Blood, Signature Theatre Company
Three Tall Women
Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Amerike-The Golden Land, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
Carousel
My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Once on This Island
Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Johnny Flynn, Hangmen, Royal Court Theatre/Atlantic Theater Company
Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Tom Hollander, Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company
James McArdle, Angels in America
Paul Sparks, At Home at the Zoo, Signature Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Carrie Coon, Mary Jane, New York Theatre Workshop
Denise Gough, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women
Billie Piper, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Jelani Alladin, Frozen
Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry, Carousel
Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones, the cell
Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Gizel Jiménez, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater
LaChanze, Summer
Jessie Mueller, Carousel
Ashley Park, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ben Edelman, Admissions, Lincoln Center Theater
Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero, Second Stage
Nathan Lane, Angels in America
David Morse, The Iceman Cometh
Gregg Mozgala, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Jocelyn Bioh, In the Blood, Signature Theatre
Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans, Roundabout Underground
Barbara Marten, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Deirdre O'Connell, Fulfillment Center, Manhattan Theatre Club
Constance Shulman, Bobbie Clearly, Roundabout Underground

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Damon Daunno, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova
Alexander Gemignani, Carousel
Grey Henson, Mean Girls
Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants
Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Lindsay Mendez, Carousel
Kenita R. Miller, Once on This Island
Ashley Park, Mean Girls
Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady
Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls

Outstanding Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott, Angels in America
Jeremy Herrin, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women
Lila Neugebauer, Miles for Mary, Playwrights Horizons
Simon Stone, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
Teddy Bergman, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Jack O'Brien, Carousel
Tina Landau, SpongeBob SquarePants
Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady

The LaDuca Award for Outstanding Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island
Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants
Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls
Justin Peck, Carousel
Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air, Abingdon Theatre Company

Outstanding Music
The Bengsons, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova/Piece by Piece Productions/Z Space
Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
David Friedman, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Lyrics
Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls
Quiara Alegría Hudes/Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theatre
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Tina Fey, Mean Girls
Kyle Jarrow, SpongeBob Squarepants
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, York Theatre Company
Hannah Moscovitch, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre/59E59

Outstanding Orchestrations
Tom Kitt, SpongeBob SquarePants
Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin (John Bertles and Bash the Trash, found instrument design) Once on This Island
Charlie Rosen, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theater
Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company
Jonathan Tunick, Carousel

Outstanding Music in a Play
Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Justin Hicks, Mlima's Tale, Public Theatre
Amatus Karim-Ali, The Homecoming Queen, Atlantic Theater Company
Justin Levine, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Public Theater
Adrian Sutton, Angels in America

The Hudson Scenic Studio Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, Three Tall Women
Bunny Christie, People, Places & Things, St. Ann's Warehouse/National Theatre/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Lizzie Clachan, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
Maruti Evans, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Louisa Thompson, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
Beowulf Boritt, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club
Dane Laffrey, Once on This Island
Santo Loquasto, Carousel
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
Dede M. Ayite, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Jonathan Fensom, Farinelli and the King
Katrina Lindsay, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ann Roth, Three Tall Women
Emilio Sosa, Venus, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Mean Girls
Clint Ramos, Once on This Island
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants
Catherine Zuber, My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Dede M. Ayite, Bella: An American Tall Tale, Playwrights Horizons

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play
Neil Austin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Natasha Chivers, 1984
Alan C. Edwards, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Paul Gallo, Three Tall Women
Paul Russell, Farinelli and the King

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre Company/59E59
Amith Chandrashaker, The Lucky Ones
Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, Once on This Island
Brian MacDevitt, Carousel
Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Projection Design
David Bengali, Van Gogh's Ear, Ensemble for the Romantic Century
Andrezj Goulding, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Peter Nigrini, SpongeBob SquarePants
Finn Ross and Adam Young, Mean Girls
Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Brendan Aanes, Balls, One Year Lease Theater Company/Stages Repertory Theatre/59E59
Gareth Fry, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Tom Gibbons, 1984
Tom Gibbons, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Stefan Gregory, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
Palmer Hefferan, Today is My Birthday, Page 73 Productions

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Kai Harada, The Band's Visit
Scott Lehrer, Carousel
Will Pickens, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Woodshed Collective
Dan Moses Schreier, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Wig and Hair
Carole Hancock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Campbell Young Associates, Farinelli and the King
Cookie Jordan, School Girls;, or The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Charles G. LaPointe, SpongeBob SquarePants
Josh Marquette, Mean Girls

Outstanding Solo Performance
Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke, Vineyard Theatre
David Greenspan, Strange Interlude, Transport Group
Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder
Lesli Margherita, Who's Holiday!
Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff/59E59

The Chase Award for Unique Theatrical Experience
Derren Brown: Secret, Atlantic Theater Company
Master, Foundry Theatre
Say Something Bunny!

Outstanding Fight Choreography
J. David Brimmer, Is God Is, Soho Rep
Steve Rankin, Carousel
Unkle Dave's Fight House, Oedipus El Rey, The Public Theater/The Sol Project

Outstanding Puppet Design
Finn Caldwell, Nick Barnes, Angels in America
Michael Curry, Frozen
Charlie Kanev, Sarah Nolan, and Jonathan Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder
Vandy Wood, The Artificial Jungle, Theatre Breaking Through Barriers

2018 Outer Critics Circle Nominations Announced! "Spongebob" leads with 11 noms

The Outer Critics Circle unveiled their list of 2018 nominees today. "Spongebob SquarePants" topped the list with eleven nominations, followed closely by "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" with ten and "My Fair Lady" with nine.

The Outer Critics Circle is comprised of writers who cover the New York theater scene for out-of-town and national media. The awards include both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. This tends to decrease their relevancy as a Tony precursor, since Off-Broadway transfers are only eligible in their first incarnation. This year, that means Tony frontrunner "The Band's Visit" isn't found anywhere among the nominees, having been recognized for the Off-Broadway run last year.

Still there are some interesting picks and snubs which may or may not foretell the tide changing right before Tony nominations are announced. Complete list of nominees below:

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
The Children
Farinelli and the King
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Junk

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
Escape to Margaritaville
Frozen
Mean Girls
Prince of Broadway
SpongeBob SquarePants

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Admissions
Cost of Living
Hangmen
The Low Road
Mlima's Tale

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Cruel Intentions
Desperate Measures
Jerry Springer - The Opera
Miss You Like Hell
Woody Sez

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Tina Fey - Mean Girls
Quiara Alegría Hudes - Miss You Like Hell
Kyle Jarrow - SpongeBob SquarePants
Peter Kellogg - Desperate Measures

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

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, Jonathan Coulton, Tom Kitt - SpongeBob SquarePants

David Friedman & Peter Kellogg - Desperate Measures

Imogen Heap - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Erin McKeown & Quiara Alegría Hudes - Miss You Like Hell

Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez - Frozen

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Angels in America
Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train
Lobby Hero
Three Tall Women
Travesties

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Carousel
My Fair Lady
Once on This Island
Pacific Overtures

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Jo Bonney - Cost of Living
Marianne Elliott - Angels in America
Patrick Marber - Travesties
Joe Mantello - Three Tall Women
John Tiffany - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Michael Arden - Once on This Island
Bill Castellino - Desperate Measures
Tina Landau - SpongeBob SquarePants
Casey Nicholaw - Mean Girls
Bartlett Sher - My Fair Lady

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Camille A. Brown - Once on This Island
Christopher Gattelli - My Fair Lady
Christopher Gattelli - SpongeBob SquarePants
Steven Hoggett - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Justin Peck - Carousel

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
(Play or Musical)

Miriam Buether - Three Tall Women
Myung Hee Cho - In the Body of the World
Christine Jones - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Michael Yeargan - My Fair Lady
David Zinn - SpongeBob SquarePants

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
(Play or Musical)

Katrina Lindsay - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Clint Ramos - Once on This Island
Paloma Young - Time and the Conways
David Zinn - SpongeBob SquarePants
Catherine Zuber - My Fair Lady

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
(Play or Musical)

Kevin Adams - SpongeBob SquarePants
Neil Austin - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Paule Constable - Angels in America
Paul Russell - Farinelli and the King
Lap Chi Chu - Mlima's Tale

OUTSTANDING PROJECTION DESIGN
(Play or Musical)

Tim Reid - 1984
Finn Ross - Frozen
Finn Ross - In the Body of the World
Finn Ross & Adam Young - Mean Girls
Finn Ross & Ash Woodward - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
(Play or Musical)

Gareth Fry - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Kate Marvin - [Porto]
Fitz Patton - Napoli, Brooklyn
Marc Salzberg - My Fair Lady
Darron L. West - Mlima's Tale

OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRATIONS
Jason Robert Brown - Prince of Broadway
Tom Kitt - SpongeBob SquarePants
AnnMarie Milazzo & Michael Starobin - Once on This Island
Jonathan Tunick - Carousel
Claire Van Kampen - Farinelli and the King

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Sean Carvajal - Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train
Andrew Garfield - Angels in America
Tom Hollander - Travesties
Gregg Mozgala - Cost of Living
Michael Urie - The Government Inspector

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
MaameYaa Boafo - School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play
Jessica Hecht - Admissions
Glenda Jackson - Three Tall Women
Lauren Ridloff - Children of a Lesser God
Katy Sullivan - Cost of Living

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Harry Hadden-Paton - My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry - Carousel
David M. Lutken - Woody Sez
Conor Ryan - Desperate Measures
Ethan Slater - SpongeBob SquarePants

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lauren Ambrose - My Fair Lady
Erika Henningsen - Mean Girls
Hailey Kilgore - Once On This Island
Taylor Louderman - Mean Girls
Patti Murin - Frozen

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anthony Boyle - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Johnny Flynn - Hangmen
Nathan Lane - Angels in America
David Morse - The Iceman Cometh
Paul Sparks - At Home at the Zoo

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jamie Brewer - Amy and the Orphans
Denise Gough - Angels in America
Harriet Harris - The Low Road
Laurie Metcalf - Three Tall Women
Mary Testa - The Government Inspector

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Norbert Leo Butz - My Fair Lady
Alexander Gemignani - Carousel
Gavin Lee - SpongeBob SquarePants
Nick Wyman - Desperate Measures
Tony Yazbeck - Prince of Broadway

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kerry Butler - Mean Girls
Lindsay Mendez - Carousel
Lauren Molina - Desperate Measures
Ashley Park - Mean Girls
Emily Skinner - Prince of Broadway

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Billy Crudup - Harry Clarke
Eve Ensler - In the Body of the World
Alison Fraser - Squeamish
John Lithgow - Stories By Heart
Sharon Washington - Feeding the Dragon

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)

Kate Benson - [Porto]
Jocelyn Bioh - School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play
Lindsey Ferrentino - Amy and the Orphans
Meghan Kennedy - Napoli, Brooklyn
Dominique Morisseau - Pipeline

2018 Drama League Nominations Announced! Who will take the Distinguished Performance award?

The nominations for the 2018 Drama League Awards were announced today. Take a look at the nominees below:

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

Animal
Written by Clare Lizzimore

Hangmen
Written by Martin McDonagh

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
Written by Jack Thorne, based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany

In the Body of the World
Written by Eve Ensler

Is God Is
Written by Aleshea Harris

Meteor Shower
Written by Steve Martin

Oedipus El Rey
Written by Luis Alfaro

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play
Written by Jocelyn Bioh

Until the Flood
Written by Dael Orlandersmith

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

Angels in America
Written by Tony Kushner

Children of a Lesser God
Written by Mark Medoff

Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo
Written by Edward Albee

Hamlet
Written by William Shakespeare

The Iceman Cometh
Written by Eugene O'Neill

Lobby Hero
Written by Kenneth Lonergan

Saint Joan
Written by George Bernard Shaw

Three Tall Women
Written by Edward Albee

Torch Song
Written by Harvey Fierstein

Travesties
Written by Tom Stoppard

Yerma
Written by Federico García Lorca

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

The Band's Visit
Book by Itamar Moses; Music and Lyrics by David Yazek

Bella: An American Tall Tale
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Kirsten Childs

Frozen
Book by Jennifer Lee; Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Hundred Days
Book by The Bengsons and Sarah Gancher; Music and Lyrics by The Bengsons

KPOP
Book by Jason Kim; Music and Lyrics by Helen Park and Max Vernon

Mean Girls
Book by Tina Fey; Music by Jeff Richmond; Lyrics by Nell Benjamin

SpongeBob SquarePants
Book by Kyle Jarrow; Based on the Series by Stephen Hillenburg
Original Songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan
Coulton, Alex Ebert, 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 and Lil' C. Songs by David Bowie, Brian Eno, Tom Kenny and Andy Paley. Additional music by Tom Kitt; Additional lyrics by Jonathan Coulton

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Book by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary and Des McAnuff; Songs by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder and Paul Jabara

Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie
Devised by David M. Lutken with Nick Corley and Darcie Deaville, Helen Jean Russell and Andy Teirstein

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

Carousel
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Music by Richard Rodgers

My Fair Lady
Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner; Music by Frederick Loewe

Once On This Island
Book and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; Music by Stephen Flaherty

Pacific Overtures
Book by John Weidman; Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

NOMINEES FOR THE DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD

Jelani Alladin, Frozen
Lauren Ambrose, My Fair Lady
Annaleigh Ashford, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Laura Benanti, Meteor Shower
MaameYaa Boafo, School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play
Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
Juan Castano, Oedipus El Rey
Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke
Eisa Davis, Kings
Ariana DeBose, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Noma Dumezweni, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
Deanna Dunagan, The Treasurer
Eve Ensler, In The Body of the World
Chris Evans, Lobby Hero
Johnny Flynn, Hangmen
Alfie Fuller, Is God Is
Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Rebecca Hall, Animal
Harriet Harris, The Low Road
Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero
Joshua Henry, Carousel
Tom Hollander, Travesties
Oscar Isaac, Hamlet
Chukwudi Iwuji, The Low Road
Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Joshua Jackson, Children of a Lesser God
Hailey Kilgore, Once On This Island
LaChanze, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Katrina Lenk, The Band's Visit
Robert Sean Leonard, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo
Taylor Louderman, Mean Girls
Elizabeth Marvel, Julius Caesar
James McArdle, Angels in America
Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women
Jessie Mueller, Carousel
Patti Murin, Frozen
Alex Newell, Once On This Island
Sahr Ngaujah, Mlima's Tale
Seth Numrich, Travesties
Deirdre O'Connell, Fulfillment Center
Ashley Park, Mean Girls and KPOP
Billie Piper, Yerma
Karen Pittman, Pipeline
Condola Rashad, Saint Joan
Lauren Ridloff, Children of a Lesser God
Roslyn Ruff, X: Or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation
Amy Schumer, Meteor Shower
Tony Shalhoub, The Band's Visit
Paul Sparks, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo
Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living
John Douglas Thompson, Julius Caesar
Michael Urie, Torch Song and The Government Inspector
Denzel Washington, The Iceman Cometh
Dianne Wiest, Happy Days

At first glance, this crop of nominees doesn't do much to shape the Tony race. Since the Drama League allows more than 5 nominees in their show categories, nearly all of the major contenders are present.

The one curiosity is the Best New Play category. The League largely shafted the light-on-new-works Broadway season in favor of Off-Broadway. The only two Broadway contenders here are "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and "Meteor Shower." That is certainly a boon for the Steve Martin comedy, which is seen as "on the bubble" for a Tony nomination. The most surprising omission is "The Children," but we must remember that the League can be joined by anyone who wants to pay for membership. Very limited runs with minimal advertising/buzz will always struggle to resonate with such a group, no matter the quality. The play still looks good for a Tony nomination.

The most shocking omissions in the Distinguished Performance category are Denise Gough ("Angel in America"), Caissie Levy ("Frozen"), and Ethan Slater ("Spongebob Squarepants"). Levy's co-stars Patti Murin and Jellani Alladin were nominated, and the League caps a production at 2 performer nominees maximum. Denise Gough was hit by this rule too, with her cast mates Andrew Garfield and James McArdle taking the two spots for "Angels in America." I don't know how to explain Slater's omission other than snobby theater folk turning their nose up at SpongeBob. He's sublime.

In terms of the ultimate win, it looks like Glenda Jackson's to lose. Though Michael Urie, Denzel Washington, and Katrina Lenk may give her some competition.

"The Sammys" 2018! It's like the Oscars but better.

It's that time of year! The Oscars always get plenty wrong with their nominations and winners, so I'm bringing you my own personal picks. It's "The Sammys" (OR: how the Oscars should have voted).

I have seen a bunch, but I don't claim to have gotten to every film this year. I failed at getting to most of the documentaries for instance. I can't wait to catch up on them, but as a result I've eliminated that category this year. I also have six nominees for Cinematography because I couldn't decide, and it's my awards so I'll do what I please. I made up for it by only nominating 4 Animated Features...because I couldn't really come up with a fifth that I loved.

The year ultimately came down to three films for me, which tower above the rest in my mind.

Logan is one of the most satisfying superhero films I've experienced. How ironic that it really bares no resemblance to any conventional superhero flick. Featuring career best performances from Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, the touching script takes cues from classic westerns to explore the concepts of death, legacy, and self worth via characters who are something of a dying species in the world. Wolverine and Xavier couldn't have asked for a more beautiful send off.

There are a thousand ways Blade Runner 2049 could and should have failed. How do you make a proper sequel to one of the greatest films of all time? A film with such distinct style and dangling open-ended questions that kept viewers mind's occupied for decades? Somehow Denis Villeneuve succeeded in his task. 2049 captures the essence of the original while building upon the questions it posed and creating some new ones. You don't watch it so much as give yourself over to it, letting it wash over you like a wave. People complained about the run-time, but I thought the deliberate pacing was perfect and I can't wait to submerge myself in the world many more times.

And then there's Call me by Your Name. Andre Aciman's novel was a huge moment for me as a teen. I've returned to passages over and over again. I was worried that a film adaptation could never capture the experience and live up to the book. But I shouldn't have been worried. Different, sure. But Luca Guadagnino's film made me feel like no other film has before (just like the book). It gloriously captures that feeling of first love. The sensuality, the longing, the way that it infects and takes over every molecule of your body and mind. And for young queer people, that specific sort of secrecy: That you and this other person have a whole private world together. writing about it makes me want to dive back into that idyllic summer again.

On with it then. Here are The Sammys!

Best Picture
10. Coco
9. The Shape of Water
8. BPM (Beats Per Minute)
7. Dunkirk
6. Get Out
5. The Florida Project
4. Lady Bird
3. Logan
2. Blade Runner 2049 (runner-up)
1. Call me by Your Name (winner)

Best Director
Sean Baker, The Florida Project
Luca Guadagnino, Call me by Your Name (runner-up)
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049 (winner)

Best Actor
Jamie Bell, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
Nahuel Perez Biscayart, BPM (Beats Per Minute)
Timothee Chalamet, Call me by Your Name (winner)
Hugh Jackman, Logan (runner-up)
Josh O'Connor, God's Own Country

Best Actress
Annette Bening, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
Jessica Chastain, Molly's Game
Brooklynn Prince, The Florida Project (runner-up)
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (winner)

Best Supporting Actor
Harrison Ford, Blade Runner 2049
Armie Hammer, Call me by Your Name
Patrick Stewart, Logan (winner)
Michael Stuhlbarg, Call me by Your Name (runner-up)
Arnaud Valois, BPM (Beats Per Minute)

Best Supporting Actress
Hong Chau, Downsizing
Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip (runner-up)
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (winner)
Lois Smith, Marjorie Prime

Ensemble
BPM (Beats Per Minute)
Lady Bird (runner-up)
The Meyerowitz Stories
Mudbound (winner)
The Post

Adapted Screenplay
Blade Runner 2049
Call me by Your Name (winner)
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
Logan (runner-up)
Molly's Game

Original Screenplay
The Big Sick
The Florida Project
Get Out (winner)
Lady Bird (runner-up)
The Shape of Water

Film Editing
Baby Driver (winner)
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk (runner-up)
Get Out
Molly's Game

Cinematography
Blade Runner 2049 (winner)
Call me by Your Name
Dunkirk
God's Own Country
The Florida Project
Mudbound (runner-up)

Production Design
Blade Runner 2049 (winner)
Dunkirk
It
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water (runner-up)

Costume Design
The Greatest Showman
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water (winner)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Wonder Woman (runner-up)

Makeup/Hair
Darkest Hour (runner-up)
Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2
It
I, Tonya
Logan (winner)

Sound Editing
Baby Driver (runner-up)
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk (winner)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Wonder Woman

Sound Mixing
Baby Driver (winner)
Blade Runner 2049 (runner-up)
Dunkirk
Thor: Ragnarok
War for the Planet of the Apes

Score
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
Good Time (runner-up)
Phantom Thread
Wind River (winner)

Original Song
"Mystery of Love" from Call me by Your Name (written by: Sufjan Stevens) (winner)
"Visions of Gideon" from Call me by Your Name (written by : Sufjan Stevens)
"Remember Me" from Coco (written by: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez)
"Beyond the Moon" from Hello Again (written by: Michael John Lachiusa)
"This is Me" from The Greatest Showman (written by Pasek and Paul) (runner-up)

Visual Effects
Blade Runner 2049 (runner-up)
Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thor: Ragnarok
War for the Planet of the Apes (winner)

Animated Feature
Coco (winner)
The LEGO Batman Movie
Loving Vincent (runner-up)
Mary and the Witch's Flower

Foreign Language Feature
BPM (Beats Per Minute) (winner)
A Fantastic Woman (runner-up)
First They Killed my Father
On Body and Soul
Thelma

WINS
4 - Call me by Your Name
3 - Blade Runner 2049
2 - Baby Driver
2 - Lady Bird
2 - Logan
1 - BPM (Beats Per Minute)
1 - Coco
1 - Dunkirk
1 - Get Out
1 - Mudbound
1 - War for the Planet of the Apes
1 - Wind River