By: Patrick Christiano
When the nominations were announced the sold out hit musical Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pop-culture phenomenon, dominated with a record breaking 16 nominations followed by Shuffle Along with 10 nominations and She Loves Me with 8. The revival of Eugene O’Neil’s Long Day’s Journey into Night was next with 7 nominations including Best Revival of a Play.
The consensus amongst critics makes Hamilton an overwhelming favorite to win the coveted Tony Award for Best Musical. In fact, if you are a betting man, you could bet the house on it, however, I doubt the odds would be favorable. They media fascination and public popularity with the hip-hop musical, which debuted at the Public Theater last season before moving to Broadway this season, indicates the show will sweep most of its nominees into the winner’s circle as well, except in the categories where its nominated performers are pitted against one another.
The Tony Awards will be broadcast live from the Beacon Theatre on CBS Sunday June 12 at 8pm in a three hour telecast marking 70 years of Broadway excellence hosted by James Corden, the multi-talented English actor/comedian/producer/ writer/singer and talk show host. The show will feature live performances from several of the nominated musicals.
Here are my selections of who will win at the Tony Awards and who should win in all 24 categories. Check back later to see how I did.
BEST PLAY
Eclipsed by Danai Gurira
The Humans by Stephen Karam – WILL WIN
King Charles III by Mike Bartlett
The Father by Florian Zeller|
The best of the season on Broadway in a weak year, when the best plays were actually seen Off-Broadway this year.
BEST MUSICAL
Bright Star
Hamilton – WILL WIN
School of Rock—The Musical
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Waitress
Hamilton is a cultural phenomenon and will walk away with a slew of Tonys.
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge – WILL WIN and SHOULD WIN.
Blackbird
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Noises Off
A terrific production distilled to the essence of Miller’s classic. Long Day’s Journey could upset.
Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple – WILL WIN and SHOULD WIN
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening
A powerful revival has the audiences cheering though out the evening.
Best Book of a Musical
Bright Star by Steve Martin
Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda – WILL WIN
School of Rock—The Musical by Julian Fellowes
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed by George C. Wolfe
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Bright Star
Music: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
Lyrics: Edie Brickell
Hamilton– WILL WIN
Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
School of Rock—The Musical
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics: Glenn Slater
Waitress
Music & Lyrics: Sara Bareilles
No contest Hamilton will ride the juggernaut of this cultural phenomenon.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father – Will Win
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
Langella is a popular Broadway star in the zenith of this career giving a terrific performance.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night – Will Win
Laurie Metcalf, Misery
Lupita Nyong’o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird
Lange is mesmerizing, however the best performance of the season is missing from this list – Nicola Walker, View from the Bridge, who drives the action of a powerful production.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock—The Musical
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof – SHOULD WIN
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton – WILL WIN
Odom will ride the juggernaut to Tony victory.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple – WILL WIN and SHOULD WIN
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
Erivo is the best with a sensational Broadway debut that has that audience on their feet before the final curtain. Phillipa Soo is lovely and the juggernaut Hamilton could help her upset, but she would not be the best of the season, even Cusack is superior in this strong category that didn’t even nominate six time Tony winner Audra McDonald.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans – WILL WIN and SHOULD WIN
Bill Camp, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Birney is a popular actor on and Off Broadway always doing terrific work and he is on stage almost the entire evening.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans – WILL WIN and SHOULD WIN
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed
Houdyshell is always wonderful and authentic in a long and varied career. She too is on stage for almost the entire production delivering a powerfully subtle performance
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton – WILL WIN and SHOULD WIN
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton – WILL WIN
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster! – SHOULD WIN
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
The Hamilton juggernaut will roll her to victory over Simard, who has an only an outside chance of upsetting her for her delicious work.
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin – SHOULD WIN
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans – WILL WIN
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Es Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton – WILL WIN
David Rockwell, She Loves Me – SHOULD WIN
The juggernaut rolls on. All the work is terrific in this category.
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Michael Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Tom Scutt, King Charles III – WILL WIN and SHOULD WIN
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along – SHOULD WIN
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton – WILL WIN
The Hamilton juggernaut will roll him to victory.
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Katz, Long Day’s Journey Into Night – SHOULD WIN
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible – WILL WIN
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Hamilton – WILL WIN
Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho – SHOULD WIN
Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans – WILL WIN
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge – SHOULD WIN
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple – SHOULD WIN
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton – WILL WIN
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton –WILL WIN
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet! – SHOULD WIN
Best Orchestrations
August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton – WILL WIN
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along – SHOULD WIN
What more can I say the Hamilton juggernaut will win another Tony.
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