Tag: Tony Awards

The Paley Museum

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The Museum of Radio and Television was founded by William S. Paley, who had built CBS up from a small radio station to a powerhouse TV network. In 2007, it was renamed The Paley Center for Media, to better reflect changes in their mission from only radio and TV history to multiple media and their effects on culture and society. The Paley Museum at 25 W 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan features exhibitions still primarily related to television shows, and also allows access to view vast archives of virtually anything that has been televised, and an entire floor with classic and virtual reality games. Despite having walked past it for decades, I checked the museum out for the first time recently! Spoiler alert, I enjoyed my visit and there is a lot there to do.

There are Paley Archives in Beverly Hills, inside the Beverly Hills Public Library, but the Paley Center in Midtown Manhattan fills multiple floors of a large office building on West 52nd St. You can find out how to become a member on their website (and I will weigh in later on whether I think this might be a good option if you live in NYC), but for one visit you can purchase timed tickets for a 30 minute entry period on a specific day. Once you are in the museum, you can stay until the center closes, so an early time slot is obviously preferable.

The big exhibition on the ground floor when I went was about the show Everybody Loves Raymond (it is just being replaced by a new exhibit on The Office). I have actually never seen ELR, but I was very impressed with the detail. You could sit on their sofa (photo opportunity!), see an Emmy, look at scripts and costumes, and watch videos from behind the scenes. This was as elaborate as pop-up exhibits about individual shows (which often charge as much as more for one exhibit than the Paley Museum does for the entire experience), and more detailed than what you could see on a Studio Tour in Los Angeles (I’ve done many of those).

Heading up (there is an elevator), there is an exhibit about Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show (which ran from 1972-1992, taped in Burbank, California). They were playing the last episode he ever aired, and you could sit at his desk (another photo op!), or on the sofa where so many famous guests sat, or in seats from the studio audience.

Heading up again, I visited the Paley archives. If you are a Paley member, you can visit them as often as you would like, but if you are on a one-day ticket, you get 90 minutes. They have over 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements, covering more than 100 years of television and radio history. The collection spans all genres: comedy, drama, news, public affairs, performing arts, children’s, sports, reality, animation, and documentary, and includes a significant international presence, with 70 countries represented. You sit at a large desk with no one on either side of you, with comfortable headphones. You could watch Jacqueline Kennedy give a tour of The White House, or watch David Bowie be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, there are almost limitless options. I had decided in advance to pull up the 1988 Tony Awards, which I had watched at home in Chicago about two months before I moved to New York City. What a treat! The quality of what you view in the archives is significantly better than videos you can find on YouTube. I had to scrub through a few things to make it in 90 minutes, but Into the Woods and Phantom of the Opera traded off awards, and M Butterfly won Best Play (and I liked the short live excerpts from plays they performed in addition to the musical numbers). There was a tribute to Michael Bennett (who had died in the previous year from AIDS), Patti LuPone sang and danced in Anything Goes, Angela Lansbury hosted, and Bernadette Peters and Joel Grey presented. A delight!

On the top floor, there is a gaming room with over 65 video games and over 25 virtual reality games. I saw on the website that this has been voted the best birthday party venue in NYC, and I can see why! If you enjoy video games or someone in your family does, I could also see a day pass or even a yearly membership being worth it just for this area of the Center.

The Paley Center has continuous screenings in their basement floor theater. The day I went, it was episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, with one episode of Downtown Abbey thrown in (because the new movie was being released). They also have regular in-person events with television creatives, usually around either an exhibition on display, or around an anniversary of a certain show (the 40th anniversary of The Golden Girls is an upcoming event, for example). There is PaleyFest yearly in October – last year there were moderated talks with creatives and performers from Outlander, Blue Bloods, What We Do in the Shadows, and The Diplomat, among others. PaleyFest 2025 participants should be announced soon.

I enjoyed my visit to the Paley Museum and found the price for a one day pass reasonable. I could see that if you were planning to see a few of the different exhibitions throughout the year, enjoyed visiting the archive, or loved playing video games, that a membership could make a lot of sense. With so many opportunities in NYC, it’s easy to overlook some like the Paley Center – but keep it in mind!

Thoughts on the Tony Awards 2024

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On June 16th, the 77th annual Tony Awards will be awarded (and televised on CBS). The ceremony this year is at Lincoln Center for the first time and American Express will be holding a live simulcast at Damrosch Park just behind the David H. Koch Theatre where the awards will be given out (see here for more information about how to attend if this interests you). Two years ago I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the 75th annual Tonys in person at Radio City (see how I wrote up the experience here) but this year I will be watching on television as usual. The awards this year seem harder than ever to predict this very crowded season. Needless to say, with so many new productions, not everything could be nominated, and most musicals and plays rely on the publicity and the “stamp of approval” from the Tonys to fuel sales.

Best New Musical

This was an unusually busy season for new musicals on Broadway, which is great for musical lovers – but very tough on producers as there was a lot of competition for the ticket-buying public. Six new musicals have already opened and closed this season:  Once Upon a One More Time, Here Lies Love, How to Dance in Ohio, Harmony, Lempicka, and Days of Wine and Roses. From earlier this season, only Back to The Future (which opened last July) is still running, with most new musicals on Broadway having opened in a very busy spring season. So the eligible original musicals were Back to the Future, Days of Wine and Roses, Harmony, Hell’s Kitchen, Here Lies Love, How to Dance in Ohio, Illinoise, Lempicka, Once Upon a One More Time, Suffs, The Great Gatsby, The Heart of Rock and Roll, The Notebook, The Outsiders, and Water for Elephants. I saw all of them, and correctly predicted which five would be nominated (which is not the same as saying I agreed with the result). The five are:

“Hell’s Kitchen”

“Illinoise”

“The Outsiders”

“Suffs”

“Water for Elephants”

I have to say, this is a year where any one of these could win. The best reviewed by the New York Times were Illinoise, Hell’s Kitchen, and Water for Elephants (all “Critic’s Picks”) but Suffs and The Outsiders are both nominated for best original score as well as best new musical. Illinoise has had perhaps the most rave reviews across the board, but since it is a very unique Broadway musical (the story being told entirely through Justin Peck’s dance and a group of instrumentalists and singers, all based on Sufjan Stevens’ 2005 album) it may be hard for Tony voters to award it best in this category (although I expect it will get best choreography) when it is not nominated for Book or Score. However, Hell’s Kitchen had the most nominations (13; tied with the new play Stereophonic in number of nominations this year).

Best Musical Revival

The eligible musical revivals were Cabaret, Gutenberg, Merrily We Roll Along, Spamalot, The Who’s Tommy, and The Wiz. Only four were nominated:

“Cabaret”

“Gutenberg! The Musical!”

“Merrily We Roll Along”

“The Who’s Tommy”

This category definitely comes down to two productions, the transfer from the West End of Rebecca Frecknall’s Cabaret, starring Eddie Redmayne, and the smash hit revival of Merrily We Roll Along, a musical once felt to be Sondheim’s great flop, but transformed by the direction of Maria Friedman and the performances by Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez. The Cabaret revival has not been received as well on Broadway as it was on the West End, so I would expect Merrily to take this award. The same goes for Leading Actor in a Musical – I would be surprised (and very very disappointed) if Jonathan Groff does not win this category over Eddie Redmayne. I love The Who’s Tommy, by the way, but don’t expect it to win.

Best New Play

The nominees for best new play are:

“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”

“Mary Jane”

“Mother Play”

“Prayer for the French Republic”

“Stereophonic”


I will be very surprised if Stereophonic doesn’t win this category. It’s a “play with music” (and in fact, it is nominated for best original score, which is unusual but not without precedent) by David Adjmi, about a rock band in the 1970s recording an album. It’s over three hours long, takes place entirely in a recording studio with no change of sets, and yet is completely riveting.

Best Play Revival

All three of the nominees for best revival of a play are excellent. They are:

“Appropriate”

“An Enemy of the People”

“Purlie Victorious”

Despite the strength of all three of these revivals, I would be surprised if Appropriate did not win this category (and I think Sarah Paulsen is a lock for Best Lead Actress in a Play despite being up against Jessica Lange in Mother Play).

Other thoughts

This season not only had a great number and variety of new productions, there were many extremely innovative sets. The category of best scenic design of a musical had seven nominees (for The Outsiders, Hell’s Kitchen, Back to the Future, Lempicka, Water for Elephants, Here Lies Love, and Cabaret) and I was dazzled by all of them. I think the immersive quality of Here Lies Love, which has closed but I absolutely adored, was a stand out in a great field for me – but it is very unusual for shows that have closed to win even if nominated (Here Lies Love is also up for best original score, best choreography, and best sound design).

A shout out to the Director categories this year, with four out of the five musical directors and three out of the five play directors being women.

After the Tonys, I expect many shows with disappointing results will post closing notices, either right away or as the summer ends. Tony awards do not guarantee a long run (look at A Strange Loop from 2022) but the lack of awards can be the difference between enough ticket sales to keep going and a decision to close the show. What will keep Broadway alive is not only a wealth of plays and musicals in the pipeline but also the ticket-buying public out there to support them. Go see a Broadway show (or a ton of them!) and keep this very special art form thriving here in New York City.

The Tony Awards: 2023 and a look back to attending 2022

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Every spring in New York City, there is a flurry of new plays and musicals opening on Broadway to beat the deadline for Tony Award nominations. Of course productions do also open other times of the year, but the spring opening season is the busiest time of the theatrical year. Broadway’s importance to the culture and economy of NYC cannot be emphasized enough – in the last year before the pandemic shutdown, 14,077,000 tickets were sold, bringing in $1.83 billion in direct and an estimated $14.7 billion in indirect money into the city’s economy. NYC tourism in general and Broadway theatre specifically continue to rebound since reopening, but estimates are that Broadway revenues are still down 8-10% compared to pre-pandemic numbers. In a business where only one out of every five productions that open on Broadway recoup the investment put in by producers, every move that can increase the probability that a given show will succeed will be taken.

I have watched the Tony Awards on television for decades now, and last year had the thrill of being able to attend. I have been to the Drama Desk Awards before, and really enjoyed, but the Tonys are another experience altogether. How did I manage this? A good friend was involved with the revival of Company (which did in fact win best revival) and was able to get me two tickets to the 2022 Awards – which were also the 75th Anniversary of the Tony Awards. As we approach the 2023 awards, I am looking back on what that experience was like. Spoiler alert: it was fantastic!

Now this year (2023), the televised ceremony – which serves as a way to publicize the new shows in a season in addition to giving out the awards – was in peril due to the WPA (Writers Guild of America) ongoing labor strike. Even though Broadway playwrights are members of The Dramatists Guild (which is a professional organization, not a union), many of them are also members of WPA from working in television or film. Some Broadway performers have written for TV or film and are members of the WPA. In addition, most members of the Broadway community are in their own unions (Actor’s Equity for performers, or Local 802 AFM for musicians, for instance) and would be unlikely to cross a picket line from another union. At one point it was announced that the Tony Awards would not be televised this year. But several writers who work both on Broadway and in TV/film (Martyna Majok, David Henry Hwang, Tony Kushner and Jeremy O. Harris among them) reached out to the WPA and asked them not to picket the ceremony – and they were successful (see this New York Times article for the details). It’s still not clear how the ceremony will be impacted by the strike, as members of the WPA who are nominees (and there are quite a few) have been asked not to attend and to pre-tape acceptance speeches. But there will be performances by nominated shows, and the awards will be given out.

Even before the strike, there were going to be some differences between this year’s ceremony and those in the past. It has been held at Radio City Music Hall for a long time, with a few interruptions (the Beacon Theater in 2011 and 2012, the Winter Garden Theatre when the first post-pandemic awards were handed out in September of 2021), but this year will be held far uptown in Washington Heights. The United Palace Theater, where it will be held on June 11, 2023, has far fewer seats than Radio City (3400 vs. 6000) but more than the Beacon or the Winter Garden. On the plus side, though, covid restrictions are much less rigorous than the procedure in place last year.

Last year, there were two sets of protocol in place. Those of us in the orchestra section, who could potentially be seen on camera, had to prove vaccination status, get a PCR covid test in advance and upload to get a digital health pass that would allow us into the venue. Then masks were optional for those in the orchestra (and from what I saw, most were not masked). For those in one of the mezzanines, proof of vaccination was acceptable, and masks were mandatory.

Also – and I only know this because I saw someone’s ticket who was trying to get in the main entrance but was in the mezzanine so was instructed to go along the side – not all the tickets were like the ones I had. The tickets for those in the orchestra were thick heavy embossed tickets in a black and silver envelope! The ticket I saw for someone who was going to the mezzanine looked like a regular Ticketmaster print out with a bar code. It was so exciting to get the fancy tickets a few days before the ceremony. Most years there are a limited number of tickets available for purchase by the way, but they are expensive (I looked, and for this year they were $775 and $575 – not scalped prices, the actual tickets from the Tony site) and you will be far away from the show. The orchestra level was for people directly involved in the nominated shows, or for presenters.

In addition, those in the orchestra had a required dress code – as our fancy ticket said, “Black Tie Only” – and a separate entrance (the main front entrance of Radio City) from those going to the mezzanines. Only those in the orchestra were allowed in the main lobby or the (really spectacular!) lower level bathrooms. There are bathrooms in the mezzanine, but not as opulently Art Deco, or as fun to pose in front of.

The section of the orchestra I was in was in the middle but far house right. The cast of A Strange Loop was in front of our Company section, and MJ the Musical behind us. Nominees from any show were seated closer to the stage, but would occasionally come by to say hi to their cast mates. Three rows in front of us, in a kind of Spring Awakening reunion, were Steven Sater, Jonathan Groff, and Lea Michele. I took a screenshot of the opening when The Music Man cast marched in, and circled my location:

I have been to other televised shows, so some of the aspects of how that works was familiar to me. But the Broadway-specific nature of the entire evening was a dream come true. Before the show began, they were playing Broadway songs. In commercial breaks they would show montages of things like this year’s shows, past Tony acceptance speeches, past Tony dance numbers, etc. They would then count down and when they got below five ask for applause as we came back live. People watching was so much fun, as during breaks people would get up to see their friends. It’s also a chance for people in the industry to meet or express appreciation for those they haven’t worked with. For instance, Philippa Soo and Renee Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton OBC) came and took selfies with some of the performers from A Strange Loop.

We all received a thick souvenir Playbill and there was merchandise you could only get there. I bought a tote bag and t-shirt that had the 75th Anniversary logo on the front and all the shows that had opened that season on the back, as well as sweatpants with the Tony Awards logo.

This year I will be watching at home again. I don’t know if I will ever be able to attend the Tony Awards in person in the future, but I certainly hope so! But if not, I will always have the memories of what it was like to be a part of that special crowd on the most important night of the entire Broadway season in June of 2022.

Tony Nominations 2022

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The Tony Awards given out next month will represent Broadway’s lurching progress toward normalcy (with periodic covid positivity shutdowns continuing) after the pandemic shutdown from March 2020 to September 2021. The Tony Awards for the truncated 2019-2020 season were held last September, and also served as a way to promote the reopening of live theatre in New York City to a wider audience. Those awards were anything but typical, however, since many new musicals and plays open in the spring to capitalize on the Tony nominations and awards, and the shutdown occurred before many had been able to open. “Six,” for instance, was set to open the very night Broadway was closed (March 12, 2020). Because of the shortened season, some categories had no nominations at all (Best Revival of a Musical, for instance) and Best Actor in a Musical had only one nomination (Aaron Tveit – and while that is not a guarantee of winning as over 50% of voters need to actively vote yes instead of no, fortunately he did win!).

While this season again was an unusual period (to be eligible, shows had to open between February 20, 2020 and May 4, 2021), the time included encompassed the normal seasonality of openings and the Tony nominations for 2021-2022 are robust. Out of 34 eligible productions this year, 29 received at least one nomination (even “Diana” received a nomination in costume design). All categories are competitive, with one even having seven nominees, and several with six. Since I have seen the majority of the nominees, I thought I would weigh in a bit on the bigger categories, both with my own opinion and what the general buzz is.

New Play

“Clyde’s”

“Hangmen”

“The Lehman Trilogy”

“The Minutes”

“Skeleton Crew”

I think it’s going to be hard for anyone to beat “The Lehman Trilogy” here, and it would get my vote. The only new plays nominated here that are still running are “The Minutes” (which I saw in previews pre-pandemic when Armie Hammer was still in it) and “Hangmen” (which is set to close mid-June) so I don’t think that “Lehman” having only run last fall will be a factor against it.

Revival of a Play

“American Buffalo”

“For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf”

“How I Learned to Drive”

“Take Me Out”

“Trouble in Mind”

Again, it seems that “How I Learned to Drive” will be hard to beat, and it would certainly get my vote. Simply brilliant.

Actress in a Musical

Sharon D Clarke, “Caroline, or Change”

Carmen Cusack, “Flying Over Sunset”

Sutton Foster, “The Music Man”

Joaquina Kalukango, “Paradise Square”

Mare Winningham, “Girl From the North Country”

While I absolutely loved Carmen Cusack in “Flying Over Sunset” (check out the cast recording!) and Joaquina Kalukango is giving a bravura performance that is perhaps the best thing about “Paradise Square,” if I had a vote I would cast it easily for Sharon D. Clarke in “Caroline or Change.” This was a Caroline whose simmering anger over the state of her life boiled over in a thundering “Lot’s Wife.” It would be wonderful if they could bring her back to do this for the Tonys.

Leading Actor in a Musical

Billy Crystal, “Mr. Saturday Night”

Myles Frost, “MJ”

Hugh Jackman, “The Music Man”

Rob McClure, “Mrs. Doubtfire”

Jaquel Spivey, “A Strange Loop”

Rob McClure’s nomination here is the only one for “Mrs. Doubtfire,” Crystal and Jackman are the old pros, but I think this comes down to two newcomers in their first role on Broadway: Myles Frost and Jaquel Spivey. My vote would go for Spivey, who carried me through Usher’s journey with intelligence, heart, and tremendous vocals.

Featured Actor in a Musical

Matt Doyle, “Company”

Sidney DuPont, “Paradise Square”

Jared Grimes, “Funny Girl”

John-Andrew Morrison, “A Strange Loop”

A.J. Shively, “Paradise Square”

I posted the playbill from “Funny Girl” above because this category features its only nomination, and I am glad to see Grimes singled out. I will also note that I love John-Andrew Morrison in “A Strange Loop” and it was hard for him to stand out in the six excellent performances being given by Usher’s Thoughts (L. Morgan Lee was also recognized in Featured Actress). For me, though, this award has gone to Matt Doyle in “Company” from the first time I saw his bravura performance of “Not Getting Married Today” as Jamie (changed from Janie in the original) less than a week before Broadway shut down for the pandemic. I’ve seen it twice since and he never fails to dazzle me with his ability to make the lyrics so clean and acted out so clearly – while going so incredibly fast.

Featured Actress in a Musical

Jeannette Bayardelle, “Girl From the North Country”

Shoshana Bean, “Mr. Saturday Night”

Jayne Houdyshell, “The Music Man”

L Morgan Lee, “A Strange Loop”

Patti LuPone, “Company”

Jennifer Simard, “Company”

I’m glad to see L. Morgan Lee and Jennifer Simard recognized in this category, but Patti LuPone is just SO GOOD as Joanne in the revival of “Company” I would be unable to resist casting a vote for her.

Leading Actor in a Play

Simon Russell Beale, “The Lehman Trilogy”

Adam Godley, “The Lehman Trilogy”

Adrian Lester, “The Lehman Trilogy”

David Morse, “How I Learned to Drive”

Sam Rockwell, “American Buffalo”

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “Lackawanna Blues”

David Threlfall, “Hangmen”

Look at this category – seven nominees! All three actors from “The Lehman Trilogy” are nominated, which might split votes and lead to none of them winning (although I could see Simon Russell Beale doing it). Sam Rockwell fully inhabited the character of Teach in “Buffalo.” But my vote would go to David Morse in “How I Learned to Drive.”

Featured Actor in a Play

Alfie Allen, “Hangmen”

Chuck Cooper, “Trouble in Mind”

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Take Me Out”

Ron Cephas Jones, “Clyde’s”

Michael Oberholtzer, “Take Me Out”

Jesse Williams, “Take Me Out”

Six nominees in this category, and no clear favorite. I would probably vote for Michael Oberholtzer in “Take Me Out,” although again, you have three nominees from the same play which might split that vote and lead to another actor taking the award.

Leading Actress in a Play

Gabby Beans, “The Skin of Our Teeth”

LaChanze, “Trouble in Mind”

Ruth Negga, “Macbeth”

Deirdre O’Connell, “Dana. H”

Mary-Louise Parker, “How I Learned to Drive”

All worthy performances, but I will be shocked if Mary-Louise Parker doesn’t win for “How I Learned to Drive.”

Featured Actress in a Play

Uzo Aduba, “Clyde’s”

Rachel Dratch, “POTUS”

Kenita R. Miller, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf”

Phylicia Rashad, “Skeleton Crew”

Julie White, “POTUS”

Kara Young, “Clyde’s”

I put the picture of the “POTUS” Playbill above because two in the ensemble were nominated here. By the way, I agree with the recent article in The New York Times that the Tonys need an ensemble category – none of the wives in “Six” were nominated singly but as a group they might have won. I might vote for Rachel Dratch in “POTUS,” or Uzo Aduba in “Clyde’s” – but anyone could win here.

Revival of a Musical

“Caroline, or Change”

“Company”

“The Music Man”

I would vote for “Caroline,” but with it having been a limited run and closing just after New Year’s, sometimes it is harder to stay fresh in the Tony voters’ minds. If so, then I think “Company” will win – although it is possible that Marianne Elliott might win (deservedly) for best director and “Caroline” win for Best Revival.

New Musical

“Girl From the North Country”

“MJ”

“Mr. Saturday Night”

“Paradise Square”

“Six: The Musical”

“A Strange Loop”

Until “A Strange Loop” arrived this spring, my vote would have been for “Six,” which I saw twice before the pandemic and have seen three times since. But having seen “A Strange Loop” twice now this spring, it would have my vote for Best New Musical without any hesitation. I also hope that Michael R. Jackson, who has been working on this musical for about two decades, wins for best book of a musical. It is possible that “Six” might win for best score. “Girl From the West Country” also has some critical acclaim so I would say it is likely the only dark horse if this win doesn’t go to “A Strange Loop” or “Six.”

Notable Snubs

As mentioned before, the revival of “Funny Girl” garnered only one nomination, for Featured Actor. “Plaza Suite,” the revival of Neil Simon’s play starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, had no acting nominations. The lead of the revival of “Company, ” Katrina Lenk, was not nominated for Lead Actress. I don’t necessarily disagree with these snubs, but I would have liked to have seen “Flying Over Sunset” – flawed as it was, it also was often quite brilliant and certainly original -nominated for Best Musical over “Mr. Saturday Night” and “Paradise Square.”

The Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 12, starting at 7pm on Paramount+ and continuing from 8-11pm on CBS. Hosted by Ariana DeBose, recent Academy Award winner and Broadway veteran, look for an abundance of musical numbers as Broadway hopes to lure the casual theatre-goer back. Whether casual or devoted, go support the Broadway community, so integral to the very spirit of New York City, and don’t forget the established productions that have made it back from the pandemic as well!

Thoughts on the 2019 Tony Nominations

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Although I earn my living selling residential real estate in New York City, my unpaid second job might be called “patron of the arts” as I absolutely love experiencing the rich cultural offerings that exist in this city. A particular passion is Broadway theatre – so much so that when I moved after decades living on the Upper East Side, I chose Midtown West in part because of the proximity to the Theatre District. I see so many shows that I am often asked my advice on what to see by those who know me. I go to shows to enjoy them, not to be a critic, and it is extremely rare for me to think after seeing something that I would have been better off staying home. That being said, I do end up forming opinions, and sometime pretty strong ones, so it is always enjoyable to weigh in on the Tony Award nominations.

Best Play
Choir Boy
The Ferryman
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ink
What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Play is overshadowed by the absence of the play many thought would vie with The Ferryman for the win but ended up not even being nominated: To Kill A Mockingbird. There is speculation that the snub was directed toward the producers for some of the controversy associated with the handling of rights, which I have no insider info about and won’t speculate upon. However, I will say that this has been an exceptionally strong year for new plays, and all five of these are excellent. However, there is only one I have seen twice: The Ferryman. Epic and yet somehow still intimate in scope, I found it extraordinary.

Best Musical
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie

A good year for new musicals. Although I enjoyed Beetlejuice I probably wouldn’t have included it (personally I would have added Head Over Heels which I adored). I think The Prom and Ain’t Too Proud both have a chance of winning, but if it were up to me there is no question that I would go with Hadestown. I’ve been telling people to go see it since before it opened, based on my experience when it was Off-Broadway several years ago. However, after time spent in Canadian and London productions, it came to Broadway in spectacular form and is my favorite musical since Hamilton. I’ve seen in three times in previews (once from balcony, once from mezzanine, once from orchestra) and already have a date to see it again this summer.

Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
The Boys in the Band
Burn This
Torch Song
The Waverly Gallery

A good year for play revivals. I would probably go with The Boys in the Band here, which was a limited engagement so no longer on Broadway but will be on Netflix with the entire cast from this revival, so keep an eye out for that.

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Best Revival of a Musical
Kiss Me, Kate
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

This was a strange year in that only two musical revivals opened on Broadway this year, and both are nominated. They could not be more different: Kate was tweaked to make the story somewhat less offensive, but Oklahoma! was completely transformed without changing a single word or note. This version is divisive and seems to be a “love it or hate it” production since the tone and sound is so different from what some expect. I saw it at St. Ann’s and again on Broadway, and hope (and expect) it to win this category.

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Best Book of a Musical
Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations, Dominique Morisseau
Beetlejuice, Scott Brown & Anthony King
Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom, Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin
Tootsie, Robert Horn

It’s possible Tootsie will win this category, but my vote would go to Hadestown.

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Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Be More Chill, Music & Lyrics: Joe Iconis
Beetlejuice, Music & Lyrics: Eddie Perfect
Hadestown, Music & Lyrics: Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom, Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
To Kill a Mockingbird, Music: Adam Guettel
Tootsie, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

A few things to note in this category: TKAM was nominated for its incidental music in a play, very unusual. Also, this is the only nod to Be More Chill which has been a YouTube and Off-Broadway sensation but which has struggled to fit in on Broadway. I will be shocked if Mitchell doesn’t win this for Hadestown, and well deserved.

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Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy

This is probably between Cranston and Daniels, and my guess is that Daniels will win. He has a difficult job playing Atticus, an iconic and yet paternalistic character while somehow also managing to signal an awareness of the paternalism. Cranston was the best part of Network, so it’s possible he could win. My sentimental favorite to win, though is Jeremy Pope in Choir Boy, a fantastic performance (and his Broadway debut!) that I will never forget.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Annette Bening, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

Such a tough category! I have no idea who will win here. It could go to May for her terrific performance, to Donnelly for reprising the role for which she won the Olivier, for Metcalf for once again showing that she commands the stage in any role she takes on, or Schreck (unlikely, but perhaps a way to signal approval for the play itself which will likely not win). Who would I vote for? Metcalf, for becoming Hillary – or at least Hillary as we imagine her – without in any way doing an impersonation.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie

A solid group. I suspect Fontana might win this for his dual role of Michael/Dorothy in Tootsie (and it is impressive, in that even his singing voice is different as Dorothy). If I had a vote, it would be difficult, but I might go with Ashmanskas in The Prom.

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Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O’Hara, Kiss Me, Kate

I suspect SJB has his one sewn up, not only for this role but for all the terrific work she has done over the years. I would probably vote for her, too, but it’s a tough category for me.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Bertie Carvel, Ink
Robin de Jesús, The Boys in the Band
Gideon Glick, To Kill a Mockingbird
Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
Benjamin Walker, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

This might be the most competitive category this year – I can see any one of the five nominees winning. A difficult decision for me to cast my imaginary vote, but I will go with Glick in TKAM.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman
Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ruth Wilson, King Lear

I think this category is between Keenan-Bolger in TKAM and White in Gary, but I believe the two women in Gary might split the vote. I would go for Keenan-Bolger, as playing the iconic role of Scout, a child, as an adult has to be difficult and yet she was able to completely inhabit that role in a very natural way.

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Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
André De Shields, Hadestown
Andy Grotelueschen, Tootsie
Patrick Page, Hadestown
Jeremy Pope, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Ephraim Sykes, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Such a tough category! Here is Jeremy Pope, being nominated in a musical category as well as best actor in a play, which is highly unusual. You have two pairs competing against each other in the same show. I think a major absence in this category is Patrick Vaill’s Jud in Oklahoma!, which I thought was exceptional. For me this comes down to two excellent performances in Hadestown by De Shields and Page. I would be thrilled with a tie, as both of them are absolutely riveting in the show. If I had to cast a vote, I would tip toward De Shields because he simply owns the stage with the smallest gestures  – when have you seen someone get applause for unbuttoning a jacket?

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Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Lilli Cooper, Tootsie
Amber Gray, Hadestown
Sarah Stiles, Tootsie
Ali Stroker, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Mary Testa, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

This is probably between Gray in Hadestown and Stroker in Oklahoma! Although both are wonderful performances, Gray’s is exceptional and arguably a leading role. I am hoping to see her win this one.

Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, Ink
Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
Bartlett Sher, To Kill a Mockingbird
Ivo van Hove, Network
George C. Wolfe, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

Five powerhouses of directing! All male, but hopefully the industry is slowing breaking down that monopoly. All five were masterfully directed, but my vote would go for Sher.

Best Direction of a Musical
Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Scott Ellis, Tootsie
Daniel Fish, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Des McAnuff, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Casey Nicholaw, The Prom

I suspect this category will come down to Chavkin for Hadestown or Fish for Oklahoma! I am hoping to see Chavkin win this – I thought she also deserved the win for Great Comet a few years ago.

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The Tony Awards will be shown live on CBS Sunday, June 9th, starting at 8PM, and you can bet I will be watching! If you want to throw a Tony party, the official site has some fun downloads, including ballots to fill out, Tony Award bingo cards, and such (you can find that here). I’m interested in your opinions, too, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any comments or disagreements (!) and I’ll see you at the theatre . . .