Random Tony talk...Best Actor in a Play

[skynyc]

Nominations come out next week and I've been fortunate to see most of the eligible productions... Thought I'd muse a bit about the some of the races. 
When I saw Oedipus last Summer, I thought immediately about the Tonys...Mark Strong was giving such a commanding performance, the race begins.

Liberation and Izzy all women. I don't think Alex or Keanu were strong in Godot, and Neil Patrick, James, and Bobby kind of cancel each other out in Art. And the Punch ensemble is really an ensemble. AND they've all been closed a long time! 
And then the spring season started. 

John Lithgow is astounding in Giant. "Oh, he's got it." I thought.

John Bernthall is giving a masterful "against-type" performance in Dog Day Afternoon, but the play wasn't well reviewed. More on that later. 

Then I saw Nathan in Death of a Salesman! It's really going to be a race. 

I haven't seen Adrian in Fear of 13 yet...this weekend, but I hear he's "being Adrian". 

And I would LOVE to see Richard Thomas get a nomination for The Balusters. He's a favorite, consistently outstanding performer.  

 

 

 

[jackcali]

It does seem to be a race between Lithgow and Lane.  Lithgow is fantastic in Giant, though I thought the play was a bit weak.  Lane is an insider favorite (he's won three or four times) and I'm sure he's amazing in it.  I couldn't bring myself to see it because I hate that play. I know, I know, it's the pinnacle of American dramaturgy, yada, yada.  I still hate it!

I am rooting for Lithgow because he's 80 years old and we won't see him on stage much longer.  I know some of the more strident wokists are angry he's working on the HBO Harry Potter project, but i hope they don't hold that against him in the vote.