Tony nominations....the Men.

[skynyc]

Blathering about theater...this is going to be a long post...sorry

 

Tony nominations are going to be announced tomorrow morning. And for the first year in a long time, there's a lot of horse races, and I am not just using that pun because of War Horse.

 

Starting with some of the acting categories:

 

This year the Tony Awards committee published the list of performers eligible for the LEAD categories. Tony by-laws stipulate that a performer's name must be above the title on the marquee to be considered for a lead role, but producers can petition for actor's to be considered if they are not above the title, (or for above the title names with smaller roles, to be considered to be in the FEATURED category.)

 

The committee also loves to nominate NAME performers to get them as presenters at the awards...(remember Denzel Washington won last year.)

 

Here are the eligible nominees for Best Actor in a Play:

 

Brian Bedford - The Importance of Being Earnest

Jim Belushi - Born Yesterday

Bobby Cannavale - The Motherf**ker with the Hat

Brian Cox - That Championship Season

Santino Fontana - The Importance of Being Earnest

Brendan Fraser - Elling

David Furr - The Importance of Being Earnest

James Earl Jones - Driving Miss Daisy

Dan Lauria - Lombardi

John Leguizamo - Ghetto Klown

Joe Mantello - The Normal Heart

Seth Numrich - War Horse

Denis O'Hare - Elling

Al Pacino - The Merchant of Venice

David Hyde Pierce - La Bête

Colin Quinn - Colin Quinn Long Story Short

Paul Reubens - The Pee-Wee Herman Show

Mark Rylance - Jerusalem

Mark Rylance - La Bête

Patrick Stewart - A Life in the Theatre

Ben Stiller - The House of Blue Leaves

Tristan Sturrock - Brief Encounter

Robin Williams - Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Jeffrey Wright - A Free Man of Color

 

Some won't be considered because their shows are long gone, (Brief Encounter), or the shows got poor reviews, (Elling) or the theater community won't think the show worthy (Pee-Wee Herman Show.)

 

I think there are four shoo-ins in this category:

 

Bobby Cannevale - Motherfucker with the Hat

Joe Montello - Normal Heart

Al Pacino - Merchant of Venice

Mark Rylance in Jerusalem

 

so the fifth spot is going to be the wild card...

Robin Williams in Bengal Tiger? It's truly a supporting role, but he's really fine, and is terrific at not turning the part into "Robin Williams"

Ben Stiller in HOuse of Blue Leaves? They'll want him as a presenter. But his reviews were mixed. (I haven't seen it yet...review to come.)

Dan Lauria in Lombardi? He's been doing it for months and has been a real trouper...with his TV cred.

Brian Bedford as Lady Bracknell in Importance? Again, a supporting role, but he steals the show...hopefully he'll get nominated as director instead. I think had the producers gotten him in the Featured Category he would have been nominated (and perhaps won.)

John Leguizamo in Ghetto Klown? A one man show...but he's playing himself.

Jim Belushi in Born Yesterday? Another TV performer bringing in a great performance.

 

I am going to guess this slot goes to either Belushi or Stiller.

 

Best Featured Actor in a Play:

This field is wide open, so I am going to hazard a couple guesses:

 

The producers of Motherfucker successfully petitioned for Chris Rock to be in the Featured category, but I don't think he'll be nominated.

The producers of War Horse successfully petitioned for Seth Numrich to be in the Lead Category (a mistake IMHO)

 

Billy Crudup in Arcadia

Tate Donovan in Good People

John Benjamin Hickey in Normal Heart

Evan Jonigkeit in High (this is my longshot, but sometimes the committee likes to nominate a brand new face.)

Yul Vasquez in Motherfucker with a Hat

 

 

Best actor in a Musical:

 

The gents eligible in the category are:

 

Sebastian Arcelus - Elf

Norbert Leo Butz - Catch Me If You Can

Colin Donnell - Anything Goes

Josh Gad - The Book of Mormon

Joshua Henry - The Scottsboro Boys

Daniel Radcliffe - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Andrew Rannells - The Book of Mormon

Tony Sheldon - Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Will Swenson - Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Aaron Tveit - Catch Me If You Can

Benjamin Walker - Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

 

And here, I think there are only three shoo-ins:

 

Norbert Leo Butz in Catch Me...

Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed

Tony Sheldon in Priscilla

 

Will the committee give it to both boys in Book of Mormon?

Will they remember the very sexy Benjamin Walker

Will they remember Scottsboro Boys at all?

Will they give it to Colin Donnell in Anything Goes who is ably holding his own against Sutton Foster?

 

I am going to pick

Benjamin Walker and Josh Gad from Book of Mormon.

 

Featured roles, again...a huge very talented field.

 

My sure things are

John Larroquette in How to Succeed

Tom Wopat in Catch Me...

 

Again, I suspect Scottsboro Boys will sadly be overlooked.

I'd love to see Nick Adams in Priscilla get recognized.

Adam Godley in Anything Goes?

 

This category is too tough to call....

 

And now onto the women...see next thread!

[uwsman2]

I saw "Catch Me" last night - Norbert is fantastic (and was nominated, of course). Aaron was also fantastic (but was not nominated). I can understand the difference. Aaron is fantastic but Norbert is super-charged - he's gotten past whatever inhibitions young Aaron may still have about totally immersing into a character. But - hunk alert - Aaron has a scene showing lots of skin, and it's worth showing.