The 2018 Tony Awards are almost here, so let’s make some predictions, shall we? On this page, I’ll be discussing my predictions for the play categories.

Best Play:

1. Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
2. Farinelli & the King
3. The Children
4. Junk
5. Latin History for Morons

Out of the five nominees, only one of them is still running and is the most talked about, and that would be Harry Potter & the Cursed Child. While the play may not end up doing as well at the Tonys as it did at last year’s Olivier Awards, I think it should still be a big night for everyone involved with it. I will say that if there is somehow an upset, it would probably be Farinelli & the King given how that has the second most nominations out of all the Best Play nominees, and was the last one to have completed its limited run, so it wouldn’t seem too far removed from voters’ minds.

Best Revival of a Play:

1. Angels in America
2. Three Tall Women
3. The Iceman Cometh
4. Travesties
5. Lobby Hero

In any other year, this probably would’ve been a pretty competitive race given the slate of nominees. Though none has been more talked about than the frontrunner that is Angels in America. Tony Kushner’s epic two-parter has proven to be even more relevant now than it ever was before.

Best Lead Actor in a Play:

1. Andrew Garfield-Angels in America
2. Jamie Parker-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
3. Denzel Washington-The Iceman Cometh
4. Mark Rylance-Farinelli & the King
5. Tom Hollander-Travesties​

Since his breakout role in the 2010 feature film, The Social Network, Andrew Garfield’s star has been on the rise with a Tony nominated Broadway debut in the 2012 revival of Death of a Salesman, a critically acclaimed turn as Spider-Man, and an Oscar nominated performance in Hacksaw Ridge. Now, he looks set to win his first major award for his powerhouse performance as Prior Walter in the revival of Angels in America. Though with Harry Potter looking to do very well on Tony night, it could take an acting award, and Jamie Parker could repeat his success from last year’s Oliviers. Then again, Denzel Washington is the main attraction of The Iceman Cometh, taking on an iconic Eugene O’Neill character. Plus, despite the eight nominations the production received, there aren’t really many opportunities for Tony voters to reward it. Mark Rylance may have won a Tony for every single season he’s previously had on Broadway, though he could be hurt by the fact that Farinelli & the King had already completed its limited run back in March, and his competitors are in productions that are still running.

Best Lead Actress in a Play:

1. Glenda Jackson-Three Tall Women
2. Lauren Ridloff-Children of a Lesser God
3. Condola Rashad-Saint Joan
4. Amy Schumer-Meteor Shower

In what has essentially been a pretty slow year for the Lead Actress in a Play race, Glenda Jackson appears to be the frontrunner for her grand return to Broadway as a 92-year-old woman with "encroaching senility" in the Broadway premiere of Edward Albee's Three Tall Women. After having spent so many years as a working actress, Jackson took a long break to become a Member of Parliament. When she retired from politics in 2015, Jackson returned to acting with various roles on stage in London. Now, she’s back on Broadway for the first time in 30 years, celebrating her fifth Tony nomination, and is (likely) about to become the latest performer to have won the Triple Crown of Acting.

Best Featured Actor in a Play:

1. Nathan Lane-Angels in America
2. Anthony Boyle-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
3. David Morse-The Iceman Cometh
4. Brian Tyree Henry-Lobby Hero
5. Michael Cera-Lobby Hero

Nathan Lane should probably feel lucky that he was the only one from Angels in America to have made it into this category, thus, he’s not at risk of vote-splitting with a co-star. After having already won two Tonys for his work in musical comedies like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Producers, it looks like the beloved Broadway icon will win a third this year for his dramatic turn as Roy Cohn, which many people who’ve seen Angels in America have said that he’s giving the performance of his life. Though Anthony Boyle has been singled out by many for his performance as Scorpius Malfoy in Harry Potter & the Cursed Child. He even managed to win the Olivier last year as part of that play’s sweep. Could David (in this case, Boyle) be able to take down Goliath (in this case, Lane)?

Best Featured Actress in a Play:

1. Noma Dumezweni-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
2. Denise Gough-Angels in America
3. Laurie Metcalf-Three Tall Women
4. Susan Brown-Angels in America
5. Deborah Findlay-The Children​

Interestingly enough, two of the nominees in this category are Broadway debutantes reprising their Olivier-winning performances in epic two-parters. There’s Noma Dumezweni, who plays an adult Hermione Granger in Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, and Denise Gough, who plays a pill popping daughter-in-law in Angels in America. It is worth noting that Gough’s co-star, Susan Brown, is also in contention here. She plays multiple roles, mainly an overbearing Mormon mother who struggles to accept her closeted son. With both of those ladies having such meaty roles in Angels in America, they are at risk of vote-splitting. Though Gough could be helped by some visibility she had earlier in the season with her performance in People, Places, and Things at St. Ann’s Warehouse. While Laurie Metcalf may have already won Lead Actress in a Play last year for A Doll’s House, Part 2, she could still be a threat to win again this year for Three Tall Women. For one, her character is essentially a lead role. Not to mention that there could be quite a few Tony voters who may feel sorry for her after losing the Oscar earlier this year for Lady Bird as well as the recent behind-the-scenes drama with Roseanne Barr that she had to put up with.

Best Direction of a Play:

1. John Tiffany-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
2. Marianne Elliott-Angels in America
3. Joe Mantello-Three Tall Women
4. George C. Wolfe-The Iceman Cometh
5. Patrick Marber-Travesties

John Tiffany pulls off what is probably the biggest theatrical achievement of the season with Harry Potter & the Cursed Child. In this day and age when almost everything on Broadway gets very technical, Tiffany goes a little more old school by staging things in a suggestive way as opposed to literal. Not to mention that he also shares a story credit with playwright Jack Thorne and author J.K. Rowling on the play. Though Marianne Elliott probably pulls off the biggest acting achievement of the season with Angels in America. After having made a name for herself with innovative stagings of War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Elliott proves that she can do so much more than spectacles.

Be sure to watch the Tonys this Sunday night at 8/7c on CBS. Here is a quick rundown of my predictions for the design categories...

Best Sound Design of a Play:

1. Gareth Fry-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
2. Ian Dickinson for Autograph-Angels in America
3. Adam Cork-Travesties
4. Dan Moses Schreier-The Iceman Cometh
5. Tom Gibbons-1984​

Best Lighting Design of a Play:

1. Neil Austin-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
2. Paule Constable-Angels in America
3. Paul Russell-Farinelli & the King
4. Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer-The Iceman Cometh
5. Ben Stanton-Junk

Best Scenic Design of a Play:

1. Christine Jones-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
2. Ian MacNeill & Edward Pierce-Angels in America
3. Miriam Buether-Three Tall Women
4. Jonathan Fensom-Farinelli & the King
5. Santo Loquasto-The Iceman Cometh​​

Best Costume Design of a Play:

1. Katrina Lindsay-Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
2. Jonathan Fensom-Farinelli & the King
3. Ann Roth-The Iceman Cometh
4. Ann Roth-Three Tall Women
5. Nicky Gillibrand-Angels in America​