The 72nd Annual Tony Awards were just held, and there's so much to talk about. First things first, I overall got 19 out of 26 predictions correct. About three of the four musical design categories really screwed me this year. I predicted SpongeBob SquarePants would win Best Sound Design instead of The Band’s Visit, Once on This Island would win Best Lighting Design instead of The Band’s Visit, and My Fair Lady would win Best Scenic Design instead of SpongeBob SquarePants. Though there were five categories where I went against the choices that were ranked at number one in the odds at Gold Derby, two of them, I got right. Many people were predicting Joshua Henry to win Lead Actor in a Musical for Carousel, which surprised me given how Ethan Slater managed to win both of those awards for SpongeBob SquarePants at the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards. I ended up predicting Tony Shalhoub to win given how strong The Band’s Visit appeared to be from the New York Times voter poll, which I was right about. After having Best Original Score presented on the telecast in the two previous years, it was swapped out for Best Book of a Musical this year, pretty much because Tina Fey looked like a threat to win for Mean Girls. I personally never bought into that as I really doubted Mean Girls even had snob appeal. Thus, the prediction I held on to all season long, Itamar Moses for The Band’s Visit, ended up winning.
As for the other categories I got wrong, they were…
Best Revival of a Musical: While I had My Fair Lady predicted to win throughout the season, I knew there was a lot of affection for Once on This Island (especially after the New York Times voter poll hinted that there was still a chance for that to win). While I did end up getting this category wrong, I did at least appreciate how each of the three nominees took home at least one trophy during the night. While it did look like Once on This Island was losing momentum at the box office in recent weeks, their performance Sunday night coupled with this win should hopefully keep business afloat at least through the summer.
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Even though I was predicting Norbert Leo Butz to win for My Fair Lady all season long, I knew that if Ari’el Stachel were to win (which he did), it definitely would’ve been a sign of how strong The Band’s Visit was. In a category that usually goes for the bigger performance, Stachel also probably benefited from being the one apple in a bag of oranges (or vice versa) among this year’s nominees.
Best Featured Actress in a Play: While many people were predicting Denise Gough to win for Angels in America, I knew with Susan Brown in contention, that they were both at risk of vote-splitting. I actually predicted Noma Dumezweni because I felt if Harry Potter & the Cursed Child was going to win big on Tony night (which it still did), that it seemed possible that the play would take an acting award. However, Laurie Metcalf ended up winning her second consecutive Tony (albeit, in a different category) for Three Tall Women. I guess that win must’ve made a lot of people who felt she was robbed of the Oscar for Lady Bird earlier this year really happy.
Best Orchestrations: While I knew that Jamshied Sharifi was a possible winner for The Band’s Visit, I probably would’ve been more likely to have predicted him had this category not been voted on by a peer group (which started this year). I originally had Tom Kitt winning for all the hard work he did by creating a cohesive sound for all the songs in SpongeBob SquarePants, but I switched to Jonathan Tunick for Carousel because I felt that the peer group voting would show the most respect for him. No matter who I would’ve gone with, I was still bound to get it wrong.
As for the telecast itself, I thought that Josh Groban & Sara Bareilles both did a fine job as hosts. They may have been no Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, nor James Corden, but I did enjoy them. While the opening number was shorter than usual, I did like how it was dedicated to those who previously did not win Tonys (as well as those who wouldn’t go on to win that night). Though I definitely thought it was pretty clever how several of the presenters were introduced with old photos of them in theatre productions. And two thumbs up to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama department’s stunning performance of ‘Seasons of Love’ from Rent.
Speaking of presenters, I think it would’ve been great if the producers of the telecast had gotten people like Audra McDonald to introduce Carousel (since she earned her big break from the last revival), Idina Menzel to introduce Frozen (she’s even currently in New York right now doing a straight play Off-Broadway), and/or Julie Andrews to introduce My Fair Lady. I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually tried to get them, but I guess weren’t able to. Though Mikhail Baryshnikov did make for a worthy introducer for Carousel’s performance, James Monroe Iglehart (along with the reindeer, Sven) did offer a humorous introduction to Frozen, and likewise for Amy Schumer introducing My Fair Lady.
Last year, it seemed that the producers of the telecast were able to come up with the perfect solution in highlighting the Best Play nominees by having each of the nominated playwrights appear on stage individually throughout the night to talk about their work. This year, it was completely thrown out the window. I guess they couldn’t find the time to do that. Though I did like how some cast members from Angels in America and Harry Potter & the Cursed Child made a couple cameo appearances in character.
With brand-named productions such as Harry Potter, Frozen, Mean Girls, and SpongeBob SquarePants in contention, the ratings for this year’s telecast were slightly up from last year. It may have only been by 5%, but every little bit helps. I understand that there’s still people out there who keep on complaining about how Broadway’s becoming so commercialized, but an increase in ratings for the Tony Awards can benefit from that. Though this year probably also benefited a little more from Robert De Niro’s bleeped bashing of Donald Trump going viral.
As one Broadway season ends, another has already begun. With some more brand-named shows coming in such as Head Over Heels, Pretty Woman, The Cher Show, and King Kong, there is at least a revival of Kiss Me, Kate set for next spring. Be sure to keep on following me throughout the 2018-19 season.
As for the other categories I got wrong, they were…
Best Revival of a Musical: While I had My Fair Lady predicted to win throughout the season, I knew there was a lot of affection for Once on This Island (especially after the New York Times voter poll hinted that there was still a chance for that to win). While I did end up getting this category wrong, I did at least appreciate how each of the three nominees took home at least one trophy during the night. While it did look like Once on This Island was losing momentum at the box office in recent weeks, their performance Sunday night coupled with this win should hopefully keep business afloat at least through the summer.
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Even though I was predicting Norbert Leo Butz to win for My Fair Lady all season long, I knew that if Ari’el Stachel were to win (which he did), it definitely would’ve been a sign of how strong The Band’s Visit was. In a category that usually goes for the bigger performance, Stachel also probably benefited from being the one apple in a bag of oranges (or vice versa) among this year’s nominees.
Best Featured Actress in a Play: While many people were predicting Denise Gough to win for Angels in America, I knew with Susan Brown in contention, that they were both at risk of vote-splitting. I actually predicted Noma Dumezweni because I felt if Harry Potter & the Cursed Child was going to win big on Tony night (which it still did), that it seemed possible that the play would take an acting award. However, Laurie Metcalf ended up winning her second consecutive Tony (albeit, in a different category) for Three Tall Women. I guess that win must’ve made a lot of people who felt she was robbed of the Oscar for Lady Bird earlier this year really happy.
Best Orchestrations: While I knew that Jamshied Sharifi was a possible winner for The Band’s Visit, I probably would’ve been more likely to have predicted him had this category not been voted on by a peer group (which started this year). I originally had Tom Kitt winning for all the hard work he did by creating a cohesive sound for all the songs in SpongeBob SquarePants, but I switched to Jonathan Tunick for Carousel because I felt that the peer group voting would show the most respect for him. No matter who I would’ve gone with, I was still bound to get it wrong.
As for the telecast itself, I thought that Josh Groban & Sara Bareilles both did a fine job as hosts. They may have been no Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, nor James Corden, but I did enjoy them. While the opening number was shorter than usual, I did like how it was dedicated to those who previously did not win Tonys (as well as those who wouldn’t go on to win that night). Though I definitely thought it was pretty clever how several of the presenters were introduced with old photos of them in theatre productions. And two thumbs up to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama department’s stunning performance of ‘Seasons of Love’ from Rent.
Speaking of presenters, I think it would’ve been great if the producers of the telecast had gotten people like Audra McDonald to introduce Carousel (since she earned her big break from the last revival), Idina Menzel to introduce Frozen (she’s even currently in New York right now doing a straight play Off-Broadway), and/or Julie Andrews to introduce My Fair Lady. I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually tried to get them, but I guess weren’t able to. Though Mikhail Baryshnikov did make for a worthy introducer for Carousel’s performance, James Monroe Iglehart (along with the reindeer, Sven) did offer a humorous introduction to Frozen, and likewise for Amy Schumer introducing My Fair Lady.
Last year, it seemed that the producers of the telecast were able to come up with the perfect solution in highlighting the Best Play nominees by having each of the nominated playwrights appear on stage individually throughout the night to talk about their work. This year, it was completely thrown out the window. I guess they couldn’t find the time to do that. Though I did like how some cast members from Angels in America and Harry Potter & the Cursed Child made a couple cameo appearances in character.
With brand-named productions such as Harry Potter, Frozen, Mean Girls, and SpongeBob SquarePants in contention, the ratings for this year’s telecast were slightly up from last year. It may have only been by 5%, but every little bit helps. I understand that there’s still people out there who keep on complaining about how Broadway’s becoming so commercialized, but an increase in ratings for the Tony Awards can benefit from that. Though this year probably also benefited a little more from Robert De Niro’s bleeped bashing of Donald Trump going viral.
As one Broadway season ends, another has already begun. With some more brand-named shows coming in such as Head Over Heels, Pretty Woman, The Cher Show, and King Kong, there is at least a revival of Kiss Me, Kate set for next spring. Be sure to keep on following me throughout the 2018-19 season.