With only two more weeks until nominations for this year’s Tony Awards are announced, we shall be discussing the candidates for Best Play this week. All of the 9 eligible candidates have now officially opened, and it wasn’t a very strong year for new plays this season.
Though with that being said, there are three major contenders for the award this year as well as a couple possibilities for what could get the fourth slot. So let’s talk about them, shall we?
What’s In?:
Eclipsed-The first play in history to be written by a woman, directed by a woman, and feature an all female cast began performances at the Public Theatre last fall before quickly moving to Broadway last month to great acclaim! It looks like the Public Theatre shall have two major contenders this year (the other being a show you may have heard of called Hamilton).
The Humans-Another new play this season that quickly transferred from off-Broadway to Broadway to great acclaim! The key differences are that while Eclipsed features a star (Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o), and has a strictly limited engagement, The Humans has no stars, and an open-ended run. I think this shall be battling it out with Eclipsed for the award on June 12th.
King Charles III-It may have come and gone earlier in the season, but this ‘future history’ play had so much ambition (and critical acclaim) going for it that it would be a shame if it misses out on a nomination.
What’s Likely Going to Take the Fourth Slot?:
The Father-The response on the American premiere of Florian Zeller’s French drama (translated by Christopher Hampton) has been mixed. A Lead Actor in a Play nomination for Three-Time Tony Award winner Frank Langella definitely seems likely, but the play itself seems to have more admirers than actual fans. Though I still think it'll likely take the fourth slot for Best Play.
Dark Horse:
An Act of God-It was first new show of the 2015-16 Broadway season that opened last summer starring Jim Parsons, and was not only a huge box office hit, but was also pretty well reviewed by the critics. It’s even making a return engagement this summer with Sean Hayes. Though the nominators may think the play itself is ‘too light’ to deserve a nomination. It was really just a star vehicle for Jim Parsons. Then again, if playwright David Javerbaum’s last Broadway show Cry-Baby (which he was a lyricist on) was a surprise nominee for Best Musical back in 2008, then anything’s possible.
Though with that being said, there are three major contenders for the award this year as well as a couple possibilities for what could get the fourth slot. So let’s talk about them, shall we?
What’s In?:
Eclipsed-The first play in history to be written by a woman, directed by a woman, and feature an all female cast began performances at the Public Theatre last fall before quickly moving to Broadway last month to great acclaim! It looks like the Public Theatre shall have two major contenders this year (the other being a show you may have heard of called Hamilton).
The Humans-Another new play this season that quickly transferred from off-Broadway to Broadway to great acclaim! The key differences are that while Eclipsed features a star (Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o), and has a strictly limited engagement, The Humans has no stars, and an open-ended run. I think this shall be battling it out with Eclipsed for the award on June 12th.
King Charles III-It may have come and gone earlier in the season, but this ‘future history’ play had so much ambition (and critical acclaim) going for it that it would be a shame if it misses out on a nomination.
What’s Likely Going to Take the Fourth Slot?:
The Father-The response on the American premiere of Florian Zeller’s French drama (translated by Christopher Hampton) has been mixed. A Lead Actor in a Play nomination for Three-Time Tony Award winner Frank Langella definitely seems likely, but the play itself seems to have more admirers than actual fans. Though I still think it'll likely take the fourth slot for Best Play.
Dark Horse:
An Act of God-It was first new show of the 2015-16 Broadway season that opened last summer starring Jim Parsons, and was not only a huge box office hit, but was also pretty well reviewed by the critics. It’s even making a return engagement this summer with Sean Hayes. Though the nominators may think the play itself is ‘too light’ to deserve a nomination. It was really just a star vehicle for Jim Parsons. Then again, if playwright David Javerbaum’s last Broadway show Cry-Baby (which he was a lyricist on) was a surprise nominee for Best Musical back in 2008, then anything’s possible.