Welcome back to 'Tonys Flashback', where I take a deep dive into all of the nominees from any previous acting race at the Tony Awards. When I did research for my 'And the Tony Almost Went to...' feature on Urinetown back in 2020, I was astonished to learn how all over the place the 2002 race for Best Featured Actress in a Musical was. Before the ceremony, the New York Times described it as "a toss-up." As I recently reflected on that, I thought it'd be a great idea to take a look back at it. So for each of the five nominees, let's go in order of who was (probably) last place to first place, shall we?
5. Judy Kaye-Mamma Mia!
5. Judy Kaye-Mamma Mia!
In Catherine Johnson's jukebox musical utilizing the ABBA catalogue, Judy Kaye played Rosie Mulligan, a former singer who now writes for and runs a feminist press. She reunites with her long-time best friends, Tanya Cresham-Leigh and Donna Sheridan at the latter's taverna in Greece for her daughter's wedding. Rosie has no fear and is quite happy being on her own. She doesn’t need to be “tied down” to feel complete. Yet, underneath it all and unbeknownst to even her, she’s ready to throw caution to the wind when the right one comes along.
This was the second of four Tony nominations (to date) for Judy Kaye. At that point, she was a previous winner in this category in 1988 for originating the role of Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Following that, she went on to be in the original cast of Ragtime as Emma Goldman. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
According to the New York Times’ survey that year, Judy Kaye was not going to win, but would have steady work to look forward to as her show was the season's hottest seller. They were clearly right about that. She was in the Broadway production for two years and it continued to run until September 12th, 2015. For Kaye, this was clearly a case of "the nomination was the award." Since then, she went on to receive a bid for Best Lead Actress in a Play in 2006 for her portrayal of Florence Foster Jenkins in Stephen Temperley's Souvenir and win this category again in 2012 for her performance as Duchess Estonia Dulworth in Nice Work If You Can Get It.
4. Spencer Kayden-Urinetown
This was the second of four Tony nominations (to date) for Judy Kaye. At that point, she was a previous winner in this category in 1988 for originating the role of Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Following that, she went on to be in the original cast of Ragtime as Emma Goldman. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
According to the New York Times’ survey that year, Judy Kaye was not going to win, but would have steady work to look forward to as her show was the season's hottest seller. They were clearly right about that. She was in the Broadway production for two years and it continued to run until September 12th, 2015. For Kaye, this was clearly a case of "the nomination was the award." Since then, she went on to receive a bid for Best Lead Actress in a Play in 2006 for her portrayal of Florence Foster Jenkins in Stephen Temperley's Souvenir and win this category again in 2012 for her performance as Duchess Estonia Dulworth in Nice Work If You Can Get It.
4. Spencer Kayden-Urinetown
In Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis' original musical, Spencer Kayden played Little Sally, a precocious and irreverent street urchin in a Gotham-like city where a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. She serves as a quasi-narrator for the show and often questions its logic as well as its primary narrator, Officer Lockstock, the city's corrupt policeman.
This was the first of two Tony nominations (to date) for Spencer Kayden. Prior to getting involved with Urinetown, she grew up in Orange County, California and went on to study drama at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. In Chicago, she was a part of the cast of the windy city's longest-running theater show, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, which also brought her to New York for its Off-Off Broadway run. She had been with Urinetown since its debut at the New York International Fringe Festival in 1999. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical and was also one of 12 recipients of the Theatre World Award that year for her Broadway debut.
Spencer Kayden was not only a Broadway newcomer, but the Times described her as "a winning comic actress." As Urinetown was a big threat to win Best Musical, you'd think she be considered more of a factor in this race. However, the remaining three ahead of her appeared to have had more support. Plus, I'm sure voters at the time probably felt Kayden would have more opportunities to come in the future. Since then, she did four episodes of the Fox sketch comedy series, MADtv, and went on to receive a Best Featured Actress in a Play bid in 2012 for her performance as Suzette in the Broadway premiere of Marc Camoletti's Don't Dress for Dinner.
3. Andrea Martin-Oklahoma!
This was the first of two Tony nominations (to date) for Spencer Kayden. Prior to getting involved with Urinetown, she grew up in Orange County, California and went on to study drama at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. In Chicago, she was a part of the cast of the windy city's longest-running theater show, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, which also brought her to New York for its Off-Off Broadway run. She had been with Urinetown since its debut at the New York International Fringe Festival in 1999. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical and was also one of 12 recipients of the Theatre World Award that year for her Broadway debut.
Spencer Kayden was not only a Broadway newcomer, but the Times described her as "a winning comic actress." As Urinetown was a big threat to win Best Musical, you'd think she be considered more of a factor in this race. However, the remaining three ahead of her appeared to have had more support. Plus, I'm sure voters at the time probably felt Kayden would have more opportunities to come in the future. Since then, she did four episodes of the Fox sketch comedy series, MADtv, and went on to receive a Best Featured Actress in a Play bid in 2012 for her performance as Suzette in the Broadway premiere of Marc Camoletti's Don't Dress for Dinner.
3. Andrea Martin-Oklahoma!
In the fourth Broadway revival of Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II's 1943 classic, Andrea Martin played Aunt Eller, the proprietress of her family's farm who raised her niece, Laurey Williams, as her own. She is also friendly and good-humored, but does not suffer foolishness. She keeps the peace while holding a protective eye over Laurey and her relationship with cowboy Curly McLain.
This was the third of six Tony nominations (to date) for Andrea Martin. At that point, she was a previous winner in this category in 1993 for her performance as Alice Miller in My Favorite Year. She went on to receive a second bid in 1997 for her performance as Old Lady in the Hal Prince-helmed revival of Candide. Although prior to both of those, she had made a name for herself as a regular on the Canadian sketch comedy series, SCTV. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she had nominations from the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards.
According to the Times, Andrea Martin was a dark horse, but her name popped up more and more in the days leading up to the ceremony. She was this comic talent putting her stamp on a classic American role. In fact, she was the very first actress to have ever been Tony nominated for playing Aunt Eller. The original production opened in 1943, four years before the Tonys were established, so Betty Garde obviously wasn't eligible. Mary Wickes wasn't nominated for the previous revival in 1980. Although Mary Testa did go on to receive a nom for the most recent remounting in 2019.
What's interesting is that this particular revival originally opened to great acclaim at the National Theatre in London in 1998, where it won 4 Laurence Olivier Awards. Yet when it came to Broadway, it wasn't as well received. The production only ended up taking home one Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Shuler Hensley's performance as Jud Fry. Despite only having one competitor for Best Revival of a Musical, it still didn't win there. We'll probably never know how far Andrea Martin made it in the final tallies, but I'm thinking third place at best. Since then, she was nominated in 2007 for originating the role of Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, won in 2013 for her portrayal of Berthe in the Diane Paulus-helmed revival of Pippin, and was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2016 for playing Dotty Otley in the Jeremy Herrin-helmed revival of Michael Frayn's Noises Off.
2. Laura Benanti-Into the Woods
This was the third of six Tony nominations (to date) for Andrea Martin. At that point, she was a previous winner in this category in 1993 for her performance as Alice Miller in My Favorite Year. She went on to receive a second bid in 1997 for her performance as Old Lady in the Hal Prince-helmed revival of Candide. Although prior to both of those, she had made a name for herself as a regular on the Canadian sketch comedy series, SCTV. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she had nominations from the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards.
According to the Times, Andrea Martin was a dark horse, but her name popped up more and more in the days leading up to the ceremony. She was this comic talent putting her stamp on a classic American role. In fact, she was the very first actress to have ever been Tony nominated for playing Aunt Eller. The original production opened in 1943, four years before the Tonys were established, so Betty Garde obviously wasn't eligible. Mary Wickes wasn't nominated for the previous revival in 1980. Although Mary Testa did go on to receive a nom for the most recent remounting in 2019.
What's interesting is that this particular revival originally opened to great acclaim at the National Theatre in London in 1998, where it won 4 Laurence Olivier Awards. Yet when it came to Broadway, it wasn't as well received. The production only ended up taking home one Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Shuler Hensley's performance as Jud Fry. Despite only having one competitor for Best Revival of a Musical, it still didn't win there. We'll probably never know how far Andrea Martin made it in the final tallies, but I'm thinking third place at best. Since then, she was nominated in 2007 for originating the role of Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, won in 2013 for her portrayal of Berthe in the Diane Paulus-helmed revival of Pippin, and was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2016 for playing Dotty Otley in the Jeremy Herrin-helmed revival of Michael Frayn's Noises Off.
2. Laura Benanti-Into the Woods
In the first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine's 1987 classic, Laura Benanti played Cinderella, a young, earnest maiden who is constantly mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, Florinda and Lucinda. As she wishes to go to the King's festival, she unknowingly instead embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
This was the second of five Tony nominations (to date) for Laura Benanti. At that point, she was a previous nominee in this category for her performance in Swing!. Prior to that, she made her Broadway debut in 1998 at age 18 in the Susan Schulman-helmed revival of The Sound of Music. She started out in that production in the ensemble before she eventually took over for Rebecca Luker as Maria Rainer. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she had nominations from the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards.
According to the Times, Laura Benanti was a rising star in a tough role who was already well liked in the industry and very pretty to boot. In fact, she was the very first and (as of now) only actress to have ever been Tony nominated for playing Cinderella in Into the Woods. Kim Crosby wasn't recognized for the original production in 1988 neither was Phillipa Soo for the most recent remounting in 2023. Michael Riedel reported in the New York Post that a lot of voters were enchanted by Benanti's performance. The Times ended up suggesting that she would win.
While Into the Woods did prevail for Best Revival of a Musical, it strangely only took home one other award for lighting. Given that Benanti was almost 23 years old at the time, voters might've felt that she'd have more opportunities to come in the future. Which they did end up being right about. She went on to win this category in 2008 for her portrayal of Louise in the Patti LuPone-led revival of Gypsy. Since then, she was nominated in 2011 for originating the role of Candela in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and in 2016 for playing Amalia Balash in the most recent revival of She Loves Me.
1. Harriet Sansom Harris-Thoroughly Modern Millie
This was the second of five Tony nominations (to date) for Laura Benanti. At that point, she was a previous nominee in this category for her performance in Swing!. Prior to that, she made her Broadway debut in 1998 at age 18 in the Susan Schulman-helmed revival of The Sound of Music. She started out in that production in the ensemble before she eventually took over for Rebecca Luker as Maria Rainer. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she had nominations from the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards.
According to the Times, Laura Benanti was a rising star in a tough role who was already well liked in the industry and very pretty to boot. In fact, she was the very first and (as of now) only actress to have ever been Tony nominated for playing Cinderella in Into the Woods. Kim Crosby wasn't recognized for the original production in 1988 neither was Phillipa Soo for the most recent remounting in 2023. Michael Riedel reported in the New York Post that a lot of voters were enchanted by Benanti's performance. The Times ended up suggesting that she would win.
While Into the Woods did prevail for Best Revival of a Musical, it strangely only took home one other award for lighting. Given that Benanti was almost 23 years old at the time, voters might've felt that she'd have more opportunities to come in the future. Which they did end up being right about. She went on to win this category in 2008 for her portrayal of Louise in the Patti LuPone-led revival of Gypsy. Since then, she was nominated in 2011 for originating the role of Candela in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and in 2016 for playing Amalia Balash in the most recent revival of She Loves Me.
1. Harriet Sansom Harris-Thoroughly Modern Millie
In Richard Morris, Dick Scanlan, & Jeanine Tesori's stage adaptation of George Roy Hill's 1967 Academy Award-winning film musical, Harriet Sansom Harris played Mrs. Meers, a former actress turned human trafficker pretending to be a kindly Chinese woman. She oversees the Hotel Priscilla where she secretly sells her tenants.
This was the first and only Tony nomination (to date) for Harriet Sansom Harris. Prior to getting involved with Millie, she had done two Broadway shows: John Guare's Four Baboons Adoring the Sun in 1992, where she understudied Stockard Channing in the leading role of Penny McKenzie, and the Jerry Zaks-helmed revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner in 2000, where she worked alongside the likes of Nathan Lane and Jean Smart. Although Off-Broadway, she earned Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play two years in a row: In 1992 for Jeffrey Essmann's Bella, Belle of Byelorussia and in 1993 for Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey. On television, she had made a name for herself in her recurring role as Bebe Glazer, the title character's devilish agent on the long-running sitcom, Frasier. Not to mention that she also appeared in different films such as Addams Family Values, Quiz Show, and Memento. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she won the Drama Desk for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
So How Did Harriet Sansom Harris Win?: According to the Times, she was an industry veteran who at that point, never got the recognition she deserved. She was also well respected in Thoroughly Modern Millie, a show with a winning buzz. While Riedel mentioned the possibility of Benanti pulling it out, he also said that Harris "will probably win" for her "comically villainous" performance. At any awards show, characters like that do tend to have a leg up over the competition.
2002 marked the final year where the first hour of the Tonys was presented on PBS. During that portion, Millie managed to win three awards for costume design, orchestrations, and choreography. The latter of which was a surprise because the Times reported that Susan Stroman was the unanimous choice for her work on Oklahoma!. When Best Featured Actress in a Musical was later presented during the main telecast on CBS, John Leguizamo had the honors of reading out each of the five nominees before announcing the winner (@1:22)...
This was the first and only Tony nomination (to date) for Harriet Sansom Harris. Prior to getting involved with Millie, she had done two Broadway shows: John Guare's Four Baboons Adoring the Sun in 1992, where she understudied Stockard Channing in the leading role of Penny McKenzie, and the Jerry Zaks-helmed revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner in 2000, where she worked alongside the likes of Nathan Lane and Jean Smart. Although Off-Broadway, she earned Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play two years in a row: In 1992 for Jeffrey Essmann's Bella, Belle of Byelorussia and in 1993 for Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey. On television, she had made a name for herself in her recurring role as Bebe Glazer, the title character's devilish agent on the long-running sitcom, Frasier. Not to mention that she also appeared in different films such as Addams Family Values, Quiz Show, and Memento. Leading up to the 2002 Tonys, she won the Drama Desk for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
So How Did Harriet Sansom Harris Win?: According to the Times, she was an industry veteran who at that point, never got the recognition she deserved. She was also well respected in Thoroughly Modern Millie, a show with a winning buzz. While Riedel mentioned the possibility of Benanti pulling it out, he also said that Harris "will probably win" for her "comically villainous" performance. At any awards show, characters like that do tend to have a leg up over the competition.
2002 marked the final year where the first hour of the Tonys was presented on PBS. During that portion, Millie managed to win three awards for costume design, orchestrations, and choreography. The latter of which was a surprise because the Times reported that Susan Stroman was the unanimous choice for her work on Oklahoma!. When Best Featured Actress in a Musical was later presented during the main telecast on CBS, John Leguizamo had the honors of reading out each of the five nominees before announcing the winner (@1:22)...
As I mentioned in my Urinetown piece, Millie overperforming that night was likely the signal that it was winning big. To all awards predictors, this is another example of how when you have an acting category that's considered a toss-up, it's probably best to go with the nominee whose project was the stronger contender. It's how I called Tony Shalhoub winning Best Lead Actor in a Musical for The Band's Visit in 2018. It's also how Frances McDormand won the Oscar for Best Actress for Nomadland in 2020. Same with Jamie Lee Curtis winning Best Supporting Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once in 2022.
Although since Thoroughly Modern Millie became a popular choice for high schools to produce, it was plauged with controversy due to the racial stereotyping of Asian people. Like the subplot involving Mrs. Meers being a white woman disguising herself as a Chinese and running a white slavery ring with assistance from a pair of recent Chinese male immigrants plays on the close differences between satire and racism. In response to that, co-book writer/lyricist Dick Scanlan said that the musical aims to shatter racist stereotypes and allow the audience to experience “the chasm between the stereotype and the real thing." Actor Francis Jue, who was one of the original Chinese immigrants, said "this show can be done racist but it doesn’t have to and it can actually be anti-racist…And the Chinese guys are the heroes of the story." In other words, if Harriet Sansom Harris were to play Mrs. Meers today, it would be controversial. Encores! was set to present Millie in 2020 with book revisions by Lauren Yee, which sought to address some of the racist and sexist aspects of the show. Yet the production was canceled due to COVID-19. Hopefully at some point, it'll see the light of day.
While Harriet Sansom Harris has (as of now) never been Tony nominated again, she has at least continued to be a mainstay in the New York theatre community. She's gone on to appear in five more Broadway shows such as the Michael Wilson-helmed revival of John Van Druten's Old Acquaintance, the Victor Garber-led revival of Noël Coward's Present Laughter, as well as the original casts of Cry-Baby, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, and It Shoulda Been You. The latter of which reunited her with a couple other Frasier cast members, Edward Hibbert and David Hyde Pierce, the latter of whom only directed. On screen, she went on to have a recurring role as Felicia Tilman on Desperate Housewives, work with Paul Thomas Anderson twice on 2017's Phantom Thread and 2021's Licorice Pizza, and earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for her guest appearance on a season two episode of Hacks.
So that just about does it for my first time covering a previous featured acting race at the Tonys.
Although since Thoroughly Modern Millie became a popular choice for high schools to produce, it was plauged with controversy due to the racial stereotyping of Asian people. Like the subplot involving Mrs. Meers being a white woman disguising herself as a Chinese and running a white slavery ring with assistance from a pair of recent Chinese male immigrants plays on the close differences between satire and racism. In response to that, co-book writer/lyricist Dick Scanlan said that the musical aims to shatter racist stereotypes and allow the audience to experience “the chasm between the stereotype and the real thing." Actor Francis Jue, who was one of the original Chinese immigrants, said "this show can be done racist but it doesn’t have to and it can actually be anti-racist…And the Chinese guys are the heroes of the story." In other words, if Harriet Sansom Harris were to play Mrs. Meers today, it would be controversial. Encores! was set to present Millie in 2020 with book revisions by Lauren Yee, which sought to address some of the racist and sexist aspects of the show. Yet the production was canceled due to COVID-19. Hopefully at some point, it'll see the light of day.
While Harriet Sansom Harris has (as of now) never been Tony nominated again, she has at least continued to be a mainstay in the New York theatre community. She's gone on to appear in five more Broadway shows such as the Michael Wilson-helmed revival of John Van Druten's Old Acquaintance, the Victor Garber-led revival of Noël Coward's Present Laughter, as well as the original casts of Cry-Baby, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, and It Shoulda Been You. The latter of which reunited her with a couple other Frasier cast members, Edward Hibbert and David Hyde Pierce, the latter of whom only directed. On screen, she went on to have a recurring role as Felicia Tilman on Desperate Housewives, work with Paul Thomas Anderson twice on 2017's Phantom Thread and 2021's Licorice Pizza, and earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for her guest appearance on a season two episode of Hacks.
So that just about does it for my first time covering a previous featured acting race at the Tonys.