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2013 Tony Award Nominations Announced!


Tony Award

 

Well theater/Broadway lovers its Tony Award nomination morning! This morning Tony Award winner Sutton Foster and SAG Award winner Jesse Tyler Ferguson announced this year's nominees for the coveted medallion. As usual, there are some glaring omissions and some major surprises on who got nominated. Let's see who made the cut, which deserved to get nominated, and who was not:

 

BEST MUSICAL:

A Christmas Story
Bring It On
Kinky Boots
Matilda

NOT NOMINATED: HANDS ON A HARDBODY, SCANDALOUS, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL, CHAPLIN. Many felt HANDS ON A HARDBODY deserved a nod. KINKY BOOTS & MATILDA where the shoo-ins, it was the last two slots that everyone kept second guessing. Sadly only two of the nominees are still running today. While MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL got mixed critical response, it is winning at the box office and word mouth.

Kinky BootsMatilda
Kinky Boots and Matilda received 13 Tony Nominations each including Best Musical

 

BEST PLAY:

Lucky Guy
The Assembled Parties
The Testament of Mary
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

NOT NOMINATED: THE NANCE, I'LL EAT YOU LAST, THE ANARCHRIST, ANN, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, DEAD ACCOUNTS, GRACE.

The major shocker here is Douglas Carter Beane's THE NANCE and John Logan's I'LL EAT YOU LAST. Logan's play did receive better reviews than Beane's play, but both have received tons of great word of mouth. It is very clear that Tom Hanks star power pushed LUCKY GUY into the final nods, because Nora Ephron's script
was slammed by the New York critics.

 

 

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY:

Golden Boy
Orphans
The Trip to Bountiful
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

NOT NOMINATED: THE HEIRESS, PINIC, THE BIG KNIFE, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, MACBETH, and HARVEY.

Well, I guess having major film/TV stars in your shows no longer guarantees solid box office, critical acclaim, and Tony nominations. Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain in THE HEIRESS, Golden Globe nominee Scarlett Johansson in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, Oscar winner Al Pacino in GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, Bobby Cannavale in THE BIG KNIFE, Alan Cumming in MACBETH and Emmy Award winner Jim Parsons in HARVEY somehow didn't register with the Tony nominators in giving their productions a nod. ORPHANS received more press over the backstage fights between Alec Baldwin and Shia Labeouf. It got so bad that Labeaouf was fired from the production, although a press release was sent out he left over "creative differences". But Labeouf went one step further and published emails between him and the director discussing Baldwin's behavior! MEOW!

 

 

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL:

Annie
Cinderella
Pippin
The Mystery of Edwin Drood

NOT NOMINATED: JEKYLL & HYDE. There were very few revivals this year on Broadway. Sadly once again Frank Wildhorn got b*tch slapped by the Tony nominators. The critics tore the revival apart (which was too harsh in my personal opinion), with the New York Times calling Wildhorn "the crab grass of Broadway". I saw J&K it during its pre-Broadway national tour and thought it was an exciting and thrilling new production. I would take J&K ANYDAY over the sugar coated ANNIE!

DroodCinderella

THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEINS CINDERELLA both received Tony nods for Best Revival of a Musical.

 

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY:

Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Nathan Lane, The Nance
Tracy Letts, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tom Sturridge, Orphans

NOT NOMINATED: Alec Baldwin (ORPHANS); Alan Cumming (MACBETH); Douglas Hodge (CYRANO); Norbert Leo Butz (DEAD ACCOUNTS), Bobby Cannavale (THE BIG KNIFE), Ben Foster, (ORPHANS), Boyd Gaines (AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE), Ciaran Hinds (CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF), Jim Parsons (HARVEY), Paul Rudd (GRACE), Michael Shannon (GRACE), David Strathairn (THE HEIRESS), Benjamin Walker (CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF), and
Seth Numrich (GOLDEN BOY).

Major names were left in the wings in this category. I guess those email feuds that Labeouf leaked out didn't help Baldwin's chances at Tony glory. But there are no major surprises on the final nominees as most of them have already been nominated either for the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards.

 

 

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY:

Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place
Amy Morton, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Holland Taylor, Ann
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

NOT NOMINATED: Bette Midler (I'LL EAT YOU LAST), Jessica Hecht (THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES), Fiona Shaw (THE TESTAMENT OF MARY); Sigourney Weave (VANYA AND SONIA..), Emilia Clarke (BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S), Jessica Chastain (THE HEIRESS), Katie Holmes (DEAD ACCOUNTS), Scarlett Johansson (CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF), Patti LuPone and Debra Winger (both for THE ANACHIST).

The MAJOR shocker here is Midler not getting into the final nods. She received glowing reviews for her portrayal of 1970s mega agent to the stars Sue Mengers. Metcalf failed to get a Drama Desk nod and really wasn't on anyone's major radars over the weekend in articles of who would get nominated, Midler made those lists. Sadly I feel with no nods for Best Play or Actress, Midler's show will greatly suffer and shutter soon on Broadway. Meanwhile Chastain, Holmes, and Johansson all got negative reviews, so that had to hurt them in the final
round of voting.

 

 

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:

Bertie Carvel, Matilda
Santino Fontana, Cinderella
Rob McClure, Chaplin
Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Stark Sands, Kinky Boots

NOT NOMINATED: Brandon Victor Dixon (MOTOWN); Jim Norton (DROOD); Matthew James Thomas (PIPPIN); John Bolton (A CHRISTMAS STORY); Constantine Maroulis (JEKYLL& HYDE); Johnny Rabe (A CHRISTMAS STORY); and Anthony Warlow (ANNIE).

Talk about a category that went all over the place! Norton and Warlow yesterday received Drama Desk nods. Porter & Carvel were the two front runners. I think they should have put Porter in the Featured Actor category to give him a much better shot at winning. Carvel is some major tough competition. But now that his KINKY BOOTS co-star is now in the mix, it will cause some split voting for them both. I felt so sorry for Maroulis, who was phenomenal in J&K and did receive a great review from the New York Times (while the rest of the show sadly did not).

 

 

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:

Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Valisia LeKae, Motown: The Musical
Patina Miller, Pippin
Laura Osnes, Cinderella

NOT NOMINATED: Lilia Crawford (ANNIE); Deborah Cox (JEKYLL & HYDE); Taylor Louderman and Adrienne Warren (both in BRING IT ON); and Erin Dilly (A CHRISTMAS STORY).

The major surprise here is Carmello for the disastrous SANDALOUS. The musical was torn to shreds by the critics and barely lasted on Broadway. But she is a major Broadway star, so that must have played a huge factor in choosing her over Crawford and Cox (who both were front runners in earlier articles on who would
get nominated).

 

 

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY:

Danny Burstein, Golden Boy
Richard Kind, The Big Knife
Billy Magnussen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tony Shalhoub, Golden Boy
Courtney B. Vance, Lucky Guy

NOT NOMINATED: Jeremy Shamos (THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES), Bobby Cannavale (GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS), Al Pacino (GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS), Lewis J. Stadlen (THE NANCE), Ed Asner (GRACE), Reed Birney (PICNIC), Madison Dirks (WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?), David Harbour (GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS), Charles Kimbrough (HARVEY), Billy Magnussen (VANYA AND SONIA..), Patrick Page (CYRANO), Richard Schiff (GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS), Sebastian Stan (PICNIC), Dan Stevens (THE HEIRESS), Chip Zien (THE BIG KNIF), and Jonny Orsini (THE NANCE).

Strange yet again. Shamos received a lot of early buzz to get into the nods, but did not. No big surprise that Pacino was not nominated. It was well documented in the press that he did not memorize his lines, mumbled on stage causing audiences to bend over in their seats in trying to hear and understand him, changing blocking on a nightly basis because he was going with the mood he felt at that moment. His co-stars whispered to the press it was a nightmare each night being on stage with him due to Pacino's bizarre acting methods.

 

 

 

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY:

Carrie Coon, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Shalita Grant, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Judith Ivey, The Heiress
Judith Light, The Assembled Parties
Condola Rashad, The Trip to Bountiful

NOT NOMINATED: Cady Huffman (THE NANCE), Yvonne Strahovski (GOLDEN BOY), Maura Tierney (LUCKY GUY), Vanessa Williams (TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL), Kate Arrington (GRACE), Ellen Burstyn and Maggie Grace (both in PICNIC), Jessica Hecht (HARVEY), Marin Ireland (THE BIG KNIFE), Elizabeth Marvel (PICNIC), Debra Monk (CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF), Clemence Poesy (CYRANO), and Mare Winningham (PICNIC).

The two major omissions here are Huffman and Williams. Huffman received an Outer Critics nod while Williams received a Drama Desk nod.

 

 

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:

Charl Brown, Motown: The Musical
Keith Carradine, Hands on a Hardbody
Will Chase, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Gabriel Ebert, Matilda
Terrence Mann, Pippin

NOT NOMINATED: Hunter Foster (HANDS ON A HARD BODY), Andy Karl (DROOD), Dan Lauria (A CHRISTMAS STORY), Raymond Luke Jr (MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL), Peter Bartlett (CINDERELLA), Bryan Terrell Clark (MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL, Gregg Edelman (DROOD), Greg Hildreth (CINDERELLA), Daniel Stewart Sherman (KINKY BOOTS), Luke Springer & John Bolton (both for A CHRISTMAS STORY), Clarke Thorell (ANNIE), and
Gregory Haney (BRING IT ON).

This along with Featured Actress in a musical was the two toughest categories due to the wealth of talent. Karl yesterday received a Drama Desk nod, while Foster had received so much early buzz for his performance. Another fave was Haney's wonderful performance as the trans-teen cheerleader in BRING IT ON.

 

 

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:

Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark, Cinderella
Andrea Martin, Pippin
Keala Settle, Hands on a Hardbody
Lauren Ward, Matilda

NOT NOMINATED: Chita Rivera (DROOD), Charlotte d'Amboise (PIPPIN), Katie Finneran (ANNIE), Jenn Colella (CHAPLIN), Ann Harada and Harriet Harris (both for CINDERELLA), Lesli Margherita (MATILDA), Jessie Mueller (DROOD), Christiane Noll (CHAPLIN), Brynn O'Malley (ANNIE), Ryann Redmond (BRING IT ON), Teal Wicks
(JEKYLL & HYDE), Betsy Wolfe (DROOD), and Rachel Bay Jones (PIPPIN).

Well you know I'm fuming that the great Rivera was not nominated. She was an early favorite in several predictions by the New York press. I was also really rooting for d'Amboise, Harada, and Wicks to get nominated. The Tony nominating committee should be sent to the torture room of the Governor in THE WALKING DEAD
for not nominating Chita Rivera. She received superb reviews when DROOD opened on Broadway. BOO Tony nominators! BOO!

 

 

BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL:

Scott Ellis, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Diane Paulus, Pippin
Matthew Warchus, Matilda

 

 

BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY:

Pam Mackinnon, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Bartlett Sher, Golden Boy
George C. Wolfe, Lucky Guy

 

 

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:

Andy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On
Peter Darling, Matilda
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Chet Walker, Pippin

NOT NOMINATED: Warren Carlyle (A CHRISTMAS STORY), Josh Rhodes (CINDERELLA), Sergio Trujillo (HANDS ON A HARDBODY).

 

 

BEST BOOK:

Douglas Carter Beane, Cinderella
Harvey Fierstein, Kinky Boots
Dennis Kelly, Matilda
Joseph Robinette, A Christmas Story

NOT NOMINATED: HANDS ON A HARDBODY, BRING IT ON, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL, SCANDALOUS, CHAPLIN.

 

 

 

BEST SCORE:

Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green, Hands on a Hardbody
Cyndi Lauper, Kinky Boots
Tim Minchin, Matilda
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, A Christmas Story

NOT NOMINATED: BRING IT ON, CHAPLIN, SCANDALOUS. I personally loved the pop/hip hop/R&B score that was composed for BRING IT ON.

 

 

 

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY:

John Lee Beatty, The Nance
Santo Loquasto, The Assembled Parties
David Rockwell, Lucky Guy
Michael Yeargan, Golden Boy

 

 

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:

Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Anna Louizos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Scott Pask, Pippin
David Rockwell, Kinky Boots

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY:

Soutra Gilmour, Cyrano de Bergerac
Ann Roth, The Nance
Albert Wolsky, The Heiress
Catherine Zuber, Golden Boy

 

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:

Gregg Barnes, Kinky Boots
Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Dominique Lemieux, Pippin
William Ivey Long, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella

 

 

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY:

Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Lucky Guy
Donald Holder, Golden Boy
Jennifer Tipton, The Testament of Mary
Japhy Weideman, The Nance

 

 

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:

Kenneth Posner, Kinky Boots
Kenneth Posner, Pippin
Kenneth Posner, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella
Hugh Vanstone, Matilda The Musical

 

 

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY:

John Gromada, The Trip to Bountiful
Mel Mercier, The Testament of Mary
Leon Rothenberg, The Nance
Peter John Still and Marc Salzberg, Golden Boy

 

 

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:

Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm, Pippin
Peter Hylenski, Motown The Musical
John Shivers, Kinky Boots
Nevin Steinberg, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

 

 

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS:

Chris Nightingale, Matilda The Musical
Stephen Oremus, Kinky Boots
Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, Motown The Musical
Danny Troob, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

 

* * *

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre:

Bernard Gersten
Paul Libin
Ming Cho Lee

Regional Theatre Award: Huntington Theatre Company, Boston, MA

Isabelle Stevenson Award: Larry Kramer

Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre:
Career Transition For Dancers
William Craver
Peter Lawrence
The Lost Colony

 

The four actresses who created the title role of Matilda The Musical on Broadway
- Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro

* * *

Tony Nominations by Production:

Kinky Boots - 13
Matilda The Musical - 12
Pippin - 10
Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella - 9
Golden Boy - 8
Lucky Guy - 6
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike - 6
The Mystery of Edwin Drood - 5
The Nance - 5
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - 5
Motown The Musical - 4
The Trip to Bountiful - 4
The Assembled Parties - 3
A Christmas Story, The Musical - 3
Hands on a Hardbody - 3

 

By Senior Chief Theater Critic/Editor/Founder John Garcia, THE COLUMN