It’s awards season for all theater fans! It’s the time of the year when X and Reddit are filled with threads of predictions and a little bit of drama. With a season full of hits, Broadway welcomes the 78th Tony Awards. “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Death Becomes Her” and “Maybe Happy Ending” are leading with ten nominations each.
Best Musical
The most awaited category, the one that everybody in the Great White Way dreams of being part of. This year’s nominees are very different from one another. First, you have great comedies like the campy-fabulous “Death Becomes Her”. The hilarious rivalry between Madeline (Megan Hilty) and Helen (Jennifer Simard) has won the critics’ hearts thanks to its dark humor, all wrapped up in shiny diamonds. Both Hilty and Simard have been nominated as Best Leading Actress, so it will be funny to see how their fight gets to another stage, specifically the Tonys.
Another funny but smart musical with strong possibilities this year is “Operation Mincemeat.” By winning the Olivier Award for Best Musical last season, this small-format musical of just five actors won a ticket to go straight to Broadway. The only challenge will be if the British humor about this strange military operation will also conquer the American hearts. If not, at least highlight Jak Malone, nominated for Best Featured Actor, for his unexpected but tearful interpretation of “Dear Bill”.
“Dead Outlaw” might be the dark horse of the night. This twisted musical about a corpse being carried around the country had been open for only four days when it received its seven nominations.
This year’s nominees have an international touch, with the Latin rhythms of “Buena Vista Social Club.” As it was mentioned before, this bio-musical is in the top three nominees, mixing the story of the Cuban band with the revolution and how it affected its members.
At last but not least, the sweet-hearted Korean “Maybe Happy Ending”, starring Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, has become a fan favorite. Actually, most of people were disappointed that Shen didn’t receive a nomination for Best Leading Actress, despite having Criss in the opposite category.
Best Revival
Although among the Best Revival category, we can find “Floyd Collins” (led by Jeremy Jordan) and “Pirates!” The Penzance musical (starring Ramin Karimaloo and Jinkx Moonson), the big contenders are without any doubt between Jaimie Lloyd’s “Sunset Boulevard” and “Gypsy. “
This duel confronts Webber against Sondheim, two of the greatest composers (and they even share birthdays!), as well as two great divas like Nicole Scherzinger and Audra McDonald, both nominated for Best Leading Actress. Both of these revivals reimagine Broadway classics with a star-studded cast. While Audra’s “Gypsy” puts the Black women into the spotlight of vaudeville, the revival of “Sunset Boulevard” brings theatre to another level. Despite its minimalism, its secret weapon is the big screen that captures the close-ups of performers, as well as showing a live walking performance of the opening of the second act. Eight times a week, 44th street traffic gets cut to let Tom Francis walk and sing live the title song.
Other highlights
One of the most discussed categories this year has been Best Leading actress. Added to the four divas mentioned above, the new girl in town Jasmine Amy Rodgers has secured the fifth slot for her Broadway debut as Betty Boop in “Boop!”. Among other things, it is said that doing a bio-musical is a fast-track to get a nomination. Take, for instance, James Monroe Iglart’s Louis Armstrong, Jonathan Groff’s Bobby Darin (Just in time), Jeremy Jordan’s Floyd Collins, or Andre Durand’s Elmer McCurdy (Dead Outlaw).
The winners will take it all on June 8 at Radio City Hall. The Ceremony will be hosted by the one and only Cynthia Erivo. Don’t miss it out!