LETS TALK - Leading Actress in a Musical at the Tony's- Page 3

[bjh2114]

Posted: 2/28/16 at 3:05am

Having seen Bright Star tonight, I think it would be an absolute CRIME if Carmen Cusack didn't get a nomination.  She gave me chills.  In fact, having seen her and Laura back to back nights, I'm not so sure Laura is a lock at all.  For me, Cynthia and Carmen are both well deserved nominees.  With only three spots left and Audra, Jessie, Laura, and Philippa (not to mention Ana, who I believe will be left out) in the mix, I think someone is going to be very disappointed.  Honestly, if Audra and Jessie give stellar performances, Soo would be the least deserving nominee for me, but I don't see her getting snubbed with the Hamilton wave.  It's going to be a tight race for those 5 spots between 6 people.  That being said, to me Cynthia is still the clear frontrunner (but I'd say Carmen will give her a run for her money more than Laura will).

[pupscotch]

Posted: 2/28/16 at 8:15am

I believe she should be nominated, but I can see Soo not being nominated because though her role is the female lead, she's more of a supporting character. She is fantastic, but she's not in nearly as much of the show as Laura Benanti or Cynthia Erivo. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 2/28/16 at 8:19am

Please keep in mind that if there is a two or three way tie in the nominating process, the number of nominees can be expanded.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 2/28/16 at 10:34am

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Please keep in mind that if there is a two or three way tie in the nominating process, the number of nominees can be expanded."

 

Of course, but also remember that the difference between the 5th place and 6th place vote getters has to be fewer than 3 votes, which is incredibly unlikely, statistically speaking.  I would honestly be thrilled if we saw 6 nominees in that category this year, but it's highly unlikely.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 2/28/16 at 11:07am

adamgreer said: "What would be unprecedented about it? She's performing in a new musical, which means, by definition, there is no precedent for that being a Tony-nominated role."

 

Sorry, I should have clarified! Soo was not only nominated for the 2015 Lucille Lortel Award for Best Lead Actress—she won. That fact alone, combined with the freight train/juggernaut that is Hamilton, I think it would be strange to look back retrospectively years down the line and say, "Huh, yeah, strange that the girl who played Eliza freaking Hamilton didn't get a Tony nomination."

[MrJNLong]

Posted: 2/28/16 at 11:26am

bjh2114 said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Please keep in mind that if there is a two or three way tie in the nominating process, the number of nominees can be expanded."

 

 

 

Of course, but also remember that the difference between the 5th place and 6th place vote getters has to be fewer than 3 votes, which is incredibly unlikely, statistically speaking.  I would honestly be thrilled if we saw 6 nominees in that category this year, but it's highly unlikely.

 

"

Ya, but aren't there only like 25 or so people on the nominating committee? So, the possibility of the difference between 5th and 6th being 3 votes or less maybe isn't as unlikely as it may seem at first...

[phan24]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 11:29am

Correct, there are 24 nominating committee members (below), so I would not be surprised to see 6 nominations in more than just this category with such tight races...truly the opposite of the Oscars last night!

 

Emanuel Azenberg

Ted Chapin

Michael David

Cecilia Friederichs

Sue Frost

Heather Hitchens

David Henry Hwang

Natasha Katz

Paul Libin

William Ivey Long

John Lyons

Mary McColl

Kevin McCollum

James L. Nederlander

Enid Nemy

Laura Penn

Michael Price

Judith O. Rubin

Charlotte St. Martin

Peter Schneider

Thomas Schumacher

Ralph Sevush

Philip Smith

David Stone

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 3:03pm

Laura Benanti is giving one of the great musical theater performances in SHE LOVES ME. It's not "nice" or "charming." It's an absolute delight and a tour de force from the moment she enters to her last line, there isn't a false moment in the entire performance. Her singing is simply sublime, I just can't rave about this performance enough. I was expecting it to be a great performance, but wasn't prepared for it to be one of the best, most carefully and beautifully rendered portrayals I've seen in a musical.

 

I saw Erivo basically 24 hours after seeing Benanti and was once again treated to a stunning, gorgeous performance. I don't think one is better than the other. They are simply delivering two brilliant, great performances in what is sure to be a great season for this category. Benanti is certainly a lock for a nomination.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 4:02pm

phan24, that is not the correct list for the committee. This link provides the current nominating committee (a total of 51): 

http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/news/press_releases/2015-05-26/201505261432655838996.html

 

[phan24]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 4:57pm

@wickedfan: you are totally correct! Thank you, that makes it a little more interesting.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 6:07pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Sorry, I should have clarified! Soo was not only nominated for the 2015 Lucille Lortel Award for Best Lead Actress—she won. That fact alone, combined with the freight train/juggernaut that is Hamilton, I think it would be strange to look back retrospectively years down the line and say, "Huh, yeah, strange that the girl who played Eliza freaking Hamilton didn't get a Tony nomination.""

 

Things like Soo not being nominated even though her show is a smash hit is also not unprecedented. It happens when it comes to awards frequently, plus as everyone is saying, it's another busy season when it comes to Leading Actress. I agree that it could pull a Chorus Line of sorts in that Soo (like McKechnie) isn't truly playing a lead character (though is the most present female, kind of) and could pull off a win against the odds (Donna beating Gwen and Chita?? two true leading ladies?) but I doubt it will happen. Not impossible, but I think unlikely.

 

[bjh2114]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:06pm

"tour de force from the moment she enters to her last line"

 

Simply put, I disagree with this.  I enjoyed her, but I don't think anything she is doing could be described as a tour de force.  Obviously it's a matter of opinion, but I've seen other Amalias who have done exactly what Laura is doing.  If anyone else is giving a "tour de force" right now, it's Carmen Cusack.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:28pm

I'll admit I haven't seen Bright Star on Broadway, but I saw it at the Kennedy Center and there ain't no way that the book could have been revised substantially enough to make Alice a "tour de force" character. I mean, really.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 7:05am

Let me put it this way.  I RARELY cry at the theatre.  The last time I remember crying at a show was during Cynthia Erivo's "I'm Here" when I saw The Color Purple back in December.  Before that, the last time I can remember crying at a show was the off-Broadway production of Once in 2011 at New York Theatre Workshop.  Carmen had me sobbing in Act 2 during "I Had A Vision" and "At Long Last".  It was like an emotional punch to the gut for me.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 11:44am

bjh2114 said: "Let me put it this way.  I RARELY cry at the theatre."

What kind of self-respecting human being does not cry at the theater? 

 

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/2/16 at 1:19am

bjh2114 said: "Let me put it this way.  I RARELY cry at the theatre.  The last time I remember crying at a show was during Cynthia Erivo's "I'm Here" when I saw The Color Purple back in December.  Before that, the last time I can remember crying at a show was the off-Broadway production of Once in 2011 at New York Theatre Workshop.  Carmen had me sobbing in Act 2 during "I Had A Vision" and "At Long Last".  It was like an emotional punch to the gut for me."

 

I certainly hope that the measure by which people get awards recognition is not how much you cried during their performance. I was emotionally wrecked after THE COLOR PURPLE and Erivo's stunning work, I was elated and filled with immense joy after SHE LOVES ME and Benanti's glorious performance, both feelings are equally valid and require an enormous amount of talent and dedication to achieve. I got to see Soo, Erivo, and Benanti this past few days and would love to see them all recognized.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/2/16 at 8:46am

It's not, ray. But Laura also didn't "fill me with immense joy." As I said in an earlier post, I was actually significantly more charmed by Levi and Krakowski.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/2/16 at 3:37pm

bjh, I disagree re Benanti but understand and respect your point/opinion. I was enthralled by Benanti and would put her performance up there with Christine Ebersole and Alice Ripley as the most beautifully rendered I've seen. I can't say enough good things about how much I adored Benanti's screwball heroine take on Amalia, and God that voice. 

 

I'm glad you brought up Levi and Krakowski, who should both get nominated. Krakowski gives one of her best performances in SHE LOVES ME. Levi is ideally cast as Mr. Novak.

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 3/8/16 at 11:17pm

Now that I have seen Benanti and Erivo both, its safe to say they are ABSOLUTE LOCKS. I think Erivo really edged out Benanti though.

[@z5]

Posted: 3/8/16 at 11:56pm

Jessetenny said: "Now that I have seen Benanti and Erivo both, its safe to say they are ABSOLUTE LOCKS. I think Erivo really edged out Benanti though.

 

"

I agree, now that YOU have seen it, we are all totally in the clear to make that call.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:16pm

If Errivo won, it'd be one of the few times that two different performers won Tonys for the same role, yes? I can only think of Pseudolus, Mama Rose, and Anna Leonowens?

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:37pm

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "If Errivo won, it'd be one of the few times that two different performers won Tonys for the same role, yes? I can only think of Pseudolus, Mama Rose, and Anna Leonowens?"

 

There's some others: Marge in Promises Promises, Leading Player in Pippin, Albin in La Cage aux Folles, Emile from South Pacific and Finch from How to Succeed... Désirée in A Little Night Music. The Emcee in Cabaret (one was featured and one was leading actor). That might be all but I'm not sure.

 

Here's a thread on the subject

Updated On: 3/9/16 at 06:37 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:07pm

Having seen Cynthia Erivo, Laura Bennati, and Carmen Cussack thus far, I am glad I am not a Tony voter, because I do not know how in the world I would decide between these three phenomenal performances! And this is even before Shuffle Along with Audra McDonald starts!

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:13pm

^Even with other candidates such as Jessie Mueller, Phillipa Soo, and Ana Villafane.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:32pm

^ I think it's pretty safe to say that Ana Villafañe's chances are slim to none at this point.