Personal Non-Eligable "Should Have Been Nominated" List (2023/2024 Season)

[Yessica Haircut]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 5:40pm

In the lead-up to the Tonys, I always find NYT's "Who Will Win (and Who Should)" interesting, particularly the "Should Have Been Nominated" category, in which they will sometimes include non-eligible productions or performers. Looking back on the past season, I can think of a few notable Off-Broadway standouts; thus, I've decided to try out a list of my own. Of course I would love to hear your own choices and opinions as well (and feel free to include any of the Technical/Design categories).

BEST MUSICAL: Here We Are, Walk On Through

BEST PLAY: All The Devils Are Here, The Doctor, The Hunt

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: The Effect

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: I Can Get It For You Wholesale

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY: Tobias Menzies (The Hunt), Patrick Page (All The Devils Are Here), Josh Radnor (The Ally)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Juliette Stevenson (The Doctor), Diane Weist (Scene Partners)

LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Gavin Creel (Walk on Through)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Rachel Bay Jones (Here We Are), Ruthie Ann Miles (The Light in the Piazza), Hannah Cruz (The Connector)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Josh Hamilton (Scene Partners)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Johanna Day (Scene Partners)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Dennis O'Hare (Here We Are), Jin Ha (Here We Are), David Hyde Pierce (Here We Are), Fergie Philippe (The Connector)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Tracie Bennett (Here We Are), Michaela Diamond (Here We Are), Julia Lester (I Can Get It For You Wholesale), Jessica Molaskey (The Connector)

Updated On: 5/2/24 at 05:40 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 5:50pm

This is a great list, and just bums me out that the decision was made to withdraw Here We Are from all awards consideration. I think there were quite a number of elements in it that deserved to be honored.

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 5:51pm

Your omission of anything “Oh, Mary” is glaring.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 6:00pm

Speaking of Oh, Mary!, why was it excluded from the Lortel Awards this year?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 6:00pm

quizking101 said: "Your omission of anything “Oh, Mary” is glaring."

I assumed it was because it will be eligible next year.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 6:20pm

Best Musical: I Love You So Much I Could Die

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 11:53pm

I'm not going to think too hard about categories, but some of my Off-Broadway faves from the past year were:

• Here We Are (the writing and the entire, immaculate production around it)
• Jelly's Last Jam (the production, choreo, direction, and performances)
• Light in the Piazza (the performances but not the production)
• Sutton Foster, Michael Urie, David Patrick Kelly, and Harriet Harris in Mattress
• The Doctor (Juliet Stevenson's performance and & Rob Icke's stark production)
• The Effect
• The MasterVoices concert of The Frogs
• Oh Mary

Updated On: 5/3/24 at 11:53 PM

[bear88]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 5:06am

Kad said: "This is a great list, and just bums me out that the decision was made to withdraw Here We Are from all awards consideration. I think there were quite a number of elements in it that deserved to be honored."

I was sort of bummed after I saw it because it was such an impressive production and because Rachel Bay Jones gave such a wonderful performance. But I’m actually fine with it now. Let other shows get their flowers without a Sondheim show, though less dependent on Sondheim, stealing their thunder. That decision feels consistent with how the producers and creatives went about the whole endeavor.

[binau]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 5:38am

Awards are great but I'm still pinching myself that we even got to see a brand new Sondheim musical with that cast and in that production. And something that was so funny, satisfying and poignant. And then being able to see the stunning revival of "Merrily" the next night, and pop back over to London to see Bernadette sing "Send in the Clowns", read lines as dot and then perform a spectacular "Sunday". Sometimes I genuinely can't believe how lucky I am Being Alive. 

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 9:34am

The best performance I saw all season was Len Cariou in Tuesdays with Morrie. Mostly ignored.

[lachri5]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 10:48am

• Dead Outlaw 
• Here We Are
• Job
• The Comeuppance 
• Teeth
• Terce: A Practical Breviary 
• Once Upon a Mattress (Encores) 
• I Can Get It for You Wholesale 
• Wet Brain
• School Pictures

[Markie27]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 10:53am

Best scenic design of a play for me hands down goes to Wet Brain.

[yyys]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 11:16am

Wet Brain should definitely be on this list but I guess you didn't see it?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 12:42pm

Personally I just realized how upset I am that I don't think Gavin Creel got recognized for Walk on Through? It was a stunning performance by him. 

[CJRochester]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 4:46pm

LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Gabby Beans (Jonah)

[WindyNewYorker]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 6:15pm

Light in the Piazza (Ruthie Ann Miles). The production was breath taking, greating singing, and the orchestra was so great. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 8:22pm

BEST MUSICAL: Dead Outlaw

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Light on the Piazza (Encores!)

BEST PLAY: Small

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY: Robert Montano (Small)

LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Andrew Durand (Dead Outlaw)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Rachel Bay Jones (Here We Are)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A Musical: Anna Zevelson (Light on the Piazza)

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Thom Sesma (Dead Outlaw), David Hyde Pierce (Here We Are)

[Kad]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 8:30pm

hearthemsing22 said: "Personally I just realized how upset I am that I don't think Gavin Creel got recognized for Walk on Through? It was a stunning performance by him."

One of the voting bodies- cannot remember which- included a statement with their nominations saying that Walk on Through did not make itself eligible for awards.