2007 Possible Theatre World Recipients

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 8:28pm

Who do you guys think will receive a Theatre World Award this season based on their debut performance?

Some people I think worth mentioning are:
Mary Birdsong, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
Natalie Cortez, A Chorus Line
Mara Davi, A Chorus Line
Erin Davie, Grey Gardens
Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins
Rachel Stern, High Fidelity
Lauren Pritchard, Spring Awakening (or has she missed too many performances as this board mentions a lot, perhaps Lilli Cooper instead?)
Hadley Fraser, The Pirate Queen

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 8:39pm

Hugh Dancy, JOURNEY'S END
Stark Sands, JOURNEY'S END
Bill Nighy, THE VERTICAL HOUR
Andrew Scott, THE VERTICAL HOUR
Susan Lynch, TRANSLATIONS
Harry Lennix, RADIO GOLF
Eve Best, A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN
Julian Ovenden, BUTLEY
Heather Laws, COMPANY
Jay Johnson
Kiki & Herb

Updated On: 4/9/07 at 08:39 PM

[jv92]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 8:42pm

Davie in Grey Gardens most definately.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 8:59pm

Andrew Scott was amazing. Watching him grow in the role was fantastic.

Bill Nighy was excellent...but his performance never really changed from the first time I saw it (3rd preview) to the last time I saw it (closing). I mean, it was a great performance, but I loved seeing the changes all the others brought to their characters as they got to know them.

[mikem]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:01pm

I think that Bill Nighy and Eve Best are basically locks at this point. I would add Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele, and Jason Tam to the possibles already mentioned. Somewhat slim pickings from musicals this year so far -- Gavin Lee is probably the best bet right now.

(Edited to take out Michael Sheen -- thanks Margo and Mungo!)

Updated On: 4/9/07 at 09:01 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:08pm

I thought about Sheen too, but then I checked and was reminded that he played Mozart in the last Broadway revival of AMADEUS in 1999, so I don't think he's eligible.

Updated On: 4/9/07 at 09:08 PM

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:11pm

Lea Michelle has appeared in too many shows on Broadway to be elligible for a Theatre World award. Jonathan Groff and Jason Tam had their debuts in In My Life (understudy to Christopher Hanke and Michael Halling as well as a swing) and Les Miserables (Gavroche) respectively. And Michael SHeen was in Amadeus (Mozart). So they don't qualify unfortunately

EDIT: Thanks Margo! I was typing that before you sent it! Updated On: 4/9/07 at 09:11 PM

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:12pm

I say Laura Bell Bundy.

Mungo I basically disagree with everyone on your list.

I see John Gallagher Jr. also.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:16pm

Laura had Ruthless! and Hairspray and unfortunately Gallagher was in Rabbithole with Cynthia Nixon last year. This is harder than it seems and is leaving more guys with amazing performances this season unable to be elligible. I'm curious, why do you disagree with everyone on my list?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:18pm

Margo, while Heather Laws was spectacular in "Company," she has previously appeared in two other Broadway shows: "The Boy From Oz" (covering the roles of Liza and Judy) and "Cabaret" (playing several stints as Sally Bowles.) That would make her inellegible, no?

EDIT: MungoGypsy-- Bundy was also in "Wicked" for nine months in addition to "Hairspray" ("Ruthless" was Off-Broadway.)

Updated On: 4/9/07 at 09:18 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:20pm

Eve Best and Hugh Dancy, for sure.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:25pm

Ok the only one from your list I could see is Gavin Lee. I just do not think any of them are Theater World Winners. I have to take back my post I guess. I did not know that you had to have a Bway/ Off Debut to be elligible.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:27pm

I would think Erin Davie.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:32pm

Being an understudy doesn't disqualify you and being a replacement generally doesn't either. You don't have to be making your official Broadway debut in a show in order to be eligible (dozens of people with multiple previous credits have won in the past). The Theatre World Award honors performers making their first notable "breakthrough" performance in a show. So, someone like Michael Sheen who had a starring role in a major revival of a major play wouldn't be eligible this time around (he must have been eligible last time and just didn't get selected), but someone who's basically been a swing, understudy, or just had chorus parts previously would still be eligible if their current role is their first significant featured or lead part.

The Theatre World folks also don't tend to pay much attention to replacements, unless they're very high profile ones (like Reba McEntire who won for ANNIE GET YOUR GUN), so there's a possible that Laws might still eligible despite having played Sally Bowles (the fact that it was hardly a big career break for her -- and its doubtful the Theatre World voters saw her then or even knew about her stint in CABARET could mean she has a shot this year).

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:36pm

With the way people on this board talk about her, does Krysta Rodriguez stand a chance then...according to reviews on this board, she's gone on a bunch of times.

EDIT: Just remembered about Good Vibrations, scratch that Updated On: 4/9/07 at 09:36 PM

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:42pm

Doubt It.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:48pm

I just looked at a list of some of the recent winners and

-- Cheyenne Jackson won for ALL SHOOK UP despite having previously been a replacement in lead roles in MILLIE and AIDA

-- Isabel Keating won for BOY FROM OZ through she'd been a replacement in ENCHANTED APRIL

-- Jefferson Mays won for I AM MY OWN WIFE despite having had several featured roles in notable Off-Broadway productions in the previous decade (and yes, the Theatre World does include Off-Broadway performers annually in its list)


http://www.theatreworldawards.org/award.html

Updated On: 4/9/07 at 09:48 PM

[mikem]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:55pm

The way I've heard it described is that this has to be your first "reviewable" performance (ie, one that might be mentioned and critiqued in a review, thereby leaving out ensemble and understudy positions).

The biggest eligibility head-scratcher for me was how Jayne Houdyshell won for her performance in Well on Broadway in 2006 when she won the OBIE and was nominated for a Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle Award in 2004 for the same role when Well was at the Public. I can not for the life of me understand how she would still have been eligible in 2006.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:57pm

thanks margo. it seemed a little unclear on the website when i first read it.

Tyler Maynard won an Award for Altar Boyz and he had previously been in Mamma Mia.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 10:03pm

Thanks Margo for clearing that up! That opens a whole new door to possible ideas, though Lea Michele and Laura Bell Bundy still don't seem elligible since Lea already had covered the roles of Young Cosette/Epinone, The Little Girl, and Shprintze and understudied Chava in Les Mis, Ragtime, and Fiddler respectively and Laura had a big enough part in Hairspray and the lead in Ruthless. However, people like Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher, Jr., and Jason Tam still should be elligible, right?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 10:17pm

Oh I do hope Ms. Davie is one of the recipients.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 10:18pm

I would think that Groff and Tam are definitely eligible. Not sure about Michele -- I think she might be eligible considering how small her previous roles have been (her understudy and replacement roles wouldn't count against her at all and her roles in RAGTIME and FIDDLER were hardly big enough for anyone to give a "breakthrough" performance in them).

I can't imagine Bundy being eligible after having created such a prominent role in HAIRSPRAY. And I'm doubtful about Gallagher -- he had a very memorable featured role in last season's RABBIT HOLE and got mostly rave reviews from the major critics for it. I would think that would disqualify him this year, but you never know with the Theatre World Awards.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 10:33pm

I'm still rooting for Mary Birdsong or Nicole Parker from Fame Becomes Me, but I feel Mary has got the better shot thanks to her spot on Judy Garland song. Also, I'm still in favor or Rachel Stern, who gained perhaps the shows most postive notice by critics for her rendition of "She Goes" in the flop called High Fidelity. She was a swing earlier this Theatre World Award season for Tarzan which is also elligible, but I doubt Josh Strickland has a chance compared to the impressive characters featured this season

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 10:46pm

If Groff's performance had been better, than maybe, but I don't see it.
And Pritchard,though lovely of voice is a terrible actress.
she should make recordings, I would buy them.
Michelle has way too many credite to be considered.
I think Dancy is a lock
and Nicole parker would be a good choice also.
and Bill Nighy is also pretty much "in there"
Erin Davie is a maybe, but if the voters like myself liked Sara G. better in the role, than NO.
Hadley Fraser should certainly be there, he is terrific.
And also Gavin Lee for sure.

Updated On: 4/9/07 at 10:46 PM

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 10:49pm

Lauren Pritchard is a singer, not too much of an acteress. She is improving though, but I don't think she could get an award. Spring Awakening is Lea Michele's fourth Broadway show. I think she's ineligible. Updated On: 4/9/07 at 10:49 PM