2009 Tony Awards Nominations Predictions — Page 4

"I don't see how NEXT TO NORMAL could get a Scenic Design nomination.

It's scaffolding.

It's outside of buildings all across Manhattan."

I agree with Foster. I also don't see how it will get a choreography nom...but who knows.

re: Laurents, I'm not sure he'll be nominated for name, as much as there's not that many better choices for the final spot of directing.

Most reviews hated Mantello's direction of 9 to 5...a lot of people have begun to think Mantello is overrated over the years.

Well, maybe the name and show will play a part in knocking out Jason Moore. But if I remember correctly, his direction wasn't necessarily raved about or panned. I guess the name and the fact that it's WSS combined with the fact that most people consider Shrek "okay" will put Laurents ahead of Moore. Still, if there was a better option, Laurents' name wouldn't get it to him.

So other than these 2, we're left with directors of Pal Joey, Guys & Dolls, 13, [title of show], A Tale of Two Cities, & Rock of Ages, none of which are going to get a nomination.

Ulgh, if only there was a better choice, I HATE to think that Laurents gets a nomination for doing a disservice in his directing to the greatest show ever.

So is life.

---

"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli

LOL

BEST PLAY
The American Plan
Dividing The Estate
God of Carnage
reasons to be pretty

BEST MUSICAL
9 to 5
Billy Elliot
Next to Normal
Shrek

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT
Slava's Snowshow
Liza's... At The Palace!
You're Welcome, America...

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests
Waiting For Godot

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Hair
Guys & Dolls
Pal Joey
West Side Story

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Raul Esparza, Speed-the-Plow
Bill Irwin, Waiting For Godot
Daniel Radcliffe, Equus
Geoffrey Rush, Exit The King
Thomas Sadoski, reasons to be pretty

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
David Alvarez/ Trent Kowalik/ Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot
Matt Cavenaugh, West Side Story
Gavin Creel, Hair
Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Tovah Feldshuh, Irena's Vow
Jane Fonda, 33 Variations
Carla Gugino, Desire Under The Elms
Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Stephanie J. Block, 9 to 5
Megan Hilty, 9 to 5
Allison Janney, 9 to 5
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mackenzie Cook, The Seagull
Brian Dennehy, Desire Under The Elms
Zach Grenier, 33 Variations
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Greg Jbara, Billy Elliot
Marc Kudish, 9 to 5
Christopher Sieber, Shrek
Will Swenson, Hair
Aaron Tveit, Next to Normal

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Andrea Martin, Exit The King
Carey Mulligan, The Seagull
Piper Perabo, reasons to be pretty
Mercedes Reuhl, The American Plan

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Susan Blackwell, [title of show]
Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot
Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey

BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Anthony Page, Waiting For Godot
Ian Rickson, The Seagull
Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot
Michael Grief, Next to Normal
Arthur Laurents, West Side Story
Diane Paulus, Hair

BEST SCORE
Jeff Bowen, [title of show]
Lee Hall & Elton John, Billy Elliot
Tom Kitt & Brian Yorkey, Next to Normal
Dolly Parton, 9 to 5

BEST BOOK
Hunter Bell, [title of show]
Lee Hall, Billy Elliot
Patricia Resnik, 9 to 5
Brian Yorkey, Next to Normal


BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Karole Armitage, Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot
Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin's White Christmas

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Bruce Coughlin, 9 to 5
Martin Koch, Billy Elliot
Galt MacDermot, Hair
Michael Starobin, Next to Normal

---

Updated On: 5/4/09 at 12:28 PM

I love the [tos] nods and the Diane Weist nod.

Ebersole is Leading, though.

---

Because he's really hot. And hot guys deserve Tony nominations. Plus, he's a great singer.

(That's the best I've got.)

---

"just like i think elton john will get a nomination for billy elliot's score when in my opinion its one of the weakest of the year"

And I think that at least three fourths of it is the strongest score of the year. Even with the 'tossable' parts, it's still better than anything else I've heard this year.

---

Here's my partial prediction list:

Play (revival)
"Exit the King"
"The Norman Conquests"
"Mary Stuart"
"The Seagull"

Musical (Revival)
"Hair"
"Pal Joey"
"West Side Story"

Play
"Dividing the Estate"
"God of Carnage"
"reasons to be pretty"
"33 Variations"

Musical
"Billy Elliot"
"9 to 5"
"Next to Normal"
"[title of show]"

Actor Play
Daniel Radcliffe, "Equus"
Raul Esparza, "Speed-the-Plow"
Geoffrey Rush, "Exit the King"
James Gandolfini, "God of Carnage"
Thomas Sadoski, "reasons to be pretty"

Actress Play
Harriet Walker, "Mary Stuart"
Jane Fonda, "33 Variations"
Janet McTeer, "Mary Stuart"
Susan Sarandon, "Exit the King"
Kristin Scott Thomas, "The Seagull"

Featured Actor Mus
Christopher Seiber - "Shrek"
Gregory Jbara - "Billy Elliot"
Marc Kudish - "Nine to Five"
Will Swenson - "Hair"
Aaron Tveit - "Next to Normal"

Featured Actress Mus
Jennifer Damiano - "Next to Normal"
Hayden Gwyne - "Billy Elliot"
Kathy Fitzgerald - "9 to 5"
Karen Olivo - "West Side Story"
Susan Blackwell, [title of show]

Actor Mus
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish, "Billy Elliott"
James Barbour, "A Tale of Two Cities"
Gavin Creel, "Hair"
Brian D'Arcy James, "Shrek"
J. Robert Spencer, "Next to Normal"

Actress Mus
Alice Ripley, "Next to Normal"
Josefina Scaglione, "West Side Story"
Megan Hilty, "9 to 5"
Allison Janney, "9 to 5"
Sutton Foster, "Shrek the Musical"

---

J. Robert Spencer is ABSOLUTELY deserving of a nomination. He is heartbreaking in the role.

"just like i think elton john will get a nomination for billy elliot's score when in my opinion its one of the weakest of the year"

And I think that at least three fourths of it is the strongest score of the year. Even with the 'tossable' parts, it's still better than anything else I've heard this year.

I very much agree with this. Even if the score for Billy Elliot isn't entirely memorable, it functions very well in the show and it has some of the most chilling and moving and fun sections of music and lyrics this year. I'm hoping it wins.

~Steven

Hopefully someone can answer this question without attitude... but are they streaming the nomination announcement live online? I've been trying to find it on the Tony website, but can't seem to find an answer anywhere. Gah!

~Steven

yes WAT, you know a lot more about ****ty musicals like The Story of My Life than I do.

---

Toughest. Year. Ever.

BEST PLAY
The American Plan
Dividing the Estate
God of Carnage
reasons to be pretty

Next: 33 Variations

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests
Waiting for Godot

Next: The Seagull

BEST LEADING ACTOR - PLAY
Raul Esparza, Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini, God of Carnage
Bill Irwin, Waiting for Godot
Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski, reasons to be pretty

Next: Daniel Radcliffe, Equus

BEST LEADING ACTRESS - PLAY
Jane Fonda, 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Carla Gugino, Desire Under the Elms
Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart

Next: Hope Davis, God of Carnage

BEST FEATURED ACTOR - PLAY
John Goodman, Waiting for Godot
Stephen Mangan, The Norman Conquests
Ben Miles, The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Next: John Glover, Waiting for Godot

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS - PLAY
Amelia Bullmore, The Norman Conquests
Hallie Foote, Dividing the Estate
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Andrea Martin, Exit the King
Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests

Next: Carey Mulligan, The Seagull

BEST DIRECTOR - PLAY
Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart
Anthony Page, Waiting for Godot
Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

Next: Ian Rickson, The Seagull

BEST SCENIC DESIGN - PLAY
Desire Under the Elms
Dividing the Estate
The Seagull
33 Variations

Next: The Norman Conquests

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN - PLAY
Desire Under the Elms
Equus
Mary Stuart
The Seagull

Next: 33 Variations

BEST COSTUME DESIGN - PLAY
Blithe Spirit
The Seagull
Exit the King
A Man for All Seasons

Next: Mary Stuart

BEST SOUND DESIGN - PLAY
All My Sons
Equus
Exit the King
33 Variations

Next: Mary Stuart

BEST MUSICAL
Billy Elliot The Musical
Next to Normal
9 to 5
[title of show]

Next: Rock of Ages

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Billy Elliot The Musical
Next to Normal
9 to 5
Shrek The Musical

Next: [title of show]

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Billy Elliot The Musical
Next to Normal
9 to 5
[title of show]

Next: Shrek The Musical

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Guys and Dolls
Hair
Pal Joey
West Side Story

BEST LEADING ACTOR - MUSICAL
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot The Musical
James Barbour, A Tale of Two Cities
Gavin Creel, Hair
Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

Next: Matt Cavenaugh, West Side Story

BEST LEADING ACTRESS - MUSICAL
Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical
Allison Janney, 9 to 5
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story

Next: Megan Hilty, 9 to 5

BEST FEATURED ACTOR - MUSICAL
Louis Hobson, Next to Normal
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot The Musical
Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5
Christopher Seiber, Shrek The Musical
Will Swenson, Hair

Next: Daniel Breaker, Shrek

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS - MUSICAL
Heidi Blickenstaff, [title of show]
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot The Musical
Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot The Musical

Next: Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal

BEST DIRECTOR - MUSICAL
Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot The Musical
Michael Grief, Next to Normal
Arthur Laurents, West Side Story
Diane Paulus, Hair

Next: Jason Moore, Shrek The Musical

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Karole Armitage, Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot The Musical
Josh Prince, Shrek The Musical

Next: Rock of Ages

BEST SCENIC DESIGN - MUSICAL
Billy Elliot
Hair
9 to 5
Shrek the Musical

Next: Irving Berlin's White Christmas

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN - MUSICAL
Billy Elliot
Hair
Next to Normal
9 to 5

Next: Rock of Ages

BEST COSTUME DESIGN - MUSICAL
Billy Elliot
Hair
9 to 5
Shrek The Musical

Next: Irving Berlin's White Christmas

BEST SOUND DESIGN - MUSICAL
Billy Elliot
Hair
9 to 5
Rock of Ages

Next: Next to Normal

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Billy Elliot
Next to Normal
9 to 5
Rock of Ages

Next: Shrek The Musical

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT
Liza's at the Palace
Slava's Snowshow
You're Welcome, America