2016 Drama League Nominations & Awards- Page 2

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:24am

I predict this will likely be between:

Danny Burstein

Jessica Lange 

and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Danny and Jessica are giving great performances atop very distinguished careers and Lin-Manuel is simply winning everything in sight for HAMILTON, so why not here as well?

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:25am

Cynthia Erivo could easily take Distinguished Performance.

Appalled that Odom and Goldsberry listed, if Miranda and Diggs were. Groff, too.

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 11:25 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:28am

I wouldn't discount Laura Benanti either. And given the year she had and her career as a whole, I could even see someone like Lois Smith taking it, though it probably doesn't help that both of her shows are closed. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:28am

Do they have a rule that it's only two actors per show? That doesn't really explain Hamilton, but explains some of the rest...

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:28am

Diggs makes sense. Anyone who thinks Lin is giving a more "distinguished" performance than Renee, Leslie, and Chris Jackson....I'm not sure.

The award is just for performance, correct? Not "everything."

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:28am

BroadwayConcierge said: "Cynthia Erivo could easily take Distinguished Performance.

Appalled that Odom and Goldsberry listed, if Miranda and Diggs were. Groff, too."

There's a limit of two performers per production, I believe.

 

The bit where the Drama League acknowledges previous winners who were in shows over the past season makes me laugh. "Yay, you did a show! Look at you, working!"

[slumdogdelaware]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:29am

BroadwayConcierge said: "Official Drama League page with a bit of an easier-to-view layout of the noms:

http://dramaleague.org/events/awards/nominees

 

"

Good call, much better.

[little_sally]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:33am

I can't imagine anyone beating Lin-Manuel Miranda.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:35am

The performance award really has to be viewed as a Lifetime Achievement Award because it can only be rewarded once to the chosen actor. 

In theory, it perhaps would be nice for people like Goldsberry and Groff to be mentioned here, but the likelihood of them winning would have been extremely unlikely.

Cynthia Ervio could be a dark horse winner here because she is the Tony frontrunner. I have a feeling this isn't going to be the part Bennati gets this award for, but I do think at some point she will receive this honor.

I actually do, the more I think about it, bet they go with Lin-Manuel Miranda.  It's not the performance that most deserves it, but the show is simply too big a juggernaut, and as far as the "life-time achievement' aspect goes -- this is his time.

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 11:35 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:36am

I still think Danny Burstein can win.

If they do indeed have a rule that only 2 performers per show can be nominated, they should list that on the press release. Otherwise it seems strange to leave out many of these people...

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:38am

There's only one logic by which I think Miranda could win: him having the most iconic performance of the season. I really think of this award in that regard. Think about it: Patti LuPone as Rose. Audra McDonald as Bess. Neil Patrick Harris as Hedwig. These are iconic, you-had-to-have-been-there performances. The only question is if we really consider Miranda's performance to be of that caliber.

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 11:38 AM

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:40am

Well its certainly about a performer at a career peak giving a great performance in a great role.

That's the reason I don't think a newcomer like Ervio will win.  Yes, this will definitely be Miranda's to lose (and will likely be to Jessica or Danny if he does).

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:41am

Not necessarily. Alfred Molina won in 2010.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:45am

Generally speaking, the League limits itself to 2 performers per show. ... They cited Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs last year, too, so it might've nice if they saluted 2 other castmates this time. Plus, ''Hamilton'' was nominated for Best Musical last year (when it was Off-Broadway), but it lost to ''An American in Paris.'' One can only assume that many League members didn't see ''Hamilton'' until it moved to Broadway. (It's rare for Off-Broadway shows to win at the Drama League.) ... As for Distinguished Performance, I could see Jessica Lange winning the big prize.

 

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 11:45 AM

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:45am

Lin Manuel won't have my vote. The performance is not the distinguished part of what he is doing with Hamilton. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:47am

Wayman_Wong said: "Generally speaking, the League limits itself to 2 performers per show."

 

Then they should say that in their press release.

 

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:48am

neonlightsxo said: "Wayman_Wong said: "Generally speaking, the League limits itself to 2 performers per show."

Then they should say that in their press release."

Agreed. That's something that should be clarified. 

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:49am

I would bet on Lange, honestly. That's a monster part, she's been getting great word-of-mouth, and her lifetime of achievements is a bit longer than Miranda's.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:52am

Miranda is excellent in HAMILTON but I can't see him winning over people like Danny Burstein, Jessica Lange, or Lois Smith. Still, I personally see them going with Benanti or Erivo, but maybe I'm not reading them too well. I am a bit baffled by the omissions too, people like Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jane Krakowski, Leslie Odom Jr., and Daniel Brooks not being included makes no sense to me. It makes sense that they'd have a two performers per show only rule though--still, hard to be happy with any list that doesn't include Goldsberry or Odom Jr., both of who should be in contention for the award itself. Oh well.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 11:55am

I'm guessing that the League doesn't put the 2-performer thing in print because there are rare exceptions (where the 3rd honoree was a past Distinguished Performance winner).

In 2014, the League nominated Zachary Quinto and Brian J. Smith for ''The Glass Menagerie.'' However, they also cited Cherry Jones, a past Distinguished Performance winner.

In 2011, the League nominated Laura Benanti for ''Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,'' but also cited her co-stars Patti LuPone & Brian Stokes Mitchell (both past Distinguished honorees).

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 11:55 AM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 12:08pm

I also wouldn't count out Cicely Tyson.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 1:50pm

I'm also shocked it's not Renée and Leslie from Hamilton. I think Lin could win it because of how big the show is. but there are many great nominees.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 2:03pm

I really wish Odom had been nominated.  I still think he gives the best performance in Hamilton.  Obviously it's not up to me, but if it were, I'd choose him over either Miranda or Diggs.

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 2:26pm

Yes I sometimes think Renee's performance gets slightly overhyped because of how much of a brilliant song Satisfied is (I would but Leslie, Daveed and Phillipa above her), but Odom deserves to be on there. 

Updated On: 4/20/16 at 02:26 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/20/16 at 2:28pm

"I sometimes think Renee's performance gets slightly overhyped "

 

Well that's just not true, but OK.