Actress in a Musical Tony predictions ?

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 5:59am

now that we know all the shows opening this season, let's talk about actresses in a musical.

I think we can assume Kelli O'Hara will win her first Tony Award for The King and I. who will the other 4 nominees be?

my guess...

1.Kelli O'Hara as Anna Leonowens in The King and I
2. Kristin Chenoweth as Lily Garland / Mildred Plotka in On the Twentieth Century
3. Laura Michelle Kelly as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies in Finding Neverland
4. Brynn O'Malley as Besty Nolan in Honeymoon in Vegas
5. Chita Rivera as Claire Zachanassian in The Visit

who do you think?

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[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 6:08am

I'm not so sure that Kelli O'hara will win. She's great, but I'm really not sure.
You neglected to mention any of the awesome Fun Home ladies that should be nominated and I'm not sure if The Visit will be opening this season or next season. Chita is pretty fantastic in that though.

It's a tough year for actresses. A lot of phenominal performers.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 7:33am

As of now, my current predictions for the nominees are:
Kristin Chenoweth-On the Twentieth Century
Vanessa Hudgens-Gigi
Laura Michelle Kelly-Finding Neverland
Kelli O'Hara-The King & I
Chita Rivera-The Visit

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 7:41am

I don't think the Tony nominating committee is gonna go for Vanessa Hudgens.

and I don't think any of the Fun Home ladies are lead. The Visit is scheduled to open in previews on March 26th, so Chita is eligible.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 7:43am

Icecreambenjamin, The Visit is confirmed to open this April. What are you talking about?


As for predictions, I think Kelli O'Hara will finally get her long-overdue recognition.

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 7:45am

At this point, I'd say Chenoweth, O'Hara, and Rivera are the only sure things. I think at least one of the Alisons from FUN HOME will be nominated, depending on category placement.

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 8:07am

I think Judy Kuhn and Sydney Lucas could both be nominated for Fun Home but for Featured Actress not in Lead.

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 8:14am

Judy Kuhn is definitely Featured. It's not so clear-cut with Lucas, Beth Malone, or Emily Skeggs. The Lucille Lortel Awards nominated Lucas and Alexandra Socha in the leading categories last year.

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 8:41am

I'm really hoping Chenoweth wins the Tony. Her performance in OTTC was phenomenal and in my opinion the role of Lily is more challenging than the role of Anna in the King and I. Don't get me wrong I think Kelli O'Hara was wonderful in The King and I but I think Chenoweth's performance was incredible and deserves the win. She is a powerhouse.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 8:46am

Brynn will not be nominated. I don't even think she's eligible as lead.

Kristin is looking pretty strong right now, but the voters may wish to give it to Kelli or Chita.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 9:03am

I thought her name was above the title? The committee ruled that Tony Danza was featured and "all other decisions were consistent with the opening night credits."

http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/news/articles/2015-03-19/201503191426784135790.html

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 9:03am

Wow
I didn't know The Visit was so close to previews.

I think that Beth Malone is definitely the female lead. Sydney Lucas and Judy kuhn can probably be considered supporting.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 9:04am

I doubt she will be nominated (Brynn--Honeymoon in Vegas)

Updated On: 3/24/15 at 09:04 AM

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 9:06am

Brynn is not a lead. She is definitely supporting.

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 9:56am

Brynn O'Malley is billed above the title. She is absolutely the lead, no debate. The only performer in Honeymoon who had their category eligibility changed was Danza. I highly doubt she can land a nomination though. Her role doesn't offer her as much as Kelly, Hudgens, the Side Show girls, or Fun Home girls should one of them be considered lead.

[CoreyRyan3]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 10:01am

I think Sydney Lucas and Beth Malone should absolutely be considered Lead, with Sydney Lucas landing a nomination. She's quite incredible in the show.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 10:02am

The only sure things are O'Hara, Chenoweth, and Rivera getting nominated. One of the three will win, but it's absolutely impossible to say which one. The category is far from a slam dunk for O'Hara.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 10:04am

Chenoweth received rapturous praise for her performance, and she's been away from Broadway for a while. I kind of think she has a leg up right now, but who knows?

Updated On: 3/24/15 at 10:04 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 10:10am

Sydney Lucas can and should win Featured Actress.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 10:31am

Tough year to be a judge.

Although this may be Chita Rivera's final bow, as a judge I would look at her two Tony's for best actress in a musical, her Kennedy Center honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom and think that throwing another Tony at her would be superfluous.

How to deny O'Hara for a sixth time? Arguably she should have won in 2008 for South Pacific over Patti LuPone, who already had won for Evita. She took her star turn in Gypsy, like almost every other actress, in a show that was written to produce Tony award-winning actresses. I have to admit some prejudice as Gypsy has never been one of my top ten musicals, despite the hit-laden score. I don't think I could sit through it again if Judy Garland came back to play the lead (an odd notion).

I was also flabbergasted last year at her loss to Jesse Mueller. Jesse looks like she is headed toward big things on Broadway, but Beautiful with its three and four chord pop tunes was not demanding in vocal skills or acting skills. I never saw Madison County, but the clips I've seen of Kelli tackling that emotional score plus her acting, which if not great was certainly good, was just at a different level than Beautiful.

Politically, which of course never affects the voting, the judges may think that she is nominated in everything she's in and will have other chances for them to make it up to her. And some may also be a little envious of her seemingly perfect life.

So, yes, I would go for Kristin. She received rave reviews from almost every critic, including those that were pretty cool to the show as a whole. Her wonderful voice and the gymnastics she puts it through, those high Cs, all of her talents as a comedienne, vocal and physical, and just the demanding nature of the role.

Politically, time move quickly and already 46, she may never have another role like this. It's uncertain how well she will age having always had "cute" to help attract so many fans.

And, of course, I think that she is just delivering the best performance in Twentieth Century, and it was gratifying to see that the show was SRO in its first two weeks.

[skylight2]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 10:40am

I think someone mentioned before here that there was a rumor that voters didn't choose Kelli O'Hara last year since there were already talks of the King & I revival.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 10:49am

Chita Rivera-The Visti
Kelli O'Hara-The King and I
Kristin Chenoweth-On the Twentieth Century
Beth Malone-Fun Home
Laura Michelle Kelly-Finding Neverland

I still think its so sad that Erin Davie and Emily Padgett aren't eligible for a nomination together. They would surely get one if they weren't separated.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 11:03am

It's so hard to predict this before seeing all of the reviews. Buzz can change on a daily basis during the Tony season.

Even if Brynn was below the title, she would surely be petitioned to lead. The entire story is basically ABOUT Betsy. She has a slim chance of being nominated, but she's definitely in the right category.
Updated On: 3/24/15 at 11:03 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 11:09am

It's been said numerous times, but O'hara, Cheno, and Rivera are sure bets.

All else is open.

I know it's too early to predict, but I actually think Rivera has the best chance of winning.

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 11:09am

Yeah, Brynn is lead, the FEMALE lead. and I hope she's nominated. She's a fantastic and underrated performer.

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