And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

#1

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 1:27pm

Here are Brantley and Isherwoods' Tony predictions for this year...lot of interesting choices and love for shows that didn't make it to Broadway.



Article

Updated On: 5/8/14 at 01:27 PM

#2

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 1:33pm

I've never understood their inclusion of off Broadway into these lists. They can't be nominated for Tony Awards, it's impossible. So why waste time including them?

On the other hand, I completely agree with Brantley's picks.

#3

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 1:45pm

I agree with most of their picks except Beautiful winning for Best Musical.

I just don't see that even being a possibility.

But I'm so bad at these predictions who knows?

I love that Isherwood mentioned Lisa O'hare who should be winning every supporting actress award this season, imo.

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....but the world goes 'round

#4

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 1:48pm

I agree with Brantley's acting, book, and score predictions. But I don't think Beautiful will take Best Musical, Act One will get Best Play, or Raisin will take Best Revival of a Play.

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"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#5

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 1:59pm

It always amuses me when the "experts" opinions don't match. I think there are a LOT of categories this year that are really up in the air. Exciting!!!

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<-- Tevye, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, March 2018

#6

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 2:00pm

^ That's because Isherwood doesn't know what he's talking about.

I misread Brantley's play choice as All the Way. I think All the Way will win, not Act One.

#7

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 2:15pm

I'd love Mare Winningham and/or Reed Birney to win the Featured Categories. Casa Valentina needs to be honored somewhere for all of those incredible performances. I still think it has a fair shot at Best Play as well, but Mare and Reed would be completely justified should they win. Do the Tony voters really want to hand Mark Rylance a third Tony already when Reed Birney is giving the performance of his career?

#8

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 2:33pm

^ In what capacity do you work for MTC? You only ever post about their shows.

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"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#9

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 2:33pm

I think Rylance will win for the production as a whole. It was an incredible production.

I thought Mare Winningham was fine, but the men outshone her. I think one of the ladies from Raisin might slip in or Celia Keenan-Bolger will win for the performance of HER career. She was incredible.

I think leading actress in a play is very, very tight.

#10

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 2:49pm

Mark Rylance absolutely is deserving of a third Tony. His Viola was one of the finest performances I have ever seen, and maybe the definitive take on the role.

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"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#11

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 2:53pm

I would LOVE to see Celia Keenan-Bolger win this year!

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"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards

#12

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 2:54pm

It is the policy of the Times that its critics do not vote for arts awards. Not theatre, film or television. Since this is their policy, I think the Times needs to stop trying to influence people who actually do vote which is what their articles like this say to me.

Its time to let your critics vote or just shut up about the whole process.

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"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable." --Carrie Fisher

#13

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 3:31pm

I think I agree with Isherwood's predictions more than Brantley's. I do not think Beautiful will win Best Musical.

#14

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 4:19pm

"Mark Rylance absolutely is deserving of a third Tony. His Viola was one of the finest performances I have ever seen, and maybe the definitive take on the role."

Um, Mark Rylance didn't play Viola in Twelfth Night, that was Samuel Barnett (who is also nominated for best lead actor in a play). Rylance played Olivia.

#15

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 4:22pm

You're correct. It was an error on my part.

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"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#16

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 6:33pm

I feel that way over Brantley not Isherwood. Agree with Isherwood except where he gushes over the snorefest called jones. What a waste of acting talent. Sort of like preparing for a good steak dinner at Smith & Wollensky or Sparks and getting The special at Tad's instead.

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Poster Emeritus

Updated On: 5/8/14 at 06:33 PM

#17

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 7:13pm

My favourite New York Times article of the year, but was better when they did it in previous years, when their picks were side by side.

Last year both said should win and will win and that was Matilda.

#18

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 7:32pm

I agree that she should have been nominated. Lisa O'Hare, is outstanding.

#19

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 8:13pm

I completely, agree.

#20

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 8:55pm

I mean Sutton is fantastic but it would be insane if she had 3 Tonys. She's like Hilary Swank. They deserved it when they won and they are always great. But THREE?

#21

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/8/14 at 9:59pm

I think the inclusion of off-Broadway shows in the "should have been nominated" feature is to remind readers that some of the best, most laudable work in New York isn't on Broadway at all. Just to add context to the Tonys, which I think is always beneficial.

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Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.

#22

And the Nominees Should Be... (Brantley and Isherwood Predictions)

Posted: 5/9/14 at 8:45pm

Just had a look at last years predictions and Isherwood tranced Brantley 9-7.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/05/12/theater/theaterspecial/20130512-tony-awards-picks.html?_r=2&