Best Actress Tony Race!!

[directorkid]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:14pm

Hey!
I've just wondering. The Best Actress Tony race has seemed to come down to...
Kristen Chenowith - Wicked
Idina Menzel - Wicked
Donna Murphy - Wonderful Town
Tonya Pitkins - Caroline, or Change
Out of these which do you think is the most likely to win. I personally think Idina Menzel is due for a Tony and deserves it(after all the was totally snubbed for her work in Rent)!
Thanks!
C'Ya!

[directorkid]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:18pm

Also,
I'm new to this so does anyone know how to change your icon?

[mominator]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:19pm

Idina, has a great chance, but not a shoe in. Donna Murphey is amazing in Wonderful Town. So for me it comes down to these two ladies.
Barbara

[Benzy92]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:21pm

The nominees will be
Donna Murphy
Tonya Pinkins
Kristin Chenoweth
Idina Menzel
Stephanie D'Abruzzo

Idina is my pick, but the Tony will be either Tonya Pinkin's or Donna Murphy. I'd say Donna's.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:24pm

It's going to go to Pinkins. The ultra, "in the know, hip and sage" Tony committee members (YES, I'm being very sarcastic), like very high brow things. Caroline is about the only high brow musical on B'way right now. Which totally explains how Winokur took the Tony home last year. Again, insert Al dripping in sarcasm here. But seriously, I think the wicked ladies will cancel eachother out and the Tony will go to Pinkins.

[xanado_girl]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:27pm

I think that it's going to come down to Idina and Kristen which must be hard for them. They've been working on Wicked together to make the show what it is. I think that they are both deserving, I'll be cheering both of them on if they're nominated!

[tpdc]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:41pm

Donna Murphy has won two awards for her performance this season and Tonya Pinkins has won one. Ken Mandlebaum speculates that Pinkins strong work as a character that some audiences don't embrace could be passed over for Murphy's well regarded performance that carries the whole show. WONDERFUL TOWN only got a revival because of Murphy. If ASSASSINS is ruled a revival, the only way to reward the well liked WONDERFUL TOWN might be Murphy.

[sparky310]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:48pm

Donna is in my opinion the Winner. I have seem all the shows in question and none the other wonderful performers goes the distance that Ms. Murphy does. She is exquisite from beginning to end..you love her..you laugh with her and are thrilled when she gets the guy ..she must win..her comedy mixed with all her other talents is nothing short of legendary

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:50pm

Menzel and Chenoweth will split the vote.
Pinkins will not garner enough support.
Murphy will win.

That is if Menzel and Chenoweth both are in the running for Best Actress.

[dramaqueen]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:52pm

when do the noms come out?

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:54pm

Benzy92, I totally agree with your nominee list
I love Stephanie D'Abruzzo, both for being so sweet along with her many talents, and I sincerely hope she gets nominated come May 10th.
That said, however, as great as she is, the award will most likely go to one of the "hands-free" actresses.
Out of those ladies, I'd really like Idina to win personally. She'd be the only one (besides Ms. D'Abruzzo or possibly Kerry Butler) nominated who hasn't gotten a Tony yet and her work in Wicked is phenominal!


Updated On: 5/4/04 at 06:54 PM

[WestEndBird]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 6:59pm

I think its gonna be Idina...she was so powerful and I was totally amazed by what I saw. I have never seen its equal. She deserves it!

[StraightToHeaven]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 7:00pm

I would love to see Idina take it home. I don't think Kristin and Idina will split the vote because Kristin could be hurt by the fact that Wicked is more about Elphaba than it is G(a)linda. I'd be pleased to see either of them win.

[NYCbabe3789]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 7:02pm

My personal pick for the Tony is Idina. She is WAY overdue for it and she is amazing in WICKED. She has to get green every night, rarely misses shows, and has one of the most demanding female roles on Broadway right now. This character is also VERY different from all of her past roles and she made the switch beautifully.

Kristin is amazing in WICKED however...she has already won a Tony for Sally Brown, and she tends to play Sally and Glinda similarly. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but once again, Elphaba is SO different from Maureen and Kate and Amneris, etc...if Kristin won this Tony, I would feel like she was winning two Tonys for the same thing.

Donna is also fabulous in WONDERFUL TOWN, but she already has the most Tonys of the bunch, and her role is nowhere near as demanding as many of the others.

Stephanie D'Abruzzo is GREAT, and I would love to see her nominated. But again, I think the chances of her winning the Tony are slim to none with all the other competition. And while she is perfect as Kate/Lucy, her role is also not as draining as Idina/Tonya and the others.

Having not seen Tonya yet I cannot comment, but I've heard nothing but wonderful things about her.

Now that's just my opinion. Who do I want to win? Idina. Who I think will win? Donna or Tonya.

[tennis85]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 8:03pm

It's gonna be a close on btw Idina and Donna M. However, Donna DID win the Outer Critic's award. Hummmmm....

[logan30]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 8:05pm

It will be a horse race between Tonya Pinkins and Donna Murphy but the winner will be Pinkins by a nose.

[PJ]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 8:46pm

Idina should win. While I loved Kristin and found her performance hysterical, it's Idina who's working her ass of night after night at the Gershwin. But after last year's Winokur over Peters shocker, I couldn't pin point a winner in this category for the life of me.

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 9:37pm

Do they actually take into consideration if the actors/actresses already won a Tony?

I cant comment on who should win because i have yet to see all of the potential noms. Though out of Kristin and Idina my pick is Idina.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 10:37pm

some of you guys make me laugh - i know this may upset people, and i know lots of you sweat Idina, and yes she does great job - but she just doesn't stand a chance in comparison to Murphy or Pinkins. as an actress she can't and hasn't proven to carry any of the show when she isn't singing. yeah i LOVE her voice as much as the next person and I have both of her albums - but Tony award winner this year she is not.

Tonya darlings!

Updated On: 5/4/04 at 10:37 PM

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 10:40pm

I have to agree. Tonya will take it home. There's really no question about it. I know you all just adore Idina, but this just isn't her year.
-Matt

[NYUstud]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 10:46pm

I think that Idina should get it, though I haven't seen Pinkins yet but I will have to compare once I have seen Caroline, or Change. Donna is very good. I think it will be an exciting race.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/4/04 at 10:47pm

I've seen all five and my vote goes to Tonya too -- a truly sublime, multi-layered and powerful performance.

Updated On: 5/4/04 at 10:47 PM

[scooter38432]

Posted: 5/7/04 at 7:07am

I must agree that Idina, although enjoyable, is not a great actress. The role of Elphaba could have been much more interesting with a stronger actress. Granted, she has some powerful pipes, but it needs to be about more than that. (I keep thinking that Audra McDonald would have been a much better choice. She's got more a "legit" sound and would have been just as electrifying in "Defying Gravity". And as Audra usually does, she'd take the character to surprising lengths.) One previous post said that Idina was WAY overdue for a win. Huh? She originated one other role on Broadway and had one nomination. I don't see how that is WAY overdue.

Kristin is perfectly cast in a wonderful performance. I was surprised to see that a fellow poster said that she played Sally Brown the same way. I don't see that at all. I find them completely different.

If the race came down to the 2 WICKED women, I'd go for Kristin. She's delivers a much more solid, complete performance. However, I don't think that WICKED is going to get any acting Tonys.

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, in a perfect world, would win the Tony, but in a different year. This year's race is particularly tough.

I agree that it will be between Donna Murphy and Tonya Pinkins. Donna is completely beloved in the Broadway world, and rightly so. Tonya has had some tough (well publicized) personal times in the past, and may very well win the Tony with some sympathy votes (remember Elizabeth Taylor's Oscar win for BUTTERFIELD 8?).

I'd say Tonya Pinkins.

Updated On: 5/7/04 at 07:07 AM

[BwayLover]

Posted: 5/7/04 at 11:14am

I agree- it's between Tonya Pinkins and Donna Murphy. Except for Tonya, I have seen the other four ladies, and on the whole, Donna Murphy is definitely tops. Yes, the other three all give wonderful performances, but the only word to desrcibe Murphy's performance is "legendary."
NYCbabe, you don't think Donna's role is demanding? Have you forgotten "Conga"? That was one of the highlights of the entire theater season.

Personally, I'm rooting for Murphy, even though I know there's a good chance Pinkins will win.

Updated On: 5/7/04 at 11:14 AM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/7/04 at 11:34am

Watch for the outcome of the Drama Desk awards. If Murphy grabs that one, we may see a triple crown. I think the dual focus of WICKED -- not the competing ladies -- candel that out. The show is about two major characters, for better or worse, and in such a strong season for musical ladies, the award will go to a woman who carries an evening on her shoulders. Chenoweth's CANDID gig might remind voters of what a treasure she is, but I don't think it'll sway them toward WICKED.