Best Featured Actress in a Musical - 2006 Tony Award

I think the nominees will be:

Felicia P. Fields, "The Color Purple"
Sutton Foster, "The Drowsy Chaperone"
Lauren Molina, "Sweeney Todd"
Roz Ryan, "The Pajama Game"
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, "The Color Purple"

IMO, the winner will either by Felicia or Elisabeth, but you never know.

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Felicia P. Fields, "The Color Purple"

Felicia gives a powerhouse performance in TCP. The role is scene stealing and your heart goes out to the character.

Sutton Foster, "The Drowsy Chaperone"

Sutton is loved by the committee, having won once before and being nominated post-TMM. The reviews from LA of her performance have been fantastic, and I think that's even more insentive for her to be nominated.

Lauren Molina, "Sweeney Todd"

As you mentioned, the Sweeney supporting players are going to be recognized nomination wise, and I think Molina will get swept up in that momentum.

Roz Ryan, "The Pajama Game"

Ryan is a seasoned veteran who is beloved. Her performance has been getting good reviews, and she is another powerhouse scene stealer. I think she'll edge out Megan Lawrence for the nomination (I don't think they'll both get nominated.)

Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, "The Color Purple"

Elisabeth's performance is a star making stage debut.. let alone Broadway debut! She has gotten RAVE reviews, and she will most deffinetly be recognized (I think even with the award.)

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Updated On: 2/25/06 at 09:47 AM

My pics (as of right now, and what I know or have seen about each of the productions) are as follows:

Megan Lawrence (The Pajama Game)
Felicia P Fields (The Color Purple)
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes (The Color Purple)
Sutton Foster (The Drowsy Chaperone)
Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone)

Megan Lawerence's "Hernando's Hideaway" is beyond brilliant. Felicia Fields is a glorious new talent. Sutton Foster & Beth Leavel are two Broadway vets who continue to make anything look good with ease, and now they have Fantastic material to play. And Elisabeth Withers Mendes gives one of the best performances of the season in the Color Purple.

Sutton Foster, The Drowsy Chaparone
Lauren Molina, Sweeney Todd
Donna Lynne Champlin, Sweeney Todd
Amy Spangler, The Wedding Singer

I think that Lauren Molina is georgous!

Updated On: 2/25/06 at 10:05 AM

I'd be really surprised if Molina got a nomination, and this is coming from a huge fan of the revival. I think Champlin has a much better shot, actually.

I'll go with:

Felicia Fields - COLOR PURPLE
Megan Lawrence - PAJAMA GAME
Donna Lynn Champlin - SWEENEY TODD
Amy Spanger - WEDDING SINGER
Beth Leavel - CHAPERONE

I think Lauper will probably be campaigned as lead - as will one of the CHAPERONE girls - probably Foster.

Updated On: 2/25/06 at 10:45 AM

Well, I think partly its because DLC plays about 1/2 the major "core" of the orchestrations (keyboard) but also because she is the unofficial "conductor" of the show and really the haunting center of the production. When I think about the show - I actually return more to her performance than either LuPone or Cerveris - great as they are.

Still, its a crowded field and I think in the end if anyone loses out in this catagory it will be the SWEENEY gals. Brilliant or not - Pirelli and Johanna (as written) are not really Tony winning roles.

Really is a shame there is not an ensemble Tony.

Updated On: 2/25/06 at 11:26 AM

I think that we may have a large Sweeney win, and Donna Lynn Champlin as well as Laura Molina will be swept into that title wave. But I think that Sutton may be denied the Tony this time, because she has already won once, and last year she was nominated once again. I really hope it is either Donna Lynn Champlin or Laura Molina, because both are amazing.

I have to disagree on one point ljay...YES - Roz is FABULOUS in PG - But...theyve shrunk the role by epic proportions, and Roz doesnt have nearly enough stage time as possible others in the category, just as good if not better. I love Roz and always will, shes a fantastic performer. If the category werent so crowded, i'd say sure...but the fact is - there are better, more solid, more memorable performances this time around. Starting with her cast mate Megan Lawernce!

I think that Roz Ryan may have a chance, I mean an old pro that has yet to win/be nominated for anything, but I wonder if it is looked down upon that this is a limited engagement.

I agree with Horton - PAJAMA GAME will get some nice nominations, but I think the fact that it is a limited run is going to probably hurt the show's chances - particularly at winning.

I agree, I think "Pajama Game" will get some nice nominations with the honor being in the nomination, not the award. I think it'll get noms for Best Revival, Best Actor (Connick Jr,) Best Actress (O'Hara,) Featured Actor (McKean,) and Featured Actress (Ryan and/or Lawrence.)

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I just heard that the creative team of Drowsy is really beefing up Foster's part, so I take it that they're going to want to push her for Lead, not Featured.

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Updated On: 2/25/06 at 02:07 PM