David Hyde Pierce giving Esparza a run for the Tony?

Yes, he certainly is giving Raul a run for his money. Having seen both, I say Raul still has the edge (though I didn't particularly enjoy Company and LOVED Curtains.) DHP mentioned in a recent interview with Playbill that he loved Raul's performance so much that he's set all Tony dreams aside.

I love DHP truly I do but this year is Raul's.

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I'm going to put in a vote for Raul. His performance was nuanced (to the point where it doesn't even seem like acting!), and his voice is phenomenal.

I don't think DHP will win, but I think he deserves to win. I wasn't impressed by Company, but found Esparza quite good. I loved Curtains and thought DHP was phenomenal. I think it will come down to these two fine performers and DHP could very well be considered a sentimental favorite among voters because of the Kander and Ebb association. Not that his performance isn't Tony-worthy, it surely is, my vote is with DHP.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hadley Fraser (PIRATE QUEEN) doesn't win. He was such a shock! A fresh talent that stole the show, for me. (Does it matter if you are not Equity to be nominated? I wouldn't think so...)

And then there is Groff from SPRING AWAKENING. I wouldn't be surprised if he won, too.

I don't think Hyde Pierce will win. Not that type of role. Great performance, though.

Esparza's performance is AMAZING but with so many other successful shows opening after COMPANY, is he an old love?

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No offense, Hook, but regarding Frasier or Groff winning....either of them getting nominated at all would be an accomplishment, given the amount of talent this season.

Raul Esparza and David Hyde Pierce are the front runners. Other "sure-fire" nominees are Michael Cerveris, Martin Short (who could complete an upset with his terrific performance in Fabe Becomes Me), and Gavin Lee or Steve Kazee.

About Esparza being "old love"....Grey Gardens will have opened nearly 8 months before the Tonys....would Ebersole be the same "old love"?

Updated On: 3/16/07 at 07:11 PM

Good observations capnhook. I think those two will most definitely get nom's. It is suddenly a man heavy season, huh? Perhaps an Arden nomination to round out the category?

My feelings about Esparza's work aside (if possible), the first post in this thread is such drivel. Is it true that he's quite good? Apparently so. Is it true that he just might win the Tony over Raúl? Seriously, these sorts of questions are ridiculous; what, do you expect someone to peer into a crystal ball and tell you if it's true? Sure. Totally. Someone can definitely tell you that.

Frankly, regarding which of the two is more likely to win (note: not whether one deserves it or not), the opinions of those who haven't seen both of them are all "blah blah blah blah" to me. They mean as much as that does to those Spring Awakening kids. There's just nothing sound, and that has doesn't have a thing to do with the fact that I very much want to see Esparza win. It's just common sense. Judge all you want whether you think he's giving a Tony-worthy performance, but which one will win? Your common sense is waiting to be found.

I'm seeing Curtains tomorrow. It's the new show I'm most looking forward to this season, for a lot of reasons. I think Hyde Pierce is wonderfully talented, adorable and charming and I loved him in Spamalot. Once I can say I've seen both, I'm sure I'll have an opinion on what I think will happen. But whether I'm actually going to share it, I suppose, remains to be seen... because you know what? Nobody's going to care what I have to say. Esparza's performance and everything about that show have moved me in ways that I never in a million years would have expected it to. I don't think there's a soul on this board -- myself included -- who thinks I can possibly be fair in my judgments. If I come out of tomorrow afternoon's performance sticking to my guns, you are all far more likely to go, "oh, well that's no surprise; of course that's what you think," and accuse me of not being able to give DHP a fair chance (no matter how hard I am going to try to do so) because of my bias toward Esparza than to give my assessment much stock. And that's fine. I made my bed and I'll lie in it, but at least I'll have seen both of them.

This post came out a little bit more biting than I intended it to be, but if it's some incarnation of future-directed bitterness, then I guess I'll just fit right in with that chorus of gays pulling for Esparza's win -- jives right with my status as bitchy enough to be a gay man, no?

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Updated On: 3/17/07 at 08:22 PM

Everyone knows that Will Chase will walk away with the award on Tony night. He was in a well loved show with a huge box office pull. Any other year, Esparza and DHP would slug it out, but not up against the juggernaut that is High Fidelity.

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Yes we heard this to and we have a pretty good % of
hearing things right from each other. DHP is tops.

Updated On: 3/16/07 at 09:58 PM

Im really surprised noone has mentioned Michael Cerveris for LoveMusik. Many feel he was slided at last years tonys and he could just walk away with the sympathy vote.

Reiterating what I wrote, the nominees will be (MARK MY WORDS!)

Raul Esparza, who, being the critical darling of the male category, will win.

David Hyde Pierce, who is the most charismatic male performer in a musical this season, will come in a very close second.

Michael Cerveris, the always phenominal, who is more likely to win a Drama Desk for King Lear

Martin Short, who turned in an astoundingly side-splitting performance as the fictional version of himself (and all his characters) in Fame Becomes Me.

Gavin Lee, who carries Mary Poppins on his very capable shoulders by dancing upside down and being the only lead performer on the New Amsterdam stage with charisma.

or

Steve Kazee, a new talent taking on a very serious role after wonderfully filling the enormous shoes of Hank Azaria and Alan Tudyk in Spamalot (besides dating a very pretty blonde from Wicked).

Updated On: 3/16/07 at 10:17 PM