Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:31am
The competition this year seems crazy in this category and I'm curious as to people's predictions on this category. Personally, I believe it will be between Judy Kuhn and Sydney Lucas, but my current predictions have Fun Home winning this category.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:42am
I wonder if nominating three actresses in the same show could possibly hurt the voting chances of any of them winning. If it does split the vote, then the award could go to Ruthie Ann Miles who received uniformly glowing reviews for her different, complex performance as Lady Thiang in THE KING AND I.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:51am
I wondered the same thing about Max Von Essen/Brandon Uranowitz and Brad Oscar/Christian Borle in featured actor.
Updated On: 5/6/15 at 01:51 AM
Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:57am
This category is anyone's guess.
I'm leaning toward Lucas.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 8:10am
I actually think Miles has it after my cup of coffee. I think any one of the Fun Home ladies any other year...but all in the same category seals it for Miles (who was the only thing I praised about The King and I).
I think the three FH ladies will cancel each other and Miles will take it. (She was excellent and completely deserving.)
Updated On: 5/6/15 at 08:10 AM
Posted: 5/6/15 at 9:19am
Posted: 5/6/15 at 10:13am
I'd love to see Judy win the Tony: not only her performance in Fun Home is thrilling, but she has been unsuccessfully nominated so many times that it's high time she won one! But I think it will go to Lucas.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 10:14am
According to GoldDerby, it's 3 Judy Kuhn, 1 Sydney and 1 Ruthie. I think it could be Sydney.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 10:41am
I think Kuhn benefits from the way her role has been re-staged for the Broadway production. Her role feels much larger and more essential to the story than it did at the Public. (The same is true of Beth Malone). If I had a ballot, I'd vote for Kuhn. That said, I think it will be a photo finish.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 10:55am
I believe Sydney Lucas will prevail here. She is unforgettable!
Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:04am
I saw Fun Home last night so I checked off three of these actresses. I really don't know who will win or really feel like I can predict. Judy Kuhn's beautiful performance was heartbreaking ... she was perfect in her role. But I agree that Sydney Lucas really sticks with you. Her portrayal and the nuances and emotions she brings to that role as an 11 year old are amazing.
Looking forward to seeing Ruthie Ann Miles next week. Lady Thiang is one of my favorite supporting roles in musical theatre and from what we've heard she pulls out the essence of the character perfectly.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:05pm
Lucas might have it in the bag. Ring Of Keys is pretty much the most acclaimed song of the last two seasons and her performance is mind blowing, regardless of age. That said, Kuhn's role in the reworked version is also fantastic and her Days and Days is heartbreaking. I think it's between those two, although everyone in this category is doing really awesome work.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:13pm
As in the best actress in a musical award, all of the nominees are completely deserving. What bothers me is not that there will be a winner, but that there will be three "losers." I've seen Fun Home and The King and I and if I was a Tony voter, I would have no idea whom to vote for in this category.
Anyone for a four way tie?
Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:21pm
"I think Kuhn benefits from the way her role has been re-staged for the Broadway production. Her role feels much larger and more essential to the story than it did at the Public."
Good to hear this. Downtown, her role didn't seem to have anything like the impact of the younger Alisons.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:18pm
My heart is hoping that Miles will win it. It is rare to have such a great role for Asian-American actresses on broadway, but more than that, she was phenomenal. It's such a powerful and nuanced take on the role, a role that could very easily veer into "villain" territory because the audience is primed to root for Anna.
However, given the momentum for FH and Kuhn, and the emotional and impactful subject matter, it may just be the year for her. I'm pretty sure the votes for Skeggs and Lucas will cancel each other out, leaving Kuhn to edge them out by a bit. With votes split among all 3 FH ladies, it's unlikely that Miles will prevail.
This will be a very close one (just like the race for Leading.)
Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:24pm
. With votes split among all 3 FH ladies, it's unlikely that Miles will prevail.
Doesn't that actually give Miles a better chance? I don't quite follow your logic.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:32pm
Yeah I guess I was unclear. What I meant was since FH has such clout among voters overall with their many nominations etc., voters may be inclined to vote for 1 of the 3 FH actresses, leaving few votes outside of FH. Kuhn will probably still prevail out of the 3, but most of the votes that might have gone to Miles could go to Lucas instead, for example.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:37pm
Ruthie is wonderful, but Lady Tiang isn't really the kind of role that wins Tony Awards. Not opposite the roles in FUN HOME. I don't see Skeggs pulling a lot of votes. So it would seem to be between Kuhn and Lucas. I don't think sentimentality is going to play much into Kuhn's favor. Sure she has 3 Tony nominations but those were in roles 20 years ago. If she wins it will be for her performance (which is special) but not quite as special as Lucas'.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 2:02pm
We're all forgetting about Victoria Clark in Gigi. Not that I'm saying she should win or even has a chance, but she deserves to be mentioned for that wonderful performance especially if we're going to make comments about feeling bad for the "THREE" losers.
I think Sydney Lucas deserves and will get it though. Her young age makes the work even more impressive.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 2:03pm
I really really want to see Lucas win but if it's Kuhn, I'd be happy.
Posted: 5/6/15 at 2:27pm
I really really want to see Lucas win but if it's Kuhn, I'd be happy.
Just the opposite for me! But all of the nominees really are worthy, so this is one category that I won't be complaining about on that Monday morning.
Posted: 5/7/15 at 1:29am
Some ostriches, heads in the sand, pretending that Victoria Clark is not in the running may have a surprise ahead...
What fun the Gigi cast would have with that win!
Heart, warmth and effervescent talent.
She is the champagne!
Posted: 5/7/15 at 1:53am
I see Lucas by a nose. Her age will work for her as it did for Daisy Egan.
Posted: 5/7/15 at 3:06am
I always hear talk about actors from the same show in a category canceling each other out, but is there a significant history of this happening? The only time I can think off the top of my head that this may have happened was when Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad were both nominated for Mormon and neither won.
I have no doubt that one of the Fun Home ladies will win. I'm pretty sure the last time three actors were nominated from one show in a category was Best Featured Actor in 2001. Gary Beach, Brad Oscar, and Roger Bart were all nominated for The Producers, and Beach won.
