Featured Actress in a Musical contenders?

I’ve seen a lot of discussion about how competitive lead actress in a musical is this year, but let’s discuss featured actress! 
 

Strong Contenders:

Isa Antonetti - Buena Vista Social Club

Natalie Venetia Belcon - Buena Vista Social Club

Joy Woods - Gypsy

Jordan Tyson - Gypsy

Claire Marie Hall - Operation Mincemeat 

Zoe Roberts - Operation Mincemeat 

Gracie Lawrence - Just In Time

Michelle Williams - Death Becomes Her

Julia Knitel - Dead Outlaw

Grace Hodgett Young - Sunset Boulevard 

Justina Machado - Real Women Have Curves

Jinkx Monsoon - Pirates! The Penzance Musical 

 

Who would you nominate?

Am I missing anyone? 
 

 

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Updated On: 4/12/25 at 06:02 PM

I’m a bit ambivalent about this category this year. Usually one of my favorites.

Updated On: 4/12/25 at 06:33 PM

Ohh ok. I got her mixed up with Claire Marie Hall. 

I'm rooting for Natalie Venetia Belcon.

Also, I know Louise is "the" featured actress role in Gypsy, but I'm rooting more for Lesli Margherita to get a nomination from that production.

Lesli Margherita or Jordan Tyson >Joy Woods

Has Jordan Tyson’s performance gotten “bigger” as the run goes on? Because I loved her in previews but a bunch of friends who’ve seen it more recently have found her grating or shrill. 

My current five I have predicted are:

Natalia Venetia Balcon
Justina Machado
Jinkx Monsoon (unless she goes lead, then put Michelle Williams here)
Bernadette Peters
Joy Woods

I don't feel super confident about it though. This is a weird category this year. Not as many strong contenders as other years it seems.

Updated On: 4/13/25 at 01:15 AM

Has there been a ruling yet on whether Bernadette is featured or leading? 

I saw Buena Vista this week. I saw Natalie’s understudy so maybe I can’t say with 100% certainty but I was more impacted by Isa Antonetti’s act 2 number than anything from older Omara

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Has Jordan Tyson’s performance gotten “bigger” as the run goeson? Because I loved her in previews but a bunch of friends who’ve seen it more recently have found her grating or shrill."

I've heard the same thing!!

As much as I enjoyed Lesli Margherita's performance, and having seen all five Broadway revivals of Gypsy going back to Angela in 1974, Lesli's performance is on par with the other performers who played her role previously. It's a great character, who gets to have a field day with one number, but that's about it. In every previous production of Gypsy, including the original production, the performer playing Tessie Tura was not nominated for a Tony. However, the performer playing Louise was nominated, netting a win for Laura Benanti in 2008. Christa Moore was nominated in 1990, and I found her Louise to be the least effective, but it was also a weak year, so perhaps Joy Woods has a shot at a nomination, but I don't think Lesli Margherita will be nominated. Laura's performance as Louise was far superior (IMO) to Joy's, so perhaps many Tony nominators will have Laura's performance in the back of their minds. I haven't seen every musical this season yet, but no one in particular stands out in my mind from the shows I've seen to be a lock for a nomination, but I think Ana Gasteyer may have an opportunity for OUAM given the weak year. 

Assuming Robyn Hurder is campaigned in Lead, maybe Caroline Bowman if they go for SMASH?

Brave Sir Robin2 said: "Assuming Robyn Hurder is campaigned in Lead, maybe Caroline Bowman if they go for SMASH?"

I'd assume they'll petition Hurder and Ashmanskas for Lead, and everyone else as Featured. Bowman has a decent shot for a nomination, with Kristine Neilsen as a possible dark horse?