Featured Actress in a Musical contenders?

[MaxineElliott]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 6:02pm

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? 
 

 

..

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

[willep]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 6:26pm

Natasha Hodgson would’ve been a strong contender, but she was ruled as leading.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 6:33pm

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

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

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 6:41pm

You could put a few ladies from OLD FRIENDS in Featured and Bernadette could walk away with a third competitive Tony.

If SMASH wanted to argue that it's an ensemble piece, I'd buy Robyn Hurder in Featured. That would be the show's closest chance of a win (and she's def not getting nominated in Lead). It might cause some mild yelling about category fraud, but who cares?

I think Joy Woods and Grace Hodgett Young are the weakest of the principals in their respective shows, but they might still get nominated due to it being SUCH a weak field this year.

Or maybe it's Jinkx if people love that performance? Or Natalie Venetia Belcon? Or Zoe Roberts? Or Lesli Margherita?

Updated On: 4/12/25 at 06:41 PM

[MaxineElliott]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 6:44pm

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

[MaxineElliott]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 6:46pm

They’ve definitely nominated ladies from these revue shows before in this category so a Bernadette nomination wouldn’t be surprising although I’d rather give the career boost to an up and comer originating a new role. 

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 10:00pm

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.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 10:32pm

ElephantLoveMedley said: "I'm rooting forNatalie Venetia Belcon.

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

It may be “the” featured role in the show but she doesn’t nail the two dressing room scenes with Audra and she doesn’t nail the strip. IMO. She’s outshined by Jordan and the three strippers. She was ideal casting on paper but it just didn’t pan out. 

[mshalo18]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 10:33pm

Lesli Margherita or Jordan Tyson >Joy Woods

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/12/25 at 10:58pm

Justina Machado should be a shoo-in for a nomination for REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES.  

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 12:48am

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. 

[getatme]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 12:59am

I found her performance incredibly grating when I saw the show again in February.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 1:15am

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

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 1:20am

Michelle Williams will not be nominated.

[binau]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 3:27am

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

[getatme]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 9:19am

No, it will be part of the last eligibility meeting.

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 9:48am

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

[Kad]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 10:32am

TotallyEffed said: "Michelle Williams will not be nominated."

Yeah… on paper, that role should be a slam-dunk nomination, but that’s assuming the actress can… land a joke. Or act.

[Owen22]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 10:48am

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!!

[VanillaIceCream2]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 1:27pm

I loved Jordan Tyson in Gypsy and thought she completely made the role her own. I've now seen her three times from mid-previews in December to the end of March and thought she was a standout each time. I wouldn't say shrill at all, though I understand why her choices don't work for some people.

I would love to see Jordan get nominated, and if she does get in over Joy, that would be fine with me.

[jagman106]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 3:40pm

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. 

[In The Jackson Heights]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 7:20pm

After seeing Real Women Have Curves, I'd be shocked if Justina Machado doesn't make the cut.  She was wonderful!

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 7:30pm

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

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 7:44pm

jagman106 said: "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 JoyWoods 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 anomination, but I think Ana Gasteyer may have an opportunity for OUAM given the weak year."

If Jayne Houdyshell was able to get nominated for Follies for a three minute song, there is no reason why Leslie shouldn't be considered for Gypsy. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/13/25 at 7:49pm

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?