In Contention: 2011 Tony Awards (The Plays)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 10:46pm

Below is an exhaustive list of the eligible candidates for the 2011 Tony Awards for all Play categories.

Please note that 10 of the plays have not yet been ruled on for Tony Eligibility and many of the acting nominees may change from "Leading" to "Featured" or vice versa.

BEST PLAY
BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
BRIEF ENCOUNTER
COLIN QUINN: LONG STORY SHORT
A FREE MAN OF COLOR
GHETTO KLOWN
GOOD PEOPLE
HIGH
JERUSALEM
LOMBARDI
THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
THE PITMEN PAINTERS
WAR HORSE

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
ARCADIA
BORN YESTERDAY
LA BETE
DRIVING MISS DAISY
THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST
A LIFE IN THE THEATRE
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
THE NORMAL HEART
THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

BEST PERFORMANCE OF A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Brian Bedford, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Jim Belushi, BORN YESTERDAY
Bobby Cannavale, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Tate Donovan, GOOD PEOPLE
Raul Esparza, ARCADIA
Santino Fontana, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
David Furr, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
James Earl Jones, DRIVING MISS DAISY
T.R. Knight, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE
Dan Lauria, LOMBARDI
John Leguizamo, GHETTO KLOWN
Robert Sean Leonard, BORN YESTERDAY
Joe Mantello, THE NORMAL HEART
Al Pacino, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
David Hyde Pierce, LA BETE
Colin Quinn, COLIN QUINN: LONG STORY SHORT
Paul Reubens, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Chris Rock, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Mark Rylance, JERUSALEM
Patrick Stewart, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE
Ben Stiller, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Tristan Sturrock, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Robin Williams, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO

BEST PERFORMANCE OF A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Nina Arianda, BORN YESTERDAY
Edie Falco, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Cherry Jones, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Jennifer Jason Leigh, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Frances McDormand, GOOD PEOPLE
Lily Rabe, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Vanessa Redgrave, DRIVING MISS DAISY
Kathleen Turner, HIGH
Hannah Yelland, BRIEF ENCOUNTER

BEST PERFORMANCE OF A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Joseph Alessi, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Peter Bartlett, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Arnie Burton, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Patrick Carroll, GOOD PEOPLE
Christopher Connel, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Brian Cox, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Mackenzie Crook, JERUSALEM
Billy Crudup, ARCADIA
Paul F. Dano, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Damon Daunno, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Glenn Davis, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
Adam Driver, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Gabriel Ebert, BRIEF ENCOUTNER
Brad Fleischer, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
Glenn Fleshler, ARCADIA
Jim Gaffigan, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Boyd Gaines, DRIVING MISS DAISY
John Gallagher Jr., JERUSALEM
Jesse Garcia, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
David Harbour, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Mark Harelik, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Edward Hibbert, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Michael Hodgson, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Edward James Hyland, ARCADIA
Byron Jennings, ARCADIA
Byron Jennings, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Evan Jonigkeit, HIGH
Ian Kelly, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Stephen Kunken, HIGH
Phil LaMarr, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Brian Lonsdale, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Joseph Marcell, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Jesse L. Martin, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
John McMartin, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Nick Mennell, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Arian Moayed, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
John Moody, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Mos, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Keith Nobbs, LOMBARDI
Chris Noth, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Jason Patric, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Esau Pritchett, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Brian Reddy, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Tom Riley, ARCADIA
Noah Robbins, ARCADIA
Reg Rogers, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Mark Rylance, LA BETE
Triney Sandoval, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Michael Siberry, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Robert Stanton, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Kiefer Sutherland, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
David Emerson Toney, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
David Turner, ARCADIA
Yul Vazquez, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Deka Walmsley, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
David Whitaker, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Paxton Whitehead, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

BEST PERFORMANCE OF A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Dorothy Atkinson, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Becky Ann Baker, GOOD PEOPLE
Nicole Beharie, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Margaret Colin, ARCADIA
Rosal Colon, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Veanne Cox, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Sara Gettelfinger, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Renee Elise Goldsberry, GOOD PEOPLE
Grace Gummer, ARCADIA
Sally Hawkins, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Dana Ivey, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Judith Light, LOMBARDI
Joanna Lumley, LA BETE
Justina Machado, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Lisa McGrillis, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Annette McLaughlin, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Teyonnah Parris, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Charlotte Parry, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Estelle Parsons, GOOD PEOPLE
Bel Powley, ARCADIA
Christina Ricci, TIME STANDS STILL
Elizabeth Rodriguez, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Annabella Sciorra, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Wendy Rich Stetson, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Lynne Marie Stewart, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Sara Topham, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Lia Williams, ARCADIA
Phillippa Wilson, THE PITMEN PAINTERS

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Brian Bedford, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
David Cromer, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Marianne Elliott, Tom Morris, WAR HORSE
David Esbjornson, DRIVING MISS DAISY
Joel Grey, THE NORMAL HEART
Doug Hughes, BORN YESTERDAY
Doug Hughes, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Thomas Kail, LOMBARDI
Moises Kaufman, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
David Leveaux, ARCADIA
Gregory Mosher, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Neil Pepe, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE
Emma Rice, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Ian Rickson, JERUSALEM
Max Roberts, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Rob Ruggiero, HIGH
Jerry Seinfeld, COLIN QUINN: LONG STORY SHORT
Anna D. Shapiro, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Fisher Stevens, GHETTO KLOWN
Daniel Sullivan, GOOD PEOPLE
Daniel Sullivan, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Alex Timbers, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Matthew Warchus, LA BETE
George C. Wolfe, A FREE MAN OF COLOR

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
John Lee Beatty, BORN YESTERDAY
John Lee Beatty, DRIVING MISS DAISY
John Lee Beatty, GOOD PEOPLE
Hildegard Bechtler, ARCADIA
David Gallo, COLIN QUINN: LONG STORY SHORT
David Gallo, HIGH
Desmond Heeley, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
David Korins, LOMBARDI
David Korins, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Santo Loquasto, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE
Happy Massee, GHETTO KLOWN
Gary McCann, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Derek McLane, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
Neil Murray, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Scott Pask, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Scott Pask, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
David Rockwell, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
David Rockwell, THE NORMAL HEART
Todd Rosenthal, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Rae Smith, WAR HORSE
Mark Thompson, LA BETE
Ultz, JERUSALEM
Mark Wendland, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Michael Yeargan, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Laura Bauer, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE
Ann Closs-Farley, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Gregory Gale, ARCADIA
Jess Goldstein, HIGH
Jess Goldstein, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Jane Greenwood, DRIVING MISS DAISY
Jane Greenwood, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Jane Greenwood, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Desmond Heeley, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Donald Holder, ARCADIA
Ann Hould-Ward, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Gary McCann, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Neil Murray, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Mimi O'Donnell, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Martin Pakledinaz, THE NORMAL HEART
Rae Smith, WAR HORSE
Paul Tazewell, LOMBARDI
Mark Thompson, LA BETE
Ultz, JERUSALEM
David Zinn, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
David Zinn, GOOD PEOPLE
Catherine Zuber, BORN YESTERDAY
Catherine Zuber, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Howell Binkley, COLIN QUINN: LONG STORY SHORT
Howell Binkley, LOMBARDI
Pat Collins, GOOD PEOPLE
Paule Constable, WAR HORSE
Jeff Croiter, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Donald Holder, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Peter Kaczorowski, BORN YESTERDAY
Paul Kaczorowski, DRIVING MISS DAISY
Peter Kaczorowski, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Douglas Kuhrt, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
David Lander, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
John R. Lasiter, HIGH
Brian MacDevitt, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Kenneth Posner, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE
Kenneth Posner, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Kenneth Posner, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
Malcolm Rippeth, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Jennifer Schriever, GHETTO KLOWN
Duane Schuler, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Mimi Jordan Sherin, JERUSALEM
Hugh Vanstone, LA BETE
David Weiner, THE NORMAL HEART

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
Acme Sound Partners, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO
Acme Sound Partners, LOMBARDI
Acme Sound Partners, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Acme Sound Partners, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT
Simon Baker, BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Simon Baker, LA BETE
Christopher "Kit" Bond, COLIN QUINN: LONG STORY SHORT
Cristopher Cronin, DRIVING MISS DAISY
Ian Dickinson, JERUSALEM
M.L. Dogg, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW
Jill B.C. Du Boff, GOOD PEOPLE
Peter Fitzgerald, GHETTO KLOWN
Martin Hodgson, THE PITMEN PAINTERS
Scott Lehrer, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Drew Levy, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Vincent Olivieri, HIGH
Fitz Patton, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
Scott Sauffer, A FREE MAN OF COLOR
Christopher Shutt, WAR HORSE
David Van Tieghem, ARCADIA
David Van Tieghem, BORN YESTERDAY
David Van Tieghem, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION
David Van Tieghem, THE NORMAL HEART

Updated On: 4/11/11 at 10:46 PM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 10:50pm

Elling is not eligible in any category as it didn't run long enough to invite Tony voters.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 10:53pm

Dana Ivey's a woman.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 10:54pm

Tate Donovan and Raul Esparza are Featured. Chris Rock most likely will be too.

Interesting how for both plays and musicals this year there are many more eligible Leading Actors than Actresses.

[MrJNLong]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 11:44pm

Pretty sure Mark Rylance for La Bete should be in the Leading category.
Also pretty sure Tate Donovan should be in featured since Good People only petitioned McDormand for leading.
Brian Cox should be in Leading since the other 4 were petitioned down to Featured but he wasn't.
Also, Arcadia didn't petition anyone for leading. Isn't the whole cast below the title therefore all considered in the Featured category?

[Ryan4]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 7:46pm

Anybody know if an actor can be nominated twice in the same category?

I know its never happened...but is there an actual rule or has it just never happened? Anyone know off-hand?

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 8:00pm

I know the Oscars doesn't allow it, but I'm not sure about the Tony Awards.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 8:15pm

There's no rule about how many nominations anyone can receive in any one category.

[mikem]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 8:43pm

There is no explicit rule against being doubly nominated in the same category for actors for the Tonys, so I think it is permissible. The only weird explicit rule about nomination eligibility is that there can only be one actor or actress per nomination (although obviously they ignored this rule with the Billy Elliot boys).

(The Oscars have an explicit rule against double nominations in the same category, but only for actors and not for other categories. The Golden Globes allow multiple acting nominations in the same category. The Grammys must have some mechanism for avoiding multiple noms as the lead artist in the same performance category or it would happen from time to time, but maybe it's self-policed; unlike most other awards, the entries have to be formally submitted to be eligible. Not sure about the Emmys.)

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 11:07pm

Ricci is eligible for Featured Actress even though TIME STANDS STILL is not from this season? The show re-opening in the fall somehow makes her replacement status eligible for a featured actress nomination?

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 11:14pm

For some reason, they ruled her eligible again. I think they may have felt it was more of a reopening, moving from not-for-profit to a commercial run. If I were the agents of Bernadette Peters, Marin Mazzie, Harvey Fierstein, I think I'd have some words for the Tony Comittee. I don't see Ricci getting nominated, but you never know.

[roseaddams]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 11:17pm

Yes. Because the show closed and then officially re-opened (as opposed to, for instance, God of Carnage shutting down for a hiatus), they're probably going to petition it as a new production.

Tony rules state that in order to be eligible for Revival, there must be three years between productions, so it's ineligible. Acting rules specify that an actor cannot be eligible/nominated for the same role in two different productions of the same show, which leaves Laura Linney, Brian D'Arcy James, and Eric Bogosian out. Much like A Chorus Line in 2007, the design and direction will likely be ruled ineligible because it was so similar to the original production.

So yes, Christina Ricci is eligible for a Best Featured Actress nomination. It's not unlike Barry Bostwick's nomination (and eventual win) in 1977 for The Robber Bridegroom; the show was nominated in 1976 for a couple of awards, closed, was re-written and then re-opened the following year.

Updated On: 4/12/11 at 11:17 PM

[GimmeABreak2]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 11:26pm

Thanks for this, CapnHook!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:31am

In my mind, the only possible nominees for BEST PLAY are:

BEST PLAY
BRIEF ENCOUNTER
GOOD PEOPLE
JERUSALEM
WAR HORSE

Those four were the most critically-acclaimed and stand-outs of the season. It's also interesting to note that three of those four were British imports.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:46am

I'm with you on that, Capnhook (though I have not yet seen Jerusalem). Unfortunately, however, I think that "Brief Encounter" (my second favorite show of the season) will be snubbed for MF with the Hat or something else that is currently running.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 11:59am

I thought Jerusalem was chilling and wonderfully confounding. I hope it gets a nomination.

[lizliz]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 12:54pm

Seth Numrich must be eligible for something for War Horse, but he's not in either list... they don't have anyone above the title, so would everyone in the show be considered Featured?

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 1:40pm

capn hook you are the Bomb.com!

Best Play for me would be:
Jerusalem
Good People
Bengal Tiger at the Bagdhad zoo
Warhorse

[vodkastinger]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 2:12pm

My play predictions:

Best Play
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Good People
Jerusalem
War Horse*

Best Revival of a Play
Arcadia
Driving Miss Daisy
The House of Blue Leaves
The Importance of Being Earnest*

Best Actress in a Play
Nina Ardania, Born Yesterday
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves*
Frances McDormand, Good People
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Kathleen Turner, High

Best Actor in a Play
Bobby Cannavale, The Mother****er with the Hat
Joe Mantello, The Normal Heart
Al Pacino, The Merchant of Venice
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem*
Robin Williams, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Best Featured Actress in a Play
Becky Ann Baker, Good People
Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart
Judith Light, Lombardi
Estelle Parsons, Good People*
Lia Williams, Arcadia

Best Featured Actor in a Play
Mackenzie Crook, Jerusalem*
Tate Donovan, Good People
Raul Esparza, Arcadia
Evan Jonigkeit, High
Seth Numrich, War Horse

Director of a Play
Moises Kaufman, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest
Ian Rickson, Jerusalem
Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris, War Horse*

Scenic Design of a Play
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo*
A Free Man of Color
Good People
The Mother****er with the Hat

Lighting Design of a Play
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
The House of Blue Leaves
Jerusalem
War Horse*

Costume Design of a Play
A Free Man of Color
Jerusalem
The Merchant of Venice
War Horse*

Sound Design of a Play
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Brief Encounter
The Merchant of Venice
War Horse*

Totals
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (6 noms/1 win)
Good People (6 noms/1 win)
War Horse (6 noms/5 wins)
Jerusalem (5 noms/2 wins)
Arcadia (3 noms/0 wins)
The House of Blue Leaves (3 noms/1 win)
The Importance of Being Earnest (3 noms/1 win)
The Merchant of Venice (3 noms/0 wins)
Driving Miss Daisy (2 noms/0 wins)
A Free Man of Color (2 noms/0 wins)
High (2 noms/0 wins)
The Mother****er with the Hat (2 noms/0 wins)
The Normal Heart (2 noms/0 wins)
Born Yesterday (1 nom/0 wins)
Brief Encounter (1 nom/0 wins)
Lombardi (1 nom/0 wins)

Snubs For: Colin Quinn: Long Story Short, Ghetto Klown, La Bete, A Life in the Theatre, Mrs. Warren's Profession, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, The Pitmen Painters, That Championship Season

[jkramer123]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 10:31pm

SETH NUMRICH should definitely be added to the list of potential Featured Actor nominees for his role in WAR HORSE. In my estimation, I'd think he even stands a great chance of winning in the category. Such a beautiful performance!!

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:19am

I don't know why, but I just have this feeling "Lombardi" gets nominated for Best Play. It's so rare that a nonmusical lasts all season on Broadway, and something tells me they're going to end up nominating it because of it. With "Jersualem", "Good People", and "War Horse" pretty much locks, this could create some major snubbage.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 4/18/11 at 12:48am

Race ran for most of last season and wasn't nominated for Best Play.

I don't see Lombardi getting in over War Horse, Good People, Jerusalem, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and/or The Motherf**ker with the Hat. Their best hope for a nomination is Judith Light . . . which I think/hope will happen.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/18/11 at 1:54am

BRIEF ENCOUNTER will be nominated for the 4th slot. It will be called a "snub" over BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO even though it got better reviews, if I recall correctly, mostly because BENGAL TIGER is the newer play.

I'm calling it now.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 4/18/11 at 2:36am

I'd love it if you were right, Capnhook. I liked Bengal Tiger, but Brief Encounter was a special show.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 4/22/11 at 1:54pm

EDIT: nothing to see here Updated On: 4/22/11 at 01:54 PM