Is revival the only real Tony race this year? — Page 7

The Tony Awards are political - they aren't about who deserves it. It is who has deep pockets or who can make pockets deeper. Think of the attention and headlines that Hamilton is bringing already from outside of the community. Now add in a **** ton of Tony wins (maybe the most ever? Time will tell) - and see even more headlines. More traffic to Broadway. More money.

Hamilton is too good of a tool for everyone to use. Who knows when we will see another musical like this.

At least in my opinion, the women who have an almost guaranteed nom for leading actress in a musical are Audra McDonald (sight unseen, I think her name and the buzz her show is getting will land her a nom), Laura Benanti, Cynthia Erivo, and Jessie Mueller. I'm more curious who the fifth spot will go to. I would absolutely love to see Phillipa Soo get nominated - I think she's doing beautiful work in Hamilton. Although her role isn't as large as Leslie Odom Jr's or Lin-Manuel Miranda's, her leading actor counterparts, she does have the Hamilton name behind her, and she won the Lucille Lortel award. I also think it's helpful that the show ends with Eliza - she'll be the last character in many nominators' minds.



However, it looks as though Carmen Cusack got wonderful reviews for Bright Star, a show that is much less universally appealing, but which gives Cusack a wonderful true leading role. Can anyone who has seen Bright Star comment on the likelihood of her getting nominated?



There is a slight chance of a tie in the nominating, but I don't remember the exact rules. There are 51 people on the nominating committee, and if nominations come within what, five votes of each other, there can be a sixth acting nominee? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I think there's a perennial phenomenon that there's always one performance, one design element that goes unnoticed and incites fury on these boards. I think this year it will be Cusack's performance in Bright Star. I expect a McDonald, Mueller, Benanti, Soo, and Erivo category.

(Edit/disclaimer: I say the above admitting that I do believe Soo deserves a spot not only by her own standards alone, but above Cusack as well.)

Updated On: 3/25/16 at 12:18 PM

^ Very slim to very none. Just not her year.

It's not only "another jukebox musical," though, but a rather weak jukebox musical at that. Don't get me wrong, I rather enjoyed it for its light, airy value—but I would be surprised to see it recognized by Tony Award standards.

Well there are only 3 that haven't opened and by all accounts they are each more ambitious and original than ON YOUR FEET which probably belongs on a Norwegian Cruise ship. Even if they don't all get great reviews, I think the Tony committee will be swayed by their originality over ON YOUR FEET's pedestrian formula.

Anyone think Sarah Charles Lewis will get a featured nom? She reminds me a lot of Daisy Eagan in the Secret Garden.

BroadwayConcierge said: "My current predictions for Best Musical solidly include Hamilton (y'doy) and School of Rock, with the remaining two spots being dueled out by Waitress, American Psycho, and Tuck Everlasting."



You think School of Rock is solid? I think Hamilton, Waitress, and Shuffle Along are the solid ones, with American Psycho, Bright Star, Tuck Everlasting, and School of Rock fighting for the last spot. With any luck, there'll be five nominees. But hey, an embarrassment of riches is a great problem for Broadway to have.

Here are my thoughts on the remaining musicals this season:

American Psycho-It got mixed-to-positive critical reviews in London. On Broadway, it could potentially divide both critics and audiences alike.

Shuffle Along...-If the creative team can be able to get everything in great shape by opening night, then it'll have a shot.

Tuck Everlasting-It has Casey Nicholaw at the helm, and almost every musical he has directed (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Book of Mormon, Aladdin, and Something Rotten!) has been nominated for Best Musical. Plus, he really knows how to fix a show as he's proven with how he was able to turn Aladdin around from out-of-town to Broadway as well as how he was able to work on Something Rotten! a lot within only one month of previews.

Waitress-It has a lot going for it. I think the big question that should be answered within this show is whether or not Diane Paulus can be successful at putting together a new musical.

Carmen Cusack deserves to be nominated as much as any of those heavy hitting women (or, in the case of a couple, more so). And she is truly LEADING this show, whereas some including Philippa and Benanti have massive periods of time off stage and have far fewer songs to sing. Beyond those details, though, I personally feel that she's giving just a spectacular performance that deserves to be recognized.

Here's to hoping we get a tie! If ever there was a year...