Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
WiCkEDrOcKS
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
#0Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 6:46pm
Okay so last season we had a bunch of obvious winners (Doubt for Best Play, Spamalot for Musical, Norbert Leo Butz for Actor, Victoria Clark for actress among many others) and in previous years as well, multiple people/shows could have been picked from the litter of performances/shows that year to be the winner of the Tony in their respective category before the nominations even came out. I honestly, however, can't think of one show/performer/aspect of a show that has the Tony already tied up this year. Personally, I think the closest we have to this is Sweeney for BEST REVIVAL and I honestly don't think its all that definite a choice considering The Pajama Game got its equal review-wise and is a much bigger public hit.
And it's funny too because the shows this season all have mostly been lackluster from what I hear. I havent seen many shows this season (although the ones I did see were good) but its not like this is a phenomenally good season for theater. There have been many flops (as well as hits) and its been win-or-lose this year. So why is there no clear front-runner for any category this year? Is it because the year was so good or so mediocre?
Ideas???
#1re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 6:49pmThe closest to locks IMO are Sweeney for Best Revival and Orchestrations and The History Boys for Best Play. All of the acting categories are up for grabs, which I agree is unusual.
"What was the name of that cheese that I like?"
"you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start"
"well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"
#2re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 6:49pm
I think the following are locks, if not near locks:
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE: Best Musical
THE HISTORY BOYS: Best Play
Patti LuPone: Best Actress
AWAKE AND SING!: Best Play Revival
SWEENEY TODD: Best Musical Revival
Sarah Travis, SWEENEY TODD: Best Orchestrations
John Doyle, SWEENEY TODD: Best Direction of a Musical
Nicholas Hyntner, THE HISTORY BOYS: Best Direction of a Play
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE: Best Book
Likely:
Richard Griffiths, THE HISTORY BOYS: Best Actor in a Play
THE COLOR PURPLE: Best Score
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#3re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:03pmI don't think Color Purple is even close to a lock for score.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#4re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:06pmI wouldn't automatically discount Faith Healer. It got nearly across the board raves, while Awake and Sing received several mixed reviews.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
bwayondabrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/05
#5re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:12pmI would say LaChanze has a fair chance winning against Patti...at least I hope!
#6re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:14pm
I'm not sure if LuPone is a lock though; I think LaChanze's performance will give her a run for her money...I understand that Patti's performance has re-invented who Mrs. Lovett is, but I think the journey that LaChanze takes Celie on is really breathtaking. We'll see though.
Cheers,
Christopher
www.christopherviolett.com
#7re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:14pmReally? You don't think that Jersey Boys stands a chance of winning musical?
"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck
#8re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:18pm
I think JLY is pretty close to being a lock for Best Actor in a Musical.
#9re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:43pm
I agree with Katurian. I think Jersey Boys will take Best Musical, but it will be close between that and Drowsy.
And JLY is pretty close to a lock, with Michael Cerveris and Harry Connick Jr. not far behind.
#10re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:43pmTony *usually* likes big names so I wouldn't be surprised if Harry Connick, Jr ends up winning Best Actor.
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man
#11re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:49pmFirst of all, last year Spamalot was NOT an "obvious winner." Secondly, Drowsy is HARDLY a lock for Best Musical. The only thing "For Sure" about that category is that it will be EITHER Drowsy or Jersey Boys.
#12re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:52pmGreat- I was getting scared there for a moment.
"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck
#13re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:54pmI think the only lock is SWEENEY for revival. MAYBE Patti for Actress.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#14re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:56pm
I don't think La Chanze is a threat to Patti.
In terms of reviews, La Chanze's were good, but Patti's were raves. Patti also has the edge, because she IS a name, and she's absolutely brilliant in the role. La Chanze isn't brilliant...she's fine.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#15re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:56pm
I'm glad someone said it...I didn't think Spamalot was a sure thing last year at ALL.
And I'm still bitter about that win...
#16re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:57pmIt didn't deserve to win, but SPAMALOT was the obvious winner from day one.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#17re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this season?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:09pmWell, maybe I'm naive, but I didn't think Spamalot was a lock. Certainly the front runner, but there was plenty of speculation that Spelling Bee or Piazza could pull an upset (a la Avenue Q beating Wicked the previous year)
pandajen14
Stand-by Joined: 3/22/06
#18re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this se
Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:23pmSweeney's practically guaranteed for best revival. But last season 25APCSB was the dark horse and it took home an award. Anything can happen.
"Writing should be easy, like a monkey driving a speedboat..." -[title of show]
"I'm tired of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're going and meet up with them later." -Mitch Hedberg
jo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#19re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this se
Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:29pmSWEENEY TODD and HISTORY BOYS!
TheaterAddict7652
Broadway Star Joined: 2/7/06
#20re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this se
Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:38pmIs Drowsy Chaperone really a lock for Best Book? I mean, before it opened, everyone was saying that Jersey Boys was the the lock in the category.
There's a lot I am not certain of...
whatyouown223
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/4/05
#21re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this se
Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:41pmI hope LaChanze wins best actress. And I'm still furious about Spamalot winning last year. Piazza was robbed.
#22re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this se
Posted: 5/11/06 at 9:57pm
I am not sure that one should dismiss The Color Purple and LaChanze so readily. The Drowsy Chaperone is having a hard time at the box office and it is not clear whether it has mass appeal. (The fact that it's featherweight is part of its charm, but it would make it hard to win against something that *seems* more substantive like TCP if it is not selling tickets and TCP is.) It is hard to tell whether Jersey Boys is going to be hurt by the "jukebox" label (yes, other musicals with non-original scores have won, but the "jukebox" label wasn't as much of a stigma back then). There is also the "Oprah factor" -- rewarding TCP will encourage other "name" investors to do what she did.
LaChanze has a few things going for her: she has never won before, while LuPone obviously has; she is a Broadway baby who has paid her dues and has made it through rough times but doesn't have popular acclaim -- not that it should matter, but her life will be affected more by winning the Tony than LuPone's would; TCP may not win in any other major category and this would be the place for it to be rewarded.
"What was the name of that cheese that I like?"
"you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start"
"well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"
#23re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this se
Posted: 5/11/06 at 10:20pmI personally don't think the 'jukebox' title is in the same realm as Jersey Boys. I feel like the show has gotten past that, or it wouldn't be one of the highest grossing shows right now, having been open since November. It has long surpassed the cursed 'jukebox' type.
#24re: Is there any one Tony that has been secured to a performer/show this se
Posted: 5/11/06 at 10:39pm
Personally I don't agree at all that Sweeney is a lock for revival or Patti for that matter. In fact, the only thing I think is a "lock" this season is that new musical will either be JB or DC. Although I suppose History Boys is pretty much a lock too. But that's it! 
Videos