My Tony Debate: Boyd or Breaker

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:01am

So i have been thinking that right now the one catagory im feeling the most uneasy about as far as my prediction goes. I personally think Boyd will win making this his 4th tony. But I also think that Breaker's role is arguably a leading role in the featured catagory and I know they Tonys like awarding new talent and then this could give Passing Strange possibly its lone tony win (as im one of those people who think ITH and Xanadu win score, book and musical in that order) What do you all think?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:04am

Umm... Daniel Breaker.

He was absolutely fantastic. His role required much more (vocally, emotionally, and physically) than Boyd's in my opinion.

Boyd was fine. Breaker was BRILLIANT!

Give the Tony to a talented fresh face.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:05am

Boyd's Herbie was VERY emotional. More-so than any of the other Herbies.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:06am

I don't know, I am confused as well. Many people think Gaines is a shoo-in, but I agree that Breaker might join Kristin Chenoweth, Anika Noni Rose, Sutton Foster, and John Lloyd Young (all of them won Tonys over stage vets for break-through roles that put them on the spotlight). Also, I would not count out Christopher Fitzgerald...and even Robin DeJesus has a slight (very slight but existent) chance of getting ahead if IN THE HEIGHTS turns out to be the SPRING AWAKENING of this season at the Tony awards (I don't think it will be but who knows? ).

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:08am

Gaines is sooo overrated though.

give it to the New Kid on the block! Breaker was fantastic. I'm listening to him now. So good.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:11am

I dont think In the heights is the SA of this year though. I think it will be much more divided. I think Laura and Patti win for Gypsy but i kinda think breaker could win it. I am not a fan of what i have heard of passing strange (other than amsterdam and keys). So i dont want to be bias and say they wont win anything. this year really doesnt seem to have any locks and my boyd prediction is coming back to haunt me.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:22am

Team Boyd.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 4:27am

Boyd and Burstein before Breaker.

~Steven

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 4:32am

WoW! This is a toughie...

I'll hafta get back to you on that one.

[hubee]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 8:28am

Boyd is great but Breaker was a revelation (plus yeah, the role is basically a leading role on top of all that).

Boyd will probably win, but I hope Breaker does.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 9:29am

I don't know who is going to win - Boyd should win, he is amazing.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 9:33am

Burstein.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 9:41am

Boyd Gaines's take on Herbie is outgoing, frisky, and emotional throughout most of his stage time in GYPSY. I'm sure he was encouraged by Arthur Laurents to play the role that way. But the way Jack Klugman played Herbie in the original production has stayed with me in my mind througout all of the other incarnations of this musical. True, Klugman could not sing well, but as Merman put it to him during his audition of "You'll Never Get Away From Me", when he was supposedly scared to death, "Jack, I'll do the singing and you do the acting, and we'll be fine". Merman liked Klugman and their on- stage chemistry was wonderful. Thus, I see Herbie as being much less self confident than the way Boyd Gaines plays him. I have not seen PASSING STRANGE or IN THE HEIGHTS so I can't comment on which nominated actor is giving the best performance.

[jennyish]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:09pm

At the beginning of the show, Gaines plays Herbie as anything but self-confidant. That's why it's such a major moment when he snaps at Tessie in the dressing room. When I was there during previews, he got huge applause after his line. He creates a very real and emotionally-driven throughline for Herbie, which I didn't even know was possible.

Team Boyd until the bitter end!

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:14pm

ROBIN!

haha, as happy as I would be for him, I think the award should definitely go to Boyd. He did a fabulous job with the role and it was very believable and convincing. Breaker was good too but I just thought Boyd was better. And I agree Breaker should have been nominated for the lead instead of Stew.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:15pm

Breaker's roles are harder and meatier than Gaines, both are good but Breaker is a REVEALATION!

J*

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:16pm

Breaker. Breaker. Breaker.

Or, I can only hope so. But I like everyone in this category, so it's a win-win situation.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:19pm

um do you mean "Revelation"? And if you do then how so?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:35pm

Because he's brilliant.

Is on stage for literally the entire show. Requires SO MUCH MORE vocally (than Gaines). And he's new and fresh.

Gaines already has Tonys. He's so overrated.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:37pm

well for the reasons you said he should have been nominated for lead... it's not boyd's fault that his character is not on stage as much as one in another show. He did the best with what he's been given.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:39pm

No. Breaker did the best with what he was given (which was a lot)

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:39pm

Just because he sings more and better than Boyd does not mean he deserves to win more. Also the fact that it is basically a leading role in a feature category could hurt him.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:42pm

Not his fault.

He wasn't in charge of the nominations.

Lupone will win. Benanti will probably win.

Boyd should not.

He really was unimpressive for me... and this is coming from a GYPSY fan who has seen many reincarnations over the last 30 years.

Sorry. Breaker totally moved me. It was absolutely amazing.

[jennyish]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:43pm

Say all you want about Breaker being the better choice, that's fine. But Boyd is definitely not overrated. If anything, he's underrated, especially compared to Patti and Laura.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:55pm

Laura and Patti winning should have no influence on whether Boyd gets the Tony. Yes, they are in the same show, but that does not mean that they shouldn't be rewarded for individual work.

And your point about Breaker not chosing what category he was nominated for has nothing to do with what I was saying. I agree he didn't choose it but the fact that he has more stage time should not influence whether or not he should win. We don't know what Boyd would have done with more, but with what he had (which is what makes sense for the nomination) he did a great job.

Updated On: 6/5/08 at 01:55 PM