NYTimes' Brantley & Green Make Their 2017 Tony Award Predictions

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:20am

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/theater/tony-award-nominations-ben-brantley-jesse-green.html

[PianoMann]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:24am

I'm shocked Brantley thinks Mary Beth Peil will win Featured Actress...

[cb2addict2]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:25am

how cute of them to think Chavkin will loose 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:25am

I know they do this every year, but I really don't understand the logic behind including off-Broadway productions in "should've been nominated" category.

I'm also very surprised that neither think Rachel Bay Jones will win. She's had that sewn up from the start.

Updated On: 5/11/17 at 10:25 AM

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:27am

Brantley had some "will wins" that are serious head scratchers.

Bizarre. 

[djoko84]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:27am

These don't mean anything. The only NY Times predictions article that counts is the Tony Voters Poll they do every year released the Friday before the Tonys. That poll is almost always right on with the winners.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:27am

What was Brantley smoking when he filled this out?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:29am

Also, here's a link to their season reflection conversation:

Just How Great Was That ‘Comet’? Our Critics Debate the Broadway Season
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/theater/just-how-great-was-that-comet-our-critics-debate-the-broadway-season.html

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:42am

Brantley thinks Come From Away will take Best Musical, and...nothing else? Both of their picks for the featured categories are sort of bizarre. Mary Beth Peil? Rashad over Houdyshell? I also don't see it being so easy for Dear Evan Hansen to claim Score/Book/Director with two other very strong musicals in competition. It will lose at least one of those.

 

And Kad I agree. The inclusion of off-broadway shows in the "should have been nominated" section infuriates me every year. They arent eligible! So what's the point of including that section if you arent offering your thoughts on the shows actually competing??

[James2]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:42am

This is one year where I agree with Ben's inclination to mention Off-Broadway shows, seeing as I enjoyed The Band's Visit most out of all the new musicals this year.

[PaulWom]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:51am

It's hilarious to me that Green finds Comet "morally bankrupt." I feel like he missed the point of the piece, or indeed the opening lyrics to Prologue/most of the Duel/the last 15 minutes of the show/etc.

Also, if "Comet" is "morally bankrupt", I guess that makes DEH... "morally complicated"? A psychopath who ruins a family's life to feel wanted is.... Morally "complicated"? Huh?

[ethan231h]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:57am

Brantley is rediculous. Why does he think Mary Beth Peil will win...it's a race between RBJ and Jenn Colella, with Rachel in the lead. This leads me to wonder why Jesse thinks Jenn will win? He thinks Rachel should win, and she's already won other awards for the role and you hear more stuff about her performance than, Jenn's (who's performance is great, but nothing extraordinary) also we all know I love DEH but like...Rachel Chavkin is so winning over Michael, while I wouldn't be shocked if he won....I'd feel bad cause what Rachel did with comet is superb 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:01am

Why does the Times publish their picks so early?  Wouldn't it make sense to wait until it gets closer to the event?

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:06am

Jesse Green's predictions are much more on the nose than Brantley's. I think Colella winning is very much a possibility. With passionate camps behind Colella, Bay Jones & Block, it doesn't take much to pull out in front.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:06am

I will be so truly disappointed if Rachel Chavkin doesn't win Best Direction. Michael Grief's work on DEH is perfectly fine, but her work on Comet pushes the boundaries of what a Broadway musical can be and do. 

I agree with them both that Oslo will win Best Play, but six months after it closes, who will remember they even saw it? It's a respectable play, but it feels like the theatrical version of Oscar-bait- nothing about it felt interesting or exciting to me. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:09am

Geez, these are no more "right" than any guesses your or I put out there.  They're entitled to their opinions. 

 

And yes, the should have nominated category should only include shows/people that were actually eligible.  Even listing SITPWG is silly, since they pulled themselves from consideration.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:11am

I completely agree with those who have said that including Off-Broadway shows in the "Should Have Been..." is pointless.  I also do not see how DEH gets beat for Best Musical. 

[froote]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:12am

I guess Brantley is of the belief that Peil elevates the material she has been given (seeing that he thinks she should win but gave Anastasia a negative review). Whereas I guess the other actors in the category have all been given more to work with.

I'm not predicting Peil to win myself but I don't think its such a preposterous prediction. Her last nomination was 32 years ago, she's 76, she's well liked and respected in the industry. There are reasons it could happen.

Now his Best Director prediction on the other hand...

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:26am

wonderfulwizard11 said: "I will be so truly disappointed if Rachel Chavkin doesn't win Best Direction. Michael Grief's work on DEH is perfectly fine, but her work on Comet pushes the boundaries of what a Broadway musical can be and do. 

I agree with them both that Oslo will win Best Play, but six months after it closes, who will remember they even saw it? It's a respectable play, but it feels like the theatrical version of Oscar-bait- nothing about it felt interesting or exciting to me. 

 

I agree. I liked Oslo a lot but it felt very by the books. I can't imagine it'll have much of a life elsewhere.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:28am

Green is absolutely right that WAR PAINT should have been nominated for score.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:36am

I really enjoyed Oslo, moreso than Sweat, but its large cast will make it hard to produce regionally.

However, I think Oslo benefits from being about the right things at the right time.

[Ziva56]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:59am

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "Brantley thinks Come From Away will take Best Musical, and...nothing else? Both of their picks for the featured categories are sort of bizarre. Mary Beth Peil? Rashad over Houdyshell? I also don't see it being so easy for Dear Evan Hansen to claim Score/Book/Director with two other very strong musicals in competition. It will lose at least one of those.

 
I wouldn't be surprised if DEH claims score and book with Rachel Chavkin getting best director and CFA receiving best musical. It's definitely not a Hamilton type year.
 

[MoveOnGypsy]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 12:30pm

little_sally said: "I agree. I liked Oslo a lot but it felt very by the books. I can't imagine it'll have much of a life elsewhere."

It's opening on the West End at the National Theater this year or next.

 

 

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 12:39pm

I won't argue with Chavkin getting best director... but is there any chance that Christopher Ashley takes it? I left Come From Away marveling at the direction, which isn't something I usually think about after a show. 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/11/17 at 12:40pm

ljay889 said: "Green is absolutely right that WAR PAINT should have been nominated for score."

100% agree!