People Who Won Tonys for the Wrong Projects

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/10/23 at 11:38pm

As Katharine Hepburn once said, “The right actors win Oscars, but for the wrong roles.” To this day, I continue to see a number of people on the internet complaining about how actors win for a certain role despite it possibly being their worst nomination. Common examples they’ve used are Paul Newman in The Color of Money and Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman.

However, I’m interested in hearing if anyone thinks there’s a specific performer (or creative individual) who you personally think won a Tony for the wrong project. Are there any? If so, what would you have personally given it to them for instead?

[JoeW4]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 12:13am

I think the recent example that people tend to bring up most frequently is Kelli O'Hara. I actually thought her performance in The King & I was fantastic, and fully Tony-worthy, but there was a large contingency of theatre fans that felt that (a) it should've gone to Chenoweth, and (b) O'Hara should've won for Bridges of Madison County instead.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 12:15am

Not that these Tony wins weren’t deserved in their respective years, but some that come to mind are Kelli O’Hara, Danny Burstein, Stephanie J. Block, Brandon Uranowitz, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Bertie Carvel.

[OhHiii]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 12:20am

Stephanie J Block should have run away with her Tony for Falsettos. Rachel Bay Jones was worthy, but Stephanie was doing some really special work with her Trina.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 1:01am

JoeW4 said: "I think the recent example that people tend to bring up most frequently is Kelli O'Hara. I actually thought her performance in The King & I was fantastic, and fully Tony-worthy, but there was a large contingency of theatre fans that felt that (a) it should've gone to Chenoweth, and (b) O'Hara should've won for Bridges of Madison County instead."

I immediately thought of Kelli O’Hara, because I thought her performance was a little wooden.   IMO, she should have won for Piazza and probably Bridges.

i also thought that BP should have won for Sunday rather than Annie Get Your Gun.  

Updated On: 12/11/23 at 01:01 AM

[emlo99]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 1:16am

Aaron Tveit for almost any role he originated other than Christian.

 

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 5:08am

Definitely agree on the Aaron Tveit situation.  Kelli O’Hara as well.  Danny Burnstien, Bernadette Should definitely have won for Sunday. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 6:35am

Whoopi Goldberg. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 7:07am

OhHiii said: "Stephanie J Block should have run away with her Tony for Falsettos. Rachel Bay Jones was worthy, but Stephanie was doing some really special work with her Trina."

This is something I have wondered: If Falsettos ran during Tony season in 2018, could Stephanie J. Block have given Lindsay Mendez in Carousel a run for her money?

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 8:10am

emlo99 said: "Aaron Tveit for almost any role he originated other than Christian.

“

I’m not a mega Aaron Tveit stan like some, but I firmly believe that he was egregiously overlooked for NEXT TO NORMAL, which stung especially since everyone else was nominated.

[binau]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 8:33am

I always found it weird that Bernadette’s best work is probably her various Sondheim roles but she has never been able to snag a single tony for it. I hope if old friends transfers she gets a tony nomination as a bit of recognition for her losses or sometimes even lack of nominations. Her “send in the clowns” and her comedy work in the show is award worthy. 

[baritonewithtenortendencies]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 10:28am

There's a lot. Aaron Tveit should've won for Next to Normal instead of Moulin Rogue

Kristin Chenoweth, while always excellent, I feel she should've won a Tony for Wicked instead of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, though in all honesty her career would've probably been very different if she hadn't gotten that very early Tony win 

It really confuses me that James Lapine won a Tony Award for Best Book for Falsettos but not for Sunday or Into the Woods

Falsettos is my favorite musical ever but even I know that it's nowhere near Lapine's best work

Biggest of all 

Ethel Merman 

We all know her strongest role was Mama Rose

Probably one of the five most iconic performances in all of musical theatre 

But she won for Annie Get Your Gun instead 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 10:38am

baritonewithtenortendencies said: "It really confuses me that James Lapine won a Tony Award for Best Book for Falsettos but not for Sunday or Into the Woods"

Lapine did win for Into the Woods.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 10:58am

Burstein was my first thought. Not that he wasn’t wonderful and deserving for MR, but he arguably should’ve already had one or two Tonys by then. 

[baritonewithtenortendencies]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 1:03pm

MemorableUserName said: "baritonewithtenortendencies said: "It really confuses me that James Lapine won a Tony Award for Best Book for Falsettos but not for Sunday or Into the Woods"

Lapine did win for Into the Woods."

Oh wait you're right

I got it mixed up with it not winning Best Musical

Oh also Andrew Lloyd Weber shoulda won Best Score for Jesus Christ Superstar instead of freaking Cats 

[jagman1062]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 1:25pm

I was perplexed by Christine Ebersole's Best Actress/Musical Tony in 2001 for "42nd St.". I thought Marla Schaffel gave a much better performance in "Jane Eyre," and I really thought Ebersole's role was more in line with the featured actress category. Ebersole was much more deserving of her win for "Grey Gardens," although Audra's work in "110 in the Shade" that same season was equally deserving.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 2:30pm

Merman didn't win for AGYG - she won for Call Me Madam. 

The Tonys really didn't warm to Gypsy originally. It lost best musical and best actress to Sound of Music. 

[jagman1062]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 2:47pm

Musicaldudepeter said: "Merman didn't win for AGYG - she won for Call Me Madam.

The Tonys really didn't warm to Gypsy originally. It lost best musical and best actress to Sound of Music."

"Gypsy" actually  lost to "The Sound of Music" AND "Fiorello!" as both those shows tied for Best Musical that season.

 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 3:42pm

While Kelli should have won in 2014 for The Bridges of Madison County, I also think her performance as Anna in The King and I was also very worthy of a win.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 3:53pm

I just think it's silly and insulting to say one person should have won over another. I did think Denny Burstein as Tevye was something incredibly special, but him not winning that year doesn't keep me up at night. 

[baritonewithtenortendencies]

Posted: 12/11/23 at 8:29pm

hearthemsing22 said: "I just think it's silly and insulting to say one person should have won over another. I did think Denny Burstein as Tevye was something incredibly special, but him not winning that year doesn't keep me up at night."

I kind of agree, though I don't think all performances are created equal

Like I think Phantom deserved Best Score way more than Cats

Now do I think it deserved more than Into the Woods...? 

This thread isn't actually about people who deserved to win over others

It's about people who deserved to win for something different than what they actually won for> 

I do wanna say though 

There are definitely some times when a winner is baffling 

However, to your point, I am pretty sure somebody always agrees

For example, I think Torch Song Trilogy absolutely deserved Best Play

Most people think that was disgraceful 

But it's like my favorite play ever

[OMG U Guyz]

Posted: 12/12/23 at 4:28am

baritonewithtenortendencies said: "There's a lot. Aaron Tveit should've won for Next to Normal instead of Moulin Rogue

Kristin Chenoweth, while always excellent, I feel she should've won a Tony for Wicked instead of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, though in all honesty her career would've probably been very different if she hadn't gotten that very early Tony win

It really confuses me that James Lapine won a Tony Award for Best Book for Falsettos but not for Sunday or Into the Woods

Falsettos is my favorite musical ever but even I know that it's nowhere near Lapine's best work

Biggest of all

Ethel Merman

We all know her strongest role was Mama Rose

Probably one of the five most iconic performances in all of musical theatre

But she won for Annie Get Your Gun instead"

Kristin got Wicked bc of her performance and win in Charlie Brown - it cemented her as a musical theater star. 

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 12/12/23 at 7:07am

jagman1062 said: "Musicaldudepeter said: "Merman didn't win for AGYG - she won for Call Me Madam.

The Tonys really didn't warm to Gypsy originally. It lost best musical and best actress to Sound of Music."

"Gypsy" actually lost to "The Sound of Music" AND "Fiorello!" as both those shows tied for Best Musical that season.

"

Gypsy lost to Sound of Music and Fiorello! actually 

[baritonewithtenortendencies]

Posted: 12/12/23 at 8:15am

OMG U Guyz said: "Kristin got Wicked bc of her performance and win in Charlie Brown - it cemented her as a musical theater star."

Yes, that is very true

I think that I'm just a bit salty about that one not necessarily because it would've been better for her career but just because the person she lost to was Idina Menzel

Like, I love Idina Menzel sort of

But 

Like

She really mistreated her voice

And she substituted emotional vocals for loud and strained vocals 

Those can work sometimes, my favorite Broadway Actor is freaking Harvey Fierstein 

But there's a difference between having a weak voice and making the best of it and having a very strong voice and destroying it

Any other year, Idina Menzel's performance would be absolutely Tony worthy 

And honestly she deserved it jsut because it made her entire career in this century 

Me liking Kristin better is mostly just preference because I'm obsessed with her so don't take me too seriously

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 12/12/23 at 9:13am

So you’re saying Idina is someone else who won a Tony for the wrong role. 😜