1. Am I the only one who suspected Viola and Denzel to be nominated for Fences before the reviews?
2. I don't know how nominees are accepted and I agree with many that Viola would probably be the winner in featured, but my question is, is she allowed to be in that category? if she is playing a principal role in the show she is in, I don't know what the criteria is to be accepted for feature. Is it fair to the other featured nominees that a lead is the same category? are there a certain number of scenes or time on stage to allow for each category? it may sound stupid, but i was just wondering how they determine categories. i know her producers put her up, but do they have criteria to follow? I know Viola isn't the full lead of FENCES but she is more than just featured, surely.
First off, I think most people thought Denzel and Viola would be in no matter what.
Category placement is based on billing, whether it's above the title (in Denzel's case) or below the title (in Viola's case). Above the title means leading actor/actress, below means featured actor/actress. Now, producers may file a petition to either move someone above the title to the featured category (like they did with Scarlet Johansson in A View From the Bridge) or move someone below the title to the leading category (like Chad Kimball in Memphis).
Before petitioning came into existence, there were always odd category placements and wins. For example Tom Bosley winning Best Featured Actor in a Musical for playing the title role in Fiorello! and Barbara Cook winning Featured Actress in a Musical for originating the role of Marian Paroo in The Music Man. Their names were simply not above the title and were therefore deemed "featured."
^ thanks i forgot about the billing. that was menitoned before.
"no matter what" because of their known names and oscar nominations (wins for denzel) ? i just knew they would be brilliant in these roles and even if critics didn't agree i would feel the same. of course, i was not surprised in the least when the reviews came out.
Well, yes, Denzel probably would have gotten in because of his name (although he didn't for Julius Caesar) and Viola already won a Tony for an August Wilson play, so she knows how to dig deep to successfully portray the August Wilson woman. Not to mention all of the preview reviews on here.
I see Viola staying in the featured category, by the way. Less competition, flashy role, and that's where the role was placed last time.
"I see Viola staying in the featured category, by the way. Less competition, flashy role, and that's where the role was placed last time. "
Well she is eligable for leading as we found out. Now, no one thinks she will win. Although i agree her chances are slim to none, I am still rooting for her, even against Jan Maxwell. I am not going to get all arguementative like some and say she is the best and will win. I just really really like her and what she did with the role. So is the race between Linda/Viola, Jan/Linda, or Jan/Viola...
BEST MUSICAL American Idiot* Memphis Fela! Everyday Rapture**
BEST PLAY Red Next Fall** Enron Time Stands Still*
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL A Little Night Music** Ragtime La Cage Aux Folles* Promises, Promises
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY A View from the Bridge** Lend Me a Tenor* Fences The Royal Family
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL Sherie Renee Scott ("Everyday Rapture")* Catherine Zeta-Jones ("A Little Night Music")** Montego Glover ("Memphis") Bebe Neuwirth ("The Addams Family") Christiane Noll ("Ragtime")
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL Angela Lansbury ("A Little Night Music")** Barbara Cook ("Sondheim on Sondheim") Katie Finneran ("Promises, Promises")* Vanessa Williams ("Sondheim on Sondheim") Lillias White ("Fela!")
BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL Nathan Lane ("The Addams Family") Douglas Hodge ("La Cage Aux Folles")* Kelsey Grammar ("La Cage Aux Folles") John Gallagher, Jr. ("American Idiot") Sahr Ngaujah ("Fela!")**
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL Levi Kreis ("Million Dollar Quartet")** Robin de Jesus ("La Cage Aux Folles") Tony Vincent ("American Idiot") Bobby Steggert ("Ragtime")* Kevin Chamberlin ("The Addams Family")
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY Linda Lavin ("Collected Stories")* Laura Linney ("Time Stands Still") Viola Davis ("Fences")** Valerie Harper ("Looped") Jan Maxwell ("The Royal Family")
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY Jan Maxwell ("Lend Me a Tenor")* Alicia Silverstone ("Time Stands Still") Jessica Hecht ("A View from the Bridge")** Scarlett Johansson ("A View from the Bridge") Rosemary Harris ("The Royal Family")
BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY Liev Schreiber ("A View from the Bridge")** Christopher Walken ("A Behanding in Spokane") Alfred Molina ("Red")* Denzel Washington ("Fences") James Spader ("Race")
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY Eddie Redmayne ("Red")* Brian d'Arcy James ("Time Stands Still") Jon Michael Hill ("Superior Donuts") Stephen Kunken ("Enron")** Anthony Mackie ("A Behanding in Spokane")
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL Trevor Nunn ("A Little Night Music") Michael Mayer ("American Idiot")** Terry Johnson ("La Cage Aux Folles")* Bill T. Jones ("Fela!")
BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY Rupert Goold ("Enron") Gregory Mosher ("A View from the Bridge")* Daniel Sullivan ("Time Stands Still") Michael Grandage ("Red")**
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY Sergio Trujillo ("Memphis")** Lynne Page ("La Cage Aux Folles") Steven Hoggett ("American Idiot") Twyla Tharp ("Come Fly Away")*
The rest of the categories, I'm just going to pick winners: BEST SCENIC DESIGN (MUSICAL) - Fela! BEST SCENIC DESIGN (PLAY) - In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play BEST COSTUME DESIGN (MUSICAL) - La Cage Aux Folles BEST COSTUME DESIGN (PLAY) - The Royal Family BEST LIGHTING DESIGN (MUSICAL) - American Idiot BEST LIGHTING DESIGN (PLAY) - Red BEST SOUND DESIGN (MUSICAL) - Fela! BEST SOUND DESIGN (PLAY) - A View from the Bridge BEST ORCHESTRATIONS - Everyday Rapture BEST SCORE - Memphis
BEST MUSICAL: American Idiot Come Fly Away Fela! Memphis
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL: Christopher Ashley, Memphis Terry Johnson, La Cage aux Folles James Lapine, Sondheim on Sondheim Michael Mayer, American Idiot ALT: Trevor Nunn, A Little Night Music
BEST BOOK: The Addams Family Everyday Rapture Memphis Million Dollar Quartet ALT: American Idiot
BEST SCORE: The Addams Family Enron Fences Memphis
BEST ACTOR: Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles Chad Kimball, Memphis Nathan Lane, The Addams Family Sahr Ngaujah, Fela! ALT: John Gallagher Jr., American Idiot (I'm going to predict he'll sadly miss out)
BEST ACTRESS: Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow Kristin Chenoweth, Promises, Promises Montego Glover, Memphis Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music ALT: Christiane Noll, Ragtime
BEST FEATURED ACTOR: Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family Robin de Jesus, La Cage aux Folles Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet Tony Vincent, American Idiot
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS: Barbara Cook, Sondheim on Sondheim Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises Jackie Hoffman, The Addams Family Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music Rebecca Naomi Jones, American Idiot
BEST MUSICAL American Idiot Come Fly Away Fela! Memphis
BEST PLAY Enron Next Fall Red Time Stands Still
BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL Finian’s Rainbow La Cage Aux Folles A Little Night Music Promises Promises
BEST PLAY REVIVAL Fences Lend Me A Tenor The Royal Family A View From The Bridge
BEST ACTOR (MUSICAL) John Gallagher Jr, American Idiot Sean Hayes, Promises Promises Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles Nathan Lane, The Addams Family Sahr Ngaujah, Fela!
BEST ACTRESS (MUSICAL) Kate Baldwin, Finian’s Rainbow Montego Glover, Memphis Bebe Neuwirth, The Addams Family Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music
FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL) Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family Robin de la Jesus, La Cage Aux Folles Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet Bobby Steggert, Ragtime Tony Vincent, American Idiot
FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL) Barbara Cook, Sondheim on Sondheim Katie Finneran, Finian’s Rainbow Rebecca Naomi Jones, American Idiot Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music Lillias White, Fela!
BEST ACTOR (PLAY) Alfred Molina, Red Liev Schreiber, A View From The Bridge Tony Shahloub, Lend Me A Tenor Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane Denzel Washington, Fences
BEST ACTRESS (PLAY) Viola Davis, Fences Valerie Harper, Looped Linda Lavin, Collected Stories Laura Linney, Time Stands Still Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family
FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY) Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts Brian D’Arcy James, Time Stands Still Stephen Kunken, Enron Stephen McKinley Henderson, Fences Eddie Redmayne, Red
FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY) Rosemary Harris, The Royal Family Jessica Hecht, A View From The Bridge Scarlett Johansson, A View From The Bridge Jan Maxwell, Lend Me A Tenor Alicia Silverstone, Time Stands Still
DIRECTOR (MUSICAL) Christopher Ashley, Memphis Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles Bill T. Jones, Fela! Michael Mayer, American Idiot
DIRECTOR (PLAY) Michael Grandage, Red Sheryl Kaller, Next Fall Kenny Leon, Fences Gregory Mosher, A View From The Bridge
ORIGINAL SCORE Joe DiPetro and David Bryan, Memphis Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family Branford Marsalis, Fences Lucy Prebble & Adam Cork, Enron
ORCHESTRATIONS Daryl Waters and David Bryan, Memphis Aaron Johnson, Fela! Tom Kitt, American Idiot Michael Starobin, Sondheim on Sondheim
CHOREOGRAPHY Rob Ashford, Memphis Bill T. Jones, Fela! Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away Sergio Trujillo, Memphis
BOOK OF A MUSICAL Billie Joe Armstrong & Michael Mayer, American Idiot Joe DiPietro, Memphis Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones, Fela! Sherie Rene Scott & Dick Scalan, Everyday Rapture
SCENIC DESIGN (MUSICAL) Beowulf Boritt, Sondheim on Sondheim David Gallo, Memphis Christine Jones, American Idiot Phelim McDermott & Julian Crouch, The Addams Family
SCENIC DESIGN (PLAY) John Lee Beatty, The Royal Family Santo Laquasto, Fences Christopher Oram, Red Anthony Ward, Enron
LIGHTING DESIGN (MUSICAL) Kevin Adams, American Idiot Howell Binkley, Memphis Donald Holder, Come Fly Away Natasha Katz, The Addams Family
LIGHTING DESIGN (PLAY) Neil Austin, Hamlet Neil Austin, Red Mark Henderson, Enron Peter Kaczorowski, A View From The Bridge
COSTUME DESIGN (MUSICAL) Toni-Leslie James, Finian’s Rainbow Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, The Addams Family Paul Tazewell, Memphis Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles
COSTUME DESIGN (PLAY) Jane Greenwood, Present Laughter Jane Greenwood, A View from the Bridge David Zinn, In The Next Room (or the vibrator play) Catherine Zuber, The Royal Family
SOUND DESIGN (MUSICAL) Acme Sound Partners, The Addams Family Peter McBoyle, Come Fly Away Dan Moses Schrier, Sondheim on Sondheim Brian Ronan, American Idiot
SOUND DESIGN (PLAY) Acme Sound Partners, Fences Adam Cork, Enron Adam Cork, Hamlet David Van Tieghem, A Behanding in Spokane
TOTALS American Idiot, Memphis- 10 each
Fences- 8
The Addams Family, A View From The Bridge- 7 each
Enron, Red- 6 each
Fela!, La Cage Aux Folles, The Royal Family- 5 each
Come Fly Away, Sondheim on Sondheim, Time Stands Still- 4 each
Finian’s Rainbow, Lend Me A Tenor. A Little Night Music- 3 each
A Behanding in Spokane, Everyday Rapture, Hamlet, Next Fall- 2 each
Collected Stories, In The Next Room (or the vibrator play), Looped, Million Dollar Quartet, Present Laughter, Ragtime, Superior Donuts- 1 each
Pretty amusing to call Angela Lansbury the "Dark house" in her race when virtually everyone has been calling her inevitable since the casting was announced. I mean even SPORTSWRITERS are saying she's going to win....
But Joe, now that Cook is in the same category I fear she will take "Broadway legend" votes away from Lansbury, leading to a win by Finneran (who would probably win based on performance if she were not up against the incredible Lansbury).
David walked into the valley
With a stone clutched in his hand
He was only a boy
But he knew someone must take a stand
There will always be a valley
Always mountains one must scale
There will always be perilous waters
Which someone must sail
-Into the Fire
Scarlet Pimpernel
Ooooooh, ColortheHours, you're my favorite so far. Although I really really hate the idea of Trevor Nunn being nominated for his work on ALNM. I thought it was bad. Wrong and bad. Wrong, bad and awful. If he is nominated ahead of Dodge, I will move to New York and beat some sense into all who apparently do not understand the art of directing. hehehe But don't mind me, I don't feel strongly about this at all...
