It's nice to see Rachel Tucker getting some credit for her Elpheba in Wicked. No, she's not going to be nominated, but I'll give her this. I had already seen Wicked in a touring production and had no great desire to see it again, especially given the other shows available. But my 16-year-old daughter really wanted to see it on Broadway. So we went. And Tucker was excellent, with a spectacular voice, so good that the failings of the show were magnified when she wasn't on stage. I enjoyed the musical a lot more than I expected because of her.
I'll pass on predictions, but it is fun to have at least a couple of rooting interests since I saw Hamilton and Shuffle Along. I'm not picking the obvious nominees, but the ones where there's some doubt.
They are:
Brandon Victor Dixon in Shuffle - He had the best part of the guys, but he really stood out. I hope he's recognized for a witty, joyous and romantic performance.
Christopher Jackson in Hamilton - He has such a spectacular voice and great stage presence as Washington, and I just love several unheralded moments, like the ending of "Guns and Ships." I hope he isn't overlooked.
Phillipa Soo in Hamilton - I know it's a terribly competitive category, and Soo doesn't have a showy part and isn't required to carry the show. So I'll understand if she's left out. But from "Helpless" near the beginning to the show's conclusion, when she pulls the emotional weight, Soo does everything she's asked as the lead actress in the best musical I've seen in a very long time. It seems wrong to ignore that.
I'm ambivalent about Jonathan Groff, not because he wasn't hilarious in his 10 minutes on stage, but because I don't think he should get in ahead of Dixon, Daveed Diggs (who steals the show for a longer period of time, especially as Jefferson), and Jackson. The latter three originated their parts, which should count for something.
I won't complain at all if the wonderful Adrienne Warren in Shuffle gets a nomination.
