Titanic also didn't have any acting nominees which was kind of surprising considering the strength of the cast. There were only 4 nominees in each category in 1997 (I just checked).
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
I know orchestrations (and sound design) is normally a subset of voters that have expertise in the field, but I'm guessing that's not the case for nominations?
Even though Cabaret got a lot of nominations it’s very telling that they didn’t like the show as a whole - amidst all the nominations for its design and an embarrassment of riches in its performers, the couldn’t bring themselves to nominate the director. It’s like their making a statement - with all the talent of your cast and crew you not to mention a magnum opus of a score, you still managed to eff it all up by giving us this mess of a show.
I really enjoyed this show btw. I was weirded out by the show’s two leads but it was still an enjoyable night at the theater. But yeah it was a mess. Her vision was a misfire.
Maria Friedman, Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe will merrily roll along to their Tony wins.
chrishuyen said: "I know orchestrations (and sound design) is normally a subset of voters that have expertise in the field, but I'm guessing that's not the case for nominations?"
I totally agree with Orchestrations. As much as I love Stereophonic I was shocked it got nominated. I mean… with so many lush orchestrations in musicals (even though admittedly their scores wasn’t that good) a play with a handsfulll of songs gets in?!? Score I completely agree the music was excellent. But orchestrations?!?!
Most orchestrations does not equal best orchestrations, in the same way that most acting doesn’t equal best acting.
Stereophonic is an absolutely brilliant feat of orchestration. The two (technically, three) versions of “Bright” alone are a great example of that. They sound like entirely different songs played back to back, but they’re just re-orchestrated within the context of the show.
FANtomFollies said: "kurtal said: "I sat in the balcony for Hell's Kitchen and the sound design was awful up there. Clearly the nominators sat in the orchestra."
Maybe that also explains Sweeney Todd's win for sound design last year. I sat front row Mezz and it was truly the worst sound design I have ever heard at a Broadway show."
RippedMan said: "I think it'll be a giant night for Merrily, and Lindsey might lose to Bean."
I think Merrily will win a plurality of awards, but it didn't break into most of the technical categories except Sound and Orchestrations, neither of which I'm sure it will win. But it seems pretty well positioned to take Revival, Direction, Actor, and Featured Actor, at least.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
ColorTheHours048 said: "Most orchestrations does not equal best orchestrations, in the same way that most acting doesn’t equal best acting.
Stereophonic is an absolutely brilliant feat of orchestration. The two (technically, three) versions of “Bright” alone are a great example of that. They sound like entirely different songs played back to back, but they’re just re-orchestrated within the context of the show."
I do agree with you that most orchestrations doesn’t mean best orchestration. But it’s is more difficult and impressive to orchestrate a full musical with more instrumentations. Again I’m not pertaining to the score which I believe Stereophonic succeeded in spades. But it is more difficult to orchestrate, balance and blend percussions, strings, winds, vocals on full songs in a full musical - trying to create a beautiful balance weaving it to the book, elevating emotions and setting up scenes. Again granted a lot of the scores of these new musicals are mediocre at best. But in my opinion I wasn’t impressed with Stereophonics orchestration as I more associate its excellence in music through its composition and not its orchestration. But that’s my opinion. Apologies if I disparaged the show I really want it to win Best Play.
Three women who have starred on Broadway as Elphaba in “Wicked” picked up Tony nominations on Tuesday.
Shoshana Bean, who inhabited the role for a year starting in 2005, was nominated as best featured actress for “Hell’s Kitchen,” in which she plays a tough-minded single mother trying to protect her adolescent daughter from the temptations of the street. (This is her second Tony nomination — she was also nominated in 2022 for “Mr. Saturday Night.”)
Eden Espinosa, who succeeded Bean as Elphaba in 2006, was nominated as best leading actress for playing an artistically and sexually adventurous painter in “Lempicka.”
And Lindsay Mendez, who became Elphaba in 2013, scored a nomination as best featured actress for portraying a hard-drinking novelist in this season’s hit revival of “Merrily We Roll Along.” (Mendez already has one Tony, for her portrayal of Carrie Pipperidge in a 2018 revival of “Carousel.”)"
Oh my god. This was my actual mind as I read the list. Specifically as it relates to Eden and Shoshana, since that was really peak Wicked era for me!
Markie27 said: "I do agree with you that most orchestrations doesn’t mean best orchestration. But it’s is more difficult and impressive to orchestrate a full musical with more instrumentations. Again I’m not pertaining to the score which I believe Stereophonic succeeded in spades. But it is more difficult to orchestrate, balance and blend percussions, strings, winds, vocals on full songs in a full musical - trying to create a beautiful balance weaving it to the book, elevating emotions and setting upscenes."
I’m genuinely curious how it’s more difficult. Simply because there are more instruments? And piggybacking off “most doesn’t equal best,” level of perceived difficulty doesn’t equal best either. Orchestrations are difficult, period. I’m positive the nominating committee doesn’t nominate orchestrations based on who used woodwinds and strings the prettiest.
Markie27 said: "Even though Cabaretgot a lot of nominations it’s very telling that they didn’t like the show as a whole - amidst all the nominations for its design and an embarrassment of riches in its performers, the couldn’t bring themselves to nominate the director. It’s like their making a statement - with all the talent of your cast and crew you not to mention a magnum opus of a score, you still managed to eff it all up by giving us this mess of a show."
The other day someone on Reddit tracked the correlation between NYT Critic's Picks and best musical/revival Tony winners. Almost every winner was a Critic's Pick (except for a couple outliers like the 2022 Company, where the NYT review was basically the only negative one). I'd be curious to see if there's a similar correlation between best director nominations and best musical/revival winners. Especially with revivals, where directorial interpretation is such a major part of the category, I have to imagine it's a decent blow to Cabaret's chances at best revival that Frecknall was snubbed.
EDSOSLO858 said: "Illinoise is definitely winningthree awards, but I’m not entirely sure about that final orchestrations nod, especially against Stereophonic."
I think the only thing one can really count on is it winning Choreography.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
''Hell's Kitchen'' got nominated for every single category eligible. I mean, wow! Maleah has got to be the front-runner for Actress, right?
Also, ''Illinoise'' got basically nothing that was not certainly to get. No director, book or acting noms? I don't see how it can beat ''The Outsiders'' and even ''Hell's Kitchen''. I know ''Titanic'' did it, but I think people will simply not vote for an ''unconventional'' Best Musical.
First noms for Daniel Radcliffe and Jim Parsons made me happy, they've been doing Broadway quite a while now!
So happy for ''Stereophonic'' historic achievement, and for Kelli O'Hara's nom, I would love to see her win!
Very happy that some shows like ''Back to the Future'' and ''The Great Gatsby'' got nothing, didn't deserved!
Also, after so much love for british plays, this year they got NOTHING, right? Stuhlbarg has no chance, and I still think Strong wins this.
Brian d'Arcy James is now the most nominated living actor without a win with 5 under his belt, he's tied in general with George C. Scott, John McMartin and Tom Aldredge.
Kelli O'Hara's nomination puts her in a tied 3rd place among most nominated actresses overall.
She is below Audra, Chita and Julie Harris (10), Rosemary Harris (9) and alongside Patti LuPone, Colleen Dewhurst and Jane Alexander.
She is now the second most nominated woman for musical roles alongside Patti LuPone and below Chita Rivera. I'm 100% confident that she will be #1 eventually. LEGEND!
Count me in on Team Kelli for the win. Compared to every other category, her performance is a cut above. She was lucky to have the best material of any of them, but combine that with her talent, the fact that she birthed the idea for the project, and her being universally adored in the community.
Two-time Tony Award Winner Kelli O'Hara. Let's go!!!
''Very happy that some shows like ''Back to the Future'' and ''The Great Gatsby'' got nothing, didn't deserved!''
For the record, ''Back to the Future'' got 2 nominations: one for Roger Bart and the other for Set Design. And ''The Great Gatsby'' scored 1 nomination for Costumes.
Wayman_Wong said: "''Very happy that some shows like ''Back to the Future'' and ''The Great Gatsby'' got nothing, didn't deserved!''
For the record, ''Back to the Future'' got 2 nominations: one for Roger Bart and the other for Set Design. And ''The Great Gatsby'' scored 1 nomination for Costumes."
Yeah, not shut-out, but basically ''nothing'' and can't really complain about the 2 tech noms they got. Bart on other hand...
amiyagi said: "TaffyDavenport said: "ElephantLoveMedley said: "RippedMan said: "I think it'll be a giant night for Merrily, and Lindsey might lose to Bean."
Bean or Bebe?"
Shoshana Bean isn't winning. Kecia Lewis has a better chance than she does, and, personally, she's my pick.
Lots to critique about Hell's Kitchen but Kecia Lewis' stunning rendition of Perfect Way to Die had me in tears.
This category is pretty wide open which will be exciting on Tony night.
" This category is quite the opposite of wide open. it gets 7 noms and suddenly all agreed upon wisdom is thrown out. It'll be Bebe or Lindsay and I would put money on that.
jkcohen626 said: "This category is quite the opposite of wide open. it gets 7 noms and suddenly all agreed upon wisdom is thrown out. It'll be Bebe or Lindsay and I would put money on that. "