Tony Award for Leading Actress In a Musical...- Page 2

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:04pm

Prince will not be left out. At this point she and Jenna Russell are LuPone's biggest threats.
Boggess will NOT be nominated over Prince, believe me.
To whoever asked if any major role from a Disney show had won an award: Heather Headley won her undeserved Tony for AIDA.
And Tsii Le Loka was expected to win the Tony in '98 when Audra McDonald won for RAGTIME. Samuel E. Wright, Susan Egan (perhaps the only non-generic Disney lead actress), Adam Pascal, Rebecca Luker (no idea how), and Gavin Lee (who won a Drama Desk) have all been Tony-nominated for Disney roles.

[Bwaydreams01]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:06pm

Sadly, as much as I would love to see Kelli O'Hara pull a win, she's in yet another season full of veterans in great roles that will be awarded before her. She'll definitely get a nomination though along with Patti and Jenna. Those are definite locks.

Kerry Butler and Faith Prince would seem to be locks as well, Butler more than Prince, as the show has gotten luke-warm reviews in try-out. I would count Sierra totally out but wouldn't be surprised to see "In The Heights" snag a nomination here and for Megan to get lost in the dust. Overall it's between Patti and Jenna. Though the Tonys have a tendancy of awarding someone creating a new role, I don't believe that'll be the case this season.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:16pm

I think Faith has a 50/50 chance. It depends on the critical and financial sucess of CATERED AFFAIR. MERMAID has gotton decent BWW reviews and OK-BAD in Denver, but is making $1,000,000 a week. IN PREVIEWS! Has any show made that much in previews?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:24pm

I don't know, there is just something about the role of Ariel that is magical. How cheezy i know. Maybe I'm just being a lobbyist(sp?) but i can guarantee you that everyone on that voting committee can relate to Ariel.

Puke.

Thanks.

There is a nominating committee. 25 people. They have brains.

MERMAID will not get a nomination for Leading Actress.

Patti is the only iffy one at this point. She won't get a nomination and certainly won't win just for being Patti.

I could see it going this way:

Jenna Russell, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
Faith Prince, A CATERED AFFAIR
Kelli O'Hara, SOUTH PACIFIC
Kerry Butler, XANADU
Mandy Gonzalez, IN THE HEIGHTS

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:28pm

"And Tsii Le Loka was expected to win the Tony in '98 when Audra McDonald won for RAGTIME. Samuel E. Wright, Susan Egan (perhaps the only non-generic Disney lead actress), Adam Pascal, Rebecca Luker (no idea how), and Gavin Lee (who won a Drama Desk) have all been Tony-nominated for Disney roles."

Adam Pascal's Tony nomination came for his work in Rent, which is decidedly not a Disney property. He was (justifiably) not nominated for his work in Aida.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:45pm

My bad, I'll edit my post.
I thought Sherie Rene Scott was the only lead in AIDA that didn't get a nomination.
And WannaBeFoster, I'll join you in the puking.
I disagree that Patti might not get a nod, I think she's a lock, justifiably so, her performance is quite enjoyable though I think Russell or Prince should take the award home.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:52pm

I disagree, ray. I mean, of course, Faith Prince will likely get nominated, but I'd say that her nomination is up in the air. The Tonys love a star in the making.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:09pm

Why is O'Hara a lock. I'm sure she'll probably get nominated, but no one has seen her yet. She could be awful. I don't think she qualifies as a lock.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:11pm

Good point, Wizard. Her performance in PAJAMA GAME was so bland, yet she got a nomination there, though.

If this is just a repeat performance, I could see her being left out.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:16pm

As of right now:

Kerry Butler, Xanadu
Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Kelli O'Hara, South Pacific
Faith Prince, A Catered Affair
Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George

[americanboy99]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:19pm

Foster- O'Hara got raves for her work in PAJAMA GAME. Check out Brantley's review. It's a love letter to both the leads.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:21pm

I know. I read it. I also saw it. And I personally found her performance to be boring as hell. That's just my opinion.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:28pm

<< Heather Headley won her undeserved Tony for AIDA.
>>

Have to respectfully disagree with this, Ray.

Personally, I thought that Heather was amazing in "Aida" !!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:34pm

I'm one of the few people who don't "get" O'Hara. I don't think she's leading star material (though I'm a fan of her work in PIAZZA, where she had a featured role) but I'm in the minority there. Having said that, I'm pretty sure she'll be nominated.
And yes, the Tonys love a star in the making (hence Heather Headley's BS Tony) but you can't ignore some performances. Plus, I doubt Boggess is giving the kind of tour-de-force performances that Sutton Foster, John Lloyd Young, or Kristin Chenoweth gave when they got their star-in-the-making Tonys.
Plus, remember we might still get a musical revival that has yet to be announced. If PAL JOEY actually sneaks in this season, it's bye bye to any chances of Boggess getting a nod.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:41pm

Personally, I think O'Hara is very pretty with a lovely voice, but she has to be one of the most bland, charisma-free, humorless actors currently getting regular work on Broadway. Her success escapes me.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:05pm

Nobody is Supporting. It is "Featured."

Megan is in four scenes, so who knows.

Apparently they are planning on pushing Sutton as featured and Megan as leading, which makes absolutely NO Sense at all...

But it's Mel Brooks!


Also, there is no chance in hell that Faith Prince will get left out. At this point I would say that her, Jenna Russell, and LuPone are the only locks. There is no way that Tony nomination committee WONT nominate LuPone. I could see them leaving out Butler but I highly doubt that they will.

The only performer that I really think stands a strong chance of losing a nomination is O'Hara, for her totally bland work.

AmericanBoy- You can't really look to Brantley to predict the nominees. He likes blonde women! Look at his love letter to Chenoweth for The Apple Tree, and she didn't get a nomination.


At this point I very doubtful that Pal Joey will make it.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:09pm

"Apparently they are planning on pushing Sutton as featured and Megan as leading, which makes absolutely NO Sense at all."

If they were smart, they'd push Andrea Martin for the Featured award, because she stands a much better chance at winning than Sutton Foster does.

Actually, Featured Actress is shaping up to be a competitive category- Andrea Martin, Laura Benanti, and Sherie Renee Scott have all given great featured performances.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:15pm

Both Andrea Martin and Sutton Foster are up for a nomination in the featured category. Mullally--a two time Emmy-winning actress and the only actress who has 3 solos in the show--is the one being pushed for the leading category. I think this will just result in Mullally not getting a nod. Actually, I doubt Foster AND Martin will both be nominated, it will probably be one or the other.
I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking O'Hara is completely bland.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:15pm

They are also pushing Andrea Martin for featured, but that is no suprise.

Featured Actress in a Musical is going to be the most competitive category out of them all!

You have:

Sherie Rene Scott- Little Mermaid
Laura Benanti- Gypsy
Leslie Krtitzer- A Catered Affair
Andrea Martin- Young Frankenstein
Ali Mauzey- Cry Baby
Mary Testa- Xanadu, Jackie Hoffman- Xanadu (I think those two should share one slot)
Sutton Foster- Young Frankenstein
Harriet Harris- Cry Baby

My guess is it will end up looking like this:
Laura Benanti- Gypsy
Andrea Martin- Young Frankenstein
Ali Mauzy- Cry Baby
Sherie Rene Scott- The Little Mermaid
Leslie Kritzer- A Catered Affair (although I can see her slot going to the XANADU girls)

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:25pm

But Megan is billed above the title, which would put her in leading, unless Brooks petitions the committee to have her moved to Featured.

Nobody is above the title for YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, except for Mel Brooks.

All of the actors are below the title, so Roger Bart and either Mullally or Foster will have been petitioned for Leading, and those petitions would have been put in about a month and a half ago, as they need to be submitted within two weeks of a show's opening.

The decisions as to whom will be in which category will be made in January by the Administration Committee.

I agree that Mullally was probably be petitioned for Leading, and if the Administration Committee approves it, then Mullally will probably lose her chance at a nomination come May.

Updated On: 12/29/07 at 04:25 PM

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:28pm

Do you think Mel Brooks will get Leading Actress? It's his year, I think.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:36pm

He IS above the title after all *eye roll*
Featured Actress is crowded as usual but I don't think anyone who deserves a nod will be left out as it happened last year.
Again, remember if PAL JOEY does open (big IF, but still), the actresses playing Gladys and Melba are likely to get a nod.
Neddy, you're forgetting Loretta Ables Sayre who is playing Bloody Mary (a role that won Juanita Hall her Tony) in SOUTH PACIFIC, as well as Leigh Ann Larkin in GYPSY, and Jessica Molaskey and Mary Beth Peil for SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:39pm

I doubt it will happen, but I really really would love to see Marilyn Caskey get a nomination for her show stopping performance in GYPSY.

[jigblob]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:42pm

To whoever asked if any major role from a Disney show had won an award: Heather Headley won her undeserved Tony for AIDA.


....Are you kidding me?

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:42pm

My guess is in such a crowded year they will only nominate one person from each show. I doubt that Leigh Ann Larkin and Laura Benanti will both get nominations.

I do think that Loretta Sayre will get a nomination over XANADU gals. I totally forgot about her.