Tony Award for Leading Actress In a Musical...- Page 3

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:51pm

Olga Merediz will be a lock for Featured Actress for IN THE HEIGHTS.

Karen Olivo and Priscilla Lopez cannot be counted out either.

Updated On: 12/29/07 at 04:51 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 4:59pm

I knew I was forgetting something. IN THE HEIGHTS has pretty strong featured female leads as WannaBeFoster pointed out, and I believe PASSING STRANGE may also have something to offer in that department.
I would love to see Marilyn Caskey getting a nod for her genius turn in GYPSY. But I think I would rather see Leigh Ann Larkin and Laura Benanti be nominated.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:01pm

This year is going to be incredibly tough for Featured Actress. If Olga Merediz is indeed a lock, then that will knock out Kritzer, unless Sayre is terrible.

Has it been confirmed that the entire cast of In The Heights is transferring?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:04pm

I thought Andrea Burns said something to that effect, but I don't think it has been officially confirmed.
Do you really think Kritzer will be left out? I feel her nomination and Prince's are inevitable.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:10pm

No, there has never been an acting win for a Disney show.

This Bogus or Borgeress chick isn't gonna get a nomination.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:13pm

Uh, it was mentioned several posts ago that Heather Headley won for AIDA, a Disney show.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:13pm

Well here is the how I see it. Every other nominee mentioned for Featured Actress has gotten singled out for their amazing performance and across the board raves. Every reviewer has said that Laura Benanti added an entirely new dimension to the role of Louise, Andrea Martin is the best part about Young Frankenstein, Ali Mauzey completely steals the show in Cry Baby, and they are bound to say that Sherie Rene Scott is a revelation in The Little Mermaid. Kritzer got none of that. All of these other ladies got singled out for taking the show to the new level while Kritzer has just gotten praise for doing a great job in her role. She is doing great work but competing against AMAZING work. I think she deserves a nomination but if it is true that Olga is a lock, then she is the only person I can see getting knocked out of the running - all the others are locks.


On the other hand Faith Prince is a lock and there is no way she won't get that award. I can also see her EASILY winning.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:19pm

From what I've heard, I agree that Faith Prince sounds like the likely win for Leading Actress.

Rose has been done a million times.

Dot is an old role.

Prince is creating a role from scratch, and the role sounds like it is on the completely opposite spectrum of the role for which she won her first Tony.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:27pm

Funny. I figured someone would just have bumped up the thousands of threads on the same topic.

That said, if Patti, for some reason doesn't get nominated (everyone knows my feelings about her performance, and even I think she's not only a lock for a nomination, but a win, as well), my bet that it would come down to either Kelli O'Hara or Kerry Butler.

Both are young actresses at the top of their game - Kelli is a nomination-favorite, and Kerry, who hasn't been nominated nearly as much as Kelli (what is it now, 2/3?), is an audience-pleaser.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:21pm

Kerry Butler has never received a Tony nomination.

And Kelli O'Hara has only been nominated twice, for PIAZZA and PAJAMA GAME.

I wouldn't exactly call her a nomination favorite.

Updated On: 12/29/07 at 06:21 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:32pm

I was just gonna say...
Foster, is Andrea Burns' role meaty enough to make her a strong competitor? I assume she's featured.
I don't think you can call Dot an "old role." Remember this is the first revival of SUNDAY and Russell already won an Olivier for this role. I definitely think she is a strong competitor. Unlike Momma Rose, Dot hasn't been played a dozen million times by every Broadway actress of a certain age.
Perhaps I'm biased because I think Peters was cheated out of a Tony for Dot, but still, I do think the role--if played correctly--is worthy of the award.
I'm still not convinced Prince is going to win. I think if the show is not well-received, her chances may be considerably hurt.
This race is quite interesting.

[Deycallmemimi2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:36pm

If anyone gets nominated for Featured Actress from In The Heights, it will be Olga Merediz and Karen Olivo.

Passing Strange, could possibly have a nomination in Featured Actress for Eisa Davis.
Updated On: 12/29/07 at 06:36 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:39pm

How many times has O'Hara been eligible to be nominated for a Tony but was NOT nominated?

Also, since I'm too lazy to look either of these things up, who beat Peters for the Tony when she was up as Dot?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:46pm

Ray, Andrea Burns' role is not even in consideration for a Tony.

It's really a small, sidekick role. No solo singing, just a few scenes.

Ben, O'Hara has been eligible for SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (but really was not on anyone's radar -- it was a small role, and she was not singled out in reviews), DRACULA (which was panned and shut out by the Tonys) which was in the same season as PIAZZA for which she received a Tony nod for Featured Actress, and PAJAMA GAME for which she received a Tony nod for Leading Actress, but there was no other competition that season. This season's overwhelming talent is not comparable to that season.

Kerry Butler has been eligible twice, for HAIRSPRAY (for which she received the Clarence Derwent Award) and LITTLE SHOP. She was nominated for neither. Kerry will not be shut out again this season.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:47pm

Chita Rivera beat out Bernadette Peters in 1984.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:48pm

I think she could have only been nominated for DRACULA (ha!) and SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. But really she has been nominated for her two major Broadway outings, I can see how Yankee would say she's a Tony-favorite.
Butler, however, was snubbed for HAIRSPRAY and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.
And Ben, Chita Rivera beat Peters for her performance in THE RINK. IMO, it was the fact that Rivera had been nominated for 100 times without winning and people felt it was her time. Oh well, Peters won for her brilliant turn as Emma in SONG & DANCE the following year.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:53pm

I don't know, personally in In The Heights I thought Andrea Burns was the best out of the supporting actresses (Karen Olivo being a close second). And she does have two great numbers (not completely to herself, but she walks away with them).

Ray, I don't think it's fair to say Peters was cheated out for a Tony because Chita Rivera was supposedly amazing in The Rink, and that was her first win after many, many, many nominations.

"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."

While the Tonys may love a star in the making, what they love more is a bona fide star who’s an audience favorite. Although I don't personally like Faith Prince, the Tony committee did nominate her way back in 1989 for basically singing Tessie Tura's part in the “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” sketch in Jerome Robbins Broadway.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:57pm

Olga Merediz has the Tony bait role, with the dramatic arc in both singing and acting, and the close connection to the lead character.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Olga Merediz are at the heart of the dramatic storyline in IN THE HEIGHTS.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 7:15pm

I find Olga Merediz as bland as Kelli O'Hara (and I do find O'Hara bland, for the most part).

[Trish2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 7:26pm

Mandy Gonzalez??? Have you seen this show? Despite being a total bore of a show she hardly did much to carry it. If this show gets any noms at all it will be for Choreography.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 7:32pm

Trish, is it your job to trash IN THE HEIGHTS on this board?

Because this is becoming a routine for you.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 7:38pm

I know Butler has never been nominated, hence my saying "audience favorite."

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 8:34pm

I really don't think that LuPone will win. This Gypsy revival is kind of like last seasons MOON FOR MISBEGOTTEN. A revival of a show that was JUST on Broadway and that is completely unnecessary.

[Deycallmemimi2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 8:52pm

I don't think there is any way Mandy will get a nomination. She is so boring!! I usually like her work, I just think she is completely wrong for the role! She lacks the energy and flavor that is needed for this show!!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 9:22pm

Jewishboy, nearly every person I've talked to (and some people on this board have said this as well) have told me that while Rivera was good in THE RINK, she simply did not have the material to give the kind of complex, nuanced, fascinating performance that Bernadette Peters gave as Dot. Everyone (that I've spoken to that is) agrees that Rivera won because she rose above the material and she had been around too long to be ignored. I didn't see them live but judging from the SUNDAY OBCR/DVD and THE RINK OBCR, I stand firm by my opinion that Peters gave the most award-worthy performance in that category.
I wonder how IN THE HEIGHTS will do in terms of acting awards, I'm sure Lin-Manuel Miranda is a lock for a nod (and a strong contender for the award).