Tony Award for Leading Actress In a Musical...- Page 5

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:32pm

Actually, neddy, Ariel is one of the most popular heroines, especially over Kira. Besides, I looked up to Airel in the 90's and late late 80's.

My picks:

Lin Manuel Miranda - In The Heights
James Snyder - Cry Baby
Cheyenne Jackson - Xanadu
Daniel Evans - Sunday In The Park With George
Paulo Szot- South Pacific

Jenna Russel, SITPWG
Sierra Boggess, The Little Mermaid
Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Kelli O'Hara, South Pacific
Faith Prince, A Catered Affair

I would love Kerry to get a nod, but Xanadu might not be open come summertime and she didn't get raves. Sierra got raves in Denver, so my opinion might also change come January.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:41pm

Sir Robin- Ariel is a popular role, so is Simba! But that doesn't make them great meaty roles. The role of Ariel is VERY "Disney" and cartoonish. She is not a heroine like Aggie is who struggles to raise money for her family, or Nellie is, or Dot who just wants George to love her, or Rose who was living through her daughter. Think what you may but when the role is not that great. It is not a role that will go down in the books. But Rose, Dot, and Nellie are and I guarantee you that Aggie will be there very shortly.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:42pm

Sir Robin- Ariel is a popular role, so is Simba! But that doesn't make them great meaty roles. The role of Ariel is VERY "Disney" and cartoonish. She is not a heroine like Aggie is who struggles to raise money for her family, or Nellie is, or Dot who just wants George to love her, or Rose who was living through her daughter. Think what you may but when the role is not that great. It is not a role that will go down in the books. But Rose, Dot, and Nellie are and I guarantee you that Aggie will be there very shortly.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:56pm

Comparing Ariel to Simba is like comparing lobster to spoiled milk! Ariel, unlike Simba, has popularity NOW, regardless of the musical. And yes, I agree that Aggie, Dot, Rose, and Nellie are all powerful roles. ON STAGE. While no voters are under age 20, no noe in the U.S. that does not follow theatre will necessarily know Aggie, Rose, Dot, and Nellie as they will Ariel. Some people (friends of mine) are emotionally attached to MERMAID.

And on the acting front, I believe Sierra's belting-and-not-losing-voice-like-Idina and facial expressions could carry her to that 5th spot.

PS: Luv the avatar!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 9:13pm

no noe in the U.S. that does not follow theatre will necessarily know Aggie, Rose, Dot, and Nellie as they will Ariel. Some people (friends of mine) are emotionally attached to MERMAID.

Yes, but they are not the ones on the nominating committee. The nominating committee is a group of people who know Broadway backward and forwards.

PS- Thanks!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 8:19am

And the Nominating Committee are all New Yorkers.

So it doesn't matter what people all across America will know.

I would love Kerry to get a nod, but Xanadu might not be open come summertime and she didn't get raves. Sierra got raves in Denver, so my opinion might also change come January.

Umm...Kerry DID receive raves for XANADU. I don't know which reviews you read. And the show received raves as well.

MERMAID is already a joke in the industry, and it hasn't even opened yet.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 8:22am

And the "will be closed by the Tonys and therefore forgotten" argument is hardly valid anymore.

LITTLE DOG LAUGHED closed long before the Tonys last year and received a Best Play nomination and earned its star the Best Leading Actress in a Play Tony Award over Angela Lansbury and Vanessa Redgrave in shows that were still running.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 1:01pm

I think that Karen Olivo and Olga have the best chances of getting nominations for In the Heights women, and they will be featured. If they push Mandy as leading, she doesn't have an ice cube's chance in hell of getting a nomination. She can sing, but she cannot act to save her life. Then again, I said the same thing about Charlotte D'Amboise last year, and we all know how that turned out. Just goes to show you that you really can't figure out the nomination committee sometimes.

Does anyone know if Harvey and Tom Wopat are featured or leading in Catered Affair?

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 1:17pm

"Yes, but they are not the ones on the nominating committee. The nominating committee is a group of people who know Broadway backward and forwards."

Yes, I know. I stated that I knew that. But anywhoo, we'll find out in May. One year the nods fell on my birthday in 2004 and I got the best gift: nods for AVENUE Q!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 2:25pm

What is a nod?


Harvey is definitely featured, and I am pretty sure Tom is as well.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 2:43pm

nod= nomination.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 2:56pm

I anticipate:

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

With the first three being most secure in getting a nod, and Butler at risk of being nocked out.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 3:01pm

Oh, nod! I was reading it like node and I couldn't figure out what you were saying,

I think the nominees this year are pretty much set. I doubt there will be any surprises in that category come May.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 3:09pm

My best bet is that Wopat and Prince will be petitioned for Leading, regardless of the sizes of their roles.

The fact of the matter is the producers will want Wopat and Fierstein to have an equal chance at winning awards, so they will split them up into Leading and Featured.

It would be a dumb move not to even attempt to split them up.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 3:11pm

I agree, Foster. Having not seen the show yet, I have no idea how large their roles are, but your logic makes sense. Does Matt Cavenaugh stand a chance at a nomination? What's his role like?

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 3:13pm

Well, Tom Wopat is definitely a featured role. He has a song and a half and is in the back standing and sitting for a lot of the show. But, it is the biggest male role in the show, so I would no be surprised if he is put in leading. The only thing is that with a role that small, he doesn't have a shot at winning.

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 4:34pm

Haha thanks for the new profile quote WBAF.
"MERMAID is already a joke in the industry, and it hasn't even opened yet."

[jbdc]

Posted: 1/1/08 at 10:48pm

The Tonys aren't like the Oscars, where producers submit performers strategically for leading or supporting actor awards. The Tony Committee meets, and they decide who is leading and who is featured, and the producers have nothing to say about it. Billing above the title is generally reserved for actors in leading roles, but the committee meets to decide if the billing actually fits the performance.

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 1/1/08 at 10:53pm

I see it:

Patti LuPone - Gypsy (winner)
Jenna Russel - SITWG
Faith Prince - A Catered Affair
Kelli O'Haha - South Pacific
Open for grabs... but hopefully it is Kerry Butler - Xanadu

I doubt very much Sierra Bogges will get a nomination...however LBB got a nod last year for a somewhat generic performance.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 12:40am

The Tonys aren't like the Oscars, where producers submit performers strategically for leading or supporting actor awards.

Actually the producers do petition to get certain performers in certain categories. So, it is like the OSCARS.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 1:03am

Producers CAN petition the committe to consider performances in certain categories. The most recent example that springs to mind is SPRING AWAKENING. No one was billed above the title, however producers petitioned the committe to place GROFF AND MICHELE into consideration for the LEAD CATEGORIES. The petition was granted and GROFF received a nod as BEST ACTOR. MICHELE (in the much more crwoded BEST ACTRESS field) did NOT.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 1:09am

Yes, I don't trust the Tony nominating committee after Chenoweth was snubbed over Laura "Bland" Bundy's dull performance. I do hope that they have a better sense this time not to nominate yet another generic performance.
I really do hope PAL JOEY opens this season.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 1:18am

I predict:

Patti LuPone, Gypsy*
Jenna Russell, SITPWG
Kelli O'Hara, South Pacific
Megan Mullally, Young Frankenstein
Kerry Butler, Xanadu or Faith Prince, A Catered Affair

and for supporting:

Laura Benanti, Gypsy
Sherie Rene Scott, The Little Mermaid
Andrea Martin, Young Frankenstein*
Leslie Kritzer, A Catered Affair
Mary Testa, Xanadu or Olga Merediz, In the Heights

Winners have *

LuPone will certainly win in a role of legend, especially after her recent snub to LaChanze.
I'm very surprised so few people think that Mullally will land a nomination. She's one of the few great things about YF, and I think the show is big enough and buzz worthy enough to prioritize her nomination above both Butler and Prince.

I also agree that Boggess will be left out in the cold, unless she pulls STELLAR reviews.

it really is a little early to be making concrete predictions, though.
Updated On: 1/2/08 at 01:18 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 1:22am

If Jessica Molaskey is any good as Yvonne in SUNDAY, she could easily sneak in there for featured actress. Yvonne was a Tony nominated role for the great Dana Ivey. It's a great role for a featured actress.
Updated On: 1/2/08 at 01:22 AM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 2:21am

As far as the featured actress category goes, I feel like that's going to be the stuffed category this season. In terms of the revivals alone, all four revivals have a featured actress role that was Tony nominated in the original run. They are:

Rizzo in Grease
Bloody Mary in South Pacific
Yvonne in Sunday in the Park with George
and Louise in Gypsy

Now, that's not to say that Jenny Powers or any of the others will automatically get nominations. But those are 4 flashy roles that are well known and will certainly stand out to the Tony committee during their considerations. On top of those four, you have creating new roles:

Kritzer in Catered Affair
Testa and Hoffman in Xanadu (though I agree that they should share a nomination slot if possible)
Sherie Rene Scott in Mermaid
Foster and Martin in Young Frankenstein
the featured ladies from Cry-Baby
and the girls from In the Heights and Passing Strange

We are looking at upwards of 13 standout performances in this category. The ones from shows that are open already have all received good reviews (Foster, Martin, Testa, Hoffman, Powers), and the shows that have yet to open have ladies that got good reviews out of town or off-Broadway (In the Heights girls when it was off-Broadway, Benanti this summer, Kritzer in San Diego, Scott in Denver). The only roles that will really be a mystery at this point are Bloody Mary and Yvonne. Everyone else in the category has pretty solid word of mouth. I am excited to see what happens here.