Tony Awards Race - Audra vs. Nicole Edition — Page 2

I’m still Team Hilty!

NOWaWarning said: "I’m still Team Hilty!"

And just like that she's the frontrunner!

Of course, there’s also the possibility that Audra and Nicole could split votes and cancel each other out, paving the way for somebody else. (Hilty? Belcon? Rogers? Warren?)

I’m honestly quite shocked that not a SOUL has brought Natalia Venetia Belcon into the conversation for BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB. This was an acclaimed and award-winning performance off-Broadway that could EASILY upend the stars we normally think would be walkaway winners (think Cole Escola likely knocking off Denzel, Kieran, and Clooney for the Tony)

Considering the split between Audra and Nicole, I’m betting on a possible nullification.

The nominee pool will definitely be expanded to six, but I think of the six nominees, we will have:

1) Nicole

2) Audra

3) Natalia Venetia Belcon

4) Jasmine Amy Rogers

5) Megan Hilty (I think she will edge out Simard)

6) Helen J. Shen

The Featured Categories are going to be a royal s#!+s#0w…but that’s another conversation.

I think Nicole being in the stronger production will push her ahead, slightly.

I think it is a two person race regardless of what happens the rest of the season. I feel like things are trending slightly towards Audra right now but Nicole is right there too. It's not going to be someone other than those two.

I also think the DBH team is going to try to put Simard in Featured.

Bwaygurl2, I have to agree that it is very difficult to compare their performances. Audra's is a mammoth masterwork of traditional acting and vocal technique, whereas Nicole's is an abstract aesthetic journey. I don't believe that either actress is capable of doing what the other one is doing right now either.

For me, Nicole's aesthetic (singing timbre + stylised acting) is highly unique and unlike anything I have ever seen or heard before in any medium. The same way in my mind there is a unique construct of Bernadette in Sunday, Alice Ripley in next to normal, Ebersole in Grey Gardens etc. there is such thing as Nicole in Sunset with the same parameters.

Audra's Rose still operates within the known sphere of performance technique, whereas Nicole's breaks ground. This is as much Jamie Lloyd's vision as it is Nicole's execution.

I would give it to Nicole just to recognise the major advancement and contribution, but I would be happy for Audra to win too.

Because the Gypsy revival as a whole hasn't been received particularly well, I can see the theatre wing awarding Sunset best revival and best director and giving Audra the leading actress trophy. I'm not sure if her awards history helps or hurts -- clearly the voters like her a lot, but who knows if there will be an attitude of "she has enough."

I think people on this board are severely overestimating sunset boulevard. The feeling out there in the community is not nearly as pro sunset as on here. I mean, Gypsy got across the board better reviews than Sunset did.

Nicole will be nominated and her performance will be well remembered, but she will not win a Tony over Audra. In addition to Audra's legendary talent and stature, there are too many other factors at play. The quality of Gypsy vs. the quality of Sunset Boulevard, the worship of Sondheim vs. the begrudged respect for Webber, the racial angle added to Gypsy by Wolfe's direction and most of the casting, the perceived resurgence of a racist national mood that must be fought...the 2025 Tonys are likely to be a night in Audra's and Gypsy's honor.

Updated On: 1/27/25 at 08:01 AM

Both stars are cast against type. Audra has better source material but a weakly directed production. Nicole's got iffy source material but tight direction and a strong point of view. It will be a matter of taste for Tony voters and either decision (or a wild card) will outrage half of Broadwayworld.

Updated On: 1/28/25 at 10:20 AM

IDK, after seeing both shows I really don't know how this is even a question.

Audra brings interesting insights and a professional rendering of the score, but the production falls so short of the last revival (a Gypsy without a magnetic Gypsy Rose Lee!) that I can't really separate her from my disappointment. And this is a perfect show, with every opportunity and more to blow you away. Add in that Audra's voice is just... not meant for the score, and it's a lethal combination. Audra doesn't underwhelm like the rest of the production, but I left feeling just kinda like... "Ok, so that's what Audra as Rose is like."

Nicole gives a stylized, unmoored, go-for-broke performance. It is the stuff of legends and will be remembered as one of the great star turns on Broadway. And the production around her takes a mediocre show and elevates it to its highest possible level, beating the audience into submission every step of the way.

For my money, the only must-see performance on Broadway right now is at the St. James.

I was luck enough to see both Gypsy and Sunset Blvd last week and although Nicole's performance is a career-making moment, I felt that Audra McDonald was stunning and, overall, better. The roles are, obviously, very different but where Nicole does a lot of posing, voguing, and vamping for the cameras, Audra is giving a full performance. She acts, sings, and kinda dances (lol). She is able to pull some empathy and devastation out of a character that, when you really think about it, is pretty awful. I've never seen Gpysy on Broadway before, so I don't have a comparison to make (except for the Better Midler movie) so I didn't go in jaded...and while I agree the sets were "meh", I found the overall show to be very entertaining and moving. Audra, in my opinion, was brilliant. This was my first time seeing her on stage, so all of it was new to me. I thought Nicole's performance of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" was jaw-droppingly good, but, in general, there wasn't a whole lot of acting involved. Also, I appreciated the minimalist approach, and while it felt updated and modern, having absolutely no set pieces made it often difficult to follow at times. For example, I had no idea that Joe was literally in Norma's driveway when they met. I found that out after reading the synopsis of the movie on Wikipedia. Again, I'd never seen the movie or the musical. I think Audra gave one of the best performances on Broadway I've ever seen. Completely irrelevant, but, Nicole Scherzinger is even more stunningly beautiful in person. Thought I'd just throw that in. Having said all that, Maybe Happy Ending was better than both of them (I saw that as well last week).

Updated On: 1/28/25 at 02:28 PM