Tonys 2017: Will/Should Win- Page 2

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 5:49pm

BEST MUSICAL

Will Win: Dear Evan Hansen (though I wouldn't be surprised if Come From Away took it)

Should Win: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

BEST PLAY

Will Win: Oslo

Should Win: A Doll’s House, Part 2

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

Will Win: Steven Levenson, Dear Evan Hansen

Should Win: Dave Hein and Irene Sankoff, Come From Away

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Will Win: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen

Should Win: Dave Malloy, The Great Comet

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

Will Win: The Little Foxes

Should Win: Jitney

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

Will/Should Win: Hello Dolly 

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Will Win: Kevin Kline, Present Laughter

Should Win: Chris Cooper, A Doll's House, Part 2

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Will/Should Win: Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Will/Should Win: Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Will/Should Win: Bette Midler, Hello Dolly

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Will Win: Michael Aronov, Oslo

Should Win: John Douglas Thompson, Jitney

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Will Win: Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes

Should Win: Jayne Houdyshell or Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Will Win: Gavin Creel, Hello Dolly

Should Win: Lucas Steele, The Great Comet

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Will/Should Win: Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Will/Should Win: Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Will Win/Should Win: Mimi Lien, The Great Comet

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Will/Should Win: Jane Greenwood, The Little Foxes
 
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Will/Should Win: Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Will Win: Donald Holder, Oslo

Should Win: Christopher Akerlind, Indecent

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Will/Should Win: Bradley King, The Great Comet

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Will Win: Bartlett Sher, Oslo

Should Win: Sam Gold, A Doll's House, Part 2

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Will/Should Win: Rachel Chavkin, The Great Comet

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Will/Should Win: Sam Pinkelton, The Great Comet

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS

Will/Should Win: Dave Malloy, The Great Comet

[BakerWilliams]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 5:56pm

AC126748 said: "I guess a lot of people have no opinion on the non-musical side of Broadway.

 

"

Honestly. I can't even imagine being a theatre fan at all if all I saw were musicals. 

Best Play

Should Win: A Doll's House, Part 2

Will Win: Sweat

Best Revival of a Play

Should Win: Present Laughter

Will Win: The Little Foxes

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Should Win: Jefferson Mays/Kevin Kline

Will Win: Kevin Kline

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

Should Win/Will Win: Laurie Metcalf

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

Should Win: John Douglas Thompson

Will Win: Danny DeVito

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Should Win: Condola Rashad

Will Win: Cynthia Nixon

Best Direction of a Play

Should Win: Sam Gold

Will Win: Bartlett Sher

[theater_tech]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 6:06pm

I love both Comet and DEH; they are equally great in their own way. Though I must admit I prefer Comet much more.

BEST MUSICAL
Will Win: Dear Evan Hansen 
Should Win: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Will Win: Come From Away
Should Win: Dear Evan Hansen

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Will Win: Dear Evan Hansen
Should Win: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Will/Should Win: Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen)

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Will/Should Win: Bette Midler (Hello Dolly)

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Will/Should Win: Lucas Steele (Great Comet)

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Will/Should Win: Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen)

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Will Win/Should Win: Mimi Lien (Great Comet)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Will/Should Win: Paloma Young (Great Comet)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Will/Should Win: Bradley King (Great Comet)

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Will/Should Win: Rachel Chavkin (Great Comet)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Will Win: Andy Blankenbuehler (Bandstand)
Should Win: Sam Pinkleton (Great Comet)

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Will/Should Win: Dave Malloy, The Great Comet (although I could see Dear Evan Hansen also taking this)

[BrockMButler]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 8:36pm

leighmiserables said: "First, I think it's important to note that "Best Musical" does not equate to "Most Emotional Musical." If that were the case, then Wicked would've beat Avenue Q"

Actually if that were the case '"Caroline, or Change" would have won Best Musical... Incidentally it also happened to actually be the best musical that year (title or not) and in my opinion easily one of the 5 best musicals of the 21st century. Okay, that's my COC rant for the day. Carry on.

Updated On: 5/2/17 at 08:36 PM

[casedilla2]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 9:36pm

AC126748 said: "I guess a lot of people have no opinion on the non-musical side of Broadway."

Not everyone lives in New York and many of us have to prioritize what we'd like to see on our trips there. I'd love to see more Broadway plays if I had the time/money, but as someone who does generally prefer musicals, those are just what I've been able to see out of the nominees this season. So I don't think I'm in a position to say what should win in the play categories.

 

BEST MUSICAL:
Will Win: Dear Evan Hansen 
Should Win: Come From Away

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Hello, Dolly! 

LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen)

LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!) 

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!) 
Should Win: Lucas Steele (The Great Comet)

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen)
Should Win: Jenn Colella (Come From Away)

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Dear Evan Hansen
Should Win: Come From Away 

BEST SCORE OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Dear Evan Hansen

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet 

COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will Win: The Great Comet
Should Win: Anastasia

LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Will/Should Win: Bandstand

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 9:51pm

Dear Evan Hansen has sparked conversation and controversy which is the sign of a thought provoking piece of theatre.  I also cannot think of another musical this year that has sparked such heated discussions over it's themes.  It absolutely should and probably will win Best Musical.  It is a great show that stands quite well along the likes of Fun Home and Hamilton.  The backlash that it is receiving is due to the crazy ultra fans (fansens? Is that what they're called?)  and is coming from the edgy theatre crowd who thinks that it's cool to hate whatever the hot new show is.  I'm among the group who recognizes a great show when I see it and doesn't get caught up in the ridiculousness of the fan groups and hate groups.  I think some of you need to learn to have your own opinion as opposed to forcing yourself to have the opinion of whatever group you identify with.

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 10:09pm

Now, obviously Hello, Dolly! should win best musical revival hands down. 

But the powers that be may very well give the award to Falsettos.

[cam5y]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 10:20pm

BEST MUSICAL:
Will Win: Dear Evan Hansen 
Should Win: Come From Away

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Hello, Dolly! 

LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen)

LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!) 

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Lucas Steele (The Great Comet) 
Should Win: Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!) 

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen)
Should Win: Jenn Colella (Come From Away)

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Come From Away 

BEST SCORE OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Dear Evan Hansen

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet 

COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet


LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL:
Will Win: The Great Comet

Should Win: Come From Away

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet 

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 10:31pm

Food for thought: I haven't seen a lot of shows this year, but I know plenty of Tony voters, and FWIW the show I've heard the most about from them is "Come From Away."

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 10:54pm

I can absolutely see a scenario where Come From Away gets nothing (maybe Best Book) but wins Best Musical. It's not my favorite of the year, but it is extremely heartwarming and I think that can't be underestimated given the political climate right now. 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 11:13pm

Come From Away is cute, sweet, optimistic, and entertaining.  It's not much else.  It's good and deserves all of its nominations (except score, IMO, War Paint had a better score), but the lyrics are poor and the book is shallow which, IMO, makes it undeserving of Best Musical.  Yes the story has relevance, but we have seen in the past that musicals that have won based on political significance  (such as La Cage winning over Sunday) have been looked back on with a raised eyebrow.  Come From Away is going to have a very healthy run without a Tony.  I guarantee you that they will perform a wonderfully energetic number of the telecast that will help their box office immensely.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 11:39pm

It has nothing to do with the quality of the respective shows. DEH is a cry-fest, and lots of people think Comet is bizarre in a bad way. Given the state of the world, I don't think it would be that surprising to see voters go with the piece about kindness and welcoming outsiders, regardless of its artistic merit. 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 11:43pm

wonderfulwizard11 said: "It has nothing to do with the quality of the respective shows. DEH is a cry-fest, and lots of people think Comet is bizarre in a bad way. Given the state of the world, I don't think it would be that surprising to see voters go with the piece about kindness and welcoming outsiders, regardless of its artistic merit. 

Dear Evan Hansen and The Great Comet are both significantly better shows and I'm sure that many Tony voters will recognize this.

 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/2/17 at 11:50pm

Even a cursory glance at the list of winners for Best Musical can see that voters don't vote based solely on artistic merit. Not to mention, it's extremely possible for voters to think Come From Away is better than one or both of those shows- it's all opinion. 

[froote]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 1:02am

icecreambenjamin, it's ridiculous to say that people can only dislike DEH because of the fans. I saw the show before its fandom had got so intense and still disliked it. And I wanted to like it and thought I would. I'm usually a huge fan of original musicals (and I still admire DEH for being one) and Next to Normal is one of my favorite shows of all time so with all of the comparisons I thought DEH would easily be my favorite of the season. I also don't think it's cool to hate on the hot new show. I've loved Hamilton from day one and revelled in every single moment of the Hamilton hype last year, not once did it put me off the show itself. 

Please just accept that some people dislike the show because they think it's a weak show. It's a valid opinion.

[Clyde15]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 1:30am

I really do believe in Come From Away chances to win Best Musical. I think it is the complete underdog of the season but is surging forward. The hype around Dear Evan Hansen is strong and I don't think it should win Best Musical based on this hype alone. Yes it is a good story with some great songs. But CFA has a much larger heart to it. It connects us all as 9/11 is something everyone can relate to in someone.With tony voters being older I think they will more likely identify with the themes of Come From Away as opposed to the themes of Dear Evan Hansen. This is just my perspective on things though. It shall be interesting to see how the campaigns between the shows play out. 

[cam5y]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 3:40am

 

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Clyde15 said: "I really do believe in Come From Away chances to win Best Musical. I think it is the complete underdog of the season but is surging forward. The hype around Dear Evan Hansen is strong and I don't think it should win Best Musical based on this hype alone. Yes it is a good story with some great songs. But CFA has a much larger heart to it. It connects us all as 9/11 is something everyone can relate to in someone.With tony voters being older I think they will more likely identify with the themes of Come From Away as opposed to the themes of Dear Evan Hansen. This is just my perspective on things though. It shall be interesting to see how the campaigns between the shows play out. "

I agree with you. Come From Away is much more than cute and entertaining, and it is certainly not shallow. The mayor acknowledges that one of the reasons that so many planes are coming their way is because if there are terrorists in them, there will be fewer people to be killed. These are not stupid people. They knew the risks of helping, and went ahead and did it anyway. Believing in humanity's inherent goodness, despite the events of that awful day, was a radical act.

[bear88]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 4:12am

Just spitballing here. I have no idea what I'm talking about, but speculation is fun...

Come From Away isn't being portrayed as the underdog. If the stories I've seen are consistent with actual Tony voters' sentiment, it's a co-favorite for Best Musical, or at worst, the only show that might beat Dear Evan Hansen. (Great Comet is still dismissed as a weird avant garde thing that got a bunch of nominations but has no chance to win anything important; Groundhog Day is even more of an also-ran, except maybe Andy Karl.)  And for better or worse, Come From Away is consistently labeled as something like "the feel-good musical to see in 2017 because Trump is president and everyone needs a reminder that regular people are good." I haven't seen the musical, so I don't have any opinion, but that seems like a tricky line to walk during a Tony campaign.  

Maybe the show's promoters can pull it off, but doesn't that leave it vulnerable to arguments that it won't age well, that its victory would be viewed as a fluke fueled by a desire to hold hands in the wake of Trump's election? Dear Evan Hansen has Ben Platt, a strong cast, and a resonant message of its own that draws young people to the theatre (and is not linked to election results). Great Comet, if anyone takes it seriously as a contender, can argue that it's the show with a revolutionary and unique artistic vision and should be rewarded accordingly.

It seems like a two-horse race, though, even if I wish Great Comet were taken more seriously. And unlike Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away hasn't been subjected to the sort of reassessments it is more likely to get as a legitimate Tony contender. The New York Times critics (Jesse Green has started) damned it with faint praise in their chat about the nominations. Green's dismissive attitude wasn't surprising, but Brantley didn't really disagree.

I could certainly see it winning, especially if Tony voters share the positive reactions of many people on this board. But it seems like Come From Away would be better off in a wide-open race, not with a single, strongly-reviewed rival.

[NYJoe]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 6:24am

And for better or worse, Come From Away is consistently labeled as something like "the feel-good musical to see in 2017 because Trump is president and everyone needs a reminder that regular people are good." I haven't seen the musical, so I don't have any opinion, but that seems like a tricky line to walk during a Tony campaign.  

Maybe the show's promoters can pull it off, but doesn't that leave it vulnerable to arguments that it won't age well, that its victory would be viewed as a fluke fueled by a desire to hold hands in the wake of Trump's election? Dear Evan Hansen has Ben Platt, a strong cast, and a resonant message of its own that draws young people to the theatre (and is not linked to election results). 

I don't think CFA will have any problem aging well - after all, it's already about an event 16 years ago, and we remember it like it was yesterday; the only reason it's being mentioned in relation to today's news is because of fortuitous (?) timing. The screen-staring, texting teens of DEH are more likely to seem dated in ten years, not the kind-hearted people of Gander.  And DEH won't always have Ben Platt.  

I do think you should see CFA, though, as it's hard to assess a show without knowing what's in it...

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 6:39am

"we have seen in the past that musicals that have won based on political significance  (such as La Cage winning over Sunday) have been looked back on with a raised eyebrow."

 

Nonsense. La Cage won because it was a better show. Like a zillion and fifty-eight times better show.

And the only eyebrows raised by its win are those of elitist snots --- to match their raised noses.

[MyLife]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 9:12am

icecreambenjamin said: "Dear Evan Hansen has sparked conversation and controversy which is the sign of a thought provoking piece of theatre.  I also cannot think of another musical this year that has sparked such heated discussions over it's themes.  It absolutely should and probably will win Best Musical.  It is a great show that stands quite well along the likes of Fun Home and Hamilton.  The backlash that it is receiving is due to the crazy ultra fans (fansens? Is that what they're called?)  and is coming from the edgy theatre crowd who thinks that it's cool to hate whatever the hot new show is.  I'm among the group who recognizes a great show when I see it and doesn't get caught up in the ridiculousness of the fan groups and hate groups.  I think some of you need to learn to have your own opinion as opposed to forcing yourself to have the opinion of whatever group you identify with."

I think this is a ridiculous statement. Yes it's thought-provoking to see how one side can argue the merits of the show's themes while another side sees the flaws. But that does not automatically mean the show deserves Best Musical. The side arguing for the flaws are bringing up great points about parts of the show's book and score that are at odds with each other, flaws that make it hard to overlook the show's merits. In many cases, these are problems that could've been fixed. We're saying these are problems with the show that keep us from thinking DEH is Best Musical worthy. Sparking conversation isn't a proxy for the big award of the night. Not that I'm comparing DEH to our president, but he sparked a lot of conversation during the election and ended up winning but should he have?

[bear88]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 10:48am

NYJoe said: "And for better or worse, Come From Away is consistently labeled as something like "the feel-good musical to see in 2017 because Trump is president and everyone needs a reminder that regular people are good." I haven't seen the musical, so I don't have any opinion, but that seems like a tricky line to walk during a Tony campaign.  

Maybe the show's promoters can pull it off, but doesn't that leave it vulnerable to arguments that it won't age well, that its victory would be viewed as a fluke fueled by a desire to hold hands in the wake of Trump's election? Dear Evan Hansen has Ben Platt, a strong cast, and a resonant message of its own that draws young people to the theatre (and is not linked to election results). 

I don't think CFA will have any problem aging well - after all, it's already about an event 16 years ago, and we remember it like it was yesterday; the only reason it's being mentioned in relation to today's news is because of fortuitous (?) timing. The screen-staring, texting teens of DEH are more likely to seem dated in ten years, not the kind-hearted people of Gander.  And DEH won't always have Ben Platt.  

I do think you should see CFA, though, as it's hard to assess a show without knowing what's in it...

I thought I was clear, but perhaps I wasn't, that I wasn't making an argument about what should win; instead, my speculation was about what will win. I have only seen two of the new musicals, and won't be back in New York City again before the Tony Awards. Whenever I see Come From Away, I may well decide that it's a much better musical than the other nominees. I'm not qualified to even offer an opinion about what should win.

Further, I wasn't getting into what would tour better. I actually think Come From Away should tour fairly well. I'm not sure will have quite the same resonance outside of New York City, and "feel-good 9/11 musical" is not the easiest sell, but it's gotten plenty of positive comments on this board and in reviews. People seem to really like the show, and it's done well in other cities. Shoot, I was standing in line for Dear Evan Hansen, listening to a guy in his 20s talk with great enthusiasm about Come From Away, which of course is playing across the street. Plus, it's the sort of show that doesn't need stars or even familiar names to tour well. 

I was raising a question about Tony Award voting and wondering if some of the response (even the favorable response) to Come From Away will give voters second thoughts about awarding it the highest prize, especially if it's matched against a single rival. I can see it more easily winning in a three-horse race. That could be totally wrong, as could the assumptions in media accounts that there are only two serious contenders. 

[coreman009]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 12:01pm

BEST MUSICAL:
Will Win: Dear Evan Hansen 
Should Win: Dear Evan Hansen/Come From Away

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Hello, Dolly! 
Should Win: Falsettos 

LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen) 

LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!) 
Should Win: Wish Laura Osnes (Bandstand) could win

FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!) 
Should Win: Lucas Steele (The Great Comet) 

FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Will Win: Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen) 
Should Win: Jenn Colella (Come From Away) 

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Come From Away

BEST SCORE OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Dear Evan Hansen 

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL:
Will Win: The Great Comet
Should Win: Come From Away

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Will Win: Groundhog Day
Should Win: Bandstand 

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS:
Will/Should Win: Dear Evan Hansen 

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet 

COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: Hello, Dolly! 

LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:
Will/Should Win: The Great Comet 

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/3/17 at 12:05pm

Best Play

Should Win: A Doll's House, Part 2

Will Win: Oslo

Best Revival of a Play

Should Win: Jitney

Will Win: Jitney

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Should Win: Gideon Glick

Will Win: Kevin Kline

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

Should Win/Will Win: Laurie Metcalf

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

Should Win: Michael Aronov

Will Win: Danny DeVito

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Should Win: Condola Rashad

Will Win: Cynthia Nixon

Best Direction of a Play

Should/Will Win: Bartlett Sher

[LJD123]

Posted: 5/4/17 at 1:42pm

Saw Bandstand last night and the choreography is amazing.  Very impressive how it advances the story.  I have not seen Great Comet but will say Bandstand seiously deserves the nomination.