Who Is Your One Personal MUST WIN Tony Award This Year?

Was talking about this with some people last night. Every year I find myself with one person that, as long as they win, I’m good with pretty much anything else. This year (for me) it’s Christopher Abbott, whose performance is still seared into my brain. So I was curious who or what other people’s picks for this would be. 

Oh God. I can’t pick one.

I think it’s going to be CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL for revival. We need a show that celebrates queerness in all forms now more than ever, making it as, if not more timely than its competition. It’s a reinvention for the ages that demands your attention and show be rewarded handsomely for the effort that went into it.

My second place would be André de Shields for Featured Actor/Musical.

My other honorable mentions would be CATS for Costumes and Choreography (both seem to be in their bag easily). 

EDSOSLO858 said: "Joshua Henry. End of conversation."

Either him or Nicholas Christopher would be fine with me. Let them duke it out and neither of them walks away a loser. Joshua gets much needed accolades, and Nick gets the prestige of having reinvented a role in a much maligned musical and the benefit of having finally coming to prominence as a leading man.

Lesley Manville. In all my years of theatre-going, there are only 2-3 times that I can think of where I was so deeply absorbed and emotionally impacted by a performance. She made real magic on that stage. I cannot fathom how she managed to do what she did 8 times a week.

Laurie Metcalf in Death of a Salesman. She destroyed me.

Andrew Lloyd Webber / Best Orchestrations for Cats: The Jellicle Ball.

TheGingerBreadMan said: "Lesley Manville. In all my years of theatre-going, there are only 2-3 times that I can think of where I was so deeply absorbed and emotionally impactedby a performance. She made real magic on that stage. I cannot fathom how she managed to do what she did 8 times a week."

I completely agree. However, Carrie Coon was also absolutely brilliant in Bug, and in almost any other year, I'd be rooting for her. So, while I'll be upset if Manville loses, I also couldn't be THAT upset with it provided it's the also phenomenal Carrie winning.

EDSOSLO858 said: "Also, I take "must win" a bit too literally here as this is noncompetitive, but I'd love to catch Mary-Mitchell Campbell accept the Isabelle Stevenson award during the preshow.

"2100" is one of the best in the MD game at the moment (she's currently conducting DEATH BECOMES HER, as Ben Cohn recently left for WICKED), and I deeply respect her for her work with MUSE, Maestra, and BC/EFA.

Simply shaking her hand felt surreal to me."

She is an extraordinary person and remarkable musical director and arranger. 

Broadway61004 said: "TheGingerBreadMan said: "Lesley Manville. In all my years of theatre-going, there are only 2-3 times that I can think of where I was so deeply absorbed and emotionally impactedby a performance. She made real magic on that stage. I cannot fathom how she managed to do what she did 8 times a week."

I completely agree. However, Carrie Coon was also absolutely brilliant in Bug, and in almost any other year, I'd be rooting for her. So, while I'll be upset if Manville loses, I also couldn't be THAT upset with it provided it's the also phenomenal Carrie winning."

I agree! Carrie Coon would absolutely be my second choice, and in a different season, she could easily take the award. She certainly gave a performance that was deserving of an award.

Actually - Susannah Flood was pretty immaculate in Liberation - I'd probably have a hard time choosing between her and Coon.

However, it's simply no contest to me - Manville was so transcendent and beyond phenomenal that I don't think there's even a conversation to be had about it. The award is rightfully hers.

I have strong opinions on tons of the races, but I agree with the first respondent: the nominee who HAS to win for me (and who I believe is a sure thing) is Joshua Henry. I very sincerely appreciated all of the nominees in the category, and in another year, I would be happy with probably any of them winning. But Henry HAS to win.

Schmigadoon winning Best Musical would heal the country, I think

Alex Kulak2 said: "Schmigadoon winning Best Musical would heal the country, I think"

I second this. My other one, if I had to pick... would be just any big hitters for Cats... like Revival or Director.