Why wasn’t Alex Newell nominated for Once On This Island?

[binau]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 3:57am

Maybe my memory is incorrect but I thought at the time Alex Newell’s ‘Mamma will provide’ had a similar kind of showstopping effect as ‘Independently owned’. I THOUGHT the buzz was high but it didn’t translate to a nomination. Why?

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 5:39am

I can't remember how it shook down exactly, but I believe it had to do with gender and not fitting into either category. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 6:55am

No disrespect for the very talented Alex Newell, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone not slay with Mama Will Provide. The craft and construction of the song almost guarantee it.

My memory here may also be faulty, but other than this number, I don't recall much about their performances that was particularly exceptional.

Updated On: 4/10/23 at 06:55 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 7:37am

THIS exactly.  It was like he sang a song and disappeared for the rest of the show.  I remember NOTHING else about his performance.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:31am

Also please remember the other people in shows that year. Maybe Alex withdrew their eligibility. Maybe it's what someone else above mentioned. We'll never know. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:31am

I really enjoyed Alex in that show and remember thinking he probably would be nominated, in fact I’m almost positive I had him listed in my predictions. I had to go back and look at who the nominees for that year were, which were Ari'el Stachel (Band's Visit), Gavin Lee (Spongebob Squarepants), Grey Hanson (Mean Girls), Norbert Leo Butz (My Fair Lady) & Alexander Gemignani (Carousel).
 

After seeing that list, I then remembered being a bit underwhelmed by a few of them. I do think Newell should have been there in place of one or two people but it is what it is and he’s now in a show getting amazing reviews with (I’m sure) many many barrier breaking roles to come in the future. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:31am

Also you don't get nominated based on one show-stopping number. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:39am

hearthemsing22 said: "Also you don't get nominated based on one show-stopping number."

Well. I mean, you don’t really have to go back too far to find evidence of one show-stopping number along with a horribly written role actually giving someone the award.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:44am

Jordan Catalano said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Also you don't get nominated based on one show-stopping number."

Well. I mean, you don’t really have to go back too far to find evidence of one show-stopping number along with a horribly written role actually giving someone the award."

Fair, but it always depends on the year. The other nominees. I understand maybe you were underwhelmed by those who were nominated, but are you on the voting committee? 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:48am

Sorry, was this discussion for people on the voting committee only or a discussion about that particular category in that particular year? Because if it’s the latter, than varying thoughts and opinions on the subject are going to appear. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:51am

Competition. 
My understanding is any actor who is not eligible for Best Actor category is eligible for featured actor.

Also, Tony Awards does not publish the percentage of votes each actor got. I’d presume Alex Newell would have gotten some votes but not enough to be in the top 5.

Does anyone know how the nominating committee determine the nominees? Is it just by ballot or do they also have a discussion?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:57am

Jordan Catalano said: "Sorry, was this discussion for people on the voting committee only or a discussion about that particular category in that particular year? Because if it’s the latter, than varying thoughts and opinions on the subject are going to appear."

I'm not starting something that will turn into an argument. The OP asked a question- I answered. It doesn't have to turn into an argument whenever I comment (and no, I don't turn it into one) 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:58am

Lol I’m not starting an argument. I haven’t even had coffee yet. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 8:59am

Jordan Catalano said: "Lol I’m not starting an argument. I haven’t even had coffee yet."

I feel like my opinions are never okay. Like I offend you if I say one thing people on here don't agree with. So lets move on shall we? Enjoy your coffee :) 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 9:06am

No, I don’t think you’ve ever offended me lol

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 9:25am

hearthemsing22 said: "Also you don't get nominated based on one show-stopping number."

Didn’t the actress who won featured for promises, promises in 2010 only have one scene/song at the top of Act two?

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 9:25am

Regarding a few posts above:

The nominating committee votes on a ballot. It's not a discussion to determine nominations (although they DO sometimes call meetings to discuss eligibility when members are confused about something, ie: how much new music is in a particular score)

Alex was 100% submitted and eligible for Once on This Island. And judging by some social media posts at the time...definitely thought they would be getting nominated.

We will never know completely why someone was or wasnt nominated because we werent in the nominators heads. I would say its some combination of him being new to Broadway, facing competition who were beloved veterans and/or very well connected, and him only having the one big song when other contenders had more robust roles. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 9:29am

hearthemsing22 said: "Also you don't get nominated based on one show-stopping number."

Marilyn Cooper - Woman of the Year. Nominated and won for one of the shortest times on stage in a show-stopping number. Total stage time during the whole production was 10-15 minutes.

Updated On: 4/10/23 at 09:29 AM

[Jeff Tupolski]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 10:01am

Newell was good when I saw them, but I remember a lot of people saying they didn’t care for Alex and that they got worse in the role over time.

And as others have said, their part is really just belting out the one number. Personally I think Merle Dandridge’s performance was the show’s supporting standout and should’ve been recognized. Though in her case, she left the show early, which probably hurt her shot at a nomination.

[JoeW4]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 10:09am

If my memory serves correctly: 

Back then, discussions of Newell's gender identity weren't very widespread or nuanced, nor did Newell necessarily begins publicly using pronouns other than "he/him" at that point. Or maybe they had, but if so, the theatre community didn't seem to have realized it.

All of the discussion I remember seeing around Newell's performance was very much in the vein of "this is a man playing a woman, and an exciting example of gender-flipped casting alongside Merle Dandridge - a cis woman who was playing a role written for a man." As far as I can recall, there was zero discussion around putting them in any other category than Featured Actor. Maybe Newell felt differently privately, behind the scenes, and it's possibly that they did quietly withdraw from consideration to avoid that situation. But unless they state that publicly now or in the future, we have no way of knowing. 

But assuming they did compete in the Featured Actor category:

The sense I got was that it really came down to a competitive set of contenders, and yes, a sense that Newell's performance was more of a show-stopping number than it was a compelling display of acting. The 4 gods in that production were all giving impressive performances, with commanding stage-presences, but they aren't really acting-showcase roles. And despite their individual musical numbers and character motivations, they sort of exist as a unit from a broader narrative standpoint. 

But Newell's performance definitely had a lot of supporters, and I do remember a lot of people being surprised and upset at the time that they didn't get in. 

Updated On: 4/10/23 at 10:09 AM

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 10:16am

hearthemsing22 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Sorry, was this discussion for people on the voting committee only or a discussion about that particular category in that particular year? Because if it’s the latter, than varying thoughts and opinions on the subject are going to appear."

I'm not starting something that will turn into an argument. The OP asked a question- I answered. It doesn't have to turn into an argument whenever I comment (and no, I don't turn it into one)"

That isnt what happened. Various answers were offered, and you responded to one answer by suggesting that only those on the voting committee can answer. That is, of course, nonsensical given the very question posed by this thread. 

[bdn223]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 10:39am

jkcohen626 said: "I can't remember how it shook down exactly, but I believe it had to do with gender and not fitting into either category."

Alex did not identify publicly as non-binary at the time, but then again non-binary was not really a term in the popular lexicon just 6 years ago in 2017. Alex identified as genderfluid, but used he/Him pronouns. The role was seen as drag performance canonically within the revival with Asaka being a woman, but Alex in the opening number being a man, and this offset the genderbending of Merle Dandridge playing Papa Ge. It was interesting to note that all of Asaka's understudies were actresses, while Papa Ge had both male and female actors as understudies/replacements. Note the drag element was dropped when Alex did not go on.

Based on all of the conversation at the time, there was some confusion as to Alex's category placement, with many thinking they should submit for featured Actress, but Alex was submitted for featured actor instead. But just so we are clear, there was backlash when Alex did not receive a nomination, with speculation galore as to what could of caused the snub. Some pointed to the category placement,  others pointed to it being a fall performance that got lost in the shuffle of spring openings, while some blamed Ken Davenport for making Haley Kilgore and Lea Solonga the face of the revivals pre-nomination campaign thinking Alex was a lock.

We may never know, but it is also important to point out that the revival of Once on this Island  was not as beloved as we remember it being. It winning Best Revival of a Musical is arguably the biggest upset/surprise that categories has seen in its nearly 30 year history. 

 

Updated On: 4/10/23 at 10:39 AM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 10:54am

hearthemsing22 said: "Also you don't get nominated based on one show-stopping number."

 

Don't be ridiculous.  There are dozens of examples of just that very thing happening (and even eventual wins).

[binau]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 10:55am

Mmm if you look at Ben Brantley's and Jesse Green's predictions and wishes neither of them actually thought Once on This Island should win (I forgot as I loved the revival and thought it was well deserved). Even more strangely Ben Brantley voted for Carousel (and looking back his review was actually a Critics Pic!) - definitely doesn't match the word of mouth on this board as that revival was not well received here (I never saw it, but I do think it sounds amazing on record). Jesse Green thought My Fair Lady should have won, although did predict Once on this Island would win (I only saw the West End transfer of my fair lady, but based on this I would have given it to OOTI personally). 

Updated On: 4/10/23 at 10:55 AM

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 11:52am

Jordan Catalano said: "I really enjoyed Alex in that show and remember thinking he probably would be nominated, in fact I’m almost positive I had him listed in my predictions. I had to go back and look at who the nominees for that year were, which were Ari'el Stachel (Band's Visit), Gavin Lee (Spongebob Squarepants),Grey Hanson (Mean Girls), Norbert Leo Butz (My Fair Lady) &Alexander Gemignani (Carousel)."

Looking back, it seems likely it was between Newell and Henson for the last spot. Butz was a lock and the frontrunner to win. Lee was highly acclaimed for his turn in SpongeBob. Gemignani is the son of a Broadway legend making his own career who had never been nominated before. And Stachel obviously won and with all the love for Band's Visit was certainly not going to be left out. 

The nominating committee clearly loved Mean Girls, giving it 12 nominations, so it makes sense that Henson got in over Newell, who was starring in a Ken Davenport mixed-reviewed revival. Not at all to say that he SHOULDN'T have gotten the spot, but it makes sense that it turned out this way.

Updated On: 4/10/23 at 11:52 AM