ok how about 2006 Tony for Best Replacement?!

Posted: 11/28/05 at 8:58pm

what do you guys think? its a new category..
sure does make one not question whether or not replacing is a good idea...you COULD be up for a Tony!
who would you guys pick so far?

[apdarcey]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:04pm

rosie isn't eligible right?

[Patronus]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:05pm

No, I don't believe she is. I think part of the rule is that you have to be in the show 6 months.

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:12pm

and i think she joined the company right before they brought this new category in...

[jv92]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:15pm

Well, to stick to the topic...
It's gonna go to Harvey. These Tony people love him. I also thought he was a pretty damn good Tevye.

[Patronus]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:15pm

Charlotte d'Amboise deserves the award, but given that the rules are unclear, I am not sure if she is even eligible. Updated On: 11/28/05 at 09:15 PM

[WickedRentLuv]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:17pm

I think part of the rule was also that someone had to have won a Tony for the role already.

[Patronus]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:18pm

I don't remember hearing that when the category was announced.

It'd be awfully limiting and rather pointless that way.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:19pm

The rules are a tad sketchy....

The show has to be open during Tony time.
The actor has to be in the show for at least 6 months.
It cannot be a 'return engagement.' Likewise, the actor must not have won a Tony for the role. (i.e. Nathan Lanewouldn't be elligible should he go back into The Producers.)

It's not going to be an 'announced' category. Producers submit who they believe to be worthy candidates, and the winner is announced at the ceremony. It's almost like the Honorary best regional theater award.

[LuvBroadwayHugs]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:21pm

That's a weird deal. Does the replacement actor have to be in it at Tony time?

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:22pm

maybe this will help....from Playbill online:


According to a statement released by the committee, those actors eligible for this category "must not have appeared in the role when the production opened on Broadway. They must also be contracted in the role for a minimum of six months of public performances. Additionally, the producers may not submit more than two candidates per 'Long-Running' Show for the Award (including both Actor and Actress) for any such season."

The new Tony is, in one sense, a Godsend for producers. Whereas in the past, the only carrots they possessed to lure name performers into established productions were promises of money (checks which could never compare to those offered by Hollywood anyway) and the dream of legitimacy-confirming, ego-boosting rave reviews. Now they can dangle the prospect of a shiny mantlepiece ornament. Few actors out there have met an award they didn't covet.

However, the category could also easily prove a nettlesome source of controversy and grievance. After all, which two of a show's eligible candidates will the producers' put forth? How do they avoid offending the unnominated? And then there's the potential for hypocrisy. Certainly starry names like Fierstein, Reba McIntyre (Annie Get Your Gun), Brooke Shields (Wonderful Town) and Bruce Vilanch (Hairspray) would have had a very good chance at getting nominated. But will producers extend the same courtesy to lesser known but respected theatre journeymen? Certainly, for talented, uber replacement actors like Charlotte D'Amboise and Brent Barrett, the new prize represents a golden opportunity. But they are to be forgiven if they are cynical about the probability of being remembered by their employers come Tony time.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:26pm

They actor or actress must not have appeared in the role when the show opened. They must also be contracted for a minimum of six months. Producers cannot submit more than 2 candidates per long-running (opening in a prior season) show. The role in question must have been considered leading in the Tony season when it opened.

Elligible Actors/Actresses:
Michelle Pawk in Mamma Mia
Megan Hilty in Wicked
Hunter Foster in The Producers
John Pinette in Hairspray
Eileen Atkins in Doubt
Ron Eldard in Doubt
Jonathan Pryce in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Katie Clarke in Light in the Piazza
Eden Espinosa in Wicked
Lauren Kennedy in Spamalot
Simon Russell Beale in Spamalot

Inelligible Actors/Actresses:
Harvey Fierstein and Rosie O'Donnell in Fiddler on the Roof
Shoshana Bean in Wicked
Charlotte D'Amboise in Chicago (she is in-and-out of the show every few months)


Updated On: 11/28/05 at 09:26 PM

[ACTlete676]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:34pm

My question is, is Eden now eligible? And could she win!?!?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:37pm

Yes she is, chances are she won't.

[dididda]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:37pm

i think we ALL know should she grace the stage, it would go to britney in charity. oh yeah. oh no... lol

what about show like phantom and ave q can they submit?

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:39pm

yeah...so eden espinosa and how about john tracey egan(producers)...lauren kennedy in spam..

so is this right?? the role must have been nominated in the first place..it must be a past tony nominated ROLE??? is that right?

[new_philosophy_girl]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:42pm

I think I read somewhere when this was first announced that it had to be a LEADING role that was nominated for a Tony previously. So if that is the case, someone like Lauren Kennedy couldn't be considered for the award, but someone like Megan Hilty could.

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:44pm

OH!! the category is only for leading?? not supporting...
ok..you'd think i would understand this better but i don't...

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:46pm

I can imagine that Espinosa will at least get a nomination, same for John Treacy Egan and perhaps Justin Johnston in RENT, if he's still there around Tony time (which I don't believe he will be).

[new_philosophy_girl]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:46pm

I'm not positive....I'll try and find the article I had read it in.


This whole category seems more confusing than convienent.

[moonys_autumn]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:47pm

Yankeefan007, are they the only people eligible for this one so far?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:47pm

it's not a nomination per se. its just a recommendation by the producers of the show.

[moonys_autumn]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 9:51pm

Ooh. Hm, I know who I would pick, but I may have a slight bias.

[YankeeGal#24]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 11:29pm

I'd have to go with John Treacy Egan for the Producers and/or Chester Gregory II for Hairspray.

[angelrock25222]

Posted: 11/28/05 at 11:34pm

eden wasnt the original standby?
cause if she was that would make her ineligable beucase she was part of the originial cast.... if she wasnt though, who was?