The Tony Awards!

The Tonys are tonight! I'm alternately upset and excited.

I've got a Kernersville Little Theatre board meeting tonight, so unfortunately I'll miss some of the awards. The biggest night in theatre and theatre people are stuck in a meeting discussing the theatre organization? There is something definitely wrong with that. As soon as our meeting is over I'm headed home to my TV.

I am very excited because, a mere three weeks ago, I was in NYC and was fortunate to see 4 shows that are nominated tonight. So, with some authority (limited as it may be!) here are my Tony picks for tonight:

Best Play
Dividing the Estate
God of Carnage
Reasons to Be Pretty
33 Variations

Saw it and absolutely loved it! The cast was phenomenal!

Best Musical
Billy Elliot
Next to Normal
Rock of Ages
Shrek

I saw Shrek and was thoroughly entertained, but I’ve heard (from Joe) and read nothing but great things about Billy Elliot.

Best Revival of A Play
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests
Waiting for Godot

Even after seeing the play, I still don’t like it. It’s just so boring. The outstanding performances by the cast is the only reason I'm voting for it.

Best Revival of A Musical
Guys and Dolls
Hair
Pal Joey
West Side Story

I heard Pal Joey wasn’t good, read the redesign of West Side Story wasn’t successful. I don’t particularly like Guys and Dolls, so by process of elimination, Hair gets my vote.

Best Book of A Musical
Billy Elliot - Lee Hall
Next to Normal - Brian Yorkey
Shrek - David Lindsay-Abaire
[Title of Show] - Hunter Bell

I’m going out on a limb by voting for this unique show. Next to Normal would be my second choice.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics)
Billy Elliot - Music: Elton John, Lyrics: Lee Hall
Next to Normal - Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey
9 to 5 - Music and Lyrics: Dolly Parton
Shrek - Music - Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire

I’ve been singing and humming Shrek showtunes since seeing the show. And I love David Lindsay-Abaire! (Rabbit Hole, one of my very favorite scripts.)

Best Performance by A Leading Actor in A Play
Jeff Daniels - God of Carnage
Raul Esparza - Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini- God of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush - Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski - Reasons to be Pretty

I’d love to see James Gandolfini win (and rise above his Tony Soprano), I think Geoffrey’s got this one.

Best Performance by A Leading Actress in A Play
Hope Davis - God of Carnage
Jane Fonda - 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden - God of Carnage
Janet McTeer - Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter - Mary Stuart

OMG! Marcia Gay Harden was outstanding as Veronica! If she doesn’t win, nothing is right in the world!

Best Performance by A Leading Actor in A Musical
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish - Billy Elliot
Gavin Creel - Hair
Brian d'Arcy James - Shrek
Constantine Maroulis - Rock of Ages
J. Robert Spencer - Next to Normal

Based on Joe’s very positive comments, I’m going with the controversial vote here. (But I wouldn’t mind if American Idol finalist Constantine won.)

Best Performance by A Leading Actress in A Musical
Stockard Channing - Pal Joey
Sutton Foster - Shrek
Allison Janney - 9 to 5
Alice Ripley - Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione - West Side Story

I’ve heard Stockard Channing and Allison Janney sing, and neither can. Sutton gets my enthusiastic vote – she’s such a talented actress and she's got the pipes!

Best Performance by A Featured Actor in A Play
John Glover - Waiting for Godot
Zach Grenier - 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan - The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter - The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson - Joe Turner's Come and Gone

He was absolutely brilliant!

Best Performance by A Featured Actress in A Play
Hallie Foote - Dividing the Estate
Jessica Hynes - The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland - Reasons to be Pretty
Angela Lansbury - Blithe Spirit
Amanda Root - The Norman Conquests

Here’s hoping for her 5th Tony!

Best Performance by A Featured Actor in A Musical
David Bologna - Billy Elliot
Gregory Jbara - Billy Elliot
Marc Kudisch - 9 to 5
Christopher Sieber - Shrek
Will Swenson - Hair

He performed on his knees!

Best Performance by A Featured Actress in A Musical
Jennifer Damiano - Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne - Billy Elliot
Karen Olivo - West Side Story
Martha Plimpton - Pal Joey
Carole Shelley - Billy Elliot

Again, based on Joe’s positive comments, and her interview with Jane Waldman.

Best Direction of A Play
Phyllida Lloyd - Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus - God of Carnage
Matthew Warchus - The Norman Conquests

I'm a little concerned about a split vote...

Best Direction of A Musical
Stephen Daldry - Billy Elliot
Michael Greif - Next to Normal
Kristin Hanggi - Rock of Ages
Diane Paulus - Hair

Best Choreography
Karole Armitage - Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler - 9 to 5
Peter Darling - Billy Elliot
Randy Skinner - Irving Berlin's White Christmas

I didn’t particularly like the dance numbers in 9 to 5.

Best Orchestrations
Larry Blank - Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Martin Koch - Billy Elliot
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt - Next to Normal
Danny Troob and John Clancy – Shrek

Best Scenic Design of A Play
Dale Ferguson - Exit the King
Rob Howell - The Norman Conquests
Derek McLane - 33 Variations
Michael Yeargan - Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Out of all the nominations, I think 33 Variations had the most inventive design.

Best Scenic Design of A Musical
Robert Brill - Guys and Dolls
Ian MacNeil - Billy Elliot
Scott Pask - Pal Joey
Mark Wendland - Next to Normal

(See comments for Best Scenic Design of a Play.)

Best Costume Design of A Play
Dale Ferguson - Exit the King
Jane Greenwood - Waiting for Godot
Martin Pakledinaz - Blithe Spirit
Anthony Ward - Mary Stuart

I always vote for the period costumes!

Best Costume Design of A Musical
Gregory Gale - Rock of Ages
Nicky Gillibrand - Billy Elliot
Tim Hatley - Shrek
Michael McDonald - Hair

Michael McDonald came to see “Nebula” so I feel kinda bad not voting for him. But the fairytale costumes and Christopher Sieber’s Lord Farquaad contraption costume gets my enthusiastic vote.

Best Lighting Design of A Play
David Hersey - Equus
David Lander - 33 Variations
Brian MacDevitt - Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Hugh Vanstone - Mary Stuart

It was a toss up between Equus and 33 Variations.

Best Lighting Design of A Musical
Kevin Adams - Hair
Kevin Adams - Next to Normal
Howell Binkley - West Side Story
Rick Fisher - Billy Elliot

Best Sound Design of A Play
Paul Arditti - Mary Stuart
Gregory Clarke - Equus
Russell Goldsmith - Exit the King
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg - Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Sound Design of A Musical
Acme Sound Partners - Hair
Paul Arditti - Billy Elliot
Peter Hylenski - Rock of Ages
Brian Ronan - Next to Normal