It's the TONYS. The American Theatre Tony awards for the best in theatre for the past season and this year should offer one of the most entertaining broadcasts in some time because there is an abundance of award worthy shows and performances and scenes from many of them with high power talent who will be on view throughout the almost 3 hour telecast.
Granted, there have been seasons when Guild members who vote were hard pressed to come up with 4 plays and 4 musicals that deserved recognition. Not so this season when several terrific shows - one right after another - opened to critical acclaim and wide audience acceptance.
For example, any of the 4 nominated plays, including Good People, Jerusalem, The Motherf**ker with the Hat and War Horse, could take the Tony and no one would object. I hope to see all of them, either in NYC or when they tour in a year or 2. My guess is that War Horse will win by a hair over Good People.
Meanwhile, Book of Mormon (which I saw and loved) is a lock for best musical and will take home most of the 13 Tonys it has been nominated for, including Rory O'Malley for best performance by an actor in a supporting role, Nikki M. James for best performancce by an actress in a supporting role, best direction (musical), best choreography, best orchestrations, best lighting design and best sound design as well as best original score and book.
Because both Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells were nominated for best actor in a musical (Book of Mormon), Norbert Leo Butz will probably win the Tony for his sensational performance in Catch Me If You Can (He was also terrific as the deceased son in Next to Normal).
Sutton Foster will take home her 2nd Tony for her acclaimed performance in Anything Goes which will beat out How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying for best musical revival.
I'm betting that Frances McDormand (who won an Oscar for Fargo) will take home the Tony for best performance in a leading role in a play (Good People) while Joe Mantello will take honors for best actor in a play for his brilliant performance in the well received revival of The Normal Heart which will win in that category. All the nominees for best actor are worthy of a Tony and they include Brian Bedford (The Importance of Being Earnest), Al Pacino (The Merchant of Venice), Mark Rylance (Jerusalem) and dark horse Bobby Cannavale (The Motherf**ker with the Hat).
I saw the revival of The Normal Heart last month and it is as relevant and as moving as when I first saw it in 1985. Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe will most likely take honors for their direction of Heart over Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris who directed War Horse (soon to be a Steven Spielberg film due out this Xmas).
I must admit to an aversion to Jerusalem which I haven't seen and opened to rave reviews. I saw Mojo at the Studio Theatre here in D.C. by the same author (Jez Butterworth) and hated it. So you'd have to put a gun to my head to make me sit thru it. Mark Rylance (brilliant in last season's La Bete) got socko reviews for his performance in Jerusalem but I'm sticking with Joe Mantello as my pick for best actor.
All 4 nominated musicals will be showcased during the Tonys telecast plus a number from the fabulous Pricilla, Queen of the Desert (which I've seen twice and loved). It will win (deservedly) the Tony for best costumes. Only Tony Sheldon was nominated for best actor in a musical, but his 2 colleagues, Will Swenson and Nick Adams deserved recognition as well. Truth be known, I enjoyed Pricilla just as much as Book of Mormon which garnered 13 noms to Pricilla's 2. I presume it was overlooked for consideration as best musical because none of the music is original but everything else about it is inventive, ingenuous and great fun. The other nominated musicals are Catch Me If You Can, Sister Act and The Scottsboro Boys which closed after a short run and mixed notices.
Unlike the Oscars, it really doesn't matter (this year) who wins the Tonys on Sunday night. Most if not all the nominees are deserving of Tonys and the telecast should be great fun watching production numbers from all 4 nominated musicals and scenes from plays. It will be interesting to see which song is performed from Book of Mormon since the score is raunchy and profane.
The list of presenters reads like a who's who of movie stars and great actresses, including Vanessa Redgrave and Angela Lansbury.
Tune in. It should be a great show. Give my regards to Broadway.
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