Tony Awards 2012 On Tap June 12

Tough Competition in Many Categories

By: Charles Giuliano - May 01, 2012

 

 

Overall it was a superb season for Broadway.

Perhaps less so for new musicals but a strong field of revivals.

Not surprisingly, other than for technical categories, “Spider Man,” which is doing well at the box office ,was snubbed.

There is intense competition for drama.

In the category of Best Play the four nominees; “Clybourne Park,” “Other Desert Cities,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” ”Venus in Fur” all received superb reviews. The smart money is on “Clybourne Park” to prevail in a strong field.

For best revival and lead actor the front runner, despite a mixed review in the New York Times, is “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman” with Philip Seymour Hoffman. It will be regarded as an upset if another actor gets the nod.

In the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play it is anyone’s guess who will prevail: Nina Arianda, “Venus in Fur”; Tracie Bennett, “End of the Rainbow”; Stockard Channing, “Other Desert Cities”; Linda Lavin, “The Lyons”; Cynthia Nixon, “Wit.”

If not this year it is inevitable that Nina Ariadna will one day earn a Tony. Her Off Broadway debut in “Venus in Fur” was just astonishing. Raves for that performance followed her to a larger house on Broadway.

Often, however, Tony voters tend to favor established, mid career performers over newcomers however talented. That may give an edge to Stockard Channing in “Other Desert Cities.” Many critics commented that the performance was a benchmark for a distinguished career.

But don’t count out the three other women; Linda Lavin, Cynthia Nixon and Tracie Bennett.

In the category of Best Revival of a Musical: “Evita,” ‘’Follies,” ‘’The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” ‘’Jesus Christ Superstar” it may come down to to “Follies” vs. “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”

In my opinion “Follies” edges “The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.” It is interesting that Jan Maxwell was nominated for “Follies” while Bernadette Peters was not.  Audra McDonald would seem to have a lock for her role in “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.” She has the best voice of her generation to be heard on Broadway. Hands down.

We saw “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” when it premiered, pre Broadway, at the American Repertory Theatre. It was an unsettling production that earned mostly mixed reviews. Perhaps not good enough to earn director Diane Paulus another Tony. But MacDonald was stunning. Her co star Norm Lewis has been nominated but is unlikely to prevail. Both Danny Burstein and Ron Raines have been nominated for “Follies.”

The List of Nominees

Best Play: “Clybourne Park,” “Other Desert Cities,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” ”Venus in Fur”

Best Musical: “Leap of Faith,” ‘’Newsies,” ‘’Nice Work If You Can Get It,” ‘’Once.”

Best Book of a Musical: “Lysistrata Jones,” ‘’Newsies,” ‘’Nice Work If You Can Get It,” ‘’Once.”

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre: “Bonnie & Clyde,” ‘’Newsies,” ‘’One Man, Two Guvnors,” ‘’Peter and the Starcatcher.”

Best Revival of a Play: “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman,” ‘’Gore Vidal’s The Best Man,” ‘’Master Class,” ‘’Wit.”

Best Revival of a Musical: “Evita,” ‘’Follies,” ‘’The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” ‘’Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: James Corden, “One Man, Two Guvnors”; Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”; James Earl Jones, “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man”; Frank Langella, “Man and Boy”; John Lithgow, “The Columnist.”

Best Performance by an Actress in Leading Role in a Play: Nina Arianda, “Venus in Fur”; Tracie Bennett, “End of the Rainbow”; Stockard Channing, “Other Desert Cities”; Linda Lavin, “The Lyons”; Cynthia Nixon, “Wit.”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Danny Burstein, “Follies”; Jeremy Jordan, “Newsies”; Steve Kazee, “Once”; Norm Lewis, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”; Ron Raines, “Follies.”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Jan Maxwell, “Follies”; Audra McDonald, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”; Cristin Milioti, “Once”; Kelli O’Hara, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”; Laura Osnes, “Bonnie & Clyde.”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Christian Borle, “Peter and the Starcatcher”; Michael Cumpsty, “End of the Rainbow”; Tom Edden, “One Man, Two Guvnors”; Andrew Garfield, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”; Jeremy Shamos, “Clybourne Park.”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Linda Emond, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”; Spencer Kayden, “Don’t Dress for Dinner”; Celia Keenan-Bolger, “Peter and the Starcatcher”; Judith Light, “Other Desert Cities”; Condola Rashad, “Stick Fly.”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Phillip Boykin, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”; Michael Cerveris, “Evita”; David Alan Grier, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”; Michael McGrath, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”; Josh Young, “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Elizabeth A. Davis, “Once”; Jayne Houdyshell, “Follies”; Judy Kaye, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”; Jessie Mueller, “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever”; Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “Ghost the Musical.”

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty, “Other Desert Cities”
Daniel Ostling, “Clybourne Park”
Mark Thompson, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Donyale Werle, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley, “Once”
Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, “Ghost the Musical”
Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel, “Newsies”
George Tsypin, “Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark”

Best Costume Design of a Play
William Ivey Long, “Don't Dress for Dinner”
Paul Tazewell, “A Streetcar Named Desire”
Mark Thompson, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Paloma Young, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, “Follies”
ESosa, The Gershwins' “Porgy and Bess”
Eiko Ishioka, “Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark”
Martin Pakledinaz, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Jeff Croiter, “Peter and the Starcatcher”
Peter Kaczorowski, “The Road to Mecca”
Brian MacDevitt, “Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman”
Kenneth Posner, “Other Desert Cities”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Christopher Akerlind, “The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess”
Natasha Katz, “Follies”
Natasha Katz, “Once”
Hugh Vanstone, “Ghost the Musical”

Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Scott Lehrer, “Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman”
Gareth Owen, “End of the Rainbow”
Darron L. West, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, “The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess”
Clive Goodwin, “Once”
Kai Harada, “Follies”
Brian Ronan, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, “Evita”
Christopher Gattelli, “Newsies”
Steven Hoggett, “Once”
Kathleen Marshall, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”

Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, “One Man, Two Guvnors”
Pam MacKinnon, “Clybourne Park”
Mike Nichols, “Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman”
Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Best Direction of a Musical
Jeff Calhoun, “Newsies”
Kathleen Marshall, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”
Diane Paulus, “The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess”
John Tiffany, Once

Best Orchestrations
William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke, “The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess”
Bill Elliott, “Nice Work If You Can Get It”
Martin Lowe, “Once”
Danny Troob, “Newsies”

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