As the annual awards ceremony approaches, here's my take on what should happen on Sunday, though that may not be the case. My choices are in bold italics.
Best Play
Clybourne Park Author: Bruce Norris
Other Desert Cities Author: Jon Robin Baitz
Peter and the Starcatcher Author: Rick Elice
Venus in Fur Author: David Ives
I liked ODC, PATS and VIF equally, but feel that ODC was the best constructed of the three.
Best Musical
Leap of Faith
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
Without a doubt, Once is the best new musical I've seen in several years. Disney will give it a strong run for its money with its very popular Newsies, but Once is the superior musical by far.
Best Book of a Musical
Lysistrata Jones Douglas Carter Beane
Newsies Harvey Fierstein
Nice Work If You Can Get It Joe DiPietro
Once Enda Walsh
Once again, beautifully adapted from the 2006 film by Enda Walsh.
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Bonnie & Clyde Music: Frank Wildhorn
Lyrics: Don Black
Newsies Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Jack Feldman
One Man, Two Guvnors Music & Lyrics: Grant Olding
Peter and the Starcatcher Music: Wayne Barker
Lyrics: Rick Elice
Since this category requires that the music and lyrics must be written for the stage production, Once is ineligible. That's one reason two of the nominees are actually plays, not musicals. Consider, too, Bonnie & Clyde got a nod here? Not the stellar year for musicals as we've seen in years past. For that reason, I'm pulling for 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
Purely on the strength of its pedigree, Death of a Salesman is the winner here.
Best Revival of a Musical
Evita
Follies
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Jesus Christ Superstar
Follies will struggle because it has closed, and Evita is selling really well with Ricky Martin, but my vote goes to Follies.
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
It's a very tight race for this category and though I'm sure Mr. Jones is excellent, Mr. Lithgow should be taking the award home this year.
Best Performance by an Actress in a 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
Another tight race with superb performances, I'm pulling for Nina Arianda in her breakout role.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein Follies
Jeremy Jordan Newsies
Steve Kazee OnceNorm Lewis The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Ron Raines Follies
Mr. Kazee's portrayal of the heartbroken Irish busker wins.
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
The smart money is probably on Audra to bring home her 5th, but for me, the prize goes to Jan Maxwell's bitter turn as Phyllis.
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
Though Mr. Cumpsty sailed far above the two-dimensional writing in End of the Rainbow, the prize goes to Mr. Borle for his delicious Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher.
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
It's another tight contest here, and Ms. Rashad makes an impressive debut, but my money is on Celia Keenan-Bolger.
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
I didn't find many redeeming qualities in Porgy and Bess, but Mr. Grier's performance provided excellent entertainment, even though he seemed to be in a different show than the rest of the cast.
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
The show was a red hot mess, but Ms. Mueller managed a little style despite having to navigate the most wooden of Harry Connick, Jrs.
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
Mr. Nichols made directorial choices that might be described as restoration, wisely resurrecting both the original set design and original music. He then maximizes the benefit of a truly superb play.
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
I'm back to my obvious favorite Once here.
Best Choreography
Rob Ashford Evita
Christopher Gattelli Newsies
Steven Hoggett Once
Kathleen Marshall Nice Work If You Can Get It
See above.
There are many more award categories. You can find them here.
I'll publish a full list of the actual winners next week.
Go see a play!
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