Tony Talk - Tony Awards: CBS-June 10th @ Radio City Music Hall

[cderoche]

January 18th decisions are in! Tony Administrators made a decision on nine shows for tony nomination eligibility. Among them are Jon Groff and Lea for Lead Actor and Actress respectively, putting Lea up against Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens. Nominations are announced on May 15th, and the Tony's are on June 10 at Radio City.

Let's get the discussions rolling early folks! Tony Talk is open and fully operational!

Chris

[Blue_Wind]

I'm really excited for the Tony's this year, there are so many great shows to choose from, making all the races really competitive, which will be exciting to watch! In this case, I think a nomination this year is as great an honor as a win!

I think the buzz around Spring Awakening is really good, so I'm really pulling for a Best Musical nomination, and hopefully a win. Also, I definitely think Duncan and Steven Sater will get nominations for their music and book, especially Duncan, since everyone always talks about how great the music in this show is. Michael Mayer will probably be nominated for his direction, and some people have said that Bill T. Jones will also get a nomination for his choreography, and I agree, I think that all of the movements in the show are really beautiful and capture the essence of what is going on in a teenager's mind and body.

The acting nominations will be a tight race, but I really hope that Lea and Jonathan will be nominated, even though the Leading Actor and Actress categories are going to be really competitive. It seems like everyone is saying Christine Ebersole and Raul Esparza are pretty much locks for Leading Actor and Actress (I should mention I haven't seen either of them, so I really don't know about their performances, this is just rumors I have heard) but I really hope Jonathan and Lea can squeeze in a nomination. I think John Gallagher has a really good chance of being nominated and winning for Featured Actor, he is so great as Moritz. This is such a great ensemble cast that it is hard to single anyone out for nominations, but personally I think Jonathan B. Wright deserves one for his performance in "The Word of Your Body (Reprise)" alone

[Wendla (Gaby)]

whether or not (deserving as they are) theyll win, the cast will get anywhere from 2-4 nominations for acting. my guess is 3: johnathon, lea, and johhny.

[Samantha]

So this season there' a lot of kick-ass actors and a lot of Tony favorites. The leading actress category is "stuffed." Sadly, Lea's chance of a nomination is slim. There's so many leading actresses this season. I think the person who has the least competition in a category if nominated is Johnathan Gallagher(I'm pretty sure he's getting a nod).I honestly could see him winning. Johnathan Groff had the second best chance of getting a nomination. Christine Ebersole and Raul Espraza are pretty much locks to win for the leading category's. On the bright side, I think the shows almost a lock for best musical.The shows a for sure lock for best score. 

*Edited because I had some more to say.

[David G.]

I saw Grey Gardens on Saturday, and she is fully deserving of the buzz around her. It's much more a "leading" role than Lea's, with a lot more stage time and centrality, and is a truly breathtakingly wonderful performance. The show as a whole, however, did not impress me nearly as much as Spring Awakening (obvious bias notwithstanding) and if it's the biggest competition we get, Spring Awakening will almost certainly win best musical. I haven't seen Company yet (though I'm dying to - it's number one on my wish list right now) so I don't know much about Raul Esparza. I bet Groff gets a nomination, if not a win, however - I personally think he owns the stage for most of the production. And I agree that Johnny Gallagher is pretty much guaranteed a nomination - his role is actually probably bigger and more important than Lea's, despite being "Featured" instead of "Leading" - and he'll have a good shot at winning, too.

It's such an ensemble show, I won't be at all sad if it wins score, book, and musical and nothing for acting. Also, I'm already planning on going this year.

[Gemini]

wait... planning on going to the tony's?  I really wanna gooo somehow

[David G.]

Yep. My current plan is to... buy tickets. When they go on sale. Heh.

[andrew]

I think that if it was possible they should have pushed for Lea to be in the featured category. I think she'd have a much better chance at a nomination in that category. I think Jonathan has a good chance at being nominated. John has a very good chance at being nominated and winning the featured actor category.

[TheatreGeek89]

Yep. My current plan is to... buy tickets. When they go on sale. Heh.

Omg how do you get tickets to the tonys?

[Samantha]

Tony are tickets like 200-500$ just judging from what I've heard from others.

[David G.]

Yeah, not cheap, but whatever. Worth it. You order them through the website, from what I can tell. http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/tonynight/tickets/index.html

Sale on May 2007.

[Spring_and_Summer]

i dont think its worth to buy tickets really. All the good seats go to the theater community- they get their tickets before everyone else. So you get a seat way back in that big music hall...I think it would be more fun to show up early for red carpet, and then run back and watch on tv. but thats just me. i guess it would be fun just to say you went. a lot of money though.

I disagree about Johnny's role being more important than Lea's, although I think he has a bigger likelihood of winning because of the difference in competition.

I wont be sad if Christine and Raul win tony's over Jon and Lea- they so f***ing deserve it- especially raul- oh my god. the man's never won a tony and hes one of the most vibrant and fascinating talents out there right now. its ridiculous. Its his time.

I think SA has its best chance in the creative team and the best musical category. As far as costuming goes, there arent a lot of big costume shows out there this year and Susan Hilferty is a goddess among designers. the lights are just incredible, although i think they have some heavy competition against Company...Music and Lyrics, for me, are the best new out there right now. Orchestrations- again, Company is stiff competition, but theyre pretty fantastic, especially on Purple Summer (but not on the cd).
That said, we need an ensemble award in the tonys. its just a fact of life. there are so many shows, like SA, and Chorus line, and Company, and and and-i could go on and on, that deserve for their ensemble casts to get recognized. sigh.

[Samantha]

I could see Michael Mayer winning Best Director. Sure John Doyle is brilliant but he used to same concept for Sweeney and won last year.

[Wendla (Gaby)]

[quote author=Spring_and_Summer link=topic=47.msg884#msg884 date=1169520058

I wont be sad if Christine and Raul win tony's over Jon and Lea- they so f***ing deserve it- especially raul- oh my god. the man's never won a tony and hes one of the most vibrant and fascinating talents out there right now. its ridiculous. Its his time.
[/quote]

haha! christine and raul! hows that for cooincidences? and ye, raul rules (esparza, not de chagny. hes ok but nto as cool as eric).
and i was watching only tony clips and they mentienod that michael mayer did youre a good man charlie brown, and iw aslike woah! michael! and this year is thankfully mostly revivals.  almost every new musical is at least getting nominated for best musical. itll pretty much be s.a or grey gardens.

[Samantha]

I think the Best Musical race comes down to SA and GG.

[Blue_Wind]

I really hope that's what it comes down to...because in that case I think SA has a really good chance to win! Again, I haven't seen Grey Gardens, but I know that most of what I hear about it is all about Christine Ebersole, not so much about the show itself, whereas much of the good things said about SA are actually about the show, so I really think it deserves Best Musical!

[Wendla (Gaby)]

and also (lets face it) the decision is economical.  they may pick the show that will make more money. even though grey gardens is in a bigger theater (it is, rite?), the concept of s.a would attract more people than hearing about jackie o's crazy family. i mean id be interested in both, but im weird. lol.

[melirose]

i'm really hoping this show wins for best musical and a couple of other tonys including one for duncan sheik. his music is so beautiful. i have never heard anything like it. i'm hoping the cast album wins a grammy too but that's a different story.
this show is completely unique. nothing can be compared to it. i haven't seen this much buzz around a musical for a very long time.

does anyone think the cast will be performing at the tonys?
i really hope they do.

[Blue_Wind]

I'm pretty sure (and please correct me if I'm wrong) that if you are nominated for Best Musical and are still open at the time of the Tony's, you get to perform at the Tony's...so we've got to keep this baby open till June to definitely get a performance

[Wendla (Gaby)]

spring awakening has gotten so much buzz in the press that the tonys will let them perform anyway (even tho theyll def get nominateg though).

[tooabsurd]

Raul is overrated. 

[blah blah (Michele)]

Honestly? I think the only one who has a chance at winning in an acting category is Johnny. But I guess I'm kind of biased because he's my favorite.

Though I haven't (yet) seen Company, which I'm told has fantastic lighting, I'll be extremely disappointed if SA doesn't win for that. It has probably the most intense, perfect lighting I've ever seen in a show.

I'd also love it to win Choreography and Direction - I loved the way the blocking fit together (and especially the scene changes, because I'm an annoying stickler for details). The choreography was perfect for the tone of the show, especially "Touch Me."

[Spring_and_Summer]

it definitely wont win choreography. Legally blonde is being choreographed and directed by jerry mitchell. its going to be all about his brilliant choreography. which is brilliant. did i mention brilliant? the little hand motions in SA, although appropriate for what they are, are nothing. just being honest.

not being a phantomphile (at ALL) i didnt really notice the whole raul christine phenomenon. i suppose its sorta funny.

if it comes down to GG versus SA, personally I would go with SA. not because im on this site. totally objectively i think its a better show, the execution of the concept is better on the whole. GG IS the Christine Ebersole show. thats problematic. I heard an usher talking about how the day before, when the understudy went on (maureen moore) it was good, but nothing like Christine. she said the whole show was different without her, that even the orchestra somehow sounded better when Christine was there. PROBLEM- its a great vehicle for christine but not the greatest show- if it was, it would be good with an understudy- one that has plenty of her own credentials. Also the first act and second act dont relate enough. theyre like two completely different entities. I heard that off broadway there was more music in the first act that related to the second act, but it didnt make sense. if they found some way to make the two acts coexist better, it could be a killer show- nothing could top it. as it is, as an overall experience, as a "best show", its not there. Christine is queen, this year though. no dispute.

[Samantha]

There isn't too much choreography in Spring Awakening. I could possibly see this going to Legally Blonde. There is a lot of buzz surrounding Bill T. Jones though. Since LB had its first show in SF last night I've heard some reviews but not very much on the choreography. Grey Gardens is SA's biggest competition but, it is true that the show is usually only excellent is Ebersole is there. I don't think a show that is carried by one person should win best musical. Spring Awakening has gotten the best reviews in a LONG time. GG got positive reviews but not as much praise as SA has gotten. I think Michael Mayer will get best director. Like I've said before, John Doyle is brilliant but he won last year and is basically just using the same concept for Company. I think this Spring Awakening will score big in the technical awards.

[Blue_Wind]

I almost forgot about the lighting! This show definitely deserves an award for that...my personal favorite is the red lighting during "Don't Do Sadness", how it just explodes with the music, I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it!