This year's predictions
I know I'm not here often, but here is my annual Ton Awards predictions.
Bold means I predict it will win.
Italics means I want it to win.
BEST MUSICAL
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Mary Poppins
Spring Awakening
BEST PLAY
Frost/Nixon
The Coast of Utopia
The Little Dog Laughed
Radio Golf
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Inherit the Wind
Journey's End
Talk Radio
Translations
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
110 in the Shade
A Chorus Line
Company
The Apple Tree
Sweeney didn't get it last year and deserved it, so I think they're going to give it to Company, which isn't as good as Sweeney is. And 110 in the Shade is such a beautiful production. I didn't see Apple Tree, but that's closed so it doesn't stand a chance.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Boyd Gaines, Journey's End
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Brian F. O'Byrne, The Coast of Utopia
Christopher Plummer, Inherit the Wind
Liev Schreiber, Talk Radio
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Eve Best, A Moon for the Misbegotten
Swoosie Kurtz, Heartbreak House
Angela Lansbury, Deuce
Vanessa Redgrave, The Year of Magical Thinking
Julie White, The Little Dog Laughed
Difficult one... will Angie get her fifth, or will it go to Eve Best, who's supposed to be amazing. Then again the incomparable Vanessa Redgrave is doing a one-woman show... so difficult. Of course, I haven't seen any of them yet, which makes it harder to predict.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Cerveris, LoveMusik
Raúl Esparza, Company
Jonathan Groff, Spring Awakening
Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins
David Hyde Pierce, Curtains
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Bell Bundy, Legally Blonde
Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens
Audra McDonald, 110 in the Shade
Debra Monk, Curtains
Donna Murphy, LoveMusik
Some people say Audra is giving her a run for her money. I love Audra to death, but Christine is giving a transcendent performance.
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Rupert Holmes and Peter Stone, Curtains
Doug Wright, Grey Gardens
Heather Hach, Legally Blonde
Steven Sater, Spring Awakening
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATER
Music: John Kander, Lyrics: Fred Ebb, John Kander and Rupert Holmes, Curtains
Music: Scott Frankel, Lyrics: Michael Korie, Grey Gardens
Music & Lyrics: Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, Legally Blonde
Music: Duncan Sheik, Lyrics: Steven Sater, Spring Awakening
It's not that I don't want Spring Awakening to win it. Actually, I'm not sure who I want to win it. The only one I haven't seen is Legally Blonde, but the other three have pretty fantastic scores.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anthony Chisholm, Radio Golf
Billy Crudup, The Coast of Utopia
Ethan Hawke, The Coast of Utopia
John Earl Jelks, Radio Golf
Stark Sands, Journey's End
No clue.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jennifer Ehle, The Coast of Utopia
Xanthe Elbrick, Coram Boy
Dana Ivey, Butley
Jan Maxwell, Coram Boy
Martha Plimpton, The Coast of Utopia
Ditto.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Brooks Ashmanskas, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
Christian Borle, Legally Blonde
John Cullum, 110 in the Shade
John Gallagher, Jr., Spring Awakening
David Pittu, LoveMusik
Johnathan Groff won't win for best lead actor; he's too young. But here's the perfect category to give to a Spring Awakening kid. I think he'll take it. I'm surprised Leah Michele wasn't nominated for lead actress after the Tony committer made such a point of the fact that she was eligible.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Charlotte d'Amboise, A Chorus Line
Rebecca Luker, Mary Poppins
Orfeh, Legally Blonde
Mary Louise Wilson, Grey Gardens
Karen Ziemba, Curtains
I will be very happy if either of these women win. It would be nice to see Charlotte get a Tony, but I don't think this is the role.
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Michael Grandage, Frost/Nixon
David Grindley, Journey's End
Jack O'Brien, The Coast of Utopia
Melly Still, Coram Boy
I've heard that Coram Boy is more than a theatrical event, it's like a perfect blend of film techniques used with live theatre. I need to see it, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
John Doyle, Company
Scott Ellis, Curtains
Michael Greif, Grey Gardens
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
We gave John Doyle his Tony already, and Spring Awakening is just so innovative in every way. I have a feeling they might lean toward John Doyle, because no one thought lightning would strike twice, but really... no, Mayer deserves it.
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Rob Ashford, Company
Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, Mary Poppins
Bill T. Jones, Spring Awakening
Jerry Mitchell, Legally Blonde
OK, I have no clue, but let's theorize for a moment. Jerry Mitchell has won for choreography before, and now he's directing his first show, and was not nominated as director. Do we think maybe he'll get a sympathy nod for choreography or will it go to someone else. I like the kinetic energy of Spring Awakening, but didn't love it choreographically speaking. Company had choreography? Really? Haven't seen Mary Poppins, but I have a feeling it might go there, because, really, what else does it have going for it?
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Bruce Coughlin, Grey Gardens
Duncan Sheik, Spring Awakening
Jonathan Tunick, LoveMusik
Jonathan Tunick, 110 in the Shade
I can't even begin to guess, but GG needs to take it. Spring Awakening's orchs are lovely, truly lovely, but not as pastiche evocative and simultaneously contemporary as GG. And Jonathan Tunick has enough awards already.
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
Bob Crowley and Scott Pask, The Coast of Utopia
Jonathan Fensom, Journey's End
David Gallo, Radio Golf
Ti Green and Melly Still, Coram Boy
Again, haven't seen it, but have heard highest praise of every aspect of the production.
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Bob Crowley, Mary Poppins
Christine Jones, Spring Awakening
Anna Louizos, High Fidelity
Allen Moyer, Grey Gardens
I heard that set design was the only thing High Fidelity had going for it. But Spring Awakening's set is amazing. Grey Gardens has a lovely set, very creepy and innovative for Act II, but I think it'll go to SA. It sets the mood from the moment you walk in the theatre.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Ti Green and Melly Still, Coram Boy
Jane Greenwood, Heartbreak House
Santo Loquasto, Inherit the Wind
Catherine Zuber, The Coast of Utopia
Couldn't tell ya
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Gregg Barnes, Legally Blonde
Bob Crowley, Mary Poppins
Susan Hilferty, Spring Awakening
William Ivey Long, Grey Gardens
First off, he's William Ivey Long, and he's costume design genius. Secondly, if you're familiar with Little Edie Beale, you know how important costuming is, and he does a terrific job of recreating her without merely mimicking the documentary. For that alone he deserves the award.
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Paul Constable, Coram Boy
Brian MacDevitt, Inherit the Wind
Brian MacDevitt, Kenneth Posner and Natasha Katz, The Coast of Utopia
Jason Taylor, Journey's End
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Kevin Adams, Spring Awakening
Christopher Akerlind, 110 in the Shade
Howard Harrison, Mary Poppins
Peter Kaczorowski, Grey Gardens
BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT
Kiki and Herb: Alive on Broadway
Jay Johnson: The Two and Only!
Kiki and Herb looked like a gay romp in bad-taste land. Stick to dives, guys.
Bold means I predict it will win.
Italics means I want it to win.
BEST MUSICAL
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Mary Poppins
Spring Awakening
BEST PLAY
Frost/Nixon
The Coast of Utopia
The Little Dog Laughed
Radio Golf
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Inherit the Wind
Journey's End
Talk Radio
Translations
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
110 in the Shade
A Chorus Line
Company
The Apple Tree
Sweeney didn't get it last year and deserved it, so I think they're going to give it to Company, which isn't as good as Sweeney is. And 110 in the Shade is such a beautiful production. I didn't see Apple Tree, but that's closed so it doesn't stand a chance.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Boyd Gaines, Journey's End
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Brian F. O'Byrne, The Coast of Utopia
Christopher Plummer, Inherit the Wind
Liev Schreiber, Talk Radio
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Eve Best, A Moon for the Misbegotten
Swoosie Kurtz, Heartbreak House
Angela Lansbury, Deuce
Vanessa Redgrave, The Year of Magical Thinking
Julie White, The Little Dog Laughed
Difficult one... will Angie get her fifth, or will it go to Eve Best, who's supposed to be amazing. Then again the incomparable Vanessa Redgrave is doing a one-woman show... so difficult. Of course, I haven't seen any of them yet, which makes it harder to predict.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Cerveris, LoveMusik
Raúl Esparza, Company
Jonathan Groff, Spring Awakening
Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins
David Hyde Pierce, Curtains
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Bell Bundy, Legally Blonde
Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens
Audra McDonald, 110 in the Shade
Debra Monk, Curtains
Donna Murphy, LoveMusik
Some people say Audra is giving her a run for her money. I love Audra to death, but Christine is giving a transcendent performance.
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Rupert Holmes and Peter Stone, Curtains
Doug Wright, Grey Gardens
Heather Hach, Legally Blonde
Steven Sater, Spring Awakening
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATER
Music: John Kander, Lyrics: Fred Ebb, John Kander and Rupert Holmes, Curtains
Music: Scott Frankel, Lyrics: Michael Korie, Grey Gardens
Music & Lyrics: Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, Legally Blonde
Music: Duncan Sheik, Lyrics: Steven Sater, Spring Awakening
It's not that I don't want Spring Awakening to win it. Actually, I'm not sure who I want to win it. The only one I haven't seen is Legally Blonde, but the other three have pretty fantastic scores.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anthony Chisholm, Radio Golf
Billy Crudup, The Coast of Utopia
Ethan Hawke, The Coast of Utopia
John Earl Jelks, Radio Golf
Stark Sands, Journey's End
No clue.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jennifer Ehle, The Coast of Utopia
Xanthe Elbrick, Coram Boy
Dana Ivey, Butley
Jan Maxwell, Coram Boy
Martha Plimpton, The Coast of Utopia
Ditto.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Brooks Ashmanskas, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
Christian Borle, Legally Blonde
John Cullum, 110 in the Shade
John Gallagher, Jr., Spring Awakening
David Pittu, LoveMusik
Johnathan Groff won't win for best lead actor; he's too young. But here's the perfect category to give to a Spring Awakening kid. I think he'll take it. I'm surprised Leah Michele wasn't nominated for lead actress after the Tony committer made such a point of the fact that she was eligible.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Charlotte d'Amboise, A Chorus Line
Rebecca Luker, Mary Poppins
Orfeh, Legally Blonde
Mary Louise Wilson, Grey Gardens
Karen Ziemba, Curtains
I will be very happy if either of these women win. It would be nice to see Charlotte get a Tony, but I don't think this is the role.
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Michael Grandage, Frost/Nixon
David Grindley, Journey's End
Jack O'Brien, The Coast of Utopia
Melly Still, Coram Boy
I've heard that Coram Boy is more than a theatrical event, it's like a perfect blend of film techniques used with live theatre. I need to see it, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
John Doyle, Company
Scott Ellis, Curtains
Michael Greif, Grey Gardens
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
We gave John Doyle his Tony already, and Spring Awakening is just so innovative in every way. I have a feeling they might lean toward John Doyle, because no one thought lightning would strike twice, but really... no, Mayer deserves it.
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Rob Ashford, Company
Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, Mary Poppins
Bill T. Jones, Spring Awakening
Jerry Mitchell, Legally Blonde
OK, I have no clue, but let's theorize for a moment. Jerry Mitchell has won for choreography before, and now he's directing his first show, and was not nominated as director. Do we think maybe he'll get a sympathy nod for choreography or will it go to someone else. I like the kinetic energy of Spring Awakening, but didn't love it choreographically speaking. Company had choreography? Really? Haven't seen Mary Poppins, but I have a feeling it might go there, because, really, what else does it have going for it?
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Bruce Coughlin, Grey Gardens
Duncan Sheik, Spring Awakening
Jonathan Tunick, LoveMusik
Jonathan Tunick, 110 in the Shade
I can't even begin to guess, but GG needs to take it. Spring Awakening's orchs are lovely, truly lovely, but not as pastiche evocative and simultaneously contemporary as GG. And Jonathan Tunick has enough awards already.
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
Bob Crowley and Scott Pask, The Coast of Utopia
Jonathan Fensom, Journey's End
David Gallo, Radio Golf
Ti Green and Melly Still, Coram Boy
Again, haven't seen it, but have heard highest praise of every aspect of the production.
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Bob Crowley, Mary Poppins
Christine Jones, Spring Awakening
Anna Louizos, High Fidelity
Allen Moyer, Grey Gardens
I heard that set design was the only thing High Fidelity had going for it. But Spring Awakening's set is amazing. Grey Gardens has a lovely set, very creepy and innovative for Act II, but I think it'll go to SA. It sets the mood from the moment you walk in the theatre.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Ti Green and Melly Still, Coram Boy
Jane Greenwood, Heartbreak House
Santo Loquasto, Inherit the Wind
Catherine Zuber, The Coast of Utopia
Couldn't tell ya
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Gregg Barnes, Legally Blonde
Bob Crowley, Mary Poppins
Susan Hilferty, Spring Awakening
William Ivey Long, Grey Gardens
First off, he's William Ivey Long, and he's costume design genius. Secondly, if you're familiar with Little Edie Beale, you know how important costuming is, and he does a terrific job of recreating her without merely mimicking the documentary. For that alone he deserves the award.
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Paul Constable, Coram Boy
Brian MacDevitt, Inherit the Wind
Brian MacDevitt, Kenneth Posner and Natasha Katz, The Coast of Utopia
Jason Taylor, Journey's End
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Kevin Adams, Spring Awakening
Christopher Akerlind, 110 in the Shade
Howard Harrison, Mary Poppins
Peter Kaczorowski, Grey Gardens
BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT
Kiki and Herb: Alive on Broadway
Jay Johnson: The Two and Only!
Kiki and Herb looked like a gay romp in bad-taste land. Stick to dives, guys.