It's been a long time since one show has dominated the Tony Awards nominations and caused such a box office frenzy the way that Hamilton has done this year. I saw and wrote about the show during its initial run at the Public Theater [click here to link], but I've not seen it on Broadway, as I long ago sold my first-born child for a down-payment on a New York co-op and thus can't afford a ticket.
Anyone predicting the winners for 2016 probably does not need a crystal ball; just pick Hamilton in any category for which it received a nomination. Still, here are my predictions, and the nominees I would vote for if I were a Tony voter.
Best Play
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans
King Charles III
Prediction: The Humans
I would vote for: The Humans
Best Musical
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock
Shuffle Along
Waitress
Prediction: Hamilton
I would vote for: Hamilton
Best Revival of a Play
The Crucible
A View From The Bridge
Blackbird
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Noises Off
Prediction: A View From The Bridge
I would vote for: The Crucible
Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening
Prediction: The Color Purple
I would vote for: Spring Awakening
Best Book of a Musical
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock
Shuffle Along
Prediction: Hamilton
I would vote for: Hamilton
Best Original Score
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock
Waitress
Prediction: Hamilton
I would vote for: Hamilton
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role/Play
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, A View from the Bridge
Prediction: Frank Langella
I would vote for Tim Pigott-Smith
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role/Play
Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Laurie Metcalf, Misery
Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird
Prediction: Jessica Lange
I would vote for: Sophie Okonedo
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role/Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton
Prediction: Lin-Manuel Miranda
I would vote for: Alex Brightman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role/Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
Prediction: Cynthia Erivo
I would vote for: Cynthia Erivo
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role/Play
Reed Birney, The Humans
Bill Camp, The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Prediction: Michael Shannon
I would vote for: Reed Birney
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role/Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saigon Sengbloh, Eclipsed
Prediction: Jayne Houdyshell
I would vote for: Jayne Houdyshell
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role/Musical
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Johnathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton
Prediction: Daveed Diggs
I would vote for: Daveed Diggs
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role/Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jane Krakowski, She Love Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along
Prediction: Renée Elise Goldsberry
I would vote for: Renée Elise Goldsberry
Best Scenic Design/Play
Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans
Prediction: Jan Versweyveld
I would vote for: Christopher Oram
Best Scenic Design/Musical
Es Devlin and Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton
Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along
David Rockwell, She Loves Me
Prediction: David Korins
I would vote for: David Rockwell
Best Costume Design/Play
Jane Greenwood, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Michael Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Tom Scutt, King Charles III
Prediction: Tom Scutt
I would vote for: Clint Ramos
Best Costume Design/Musical
Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Prediction: Paul Tazewell
I would vote for: Paul Tazewell
Best Lighting Design/Play
Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge
Prediction: Justin Townsend
I would vote for: Justin Townsend
Best Lighting Design/Musical
Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho
Prediction: Justin Townsend
I would vote for Justin Townsend
Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo van Hove, A View from the Bridge
Prediction: Ivo van Hove
I would vote for: Joe Mantello
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamlton
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along
Prediction: Thomas Kail
I would vote for: Michael Arden
Best Choreography
Andy
Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the
Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet!
Prediction: Andy Blankenbuehler
I would vote for: Andy Blankenbuehler
Best Orchestrations
August
Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along
Prediction: Alex Lacamoire
I would vote for: Alex Lacamoire
* * *
Congratulations to these already-announced recipients of awards and honors in non-competitive categories:
For Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Sheldon Harnick
Marshall W. Mason
Special Tony Award
National Endowment for the Arts
Miles Wilkin
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Paper Mill Playhouse
Millburn, NJ
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Seth Gelblum
Joan Lader
Sally Ann Parsons
Feel free to share this blog with your friends, and to offer up your own theater stories by posting a comment. I also invite you to check out the new website Show-Score.Com, where you will find capsule reviews of current plays from Yours Truly and many other New York critics.
