PREDICTING THE TONYS - 2017

The 2017 Tony Awards will be broadcast live on CBS on June 11, with actor Kevin Spacey doing the honors as host.  

Actor Kevin Spacey to host 2017 Tony Awards

Spacey is best known for his movie roles in such fare as "American Beauty" and "The Usual Suspects," not to mention his portrayal of President Frank Underwood in Netflix's popular "House of Cards." But I am thinking he will be a good host. He has stage presence, confidence, and charm, and he certainly has earned his Broadway theater chops. 

His resumé includes Henrik Ibsen's GHOSTS (1982), with Liv Ullmann; David Rabe's HURLYBURLY (1984); Eugene O'Neill's LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (1986); Neil Simon's LOST IN YONKERS (1991), in which he won a Featured Actor Tony; O'Neill's THE ICEMAN COMETH (1991); and yet another O'Neill play, A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN (2007).  And while it's not Broadway, he is scheduled to appear for two days in the week following the Tony Awards in a one-man show about famed attorney Clarence Darrow (at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, home of the U. S. Tennis Open!)

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In any event, it's time for me to commit to my Tony predictions. 

Even though I see something like 200 shows a year, and review about 2/3 of them for this blog and elsewhere, predicting the Tonys is not all that easy. 

Many of the voters (and I'm not a Tony voter) are concerned with the financial side of the business, long Broadway runs or the possibility of future productions at venues across the country and outside of the U. S.  So it is important to weigh these factors along with overall quality.  

First, let's look at the musicals.

BEST NEW MUSICAL  

Some shows, like The Great Comet of 1812 (my favorite, by the way) are loaded with amazing production values, so much so that it's hard to envision a stripped down version making the rounds. Its continued success may very well be dependent on its staying put in New York and pulling in Broadway audiences. A Best Musical Tony would certainly help. My thinking, however, is that the Tony will go to one of two popular, smaller shows:  Dear Evan Hansen, and Come From Away.

My Prediction:  Come From Away, the feel-good show of the year, in a year when we want very much to feel good


BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

My Prediction:  Come From Away, for the same reason


BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

My Prediction:  Gotta be Hello, Dolly!


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE 

My Prediction:  My favorite, The Great Comet of 1812


BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

My Prediction: Gotta be Bette Midler for her star turn in Hello, Dolly!


BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

My Prediction:  Ben Platt will take it for Dear Evan Hansen


BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

My personal favorite is Stephanie J. Block in Falsettos, but ...

My Prediction:  Jenn Colella, Come From Away


BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!) is looking good, but ...

My Prediction (and my favorite):  Lucas Steele, Great Comet of 1812 


BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL

Jerry Zaks just might take it for Hello, Dolly! but I'm going with my favorite and ...

My Prediction: Rachel Chavkin, Great Comet of 1812

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Tight race here between Bandstand, Groundhog Day, and The Great Comet of 1812, but I'm going with my favorite, the very original choreography ...

My Prediction: Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand

Best Orchestrations:

My Prediction:  The great arrangements by Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen for the jazz/swing inspired Bandstand


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And now the plays.


BEST NEW PLAY

Four excellent shows in close competition. My personal favorite is Indecent, but I don't think it will win. And while A Doll's House, Part 2 is garnering much well-deserved praise, and Sweat won the Pulitzer Prize this year ...

My Prediction: Oslo


BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

Four good options here, but generally comedies don't make it to the top. That eliminates Present Laughter and the quirky Six Degrees of Separation, and makes it a battle between Jitney and The Little Foxes  

My Prediction:  The Little Foxes

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Good competition here, but I'll go with ... 

My Prediction: Laura Linney, The Little Foxes


BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY

Although I said comedies don't often carry the day ... 

My Prediction:  Kevin Kline in Present Laughter

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Hmm.  Two from Sweat, and two from A Doll's House, Part 2.  I'm going to have to go with the singleton here and ...

My Prediction:  Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes


BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Yet another strong category, but because he turned a featured role into a such an audience-pleaser while keeping it character-driven ... 

My Prediction: Danny DeVito, The Price


BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

My favorite is Rebecca Tachman's very original and creative work on Indecent, but because he gave great clarity to the play and brought out such strong performances from his cast ...

My Prediction:  Daniel Sullivan, The Little Foxes

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Note:  I discuss and predict the design elements in a separate entry (sets, costumes, and lighting).  Link here (Here)

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