Showing posts with label 2011 Tony Predictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011 Tony Predictions. Show all posts

Friday, June 10, 2011

Tony Awards Drinking Game

The editors at Broadway.com have come up with what is possibly the funniest drinking game I have ever heard of. Here it is in all it's glory. Just remember ... drink responsibly!


Non-Broadway-Related Jokes
• Take a sip if someone mentions Alec Baldwin running for mayor.
• Drink if you hear the name Anthony Weiner.
• Chug if anyone alludes to tweeting their junk.

Camera Angles
• Gratuitous shot of How to Succeed star Daniel Radcliffe? Drink!
• If one half of a couple is on stage and the audience reaction shot is the other crying, chug! (Couples include but are not restricted to Laura Benanti and Steven Pasquale, Sutton Foster and Bobby Cannavale, Norbert Leo Butz and Michelle Federer, Trey Parker and Matt Stone—not a couple but valid for our purposes.)
• Did someone just look fake-shocked at those raunchy Book of Mormon jokes? Bottoms up!

Good Sports
• Take a shot if you see any of these non-nominees smiling like they are “just happy to celebrate Broadway”: Aaron Tveit, Daniel Radcliffe, Ben Stiller, John Leguizamo or Robin Williams.
• Chug if The Motherf**ker With the Hat’s Chris Rock starts trending on Twitter.

Insider Dish
• Did someone ask who the hell Kim Kardashian is? Drink! Was it Edie Falco asking? Drink again!
• Is Jerusalem star Mark Rylance spouting poetry? Chug!
• Did someone just say the word "Zarkana"? Pour yourself another glass!

• Obvious Jokes
• Is that Neil Patrick Harris in a dress a la Priscilla… or (eek!) The Importance of Being Earnest? Time for a shot!
• If you hear jokes about any of the following: boy wizards, tiger blood, sister wives, the word motherf**ker or Spider-Man, you know what to do: drink and rise above!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Second Tony Predictions

Best Play -- War Horse or Good People

Best Musical -- Book of Mormon

Book of a Musical -- The Book of Mormon

Score -- Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown or The Book of Mormon

Revival of a Play -- The Normal Heart

Revival of a Musical -- Anything Goes

Lead Actor in a Play -- Mark Rylance for Jerusalem

Lead Actress in a Play -- Frances McDormand for Good People

Lead Actor in a Musical -- Norbert Leo Butz for Catch Me if You Can

Lead Actress in a Musical -- Sutton Foster for Anything Goes

Featured Actor in a Play -- Yul Vazquez for The Motherfucker With the Hat

Featured Actress in a Play -- Judith Light for Lombardi

Featured Actor in a Musical -- Coleman Domingo for The Scottsboro Boys

Featured Actress in a Musical -- Nikki James for The Book of Mormon

Scenic Design of a Play -- War Horse

Scenic Design of a Musical -- The Book of Mormon

Costume Design of a Play -- Born Yesterday

Costume Design of a Musical -- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Lighting Design of a Play -- War Horse

Lighting Design of a Musical -- The Book of Mormon

Sound Design of a Play -- Brief Encounter

Sound Design of a Musical -- The Book of Mormon

Director of a Play -- Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe for The Normal Heart

Director of a Musical -- Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker for The Book of Mormon

Choreography -- Casey Nicholaw for The Book of Mormon

Orchestrations -- The Book of Mormon

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

2011 Audience Awards

Every year, Broadway.com has its readers nominate and vote on what they call Audience Choice Awards. These nominees and winners for these awards are selected by the general, theater-going public and can give insight as to how non-critics' opinions are trending about the current awards season. Last week, the winners of the 2011 awards were announced, and they are:

Favorite Musical
Sister Act

Favorite Play
War Horse

Favorite Musical Revival
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Favorite Play Revival
Driving Miss Daisy

Favorite Long-Running Show
Wicked

Favorite Tour
Wicked

Favorite Actor in a Musical
Daniel Radcliffe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Favorite Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes

Favorite Actor in a Play
Robin Williams, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Favorite Actress in a Play
Judith Light, Lombardi

Favorite Diva Performance
Nick Adams, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Favorite Funny Performance
John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Favorite Onstage Pair
John Larroquette & Daniel Radcliffe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Favorite Breakthrough Performance
Nick Adams, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Favorite Replacement
Billie Joe Armstrong, American Idiot

Favorite Song
“I Believe” from The Book of Mormon

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Tony Snubs

Every year, the Tony Awards Committee comes up with a list of nominees in roughly 24 categories (the actual number fluctuates from year to year as new categories are introduced and others are dropped). Inevitably, some Tony hopefuls don't end up getting nominated, seemingly defying the odds. This year, a number of star turns were snubbed, and I've listed those below. If there are any more that I have missed or that you'd like to discuss, leave me comments!

Aaron Tveit, Best Actor, Catch Me if You Can

Benjamin Walker, Best Actor, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

Daniel Radcliffe, Best Actor, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Robin Williams, Best Featured Actor, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

James Earl Jones, Driving Miss Daisy

Sherie Renee Scott, Best Actress, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Janet Dacal, Best Actress, Wonderland: A New Alice

Joel Grey, Best Featured Actor, Anything Goes

Kerry Butler, Best Featured Actress, Catch Me if You Can

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Special Tony Award Winners Announced

The winners of the Special Tony Awards for 2011 have been announced. The 2011 Special Tony for lifetime achievement in the theater will go to Athol Fugard, the South African playwright, director, and actor, and to Philip J. Smith, Chairman of the Shubert Organization. In addition, playwright and activist Eve Ensler (author/creator of The Good Body and The Vagina Monologues) is receiving the Isabel Stevenson Award, which was created to recognize "an individual from the theater community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service, or charitable organizations, regardless of whether such organizations relate to the theater." (playbill.com)

Fugard is probably best known for his plays Master Harold ... and the boys and Exits and Entrances. His plays bring forth the struggles of appartheid and are a record of the South African experience, which have helped the fight against racism.

Smith has been involved with the Shubert organization in various functions for 50 years, including box office treasurer, president (1996-2008) and now chairman.

Ensler, author and creator of The Vagina Monologues, is being honored for her creation and management of V-Day, a global organization working to prevent violence against women and girls.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Fourth Nomination Predictions

After a number of changes to the 2010-2011 season, including the addition of a number of new productions and the departure of a major comic book contender which needs not be named, I have updated my predictions for this year's Tony nominations. The official nominations will be released on May 3rd, so I will probably update my predictions two or three more times before that date.


Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Book of Mormon
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Sister Act
NO CHANCE:
Elf
The People in the Picture
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Book
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
The Book of Mormon
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
NO CHANCE:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
The People in the Picture

Score
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
The Scottsboro Boys
Wonderland
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Sister Act

Play
A Free Man of Color
War Horse
Good People
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Jerusalem
Lombardi
Brief Encounter
NO CHANCE:
Elling
The Pitmen Painters

Musical Revival
Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Play Revival
Merchant of Venice
La Bete
Arcadia
The Importance of Being Ernest
OUTSIDE SHOT:
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy
NO CHANCE:
Mrs. Warren’s Profession
A Life in the Theatre

Actor in a Play
Mark Rylance, La Bete
David Hyde Pierce, La Bete
Al Pacino, Merchant of Venice
Jeffrey Wright, A Free Man of Color
Dan Lauria, Lombardi
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem
James Earl Jones, Driving Miss Daisy
Tristan Sturrock, Brief Encounter
Dennis O'Hare, Elling

Actress in a Play
Lily Rabe, Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Cherry Jones, Mrs. Warren's Profession
Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter
Frances McDormand, Good People
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves

Featured Actor in a Play
Mos Def, A Free Man of Color
Damon Daunno, Brief Encounter
John McMartin, A Free Man of Color
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Ernest
David Harbour, Merchant of Venice
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Paul Dano, A Free Man of Color
Byron Jennings, Merchant of Venice
Tate Donovan, Good People
Richard Easton, Elling

Featured Actress in a Play
Judith Light, Lombardi
Joanna Lumley, La Bete
Dana Ivey, The Importance of Being Earnest
Estelle Parsons, Good People
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Good People
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Dorothy Atkinson, Brief Encounter
Sarah Topham, The Importance of Being Earnest
Nicole Behari, A Free Man of Color
Christina Ricci, Time Stands Still
NO CHANCE:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The House of Blue Leaves
Veanne Cox, A Free Man of Color
Jennifer Coolidge, Elling

Actor in a Musical
Benjamin Walker, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Will Swenson, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Aaron Tveit, Catch Me if You Can
Daniel Radcliffe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Colin Donnell, Anything Goes

Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Sherie Rene Scott, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Janet Dacal, Alice: A New Wonderland
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Rose Hemingway, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Beth Leavel, Baby, It’s You!

Featured Actor in a Musical
Coleman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Rory O’Malley, The Book of Mormon
Joel Grey, Anything Goes
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Jeff Hiller, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
John Cullum, The Scottsboro Boys

Featured Actress in a Musical
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Kristine Nielsen, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Karen Mason, Alice: A New Wonderland
Beth Leavel, Elf

Director of a Play
Matthew Warchus, La Bete
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest
Daniel Sullivan, Merchant of Venice
George C. Wolfe, A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Emma Rice, Brief Encounter
David Leveaux, Arcadia

Director of a Musical
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Jack O'Brien, Catch Me if You Can
Jerry Zaks, Sister Act
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Simon Phillips, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
NO CHANCE:
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Set Design of a Play
La Bete
Merchant of Venice
War Horse
The Pitmen Painters
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
The House of Blue Leaves
NO CHANCE:
Driving Miss Daisy
Arcadia

Costume Design of a Play
Lombardi
Free Man of Color
War Horse
La Bete
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Merchant of Venice
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Arcadia
Mrs Warren’s Profession
NO CHANCE:
House of Blue Leaves

Lighting Design of a Play
La Bete
War Horse
Merchant of Venice
A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
Arcadia
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy

Sound Design of a Play
La Bete
A Free Man of Color
Merchant of Venice
Brief Encounter
OUTSIDE SHOT:
War Horse
Arcadia
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
The House of Blue Leaves
The Pitmen Painters

Set Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Woderland: A New Alice
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Sister Act
NO CHANCE:
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes

Costume Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Catch Me If You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Wonderland: A New Alice

Lighting Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Catch Me if You Can
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Wonderland: A New Alice
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act

Sound Design of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Alice: A New Wonderland
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Choreography
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Jerry Mitchell, Catch Me if You Can
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Danny Mefford, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Ross Coleman, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Anthony Van Laast, Sister Act

Orchestrations
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Brief Encounter
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Wonderland: A New Alice
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Friday, March 4, 2011

Interview Preparation

Dearest Readers ~

    I have some exciting news to report.  Tony Sheldon, star of the upcoming Broadway production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, has just called and agreed to grant me an interview.  I will be getting back in touch with him on Wednesday late morning to conduct the interview but, in the mean time, I would love to hear from you, my readers, to see if there are particular questions you'd like me to ask him.  I can't guarantee that I ask every question you post, but I will do my best!

Thanks in advance,

Sam

Monday, January 17, 2011

Second Nomination Predictions

I know it seems a bit early to be posting a second set of predictions so close on the heels of my first set (only about a month apart) but I have really done some digging into the spring season to make sure I'm covering every show that's planning to open -- and boy are there a lot of them.  A whole bunch of shows have been announced in the last month, with details of previously announced shows becoming increasingly available over the past few weeks.  So, without further ado, here are my updated picks for the 2011 Tony Awards.


Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Catch Me if You Can
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Elf
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
The People in the Picture
Sister Act
NO CHANCE:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Book of Mormon

Book
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
The Book of Mormon
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
NO CHANCE:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
The People in the Picture

Score
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Wonderland
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Sister Act

Play
A Free Man of Color
War Horse
Brief Encounter
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Lombardi
Jerusalem
Fat Pig
The Pitmen Painters
NO CHANCE:
Elling
Good People

Musical Revival
Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Play Revival
Merchant of Venice
La Bete
Arcadia
The Importance of Being Ernest
OUTSIDE SHOT:
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy
NO CHANCE:
Mrs. Warren’s Profession
A Life in the Theatre


Actor in a Play
Mark Rylance, La Bete
David Hyde Pierce, La Bete
Al Pacino, Merchant of Venice
Jeffrey Wright, A Free Man of Color
James Earl Jones, Driving Miss Daisy
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Ernest
Dan Lauria, Lombardi
Tristan Sturrock, Brief Encounter
Dennis O'Hare, Elling
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem

Actress in a Play
Lily Rabe, Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Cherry Jones, Mrs. Warren's Profession
Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves

Featured Actor in a Play
David Harbour, Merchant of Venice
Mos Def, A Free Man of Color
Damon Daunno, Brief Encounter
John McMartin, A Free Man of Color
Richard Easton, Elling
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Byron Jennings, Merchant of Venice
Paul Dano, A Free Man of Color

Featured Actress in a Play
Judith Light, Lombardi
Joanna Lumley, La Bete
Dana Ivey, The Importance of Being Earnest
Jennifer Coolidge, Elling
Sarah Topham, The Importance of Being Earnest
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The House of Blue Leaves
Dorothy Atkinson, Brief Encounter
Christina Ricci, Time Stands Still
Veanne Cox, A Free Man of Color
Nicole Behari, A Free Man of Color

Actor in a Musical
Benjamin Walker, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Will Swenson, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Aaron Tveit, Catch Me if You Can
Daniel Radcliffe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Colin Donnell, Anything Goes

Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Sherie Rene Scott, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Jennifer Damiano, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Janet Dacal, Alice: A New Wonderland
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture
Rose Hemingway, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Featured Actor in a Musical
Coleman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Jeff Hiller, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joel Grey, Anything Goes
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Patrick Page, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
John Cullum, The Scottsboro Boys

Featured Actress in a Musical
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Kristine Nielsen, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Karen Mason, Alice: A New Wonderland
Beth Leavel, Elf
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Isabel Keating, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
T. V. Carpio, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

Director of a Play
Matthew Warchus, La Bete
Emma Rice, Brief Encounter
Daniel Sullivan, Merchant of Venice
George C. Wolfe, A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
David Leveaux, Arcadia
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest

Director of a Musical
Julie Taymor, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Jack O'Brien, Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Jerry Zaks, Sister Act
Simon Phillips, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
NO CHANCE:
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes

Set Design of a Play
La Bete
Merchant of Venice
War Horse
Arcadia
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
The House of Blue Leaves
The Pitmen Painters
NO CHANCE:
Driving Miss Daisy

Costume Design of a Play
Lombardi
Free Man of Color
Merchant of Venice
La Bete
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
War Horse
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Arcadia
Mrs Warren’s Profession
NO CHANCE:
House of Blue Leaves

Lighting Design of a Play
La Bete
War Horse
Merchant of Venice
A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
Arcadia
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy

Sound Design of a Play
La Bete
A Free Man of Color
Merchant of Venice
Arcadia
OUTSIDE SHOT:
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
The House of Blue Leaves
The Pitmen Painters
Brief Encounter

Set Design of a Musical
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
The Scottsboro Boys
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Woderland: A New Alice
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Catch Me if You Can
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Sister act
NO CHANCE:
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes

Costume Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Catch Me If You Can
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Wonderland: A New Alice

Lighting Design of a Musical
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Catch Me if You Can
Wonderland: A New Alice
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act

Sound Design of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark
The Scottsboro Boys
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Choreography
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Danny Mefford, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Jerry Mitchell, Catch Me if You Can
Ross Coleman, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Outside Shots:
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anthony Van Laast, Sister Act

Orchestrations
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Brief Encounter
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Wonderland: A New Alice
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown