That’s why we frequently argue right here for a brand new class that honors ensembles. And Actors’ Fairness, the nationwide union representing actors and stage managers, goes additional, with its annual award for Broadway choruses. Of the 23 musicals that opened this season, 21 are eligible; the winner will probably be notified on June 15 — pointedly, someday earlier than the Tonys.
Girls lead in directing.
Within the historical past of the awards, solely 10 ladies, starting in 1998, have gained prizes for steering. This 12 months that quantity appears prone to rise, with seven of the ten doable directing slots crammed by ladies. Anne Kauffman, Lila Neugebauer and Whitney White have been nominated for finest path of a play, and Maria Friedman, Leigh Silverman, Jessica Stone and Danya Taymor (the niece of Julie Taymor, the primary lady to win for path of a musical) are in competition for finest path of a musical.
To like, honor and ignore.
The Tony nominating committee stated “I do” to 2 pairs of actors enjoying married characters: Brian d’Arcy James and Kelli O’Hara as lovers undone by alcoholism in “Days of Wine and Roses,” and Maryann Plunkett and Dorian Harewood as an older couple grappling with dementia in “The Pocket book.” However the exhibits didn’t obtain the identical love. Neither was nominated for finest musical, although “Days of Wine and Roses” did choose up a nomination for rating and “The Pocket book” for e-book. Guess you’ll be able to’t at all times have your wedding ceremony cake, and eat it too.
A heat Willkommen to ‘Cabaret.’
Rebecca Frecknall’s crepuscular revival of Kander and Ebb’s “Cabaret” was celebrated when it opened on the West Finish in 2021, finally successful seven Olivier awards. However its Broadway switch acquired a extra muted response. (“Too typically a misguided try and resuscitate the present breaks its ribs,” The New York Occasions wrote.) So who cares? Not the Tony nominators, who acknowledged the present with a nomination for finest revival of a musical and gave nods to the actors — Eddie Redmayne, Gayle Rankin, Bebe Neuwirth and Steven Skybell — in all 4 classes.
No yellow brick highway for ‘The Wiz.’
The much-anticipated revival has been one in every of spring’s early hits, however Tony nominators adopted the lead of critics, not audiences, who didn’t have a lot good to say concerning the present’s look, script and performances. “The Wiz,” which earned seven Tony awards when it arrived on Broadway in 1975, didn’t get a single nod this time round.
