Hard to believe it's that time of year again. Next week, the most important awards ceremony of the year will be broadcast once again.
"Umm, wait. You're wrong. The MTV Movie Awards are tonight, not next week."
...OK, get the hell off my blog! In fact, anyone out there reading this that considers the MTV Movie Awards to be important or meaningful, leave this page and never return.
Now that we've taken care of that, we can move on. I am of course talking about the 2010 Tony Awards. For those who might not know, the Tony Awards are presented annually to the best that Broadway theatre has to offer. And being the theatre devotee that I am, I'm going to run down the nominees and give my picks for who I think should win.
But first, I'll be perfectly honest with you. Much like last year, I haven't seen any of the nominated shows and for most of them, I know little to nothing about them.
"What?!? What kind of a theatre devotee are you then?"
A poor one who doesn't have the time or money to travel to New York and see these shows. And I thought I told you to leave!
Anyway, I've decided to consult Wikipedia to learn about the shows I'm unfamiliar with. Based on my readings, I'll choose which nominee the award should go to. Everybody OK with that? Than we shall begin.
Best Play
In the Next Room or the vibrator play
Author: Sarah Ruhl
Next Fall
Author: Geoffrey Nauffts
Red
Author: John Logan
Time Stands Still
Author: Donald Margulies
And the Tony should go to: In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play). Because let's be honest, how can you not love a name like that?
Best Musical
American Idiot
Fela!
Memphis
Million Dollar Quartet
And the Tony should go to: American Idiot. It's about damn time another great rock concept album was fleshed out into a full-scale Broadway musical. I still think that The Who's Quadrophenia needs to go this route.
Best Book of a Musical
Everyday Rapture
Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott
Fela!
Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones
Memphis
Joe DiPietro
Million Dollar Quartet
Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
And the Tony should go to: Memphis. Truth be told, the plots of these musicals don't really hold my interest very much. Though out of all of them, I think Memphis sounded the least dull.
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Addams Family
Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Enron
Music: Adam Cork
Lyrics: Lucy Prebble
Fences
Music: Branford Marsalis
Memphis
Music: David Bryan
Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan
And the Tony should go to: The Addams Family.
Best Revival of a Play
Fences
Lend Me a Tenor
The Royal Family
A View from the Bridge
And the Tony should go to: Lend Me a Tenor. Sounds like a very entertaining play from reading the synopsis. I love a good farce.
Best Revival of a Musical
Finian's Rainbow
La Cage aux Folles
A Little Night Music
Ragtime
And the Tony should go to: La Cage aux Folles.
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jude Law, Hamlet
Alfred Molina, Red
Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge
Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane
Denzel Washington, Fences
And the Tony should go to: Christopher Walken, A Beheanding in Spokane. Why? Hello, it's Christopher Freakin' Walken!
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Viola Davis, Fences
Valerie Harper, Looped
Linda Lavin, Collected Stories
Laura Linney, Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family
And the Tony should go to: Laura Linney, Time Stands Still
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles
Sean Hayes, Promises, Promises
Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles
Chad Kimball, Memphis
Sahr Ngaujah, Fela!
And the Tony should go to: Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow
Montego Glover, Memphis
Christiane Noll, Ragtime
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music
And the Tony should go to: Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
David Alan Grier, Race
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Fences
Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts
Stephen Kunken, Enron
Eddie Redmayne, Red
And the Tony should go to: David Alan Grier, Race
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Maria Dizzia, In the Next Room or the vibrator play
Rosemary Harris, The Royal Family
Jessica Hecht, A View from the Bridge
Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge
Jan Maxwell, Lend Me a Tenor
And the Tony should go to: Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesús, La Cage aux Folles
Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow
Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime
And the Tony should go to: Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Barbara Cook, Sondheim on Sondheim
Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
Karine Plantadit, Come Fly Away
Lillias White, Fela!
And the Tony should go to: Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
What follows now is a list of the artistic and design Tonys. Since it would be hard for me to pick a winner without having been able to see or hear all the nominees, I abstain from making any choices in the following categories.
Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty, The Royal Family
Alexander Dodge, Present Laughter
Santo Loquasto, Fences
Christopher Oram, Red
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici, Fela!
Christine Jones, American Idiot
Derek McLane, Ragtime
Tim Shortall, La Cage aux Folles
Best Costume Design of a Play
Martin Pakledinaz, Lend Me a Tenor
Constanza Romero, Fences
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play
Catherine Zuber, The Royal Family
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici, Fela!
Paul Tazewell, Memphis
Matthew Wright, La Cage aux Folles
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, Hamlet
Neil Austin, Red
Mark Henderson, Enron
Brian MacDevitt, Fences
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, American Idiot
Donald Holder, Ragtime
Nick Richings, La Cage aux Folles
Robert Wierzel, Fela!
Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners, Fences
Adam Cork, Enron
Adam Cork, Red
Scott Lehrer, A View from the Bridge
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, La Cage aux Folles
Robert Kaplowitz, Fela!
Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen, A Little Night Music
Dan Moses Schreier, Sondheim on Sondheim
Best Direction of a Play
Michael Grandage, Red
Sheryl Kaller, Next Fall
Kenny Leon, Fences
Gregory Mosher, A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Memphis
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
Terry Johnson, La Cage aux Folles
Bill T. Jones, Fela!
Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Promises, Promises
Bill T. Jones, Fela!
Lynne Page, La Cage aux Folles
Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away
Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr, La Cage aux Folles
Aaron Johnson, Fela!
Jonathan Tunick, Promises, Promises
Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis
Well, that will do it for my 2010 Tony Awards preview. Be sure to watch the Tonys next Sunday at 8 PM EST on CBS. I know I'll be watching it. Very likely live Tweeting the event much like I did last year so keep an eye out for details pertaining to that.
Last year I fell absolutely in love in the show Next To Normal thanks to the Tony Awards. Will that happen again with another show this year? We shall see.
