Steve On Broadway (SOB)

SOB's 2010 Tony Predictions

SOB's 2010 Tony Predictions

This Sunday, the American Theatre Wing’s 64th annual Tony Awards ceremonies will honor the best of Broadway's 2009-10 Theatrical Season. As we count down the days to the Tonys, it's time for me to place my wagers on those nominees I believe will actually win, as well as tell you whom I think should win.

As noted on Monday, I've been extraordinarily fortunate to see every single show, eligible and otherwise, that opened on Broadway over the past year. So unlike last year, I'll be able to at least make informed decisions. Whether I'm right or not remains to be seen.

There is plenty of momentum behind Red, La Cage Aux Folles and Fences, and it doesn't hurt that they all remain open to Tony voters and that they're pulling in respectable audiences. In the case of Fences, it's become box office titanium.

Given the dearth of truly new musicals this season, Tony voters are going to reward Memphis for being one of the lone tuners with original score and an actual book, plus it stands the best chance of being a hit on tour. The exception for Memphis will come (but shouldn't) in Tony voters' starstruck decision for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.

Something also tells me that given the lack of nominations -- except for one key nod -- for one of the season's earlier critical hits, Superior Donuts, along with the love shown already this awards season for its talented nominee that you shouldn't be surprised when they call his name. Similarly, with a certain Ragtime actor becoming a bona fide darling of the stage, don't be surprised if he pulls off an upset as well as Tony voters recognize the future star they have a chance to honor now.

Here are my picks:

Best Play
In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) - Author: Sarah Ruhl
Next Fall - Author: Geoffrey Nauffts
Red - Author: John Logan Will Win/Should Win
Time Stands Still - Author: Donald Margulies

Best Musical
American Idiot
Fela! Should Win
Memphis Will Win
Million Dollar Quartet

Best Book of a Musical
Everyday Rapture - Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott Should Win
Fela! - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones
Memphis- Joe DiPietro Will Win
Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux

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 Should Win/Will Win

Best Revival of a Play
Fences Should Win/Will Win
Lend Me A Tenor
The Royal Family
A View From The Bridge

Best Revival of a Musical
Finian's Rainbow
La Cage Aux Folles Should Win/Will Win
A Little Night Music
Ragtime

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jude Law - Hamlet
Alfred Molina - Red Should Win
Liev Schreiber - A View From The Bridge
Christopher Walken - A Behanding In Spokane
Denzel Washington - Fences Will Win

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Viola Davis - Fences Should Win/Will Win
Valerie Harper - Looped
Linda Lavin - Collected Stories
Laura Linney - Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell - The Royal Family

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 Will Win
Chad Kimball - Memphis
Sahr Ngaujah - Fela! Should Win

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin - Finian's Rainbow
Sherie Rene Scott - Everyday Rapture
Montego Glover - Memphis Should Win
Christiane Noll - Ragtime
Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night Music Will Win

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
David Alan Grier - Race
Stephen McKinley Henderson - Fences
Jon Michael Hill - Superior Donuts Should Win/Will Win
Stephen Kunken - Enron
Eddie Redmayne - Red

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 Should Win/Will Win

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Kevin Chamberlin - The Addams Family Should Win
Robin De Jesús - La Cage Aux Folles
Christopher Fitzgerald - Finian's Rainbow
Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet
Bobby Steggert - Ragtime Will Win

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Barbara Cook - Sondheim On Sondheim
Katie Finneran - Promises, Promises Should Win/Will Win
Angela Lansbury - A Little Night Music
Karine Plantadit - Come Fly Away
Lillias White - Fela!

Best Direction of a Play
Michael Grandage - Red Should Win/Will Win
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 Will Win
Bill T. Jones - Fela! Should Win

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford - Promises, Promises
Bill T. Jones - Fela! Should Win
Lynne Page - La Cage Aux Folles
Twyla Tharp - Come Fly Away Will Win

Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Aaron Johnson - Fela! Should Win
Jonathan Tunick - Promises, Promises
Daryl Waters & David Bryan - Memphis

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty - The Royal Family Should Win
Alexander Dodge - Present Laughter
Santo Loquasto - Fences
Christopher Oram - Red Will Win

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici - Fela!
Christine Jones - American Idiot Should Win/Will Win
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 Should Win/Will Win

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Marina Draghici - Fela! Should Win
Paul Tazewell - Memphis
Matthew Wright - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin - Hamlet
Neil Austin - Red Will Win
Mark Henderson - Enron Should Win
Brian MacDevitt - Fences

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams - American Idiot Should Win
Donald Holder - Ragtime
Nick Richings - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Robert Wierzel - Fela!

Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners - Fences
Adam Cork - Enron Should Win/Will Win
Adam Cork - Red
Scott Lehrer - A View from the Bridge

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Robert Kaplowitz - Fela! Should Win
Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen - A Little Night Music
Dan Moses Schreier - Sondheim On Sondheim

Do my picks for this year's Tony Awards match yours? Let me know.

Tune in to CBS this Sunday, June 13, when Sean Hayes hosts the three-hour live broadcast.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

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Labels: Bobby Steggert, Fences, Jon Michael Hill, La Cage Aux Folles, Memphis, Ragtime, Red, Superior Donuts, Tony Awards, Tony Predictions

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, June 09, 2010