We Have GOT To Talk About Those TONY Nominations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               The most important news of this post, and I will announce it right now, is that Jessie Mueller received a TONY nomination for her performance as Julie in "Carousel."

                                Or, as it is officially being billed, "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's Carousel."

                                 I believe it marks Jessie's fourth time up.  And you know I am cheering for her to win.
                                 But, girls, I am telling you, it looks like anything that walked or crawled across a Broadway stage this season was nominated. Where is the category for Best Theatrical Cockroach?

                                    Let's start with the nominees for Best Musical--

                                    "The Band's Visit"
                                    "Frozen"
                                    "Mean Girls"
                                    "SpongeBob Square Pants: The Musical"

                                    I mean, come on!  Who the hell wants to see any of these shows?  Was this the best Broadway could do?  Hons, it is sinking, like the Titanic!

                                     "The Band's Visit" takes itself much too seriously, so who cares about it?
"Mean Girls" takes a perfectly fine movie, and turns it into non-memorable musical theater.  I admit to a bit of curiosity in wanting to see it, but I am not expecting much.  As for the other two, don't even get me started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Now, as to Best Play.  A little more interesting. But not by much.

                                         "The Children"
                                         "Farinelli And The King"
                                         "Harry Potter And The Cursed Child"
                                         "Junk"
                                         "Latin History For Morons"

                                      Skip the last two, which should not be listed.  The race will come down to the first three.  I would go with "The Children," the season's only solidly American new play.  But I have a feeling 'Farinelli' will take it, as will its star, Mark Rylance.  Come to mention it, that would not be so bad.

                                       The category most will be eyeing is Best Revival Of A Musical. Here they are--        
                                        "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's "Carousel"
                                        "My Fair Lady"
                                       "Once On This Island"

                                       Not much to choose from here.  The last one should never have been revived, let alone nominated.  As for MFL, well, let me take a look at it first.  But just by virtue of existence alone, not to mention its cast, "Carousel," and everyone connected with it, should sweep the awards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        Now, for Best Revival Of A Play. How predictable--

                                        "Angels In America"
                                       "Lobby Hero"
                                       "Three Tall Women"
                                      "The Iceman Cometh"
                                      "Travesties"

                                       I mean, who cares?  Listen, I saw Jason Robards do Hickey, so it is time to hang up that role, because it belongs to no one else.  What the hell will Denzel want to do next--"The Bride Of Frankenstein"  I could care less about this category.  This is when I take a bathroom or drink break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                       Now, for the performers.  Best Leading Actor In A Play--

                                       Andrew Garfield, "Angels In America"
                                      Tom Hollander, "Travesties"
                                       Jamie Parker, "Harry Potter And The Cursed Child"  
                                       Mark Rylance, "Farinelli And The King"
                                       Denzel Washington, "The Iceman Cometh"

                                       Mark Rylance.  No contest.  Get over yourself, Denzel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       How about Best Leading Actress In A Play?

                                       Glenda Jackson, "Three Tall Women"
                                       Condola Rashad, "Saint Joan"
                                       Lauren Ridloff, "Children Of A Lesser God"
                                       Amy Schumer, "Meteor Shower"

                                       Amy Schumer?  Is the play even still running?  Now, if you said Amy Sedaris, I would give her a chance!  And I know Condola Rashad is Phylicia's daughter, but too many may confuse her name with Condoleeza Rice!  What a hoot it would have been to see her in "Saint Joan!"  I just LOVE Connie!!!!!!!!!!!!!   And, Lauren, you haven't a chance.  Has Glenda ever won a TONY!  My sense tells me she will take it!!!!!!!!!

                                       OK, girls, here comes what you have been REALLY waiting for--the Musical Categories.  Let us start with--

                                         Best Leading Actor In A Musical

                                         Henry Hadden-Paton, "My Fair Lady"
                                         Joshua Henry, "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's Carousel"
                                         Ethan Slater, "SpongeBob Square Pants: The Musical"
                                         Tony Shaloub, "The Band's Visit"

                                      Henry who?  Ethan who?  Tony is a fine, intelligent actor, and worthy of recognition.  But not this time hon.  It is Joshua Henry.  As I keep saying--"Carousel, Carousel,
Carousel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                       Oh, boy!  Here it comes!  Get a load of this!

                                        Best Leading Actress In A Musical
                                     
                                         Lauren Ambrose, "My Fair Lady"
                                         Hailey Kilgore, "Once On This Island"
                                         La Chanze, "Summer:The Donna Summer Musical"
                                         Katrina Lenk, "The Band's Visit"
                                         Taylor Louderman, "Mean Girls"
                                         Jessie Mueller, "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's Carousel"

                                          Jessie!  Jessie!  Jessie!  No ifs or ands.  But--

                                          If that Ambrose thing wins, she should be smacked! Does she even think she can desecrate the sacred memory of Julie Andrews?  Should she win, I want to know to whom Bartlett Sher submitted himself to, sexually on the TONY committee!  And I have a pretty good idea!!!!!!!!!  Ironic La Chanze is nominated the same year a show which she originated is revived!
The sad thing is if Jessie's name were not in the mix, she might stand a chance!  Hailey who?  Katrina what?  Who is named Katrina, anymore? Have fun that evening, girls, because it is all you will get!
As for Taylor Louderman, with a name like that, I hope she is playing Regina George, and having a high time of it!  Enjoy, while you can, dear!

                                           Again, Jessie!  Jessie!  Jessie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Now, here is a rather interesting category--

                                            Best Featured Actor In A Play

                                            Anthony Boyle, "Harry Potter And The Cursed Child"
                                            Michael Cera, "Lobby Hero"
                                            Brian Tyree, "Lobby Hero"
                                            Nathan Lane, "Angels In America"
                                            David Morse, "The Iceman Cometh"

                                             I will say this--there are some good actors here!  I am almost fearful Nathan will win, and while I have nothing against him, all I can say is--having seen him already on stage, I have seen his performance!  He will play Roy  Cohn like he does everything else--as Nathan!
But don't be surprised if it wins. Anthony Boyle is an outsider, while Cera and Tyree will cancel each other out!  David Morse is one of our best, and most underrated, American actors.  I would love to see him win, but I am afraid it will go to Nathan!  Maybe he is the cockroach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             And what is this category, without--

                                             Best Featured Actress In A Play

                                             Susan Brown, "Angels In America"
                                             Norma Dumezweni, "Harry Potter And The Cursed Child"
                                             Deborah Findlay, "The Children"
                                             Denise Gough, "Angels In America"
                                             Laurie Metcalf, "Three Tall Women"

                                            OK.  First, forget Norma!  What's she doing there? And cancel out the two ladies in 'Angels'.  But let me say--whomever one of you is playing Harper Pitt, you have some nerve being nominated, treading on sacred ground occupied by the likes of Marcia Gay Harden and Mary-Louise Parker!  Whom none of you, except Metcalf, is on the same level with! And speaking of Laurie Metcalf--yes!!!!!!!!!!!  She lost out with "Lady Bird," she was forced to endure "Misery," this is her time!  Give Laurie that TONY Award.

                                             Back to what interests us most, girls--musicals!  Here it goes!

                                             Best Featured Actor In A Musical
                                           
                                             Norbert Leo Butz, "My Fair Lady"
                                             Alexander Gemignani, "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's Carousel"
                                            Grey Henson, "Mean Girls"
                                            Gavin Lee, "Sponge Bob Square Pants"
                                            Ari'el Stachel, "The Band's Visit"

                                            Again, with the MFL crap!  Norbert is stepping into sacred Stanley Holloway territory!  Not to mention George Rose! He can't compete with either.  So, why is he even here?  Now, really, Gavin Lee, you've done some good work, but, really, was 'SpongeBob' the best gig you could get?  You have fallen on hard times!!!!!!!!!  Grey Henson--a guy in "Mean Girls" gets nominated?  Like, what is the point?????????  Ari'el Stachel, I am sure you do good work, but come on!!!!!!!  I have admired Alexander Gemignani's work, ever since seeing him in the 2004 revival of "Assassins."  As Mr. Snow, in "Rodgers And Hammerstein's Carousel", he not only has the reputation of the show behind him, but he gets to sing the gorgeous "When The Children Are Asleep!!!!!!!!!"  Impossible to beat!!!!!!

                                             Now, here is where the "Carousel" juggernaut, MIGHT get upset!

                                             Best Featured Actress In A Musical

                                             Ariana De Bose, "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical"
                                             Renee Fleming, "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's Carousel"
                                             Lindsay Mendez, "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's "Carousel"
                                             Ashley Park, "Mean Girls"
                                             Diana Rigg, "My Fair Lady"

                                             This is where things get dicey.  I can't recall a "Carousel" where the actress playing Nettie Fowler was ever nominated.  I hear Renee soars on "You'll Never Walk Alone," as well she should, but Lindsay Mendez should win here. Carrie Pipperidge is a better part, and she has "Mister Snow," and, again, the gorgeous "When The Children Are Asleep," with that last part that takes my breath away.  She should win.  BUT--Dina Rigg has not won a TONY since "Medea."  To think I once wanted her hips, when she was Emma Peel in "The Avengers" and now she is old enough to play a role pioneered by the likes of Cathleen Nesbitt and Gladys Cooper!!!!!!!!!!  She is the only serious competitor against Lindsay. And the only one in the MFL company who merits it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Ashley and Ariana--forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              My girls, this may turn out to be one of the longest posts I have written, in the history of this blog.  But I promise we are coming down the home stretch.  Just two more categories to go.

                                             Best Direction Of A Play

                                             Marianne Elliot, "Angels In America"
                                             Joe Mantello, "Three Tall Women"
                                             Patrick Marber, "Travesties"
                                             John Tiffany, "Harry Potter And The Cursed Child"
                                             George C. Wolfe, "The Iceman Cometh"

                                              Now, we have talented gentlemen here, so let's get started.  George, get over it!  Next to Denzel, you are Broadway's biggest egotist!  And for what?  You can't compete with Quintero for directing O'Neill, so stop thinking of yourself in league with he, Kazan, or Nichols.  Honey, you are not fit to wipe their boots!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have always admired the work of Joe Mantello, even when he was an actor, so it is again ironic for him to be nominated the same year a revival of "Angels In America," in which he originated the role of Louis Ironson, is up for awards. However, word on the street is Joe directs through intimidation.  Well, he has a formidable cast here, so I would love him try and intimidate any of his "Three Tall Women" cast.  Glenda alone could mop the floor with him!!!!!!!!!!  Miss Elliott?  Forget it!  Patrick Marber, when did he suddenly become a director, instead of a playwright?  How much does he actually know? I have to go with John Tiffany here, who directed that breakthrough production of "The Glass Menagerie" with Celia Keenan-Bolger!!!!!!!!  If he could re-define Williams for a generation, and manages to snag Best Director for 'Harry Potter,' the show might very well take home the Best Play prize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Wait!  I just discovered a scandal.  In the last category I will mention, Jack O'Brien is NOT nominated for  his direction of "Rodgers' And Hammerstein's Carousel???????" Why the hell not?  Well, I can venture a guess.  Back in 1997, I saw a revival of "The Little Foxes," at the Beaumont, featuring Stockard Channing, Frances Conroy, and Jennifer Dundas. Jack O'Brien directed this production of the Lillian Hellman play.  It was clear to me he, whose work I admired in "Damn Yankees," could not handle dark material, which  brings up "Carousel," one of the darkest of dark musicals, to question.  Did O'Brien really direct it?  Or did he just assemble the perfect cast, and let them fly?  I suspect the latter, and I think the TONY committee did, too, so no Jack.

                                            As for who made the cut--

                                           Best Direction Of A Musical--

                                           Michael Arden, "Once On This Island"
                                           David Cromer, "The Band's Visit"
                                           Tina Landau, SpongeBob Square Pants"
                                           Casey Nicholaw, "Mean Girls"
                                           Bartlett Sher, "My Fair Lady"

                                           Again, I want to know whom Sher is shagging to get recognized for his mediocre tampering with a classic.  No one cares who the hell any of the others are, but since "The Band's Visit" is the  only serious musical contender nominated, Cromer could win in this category, and the show could very well win Best Musical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's all for now, dolls!

                                             A raving post written by an also Theater Queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Now, what shall I wear to the awards?????????????????