Tony Nods 2020: "Jagged Little Pill" and "Slave Play" dominate
Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 2:11PM
NATHANIEL R in Aaron Tveit, Broadway and Stage, Danny Burstein, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Benjamin Hickey, Lois Smith, Moulin Rouge!, Slave Play, The Inheritance, The Rose Tattoo, Tom Sturridge, Tony Awards

by Nathaniel R

The controversial "Slave Play," featuring multiple interracial couples and sexual power dynamics, transferred from Off-Broadway and was huge at the Tony nominations

We're not sure what possessed the Broadway League to announced Tony nominations in mid October (and some probable virtual ceremony in December), just after announcing that Broadway will not return before next summer (thereby missing another Tony season -- the theater season runs June to May). It's especially baffling because earlier it was understood that because the shutdown happened in March while so many of the shows that were expected heavyhitters were still in previews (like revivals of Company and West Side Story) so they never got a chance to be seen by Tony voters. Curious. As are the unusual nominations. But for those who miss Broadway (or just news of it from afar) here is the list that was announced this afternoon...

Best Musical 

I was only able to see Moulin Rouge before Broadway closed. Reviewed here. The only musical that opened that wasn't nominated was The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. New musicals that were expected to open before the shutdown but didn't get a chance to were: Girl From the North Country, Six, Diana, Mrs. Doubtfire, Flying Over Sunset, and Sing Street which would have made the Tonys so much more competitive.

Best Play 

I was only able to see The Inheritance before Broadway closed. For those who haven't heard it was an epic two part gay play that was a riff on E.M. Forster's Howards End (transposed to a more contemporary setting and taking place in the gay scene.)

Shows that were eligible that were not nominated were: A Christmas Carol, My Name is Lucy Barton,  The Great Society, Linda Vista by our beloved Tracy Letts, and The Height of the Storm (by the playwright who brought us The Father which will be an Oscar seeking movie this year). Shows that didn't get to open before the shut down were: The Minutes (also by Tracy Letts), Hangmen (by Martin McDonagh), The Lehman Trilogy, and Birthday Candles. 

Best Revival of a Play

Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton, and Charlie Cox in "Betrayal" 

Frankie & Johnny was a flop at the box office but there wasn't much competition this year. The only eligible title that was shut out was Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo starring Marisa Tomei. The spring/summer was going to be very exciting for revivals with planned openings of Take Me Out, How I Learned To Drive, American Buffalo, Plaza Suite, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?... but none of them made it before shutdown.

A Soldier's Play was on Broadway for the first time but generally if a play is famous already it is considered a revival. A Soldier's Play was a hit in the 1980s off Broadway and became the Oscar nominated movie A Soldier's Story (1984).

Best Revival of a Musical

It was already going to be a strangely vacant year for this category but all three productions hoping to win this prize -- West Side Story, Company, and Caroline or Change -- didn't get to open before the shutdown. Pity since all three are great musicals so it might have been an exciting competition. 

Best Book of a Musical

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre 

A fascinating shortlist. This category is always dominated by new musicals with only an occassional play showing up as a fifth slotter if you know what I mean. But since all three of the major musicals that opened were jukebox titles and thus not eligible, the category is entirely made up of plays. I don't believe this has ever happened before. 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Glowing reviews for the double-monologue production SEA WALL / A LIFE starring Jake & Tom

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Yes it's true Laura Linney has a tough time winning awards outside of the Emmys. She's been a favourite for nominations at both the Tonys and the Oscars but never a winner. Audra McDonald on the other hand has only lost two of her Tony nominations to date AND she's won in every single female acting category. (The major shut out here is Marisa Tomei in The Rose Tattoo.)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical 

What a strange experience for Aaron Tveit, who we like a lot, to win by default on the first nomination he's waited for for quite some time. UPDATE: He could actually lose. He will need 60% support from the Tony voters a la a yes or no vote, apparently. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

James and Ato as lovers in "Slave Play" - they were both nominated

John Benjamin Hickey, who we've loved long time, had the fussy conservative Anthony Hopkins in Howards End role. He's also headlining a new gay film called Sublet which is playing at NewFest this weekend.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play 

Lois Smith in "The Inheritance"

True confession: I rarely actually physically cry at theater or movies (though I feel misty-eyed often) but Lois Smith had me bawling with her late-play monologue in The Inheritance.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Danny Burstein as Harold Zidler. If you ever get a chance to see Burstein perform, do not hesitate.

Burstein is one of Broadway's greatest treasures but somehow he's never won a Tony. He famously contracted a severe case of COVID during the run of the show and was hospitalized (thankfully he recovered). We still find it odd that there wasn't any controversy about Sahr Ngaujah's casting, so quickly after disabled actress Ali Stoker blew everyone away in Oklahoma!. Why they cast a normal sized abled actor to play a famously disabled man who was dwarf height in real life remains a mystery. But he got a Tony nomination for his role.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Adrienne Warren and Myra Lucretia Taylor as future rock star and her grandmother in "Tina"

Hurder was playing "Nini" in Moulin Rouge!

Best Scenic Design of a Play 

On Broadway designers often do both costume design AND scenic design, hence confusing stats... some of these men have also been nominated and won for costume design. Derek McClane only does scenic design. Clint Ramos does either scenic design or costumes but never both at once. The others do both simultaneously. 

Best Scenic Design of a Musical 

Projection Design which Jeff Sugg does used to be its own category but now it's part of Scenic Design. 

Best Costume Design of a Play 

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play 

Best Sound Design of a Musical 

Best Direction of a Play 

Best Direction of a Musical

Best Choreography

Best Orchestrations 

 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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