As I mentioned in my theatre update last week, despite the abbreviated Spring Season, the 2020 Tony Awards will in fact be awarded virtually on a date still to be determined.
Here are the comments from the Broadway League surrounding the awards: “Though unprecedented events cut the 2019-2020 Broadway season short, it was a year full of extraordinary work that deserves to be recognized,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing, in a statement. “We are thrilled not only to have found a way to properly celebrate our artists’ incredible achievements this season, but also to be able to uplift the entire theatre community and show the world what makes our Broadway family so special at this difficult time. The show must go on, no matter what – and it will.”
The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Award, which was founded by the American Theatre Wing in 1947, is bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast – the night America watches Broadway – is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.
Here are the nominations for 2020 along with my predictions in bold and (preferences in italics).
Best Play
Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl
(The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez)
Sea Wall/A Life by Simon Stephens and Nick Payne
Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris
The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp
Best Revival of a Play
(Betrayal)
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally
A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller
Best Musical
Jagged Little Pill
(Moulin Rouge! The Musical)
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Joaquina Kalukango, Slave Play
(Laura Linney, My Name is Lucy Barton)
Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Ian Barford, Linda Vista
(Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance)
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sea Wall/A Life
Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal
Tom Sturridge, Sea Wall/A Life
Blair Underwood, A Soldier’s Play
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge!
Elizabeth Stanley, Jagged Little Pill
(Adrienne Warren, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge! – He will receive the award if 60% of the voters vote for him.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Ato Blankson-Wood, Slave Play
James Cusati-Moyer, Slave Play
David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
(John Benjamin Hickey, The Inheritance)
Paul Hilton, The Inheritance
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Jane Alexander, Grand Horizons
Chalia La Tour, Slave Play
Annie McNamara, Slave Play
(Lois Smith, The Inheritance)
Cora Vander Broek, Linda Vista
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge!
Derek Klena, Jagged Little Pill
Sean Allan Krill, Jagged Little Pill
Sahr Ngaujah, Moulin Rouge!
(Daniel J. Watts, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kathryn Gallagher, Jagged Little Pill
Celia Rose Gooding, Jagged Little Pill
Robyn Hurder, Moulin Rouge!
(Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill)
Myra Lucretia Taylor, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Book of a Musical
(Jagged Little Pill, Diablo Cody)
Moulin Rouge!, John Logan
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
A Christmas Carol, Christopher Nightingale
The Inheritance, Paul Englishby
(The Rose Tattoo, Fitz Patton and Jason Michael Webb)
Slave Play, Lindsay Jones
The Sound Inside, Daniel Kluger
Best Direction of a Play
David Cromer, The Sound Inside
Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance
(Kenny Leon, A Soldier’s Play)
Jamie Lloyd, Betrayal
Robert O’Hara, Slave Play
Best Direction of a Musical
Phyllida Lloyd, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Diane Paulus, Jagged Little Pill
(Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge!)
Best Choreography
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Jagged Little Pill
(Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge!)
Anthony van Laast, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Orchestrations
Tom Kitt, Jagged Little Pill
(Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen, Matt Stine, and Justin Levine, Moulin Rouge!)
Ethan Popp, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Scenic Design of a Play
(Bob Crowley, The Inheritance)
Soutra Gilmour, Betrayal
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Derek McLane, A Soldier’s Play
Clint Ramos, Slave Play
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Riccardo Hernández and Lucy Mackinnon, Jagged Little Pill
(Derek McLane, Moulin Rouge!)
Mark Thompson and Jeff Sugg, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Costume Design of a Play
Dede Ayite, Slave Play
Dede Ayite, A Soldier’s Play
Bob Crowley, The Inheritance
(Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol)
Clint Ramos, The Rose Tattoo
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Emily Rebholz, Jagged Little Pill
Mark Thompson, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
(Catherine Zuber, Moulin Rouge!)
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Jiyoun Chang, Slave Play
Jon Clark, The Inheritance
Heather Gilbert, The Sound Inside
Allen Lee Hughes, A Soldier’s Play
(Hugh Vanstone, A Christmas Carol)
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Justin Townsend, Jagged Little Pill
(Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge!)
Bruno Poet, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Sound Design of a Play
(Paul Arditti and Christopher Reid, The Inheritance)
Simon Baker, A Christmas Carol
Lindsay Jones, Slave Play
Daniel Kluger, Sea Wall/A Life
Daniel Kluger, The Sound Inside
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, Jagged Little Pill
Peter Hylenski, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
(Nevin Steinberg, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical)
