IF WE RAN THE TONY'S P.1 - MATEO & RICKY PICK THEIR NOMS

BY MATEO MORENO

BY RICKY JONES

The official Tony Nominations have come and gone! If you missed them, check them out HERE. But if Ricky and Mateo had their say, here is what they would have nominated this year. Many are the same ones that the Tony committee did recognize, but more than not, our two writers saw gold in several other candidates as well.

BEST PLAY

MATEO

• Hand To God
• Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• The River
• Disgraced

RICKY

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Hand to God
• Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• The River
• The Audience

MATEO'S THOUGHTS: The Curious Incident is just a flat out brilliant adaptation of the novel that had me in tears with the final line of the show. Great performances and stellar stagework and direction. Wolf Hall Parts I & II are a masterwork of British history theatre. Disgraced is a disturbing, wonderfully directed ticking time bomb of a show that becomes more relevant as every day passes. The River was sadly overlooked by many but I loved the simplicity and eeriness that the unexplained show gave you. But for my money, Hand to God is the one to beat this year. It's simply the most original and thought provoking show I've seen in years.

BEST MUSICAL

MATEO

• Fun Home
• Something Rotten!
• The Last Ship
• The Visit
• An American in Paris

RICKY

• The Last Ship
• Fun Home 
• Something Rotten
• Honeymoon in Vegas
• Dr. Zhivago

RICKY'S THOUGHTS: First of all, this has been a great season! There have been so many new productions that there should be 5 nominees this year. Fun Home and Something Rotten are perfect examples of why I love musical theatre. I don't know which one I love more and it's going to be hard to pick a winner come June. I wish that the Tony voters would have remembered The Last Ship. It was such a beautiful production! Like all the other great JRB musicals, Honeymoon In Vegas got some of the best reviews of the year but just couldn't find an audience. And yes, I am including Dr. Zhivago on this list. Despite it's flaws, I enjoyed Doctor Zhivago much more than many other musicals this season (An American In Paris, It Shoulda Been You).

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

MATEO

• The Real Thing
• Skylight
• The Elephant Man
• Love Letters
• You Can’t Take it With You

RICKY

• Skylight 
• It's Only a Play
• You Cant Take it With You
• The Elephant Man

MATEO'S THOUGHTS: Great revivals this year. Love Letters was simple and eliquant. Basically a staged reading, but what a wallop of an emotional journey. You Can't Take It With You wasn't my favorite, but I have to give it props for so many great aspects of the show. The Real Thing marks another great Stoppard revival on Broadway. The cast made it soar. The Elephant Man is a very good play made brilliant by its remarkable cast and simple staging. And Skylight is so raw, so real that you often forget you're watching a piece of theatre and not just peaking into the window of a neighbors home.

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

MATEO

• The King and I
• On The Twentieth Century
• Side Show
• On The Town

RICKY

• Side Show
• On the Town
• The King and I
• On the 20th Century

RICKY'S THOUGHTS: Sorry Gigi.  I couldn't include you.  While it is a pretty good production, I just don't care for the show itself at all.

MATEO'S THOUGHTS: I'm not sorry Gigi.

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

 MATEO

• Steven Boyer - Hand To God
• Alex Sharp - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Bradley Cooper – The Elephant Man
• Douglas Sills – Living on Love
• TIE: Hari Dhillion - Disgraced // Hugh Jackman - The River

RICKY

• Alex Sharp - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Steven Boyer - Hand To God
• Bradley Cooper - The Elephant Man
• Ben Miles - Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• Hugh Jackman - The River

RICKY'S THOUGHTS: In a lesser year, Sharp, Boyer, Cooper, & Miles would win easily. I was torn with the fifth slot. Douglas Sills and Jake Gyllenhaal both gave such wonderful performances. But what I loved about Jackman's performance was how subtle it was. It was very different from what he usually does and deserves a spot on this list.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

MATEO

• Geneva Carr - Hand To God
• Maggie Gyllenhaal - The Real Thing
• Helen Mirren – The Audience
• Ruth Wilson - Constellations
• Carrie Mulligan - Skylight

RICKY

• Helen Mirren - The Audience
• Carey Mullengan - Skylight
• Blythe Danner - The Country House
• Ruth Wilson - Constellations
• Geneva Carr - Hand To God

MATEO'S THOUGHTS: What a great year for women in theatre! These five women were all incredible, from the powerhouse that is Helen Mirren to the heartbreaking Carrie Mulligan, the morphing of Ruth Wilson, the ferocity of Geneva Carr, to the sweetness and longing of Maggie Gyllenhaal.

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

 MATEO 

• Michael Ceveris – Fun Home
• Brian D’Arcy James – Something Rotten!
• Rob McClure – Honeymoon in Vegas
• Ryan Silverman - Side Show
• Michael Esper - The Last Ship

RICKY

• Rob McClure - Honeymoon in Vegas
• Brian D'Arcy James - Something Rotten!
• Michael Esper - The Last Ship
• Ken Watanabe - The King & I
• Michael Cerveris - Fun Home

RICKY'S THOUGHTS - Rob McClure's work is always so inspiring! Brian D'Arcy James can do no wrong. Michael Esper was deeply moving in The Last Ship.  I haven't seen King and I yet but am rooting for Ken Watanabe. It's a great role for a great actor. But all of them will eventually lose to Michael Cerveris who gives the best performance of his career.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

MATEO

• Rachel Tucker - The Last Ship
• Kristen Chenowith - On The Twentieth Century
• Kelli O' Hara - The King & I
•  Beth Malone - Fun Home
• Laura Michelle Kelly - Finding Neverland

RICKY

• Chita Rivera - The Visit
• Kelli O'Hara - The King & I
• Kristen Chenoweth - On The Twentieth Century
• Rachel Tucker - The Last Ship
• Leanne Cope - An American in Paris

MATEO'S THOUGHTS: Kristen is a comic marvel this year. Her physicality is pure brilliance. Kelli is always wonderful but sadly is starting to become the Susan Lucci of nominated Broadway performances. Beth Malone sears in her understated Fun Home role and Laura Michelle Kelly is the heart of an uneven Finding Neverland. But the criminally overlooked Rachel Tucker was the truly inspiring performance, knocking the socks off the large male cast night after night in the gone too soon The Last Ship. Had the show opened later in the season and lasted longer, I do feel she would have been recognized.

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

 MATEO

• Alessandro Nivola - The Elephant Man
• Kieran Culkin – This Is Our Youth
• Bryce Pinkham - The Heidi Chronicles
• Josh Radnor - Disgraced
• Micah Stock - It’s Only a Play

 RICKY

• Micah Stock - It's Only a Play
• Ian Barford - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Josh Radnor - Disgraced
• Eric Lange - The Country House
• Bryce Pinkham - The Heidi Chronicles

RICKY'S THOUGHTS: This was a great year for supporting actors. I do wish Josh Radnor would have sneaked in there. Micah Stocke stole all the scenes he was in. Bryce was the best part of The Heidi Chronicles while Ian Barford was heartbreaking in Curious Incident. And while he had no real shot of actually get nominated this year, I loved Eric Lange's performance in The Country House.

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

MATEO

• Sarah Stiles - Hand To God
• Cush Kimbo  – The River
• Lydia Leonard - Wolf Hall
• Laura Donnelly - The River
• Annaleigh Ashford - You Can’t Take It With You

RICKY

• Cush Jumbo - The River
• Laura Donnelly - The River
• Julie White - Airline Highway
• Lydia Leonard - Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• Julie Halston - You Can't Take It With You

MATEO'S THOUGHTS: The two girls in The River really cast a strong and lasting spell on me. Lydia Leonard was wonderful in Wolf Hall. But my two favorites delivered yet again: Sarah Stiles and Annaleigh Ashford seem to not be able to do any wrong. They're truly hilarious.

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

MATEO

• Fred Applegate - The Last Ship
• Christian Borle - Something Rotten!
  
• Brad Oscar - Something Rotten!
  
• Andy Karl - On The Twentieth Century
  
• Jimmy Nail - The Last Ship
  

RICKY

• Christian Bolre - Something Rotten!
• Fred Applegate - The Last Ship
• Tony Danza - Honeymoon in Vegas
• Brooks Ashmankas - Something Rotten!
• Andy Karl - On the Twentieth Century

RICKY'S THOUGHTS - It is a true shame that Fred Applegate didn't get nominated. He is broadway veteran that never fails to deliver. Tony Danza was having the time of this life on stage in Honeymoon In Vegas. Plus, his passion for the process itself was admirable.

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

MATEO

• Alysha Umphress - On The Town
• Sydney Lucas - Fun Home
• Emily Skeggs - Fun Home
• Judy Kuhn - Fun Home
• Megan Fairchild - On The Town

RICKY

• Sydney Lucas - Fun Home
• Judy Kuhn - Fun Home
• Harriet Harris - It Shoulda Been You
• Megan Fairchild - On The Town
• Ruth Ann Mile - The King and I

MATEO'S THOUGHTS: You HAVE to nominate the entire female cast of Fun Home. They're all just so damn good. And although Alysha Umphress has the showier comic role, I was also just as entrances by the Prima Ballerina Megan Fairchild. Her comic timing was just as strong as her incredible dance numbers.

And the Rest...

Best Direction of a Play

MATEO

• Moritz Von Stuelpnagel - Hand To God
• Marianne Elliott - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Kathleen Marshall - Living on Love
• Ian Rickson - The River

RICKY

• Marianne Elliott - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Moritz Von Stuelpnagel - Hand to God 
• Jeremy Herrin - Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• Ian Rickson - The River 

Best Direction of a Musical

MATEO 

• Sam Gold - Fun Home
• Casey Nicholas - Something Rotten!
• Joe Mantello - The Last Ship
• Scott Ellis - On The Twentieth Century

RICKY

• Sam Gold - Fun Home
• Casey Nicholas - Something Rotten!
• Joe Mantello - The Last Ship
• Bartlett Sher - The King & I

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

MATEO

• Lisa Kron - Fun Home
• Terrence McNally - The Visit
• John Logan - The Last Ship
• Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell - Something Rotten!

RICKY

• Lisa Kron - Fun Home
• Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell - Something Rotten!
• John Logan - The Last Ship 
• Michael Weller - Doctor Zhivago 

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

MATEO

• Jeanine Tesori & Lisa Kron - Fun Home
• Sting - The Last Ship
• Wayne Kirkpatrick & Karey Kirkpatrick - Something Rotten!
• John Kander & Fred Ebb - The Visit

RICKY

• Jeanine Tesori & Lisa Kron - Fun Home 
• Sting - The Last Ship
• Jason Robert Brown - Honeymoon in Vegas
• Wawyne Kirkpatrick & Karey Kirkpatrick - Something Rotten!

Best Scenic Design of a Play

MATEO

• David Rockwell - You Can’t Take It With You
• Ults - The River
• Beowulf Boritt - Hand To God
• Bunny Christie & Finn Ross - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

RICKY

• David Rockwell - You Can't Take it With You
• Beowulf Boritt - Hand to God 
• Bunny Christie & Finn Ross - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Scott Pask - Airline Highway 

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

MATEO

• Michael Scott-Mitchell - Doctor Zhivago
• David Zinn - The Last Ship
• David Rockwell - Side Show
• David Rockwell - On The Twentieth Century

RICKY

• Scott Pask - The Visit 
• Michael Scott-Mitchell- Doctor Zhivago 
• Michael Yeargan - The King and I 
• David Rockwell - On the 20th Century 

Best Costume Design of a Play

MATEO

• Christopher Oram - Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• Jane Greenwood - You Can’t Take It With You
• Derek McLane - Living on Love
• Bob Crowley - The Audience

RICKY

• Bob Crowley - The Audience 
• Christopher Oram - Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• Timothy R Mackabee - The Elephant Man
• David Zinn - Airline Highway

Best Costume Design of a Musical

MATEO

• Paul Tazewell - Side Show
• Catherine Zuber - The King and I
• Finding Neverland
• Something Rotten!

RICKY

• Something Rotten
• The King and I 
• Dr Zhivago
• Side Show 

Best Lighting Design of a Play

MATEO

• Curious Incident
• Hand To God
• The River
• Skylight

RICKY

• Curious Incident 
• Wolf Hall 
• The River 
• Constellations 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

MATEO

• The Last Ship
• Side Show
• Finding Neverland
• Doctor Zhivago

RICKY

• The King and I  
• The Last Ship 
• Dr. Zhivago 
• The Visit  

Best Sound Design of a Play

MATEO

• The River
• Hand To God
• Wolf Hall Parts I & II
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

MATEO

• Constellations 
• The River 
• Wolf Hall 
• Curious Incident

Best Sound Design of a Musical

MATEO

• The Last Ship
• Something Rotten!
• On The Twentieth Century
• Finding Neverland

RICKY

• Dr Zhivago 
• The Last Ship
• Something Rotten
• Fun Home

Best Choreography

MATEO

• Something Rotten!
• Finding Neverland
• An American in Paris
• On The Town

RICKY

• On the Town
• Something Rotten
• American In Paris
• Curious Incident of the Dog    

Best Orchestrations

MATEO

• The Last Ship
• An American in Paris
• Fun Home
• Side Show

RICKY

• Fun Home
• Something Rotten
• The Last Ship
• Honeymoon in Vegas

IF WE RAN THE TONY AWARDS

BY MATEO MORENO AND RICKY JONES

IT'S TONY NOMINATION TIME!  So, before the Official Nominations are presented on Tuesday the 29th, Ricky and I decided to look through all the nominations and pick not who we necessarily think will be nominated, but who WE would nominate this season if we ran the Tony's.  This season has had a record number of shows open and Mr. Jones and I have seen just about every one of them (all will be seen within the next month).  So before we rattle off who should win, here's who we would pick on Tuesday morning if someone who friggin' just ask us...

BEST MUSICAL 

MATEO'S CHOICES

1) Soul Doctor ALL THE WAYYYYY!!!! (Just kidding... that joke made me throw up a little).

My actual choices:

1)  A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

2)  After Midnight

3)  Beautiful

4)  If/Then

5)  The Bridges of Madison County

Mateo Says: Honestly, it wasn't my favorite season in the original musical category, and I haven't yet seen Aladdin or Bullets Over Broadway.  But hey, the nomination committees rarely see all the shows either, so I'm in good company.  I would definitely reward the excellence of Gentleman & Love with the originality of If/Then, the simple beauty of Bridges, & the surprise of Beautiful.

RICKY'S CHOICES

1)  A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

2)  Bridges of Madison County

3)  Aladdin 

4)  Beautiful 

5)  If/Then...no Rocky....no If/Then...ok If/Then

Ricky Says: The musicals I really rooting for this season are Gentleman's Guide and Bridges.  Not only is Gentleman's Guide is shoo-in for a nomination but I would even call it a front runner to win come June.  I do hope "Bridges" gets the recognition in this category that it deserves.  It had many problems when I saw it during previews and I applaud them for the making the changes they needed to.  Now, it is a stunning and emotional musical!  Aladdin and Beautiful should get also nominations as well.  I'm torn for that final slot.  Rocky is a HUGE and impressive production but I have many issues with the show itself (sadly mainly the score).  If/Then also is problematic and but the score had a lot of great songs.  I have to give that final nomination to the only original musical and it will encourage more original work.

BEST PLAY 

MATEO'S CHOICES

1)  Casa Valentina 

2)  Act One

3)  The Realistic Joneses

4)  Outside Mullingar

5)  Mothers and Sons

Mateo Says: I'd like to nominate Velocity of Autumn because I enjoyed it more than I did Mothers and Sons but Terrance McNally's play is just a better written piece (unfortunately hampered by two terrible performances but saved by two very good ones).  Casa, for my money, has the most to say and was powerful without ever being preachy. Act One was a theatre history nerd’s dream (and how about that set!). Realistic Joneses is the kind of weird ass play that never makes it on Broadway and I LOVE that it did. Outside Mullinger was the most magical play on Broadway this season. Light, funny, whimsical... John Patrick Shanley magic.

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Casa Valentina 

2)  Act One

3)  All The Way

4)  Outside Mullingar

5)  Mothers and Sons

Ricky Says: Casa Valentina is what Harvey Fierstein does best! I found his new play completing riveting and wonderfully acted.  Act One is a wonderful and moving play about the love of theatre and deserves spot on that list.  All The Way was a perfect vehicle to let Cranston shine.  Mullingar was a delightful romantic comedy!  And last but not least, I was really moved yet again by Terrence McNally in his new play Mothers and Sons.  I am very happy with this list of plays!

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL 

MATEO'S CHOICES

1)  Hedwig and the Angry Inch

2)  Les Miserables

3)  Violet 

4)  Cabaret*

Mateo Says: This is the year of Hedwig.  It's the unstoppable best this year (sorry Violet). I would only nominate Cabaret because it is a brilliant production, but wouldn't dare vote for it winning due to it being a carbon copy of the same production that's already won.

RICKY'S CHOICES

1)  Les Miserables

2)  Hedwig and the Angry Inch 

3)  Violet 

4)  Cabaret 

BEST PLAY REVIVAL 

MATEO'S CHOICES

1)  Twelfth Night

2)  The Glass Menagerie

3)  The Cripple of Inishmaan

4)  Waiting for Godot

5)  Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill

Mateo Says: One of the strongest catagories this year, there was a lot of great stuff that I couldn't nominate (sorry No Man's Land, Richard III, Of Mice and Men, A Raisin in the Sun, & Machinal!). For me, these are the five (though I do consider Lady Day to be more of a musical, but the Tony's do not). Twelfth Night was the best I've ever seen it, Glass Menagerie was pure wonder, Cripple I had never seen or read before and it knocked my socks off, and how can you not love a Godot with Sir Ian and Sir Patrick?

RICKY'S CHOICES

1)  Machinal 

2)  Raisin in the Sun

3)  The Glass Menagerie

4)  Twelfth Night

Ricky Says: Machinal was the biggest surprise of the season for me!  I was on the edge of my seat the entire show!  Hopefully, this revival gets numerous nominations.  Raisin in the Sun is masterpiece and its newest revival is pretty close to perfect.  I hate to say it but I do not care much for The Glass Menagerie play itself but I have to give credit to the production.  I'm still not a fan of the material but everyone involved with this revival was great!  And Twelfth Night was just wonderful Shakespeare done perfectly!

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL 

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1) Neil Patrick Harris, Hedwig & the Angry Inch

2) Ramin Karimloo, Les Miserables

3) Bryce Pinkham, Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder

4) Steven Pasquale, The Bridges of Madison County

5) Zachary Levi, First Date

Mateo Says: I know I'm going to get shit for this one. Hey, First Date may have been pure fluff, but I enjoyed it and Levi had one hell of an assured Broadway Debut. He was utterly charming, hilarious, and the pure reason to see it, so I would award that with a nom.

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1) Neil Patrick Harris!!, Hedwig

2) Jefferson Mays, Gentleman's Guide

3) Ramin Karimloo, Les Miserables

4) Steven Pasquale, Bridges of Madison County

5) Bryce Pinkham, Gentleman's Guide

Ricky Says: The brilliant NPH will surely get a nomination and I can't see any way he doesn't win it all.  Jefferson Mays' rave reviews will surely have him on this list as well.  After that, it's pretty unpredictable.  I am really rooting for Karimloo, Pasquale, and Pinkham.  Karimloo's voice is just simply incredible.  I have to say I prefer Pinkham's performance over Mays' in Gentleman's Guide and would love to see him up there.  But the actor that I want to see nominated most of all is Pasquale.  All the love seems to be for Kelli O'Hara's amazing performance but he is equally wonderful!  It would be a real shame if he was forgotten.

BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY 

MATEO'S CHOICES

1)  Bryan Cranston, All the Way

2)  Daniel Radcliffe, Cripple of Inishmaan

3)  Tony Shalhoub, Act One

4)  Ian McKellen, Waiting for Godot

5)  Brían F. O’Byrne, Outside Mullingar

Mateo Says: This was hard to leave out the amazing Santino Fontana for Act One. Denzel Washington and Chris O'Dowd were also very good, but Mullingar just kind of enchanted me, and O'Bryrne was wonderful in it.

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Bryan Cranston 

2)  Ian McKellen 

3)  Denzel Washington

4)  Chris O'Dowd

5)  Santino Fontana 

Ricky Says: Cranston, Washington, and McKellen will be nominated for sure.  I do hope Fontana will be recognized as well for his passionate portray of Moss Hart but I have feeling Tony Shalhoub may steal it from him.

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL 

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Kelli O'Hara, Bridges of Madision County

2)  Idina Menzel, If/Then

3)  Michelle Williams, Cabaret

4)  Mary Bridget Davies, A Night with Janis Joplin

5)  Jessie Mueller, Beautiful

Mateo Says: Amazing performances all around makes me leave out both of the Bullets leading ladies (and Sutton Foster). My surprise inclusion is Davies, who fully embodied and captured playing Janis Joplin without it feeling like a character.

RICKY'S CHOICES

1)  Kelli O'Hara, Bridges

2)  Jessie Mueller, Beautiful

3)  Sutton Foster, Violet

4)  Michelle Williams, Cabaret

5)  Idina Menzel, If/Then

Ricky Says: Again there are three actresses that will definitely be nominated; O'Hara, Mueller, and Foster.  I was not crazy about Idina's performance at all but the Tonys love her ergo she will be as well. Here's hoping Michelle Williams will be rewarded for giving us a different Sally Bowles than we were expecting.

BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY 

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill

2)  Cherry Jones, The Glass Menagerie

3)  Estelle Parsons, Velocity of Autumn

4)  Tyne Daly, Mothers & Sons

5)  Toni Collette, The Realistic Joneses

Mateo Says: Great list of ladies, and this is Audra's category to lose.

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Audra McDonald, Lady Day

2)  Rebecca Hall, Machinal

3)  Cherry Jones, The Glass Menagerie

4)  Tyne Daly, Mothers and Sons

5)  Estelle Parsons, Velocity of Autumn

Ricky Says: I think the only one in this list that I am worried about is Rebecca Hall. Machinal closed months ago and will the Tony remember her intense performance?  Let’s hope so.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL 

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Danny Burstein, Cabaret

2)  James Monroe, Aladdin

3)  Ryan Andes, Big Fish

4)  Jefferson Mays, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder

5)  Will Swenson, Les Miserables

Mateo Says: Yup, I'm nominated my friend Ryan but not just because he's my friend. He was DAMN good as Karl the Giant in Big Fish.  I'm also going against Tony's official ruilings and making Mays and Swenson "Best Supporting Actor" because, well... they are.

RICKY'S CHOICE:

1)  James Monroe, Aladdin

2)  Danny Burntein, Cabaret

3)  Joshua Henry, Voilet

4)  Hunter Foster, Bridges of Madison County

5)  Brooks Ashmanskas, Bullets Over Broadway

RICKY SAYS: The lovable Monroe is shoo in here.  Burnstein will likely be on the list as well.  Joshua Henry almost steals the show from Sutton Foster and will be awarded for his performance.  Though his role may be just a tad underwritten, Hunter Foster gives us a character we really care for.  Bullet's Over Broadway's Nick Cordeo will probably get the nomination though I would prefer the always hilarious Ashmaskas.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY 

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Nick Westrate, Casa Valentina

2)  Gabriel Ebert, Casa Valentina

3)  Reed Birney, Casa Valentina

4)  Brian J. Smith, The Glass Menagerie

5)  Mark Rylance, Twelfth Night

Mateo Says: With a ridiculous amount of people getting left off here since the enormously talented cast of Casa are all supporting, this one is a can't go wrong.  I'd nominate the above three from Harvey's wonderful play, narrowly leaving off Patrick Page since he's really more of a lead.  Briand J. Smith was wonderful in Menagerie and Rylance again murders every single scene he's in (this time as a woman!)

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Reed Birney, Casa

2)  Tom McGowan, Casa

3)  Patrick Page, Casa

4)  Brian J. Smith, Glass Menagerie

5)  Brandon J. Dirden, All The Way

Ricky Says: If it were up to me, all these five nominees would be from Casa Valentina.  It was such a wonderful ensemble show and each of them shined!  Newcomer Brian J. Smith stole the show of Glass Menagerie from stars like Zachary Quinto.  And I really enjoyed Brandon J. Dirden's portrayal of Martin Luther King in All The Way.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL 

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Lena Hall, Hedwig

2)  Marin Mazzie, Bullets Over Broadway

3)  Caissie Levy, Les Miserables

4)  Anika Larsen, Beautiful

5)  Linda Emond, Cabaret

Mateo Says: Lots of great supporting ladies, lead in my opinion by Lena Hall, who after her small role in Kinky Boots now has lots of time to shine.  And shine she does.  My buddy Levy has shown time after time that she is the new diva in the wings, and Les Miz continues to show that.  Mazzie, Larsen, and Emond all show great range, both in comic timing and, in Emond's case, heartbreak.

RICKY'S CHOICES

1)  Linda Emond, Cabaret

2)  Marin Mazzie, Bullets Over Broadway

3)  Lisa O'Hare, Bullets

4)  Lauren Worsham, Gentleman's Guide

5)  Lena Hall, Hedwig

Ricky Says: It will be such a shame if Lena Hall isn't on this list!  She is perfecting cast in the role of Yitzak and worked off NPH wonderfully. I hope at least one of the beautiful Gentleman's Guide ladies will be nominated.  Both of their voices are just goreous!  It was be a big snub if Tony favorite Mazzie is snubbed.  And Linda Emond....with that wonderful role how can she not at least get nominated?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY 

MATEO'S CHOICES

1)  Celia Keenan-Bolger, The Glass Menagerie

2)  Sophie Okonedo, A Raisin in the Sun

3)  Anika Noni Rose, A Raisin in the Sun

4)  Sarah Greene, Cripple of Inishmaan

5)  Ingrid Craigie, Cripple of Inishmaan

Mateo Says: Finally I can nominate Raisin!  The cast are all fantastic in this beautiful production adn Anika and Sophie are at the top of it!  Ceilia was quietly powerful in Glass and in Cripple, Greene was deliciously mean and Craigie was tender and whacked out.  A great list of great actresses.

RICKY'S PICKS

1)  Anika Noni Rose, Raisin in the Sun

2)  Sophie Okonedo, Raisin

3)  Mare Winningham, Casa Valentina

4)  Marisa Tomei, Realistic Joneses

5)  Charlotte Parry, The Winslow Boy

Ricky Says: I'm not sure if Marisa Tomei is up for Leading Actress or Featured, but I would say that her role is more of a supporting role.  I know I am missing Celia Keenan Bolger but I'm gonna go with Parry. Winslow Boy will probably be forgotten at the Tonys and she would be perfect way to honor that show.

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL 

MATEO & RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder 

2)  Bridges of Madison County 

3)  Rocky

4)  If/Then

BEST SCORE

MATEO & RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Jason Robert Brown, Bridges of Madison County

2)  Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak, Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder 

3)  Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt, If/Then 

4)  Andrew Lippa, Big Fish

BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Alex Timbers, Rocky

2)  Michael Mayer, Hedwig

3)  Laurence Conner & James Powell, Les Miserables

4)  Michael Greif, If/Then

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Alex Timbers, Rocky

2)  Michael Mayer, Hedwig

3)  Laurence Conner & James Powell, Les Miserables

4)  Darko Tresnjak, Gentleman's Guide

BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1.)  Joe Mantello, Casa Valentina

2.)  Jame Lapine, Act One

3.)  Michael Grandage, Cripple of Inishmaan

4.)  Tim Carroll, Twelfth Night, Richard III

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1.)  Joe Mantello, Casa Valentina

2.)  Jame Lapine, Act One

3.)  Lyndsey Turner, Machinal

4.)  Tim Carroll, Twelfth Night, Richard III

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

MATEO & RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Warren Carlyle, After Midnight

2)  Steven Hoggett and Kelly Devine, Rocky

3)  Susan Stroman, Bullets Over Broadway

4)  Casey Nicholaw, Aladdin

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Rocky

2)  Big Fish

3)  Hedwig and the Angry Inch

4)  Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Rocky

2)  Big Fish

3)  Beautiful 

4)  Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder 

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Machinal 

2)  Act One

3)  Cripple of Inishmaan

4)  Twelfth Night/Richard III

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Machinal 

2)  Act One

3)  Snow Geese

4)  Twelfth Night/Richard III

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Rocky

2)  If/Then

3)  Hedwig 

4)  Big Fish

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1.)  Rocky

2.)  Bridges of Madison County 

3.)  Hedwig 

4.)  Big Fish

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  The Cripple of Inishmaan

2)  The Glass Menagerie

3)  Act One

4)  Twelfth Night

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Machinal 

2)  The Glass Menagerie

3)  Act One

4)  Macbeth

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Hedwig 

2)  Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder 

3)  Big Fish

4)  Aladdin 

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Hedwig 

2)  Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder 

3)  After Midnight

4)  Aladdin

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

MATEO'S CHOICES

1)  Casa Valentina 

2)  Waiting for Godot

3)  Twelfth Night

4)  Act One

RICKY'S CHOICES

1)  Casa Valentina 

2)  Machinal 

3)  Twelfth Night

4)  Act One

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS

MATEO'S CHOICES:

1)  Bridges of Madison County 

2)  After Midnight 

3)  Hedwig and the Angry Inch

4)  If/Then

RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Bridges of Madison County 

2)  After Midnight 

3)  Beautiful

4)  If/Then

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

MATEO & RICKY'S CHOICES:

1)  Hedwig 

2)  Rocky

3)  Beautiful 

4)  If/Then 

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

MATEO'S PICKS

1)  The Cripple of Inishmaan

2)  Lady Day 

3)  Act One 

4)  The Glass Menagerie

RICKY'S PICKS

1)  Machinal 

2)  Lady Day 

3)  Act One 

4)  The Glass Menagerie