‘I Didn’t Love-Love Any of the Musicals’: Tony Voters Dissect This Year’s Ballot

(L-R) Sarah Pidgeon successful Stereophonic, Leslie Odom Jr. successful Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch, and Eddie Redmayne successful Cabaret astatine the Kit Kat Club. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Julieta Cervantes, Marc J. Franklin, Marc Brenner

Willkommen and bienvenue to different circular of anonymous Tony voters debating the merits of this year’s nominations, with Stereophonic and Hell’s Kitchen leading the marquees with 13 nominations each. Despite each the mothers, rock-and-roll doyens, and Waystar Royco employees trying to lure america to the Theater District, our 2 veteran Tony voters aren’t overly enthralled by the season. They deliberation it’s 1 of the strongest years for plays successful caller memory. But for musicals? Eh, possibly immoderate shouldn’t person made the transportation from crossed the pond. And portion Stereophonic and Merrily We Roll Along are destined for further greatness, the voters don’t deliberation being a Hollywood prima guarantees an acting trophy. Ahead of the June 16 ceremonial astatine Lincoln Center, they weighed successful connected wherever they basal and why.

Hell’s Kitchen
Illinoise
The Outsiders
Suffs
Water for Elephants

Voter 1: I consciousness similar they got the nominees close for this category. I’m going to determine betwixt Illinoise and The Outsiders. I admired Suffs a batch for what it is and what it’s saying — I conscionable privation I liked it a spot more. Illinoise was the astir breathtaking of each the nominees to me. I conjecture the question people for myself volition be, since there’s nary caller euphony and portion there’s a book, determination are nary words, is that enough? Will that beryllium a barroom for maine to propulsion the lever for Illinoise versus a much conventionally structured and well-crafted publication musical? I honestly don’t cognize wherever I land. I’ll spot each 3 of those again to marque my decision.

Voter 2: I deliberation Suffs. I didn’t love-love immoderate of the musicals, but Suffs was the archetypal 1 I saw wherever astatine the extremity I thought, This truly could win. It was this feeling I got. If you would’ve told maine that Hillary Clinton, Alicia Keys, and Angelina Jolie would’ve been competing for Best Musical, I mean, what benignant of craziness is that? When I saw it astatine the Public Theater, I thought to myself, Okay, I learned a lot. I took my medicine, but this happening needs work. And you cognize what? They did the work. It has a full caller temper and a full caller feeling. It felt much upbeat and energized. I cognize a batch of radical are saying, “It’s conscionable Hamilton for girls” oregon “It’s conscionable a Hamilton knockoff.” Maybe that’s a just comparison. I deliberation it’s a small reductive, but I thought it was truthful clever. I near feeling upbeat, adjacent though it’s like, Oh, gosh, there’s inactive a batch of enactment women person to do.

Cabaret astatine the Kit Kat Club
Gutenberg! The Musical
Merrily We Roll Along
The Who’s Tommy

Voter 1: Merrily, Merrily, Merrily. I bash deliberation it’s disappointing that the 1 specifically BIPOC musical, The Wiz, was excluded. I’ll accidental that. I’m disappointed that it was snubbed. But for me, it’s Merrily successful a walk. I truly liked it downtown and I fucking loved it uptown.

Voter 2: Merrily. It’s ever been my favorite. I cognize it’s the Stephen Sondheim achromatic sheep show, but this is the champion accumulation I’ve ever seen and I deliberation it’s the champion accumulation you volition ever see. It yet works. There’s a batch of bully you tin accidental astir these 4 shows, but Merrily is without question the 1 for me.

Brody Grant — The Outsiders
Jonathan Groff — Merrily We Roll Along
Dorian Harewood — The Notebook
Brian d’Arcy James — Days of Wine and Roses
Eddie Redmayne — Cabaret astatine the Kit Kat Club

Voter 1: There are 3 exceptional performances successful this category. Brody and Brian are extraordinary, but my ballot is going to Jonathan. His show is the champion of the twelvemonth successful immoderate category, actually. He manages to make, connected paper, a quality who mightiness beryllium precise unlikable and crook him into a analyzable quality being who makes immoderate beauteous atrocious choices, and yet we recognize the humanity down those choices. It’s a staggering achievement.

Voter 2: My victor is Jonathan. That quality is simply a full jerk the mode it’s written, but helium makes him wholly sympathetic and it’s a beauteous performance. But I bash privation to accidental it’s an absorbing database of names. I would’ve enactment wealth connected Brian due to the fact that that was an astonishing performance. I astir apt would’ve predicted Eddie, adjacent though it was a precise divisive performance. I thought it was precise stylized. I thought, Okay, you cognize what? That’s a choice. He was conscionable benignant of determination for me, but I suspected helium would get nominated due to the fact that it’s 1 of “those” roles. Brody is saddled with 2 of the worst wigs connected Broadway — helium overcame them. The 1 glaring omission present is the prima of Tommy, Ali Louis Bourzgui. That kid is simply a star. He’s truthful magnetic. I was enraptured from commencement to decorativeness and I don’t recognize wherefore he’s not included.

Eden Espinosa — Lempicka
Maleah Joi Moon — Hell’s Kitchen
Kelli O’Hara — Days of Wine and Roses
Maryann Plunkett — The Notebook
Gayle Rankin — Cabaret astatine the Kit Kat Club

Voter 1: This is simply a truly awesome category, but for me, it’s Kelli. Her show was perfectly fearless and devastating. It’s specified an uncompromising, brilliant, and vanity-free performance. It took my enactment away. Honestly, I didn’t emotion the show. A batch of times I was like, Ugh, this is rough. I don’t deliberation it belonged connected Broadway due to the fact that it’s specified a hard amusement to watch.

Voter 2: I deliberation Maleah. I consciousness similar that’s 1 of those “a prima is born” performances. She does a batch successful the show, has a presence, and has a dependable — someway a theatre voice, a popular voice, and an R&B dependable each astatine once. She’s not conscionable imitating Alicia Keys, she’s doing her ain thing. One different information I was truly pleased to spot was Maryann getting successful there. She’s fantastic. I was a small disquieted erstwhile they enactment her arsenic a lead, due to the fact that each 3 of the Allies are benignant of equal, truthful I thought, Why are they putting her there? For her to beryllium recognized is the existent win.

Roger Bart — Back to the Future
Joshua Boone — The Outsiders
Brandon Victor Dixon — Hell’s Kitchen
Sky Lakota-Lynch — The Outsiders
Daniel Radcliffe — Merrily We Roll Along
Steven Skybell — Cabaret astatine the Kit Kat Club

Voter 1: This is different large category. I loved Steven and truly loved Brandon. I thought some of the guys from The Outsiders were wonderful, but I’m each astir Daniel. His transportation of “Franklin Shepard, Inc.” is award-worthy conscionable for that song. Watching him turn arsenic a signifier histrion has been a privilege. He’s 1 of the biggest stars successful the satellite and helium keeps coming backmost to the stage. In this production, helium conscionable takes it each to different level. It’s spectacular.

Voter 2: I’ll extremity up going with Daniel, but Steven, ohio my God. I’m reasoning astir his show and I’m astir crying again. Ron Rifkin won for that relation successful the past Cabaret revival. It’s decidedly 1 of those roles that gets you noticed. But Tony nominators person had a wont of ignoring Daniel, truthful I was truthful blessed they nominated him. He’s a fantastic signifier actor. This isn’t a brag, but I’ve seen everything he’s done successful New York connected and disconnected Broadway, and helium gets amended each time. His “Franklin Shepard, Inc.”? He’s singing the 11 o’clock fig astatine 8:30. Come on. That’s a beauteous gangly order. Oh, I wholly forgot astir Back to the Future. I’m amazed Roger got successful there.

Shoshana Bean — Hell’s Kitchen
Amber Iman — Lempicka
Nikki M. James — Suffs
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer — Monty Python’s Spamalot
Kecia Lewis — Hell’s Kitchen
Lindsay Mendez — Merrily We Roll Along
Bebe Neuwirth — Cabaret astatine the Kit Kat Club

Voter 1: You won’t beryllium amazed fixed each my Merrily love, but it’s Lindsay. She precocious got joined — Jonathan was the officiant and Daniel was the ringing bearer. That’s however adjacent they’ve go arsenic friends, and that chemistry and emotion they person for 1 different is truthful evident onstage. Lindsay is truly comic and sour; she oozes sarcasm, and yet she allows america to spot the symptom down each the armor. In the last Merrily scene, we witnesser her innocence and her hopefulness successful a mode that I don’t deliberation anyone sees coming. It’s acting astatine the highest level.

Voter 2: Even though I emotion Merrily and Lindsay here, I’m inclined to ballot for Kecia for Hell’s Kitchen. I didn’t emotion the show, but she was 1 of the reasons I liked it. Oh my gosh, her voice. She anchors the amusement successful a batch of ways. She’s besides 1 of those actors who’s ever been astir and doing fantastic work. She made her Broadway debut astatine property 18 successful Dreamgirls, playing Effie. This amusement is conscionable different reminder of her talents. It’s not similar we should springiness Tonys for longevity oregon beingness achievement, but I consciousness similar this is conscionable different reminder of, Yes, Kecia is fantastic. That mightiness enactment maine implicit the apical for her.

Kristoffer Diaz — Hell’s Kitchen
Bekah Brunstetter — The Notebook
Adam Rapp and Justin Levine — The Outsiders
Shaina Taub — Suffs
Rick Elice — Water for Elephants

Voter 1: This is simply a pugnacious one, and I could find myself changing my mind. But close now, I’m reasoning it volition beryllium Suffs. I near the theatre putting my fist successful the aerial and wanting to enactment harder to bring astir change. That’s the god-honest truth. I went with immoderate aged friends and I instantly thought, I privation to instrumentality to the streets, we haven’t gone acold enough. That accomplishment was precise awesome for me. If I stray from that, it’s astir apt for The Outsiders, which I respect greatly. There’s a benignant of youthful masculinity that didn’t consciousness similar a sugarcoated communicative for Broadway. It didn’t consciousness dumbed down oregon softened to marque it much digestible for audiences.

Voter 2: Is determination immoderate publication I consciousness similar was over-the-top good? I don’t deliberation so. I’m inactive reasoning astir this. I’m going betwixt The Outsiders and Suffs. The publication was really 1 of the issues I had with Hell’s Kitchen. I would’ve nominated the publication for Days of Wine and Roses implicit that. It’s the astir depressing amusement I’ve ever seen, but it was good done. I was besides gladsome to spot Water for Elephants successful there, due to the fact that that amusement was astir apt trickier to accommodate than immoderate of america recognize — to nonstop and wrangle each of that.

Adam Guettel — Days of Wine and Roses
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim — Here Lies Love
Will Butler — Stereophonic
Shaina Taub — Suffs
Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine — The Outsiders

Voter 1: Here Lies Love will get my vote. Whatever the amusement didn’t deliver, I perfectly emotion the people and it’s the astir palmy of those entries. It created a satellite and made maine retrieve the tunes for days aft I near the theater, which didn’t truly hap with the others.

Voter 2: Plays person been nominated successful this class before, but often it tin beryllium to capable retired the class successful much anemic years erstwhile determination haven’t been a ton of musicals. But this was 1 of those years erstwhile the Stereophonic people had to beryllium nominated due to the fact that it’s that good. I was precise gladsome to spot Here Lies Love successful here. Many radical didn’t deliberation of it arsenic a caller musical, adjacent though it was categorized that way, due to the fact that it’s been astir for truthful long. The Public Theater accumulation was a decennary agone and it has a formed recording, truthful it seems radical weren’t reasoning of it arsenic caller adjacent though that’s however the committee ruled it. So I’m gladsome to spot the people there, due to the fact that it’s truly good. I mightiness spell with Stereophonic. The archetypal clip I saw it astatine Playwrights Horizons, I was like, I perfectly request to perceive those songs again. The absorbing happening is you don’t perceive them each successful the show. I deliberation you lone perceive 2 successful their entirety. When they merchandise the album, they’re going to see the afloat songs. People person been clamoring for a portion for it. I thought they were each truthful catchy and they acceptable perfectly successful the amusement — they had this ’70s-ish vibe, but they didn’t consciousness vintage oregon dated. They besides felt truly modern. That’s the people I’ve heard radical buzzing astir the astir by a agelong shot.

Camille A. Brown — Hell’s Kitchen
Annie-B Parson — Here Lies Love
Rick and Jeff Kuperman — The Outsiders
Justin Peck — Illinoise
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll — Water for Elephants

Voter 1: This is the easiest reply I’ll springiness you: Illinoise. I don’t deliberation immoderate different creation touches it. There’s a batch of truly fantastic choreography. The muscularity of The Outsiders is thrilling and caller to me, and successful different play would beryllium award-worthy. But what Justin achieved is astonishing.

Voter 2: I would’ve near retired Here Lies Live due to the fact that I thought thing was memorable. My question present is wherever is Tommy? The choreography was truthful vibrant, visually striking, and kept that amusement moving. Tommy was conscionable a changeless watercourse of motion, and I’m truly amazed it got near out. The aforesaid choreographer, Lorin Latarro, besides did The Heart of Rock and Roll and did an unthinkable occupation with that philharmonic — but, of course, that’s not the benignant of amusement a idiosyncratic gets nominated for. No 1 took that amusement seriously, adjacent though I thought it was ace amusive and a large jolted ’80s cheese. She was the 1 I was a small annoyed to get near out. Personally, I’m going to spell with Hell’s Kitchen. Camille perfectly captures the temper and the spirit, and besides the ’90s clip period. But since “Best Choreography” often equals “Most Choreography,” I deliberation Illinoise will win. I liked it; I didn’t emotion it. I thought determination were 2 astonishing dances, but a batch of the different ones looked the aforesaid to me.

Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Mary Jane
Mother Play
Prayer for the French Republic
Stereophonic

Voter 1: Stereophonic is going to triumph and I loved it. It’s an unthinkable twelvemonth for caller plays. Part of maine is rooting for Mary Jane, and I’ll apt beryllium voting for it — I emotion however quiescent and analyzable it is. But if immoderate 1 of these were announced arsenic Best Play, I would applaud. How bully americium I? I truly thought each 5 were terrific.

Voter 2: I deliberation I’ll spell with Stereophonic, which I loved. But I privation to accidental this is an astonishing list, and successful a batch of different seasons, immoderate of them could win. It’s benignant of incredible. Usually it’s like, “Well, this 1 isn’t truthful great.” It’s a really, truly awesome list. Three of them started Off Broadway and each of them came from Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage, and Playwrights Horizons. It says a batch astir the existent authorities of playwriting. I’m impressed and anticipation those theaters proceed to put successful caller plays and caller playwrights.

Appropriate
An Enemy of the People
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Voter 1: It’s a adjacent contention betwixt 2 for me: I loved Appropriate and Purlie Victorious. I didn’t attraction for Enemy of the People. It ne'er disturbed oregon provoked me, which it acceptable retired to bash with its audience. I deliberation I’ll beryllium voting for Appropriate successful the end. The information is, the archetypal clip I saw it years ago, I didn’t similar it astatine all. But this accumulation I loved. In the tone of what’s “the champion revival,” it revived my conception of what the play is.

Voter 2: Probably Appropriate. The absorbing happening was determination was a statement about, “Is Appropriate going to beryllium a caller play oregon a revival?” I deliberation this is the champion mode to admit the play. Not that radical shouldn’t admit Ibsen, oregon successful this case, besides Amy Herzog, who did a large occupation updating, trimming, and pruning Enemy of the People. But Appropriate is a terrific play, and that mightiness beryllium what gives it the borderline for maine successful this category. That said, I deliberation it’s a large accumulation of Enemy of the People and ace timely. And I’m gladsome that they didn’t hide Purlie Victorious due to the fact that it was funny, dark, and an unexpected delight connected truthful galore levels.

William Jackson Harper — Uncle Vanya
Leslie Odom Jr. — Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Liev Schreiber — Doubt: A Parable
Jeremy Strong — An Enemy of the People
Michael Stuhlbarg — Patriots

Voter 1: It’s betwixt Leslie and Liev, but I’ll astir apt ballot for Leslie. I’m not definite wherever I’m going to land. Both them are award-worthy. I didn’t attraction for Jeremy oregon Michael’s performances — there’s nary struggle there. They ne'er transcended “just fine.”

Voter 2: Patriots was the past amusement of the play I saw, truthful that’s the freshest successful my mind. When I was walking out, I said to my friend, Michael mightiness win. I mean, he’s ever been good, but he’s exceptional here. Playing a Russian oligarch who helped enactment Putin successful powerfulness and you’re really rooting for him? That’s nary casual task. Jeremy is truthful good, too. I cognize a batch of radical are like, “Oh, Jeremy Strong, conscionable get different TV prima coming to Broadway and expecting to win.” He’s done a batch of theatre and these radical are misinformed. He’s been successful plays by John Patrick Shanley, Theresa Rebeck, and Amy Herzog. It’s not similar he’s conscionable waltzing successful and expecting to cleanable up with a Tony Award. I’m leaning toward Michael. I’m besides truly gladsome to spot William recognized. This Uncle Vanya was precise uneven, but helium was the wide standout.

Betsy Aidem — Prayer of the French Republic
Jessica Lange — Mother Play
Rachel McAdams — Mary Jane
Sarah Paulson — Appropriate
Amy Ryan — Doubt: A Parable

Voter 1: Now this is simply a formidable class wherever immoderate 1 of these 5 could beryllium award-worthy. I deliberation Jessica has the borderline for me. There’s a country successful the play wherever she’s unsocial onstage successful soundlessness for astir 5 minutes. That she could clasp an assemblage successful captivated soundlessness without saying a happening by the powerfulness of her signifier beingness blew maine away. I was successful awe of what she did. Very fewer radical could propulsion that off. Jessica conscionable took it to different level successful a precise analyzable role. She knocked maine out.

Voter 2: They’re each truly good. I bash deliberation it’s betwixt Rachel and Sarah. I’m leaning heavy toward Sarah due to the fact that she’s spitting bile for 2 and a fractional hours. She plays a truly atrocious person, let’s beryllium honest. It’s hard to play a unspeakable person. I deliberation it’s harder than radical realize, and I truly commend her for that. That amusement is tough. I’ve ever liked her onstage, but I was benignant of knocked retired by her here.

Will Brill — Stereophonic
Eli Gelb — Stereophonic
Jim Parsons — Mother Play
Tom Pecinka — Stereophonic
Corey Stoll — Appropriate

Voter 1: It’ll beryllium 1 of the Stereophonic guys, and I’ll springiness my ballot to Will. It astir seems cruel to azygous 1 Stereophonic actor out. This is simply a lawsuit wherever you conscionable think, Oh, determination should beryllium an grant for Best Ensemble, what are the Tonys waiting for? They’re each fucking great, but Will made maine laughter the most. This is the premier statement to person that caller category.

Voter 2: If I spell the Stereophonic route, I’ll astir apt take Eli due to the fact that I consciousness similar he’s keeping each the balls successful the air. Will has the showiest role, and Tom plays the genius that everybody hates. See, I mightiness extremity up not going with Stereophonic at all, conscionable due to the fact that it’s hard to prime betwixt the three. Isn’t that terrible? I mightiness extremity up going with Corey for that reason, due to the fact that he’s amazing. Going toe-to-toe with Sarah Paulson is nary tiny feat. Not that Corey is simply a 2nd prime by immoderate means. He’s ever fantastic. Jim is good and precisely the show I expected him to give.

Quincy Tyler Bernstine — Doubt: A Parable
Juliana Canfield — Stereophonic
Celia Keenan-Bolger — Mother Play
Sarah Pidgeon — Stereophonic
Kara Young — Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Voter 1: Another super-tough category. I’m going to springiness the borderline to Kara — she was truthful caller and exciting. It’s the information that I’m inactive reasoning astir her show agelong aft the play closed and remembering my affectional effect to it. She’s conscionable ever good. I emotion her. That’s wherever my allegiance lies.

Voter 2: ​​I’m leaning toward Kara. This was different lawsuit of maine being gladsome that they didn’t permission her out, due to the fact that closed shows tin often autumn retired of people’s minds. I besides person to say, mediocre Zoe Kazan, the lone 1 from Doubt who wasn’t nominated. I thought she was fantastic successful it. I deliberation Sarah mightiness triumph due to the fact that she’s framed successful Stereophonic arsenic the standout — the Stevie Nicks, if you will. They’re each sensational, gosh. But I’ll ballot for Kara. She’s been nominated the past 2 years successful the aforesaid category. She keeps getting nominated and keeps getting better.