2016 Grammy Predictions: Spoken Word, Comedy Album, and Musical Theater

Best Spoken Word Album
Will Win - Jimmy Carter "A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety"
Could Win - Patti Smith "Blood on Snow" or Amy Poehler "Yes Please"
Should Win - Jimmy Cater "A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety"
Commentary - I loved Amy Poehler's Yes Please, and Patti Smith's recording of Jo Nesbo's latest is fascinating, but previous Grammy winner, President Jimmy Carter will probably take this one in a cakewalk. The book is great, he is a former President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and recently, his health struggles have endeared him to anyone with a beating heart.

Best Comedy Album
Will Win - Louis C.K. "Live at Madison Square Garden"
Could Win - Craig Ferguson "Just Being Honest" or Wyatt Cenac "Brooklyn"
Should Win - Lisa Lampanelli "Back to the Drawing Board"
Commentary - I'm partial to Lisa Lampanelli, and both Ferguson and Cenac could upset here, but Louis C.K. is one of those comedians that just resonates with awards folks. I have struggled with Louie at times, but his stand-up is always classic. I think he wins here.

Best Musical Theater Album
Will Win - Hamilton
Could Win - Fun Home, The King and I, or An American in Paris
Should Win - Hamilton
Commentary - Usually, one of the big Tony contenders from the previous year, in this case Fun Home, The King and I, or An American in Paris, are usually the ones battling it out. But this year, Hamilton is all the rage. After tearing up off-Broadway, it has made its way to the big stage, and I think it starts its trajectory towards major Tony recognition at this year's Grammy Awards.

The 69th Annual Tony Award Winners

Enjoy the show!:

Best Musical - Fun Home
Best Play - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Best Revival of a Musical - The King and I
Best Revival of a Play - Skylight
Best Actor in a Musical - Michael Cerveris "Fun Home"
Best Actress in a Musical - Kelli O'Hara "The King and I"
Best Actor in a Play - Alex Sharp "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Actress in a Play- Helen Mirren "The Audience"
Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Christian Borle "Something Rotten!"
Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Ruthie Ann Miles "The King and I"
Best Featured Actor in a Play - Richard McCabe "The Audience"
Best Featured Actress in a Play - Annaleigh Ashford "You Can't Take it With You"
Best Original Score - Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron "Fun Home"
Best Book of A Musical - Lisa Kron "Fun Home"
Best Director of a Musical - Sam Gold "Fun Home"
Best Director of a Play - Marianne Elliot "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Choreography - Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris"
Best Orchestrations - Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, and Bill Elliott "An American in Paris"
Best Costume Design of a Play - Christopher Oram "Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2"
Best Costume Design of a Musical - Catherine Zuber "The King and I"
Best Lighting Design of a Musical - Natasha Katz "An American in Paris"
Best Lighting Design of a Play - Paule Constable "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Scenic Design of a Musical - Bob Crowley "An American in Paris"
Best Scenic Design of a Play - Bunny Christine and Finn Ross "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Lifetime Achievement in the Theater - Tommy Tune
Isabelle Stevenson Award - Stephen Schwartz
Special Tony Award - John Cameron Mitchell
Regional Theater Tony Award - Cleveland Play House - Cleveland, Ohio
Tony Honors for Excellence in Theater - Arnold Abramson, Adrian Bryan-Brown, Gene O'Donovan
Tony Honors for Excellence in Theater Education - Corey Mitchell - Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC (My hometown!!!)

2015 Tony Predictions: Final List

I have switched to Fun Home, and have added predictions for Original  Score and Book of a Musical!

Best Musical - Fun Home 

Best Play - The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time 

Best Revival of a Play - The Elephant Man

Best Revival of a Musical - The King and I 

Best Actor in a Musical - Robert Fairchild "An American in Paris"

Best Actress in a Musical - Kristin Chenoweth "On the Twentieth Century" 

Best Actor in a Play - Alex Sharp "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time" 

Best Actress in a Play - Helen Mirren "The Audience"

Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Andy Karl "On the Twentieth Century" 

Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Judy Kuhn "Fun Home" 

Best Featured Actor in a Play - Nathaniel Parker "Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2" 

Best Featured Actress in a Play - Annaleigh Ashford "You Can't Take it With You" 

Best Director of a Play - Marianne Eliott "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time" 

Best Director of a Musical - Sam Gold "Fun Home"

Best Book of a Musical - Lisa Kron "Fun Home"

Best Original Score - Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron "Fun Home"

Best Choreography - Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris" 

Best Orchestrations - Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, and Bill Elliott "An American in Paris" 

Best Costume Design of a Play - Christopher Oram "Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2"

Best Costume Design of a Musical - Catherine Zuber "The King and I"

Best Lighting Design of a Play - Paule Constable "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical - Natasha Katz "An American In Paris"

Best Scenic Design of a Play - Bunny Christie and Finn Ross "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" 

Best Scenic Design of a Musical - Bob Crowley and 59 Productions "An American in Paris" 

2015 Tony Predictions: Best Play and Best Musical

Best Musical
Will Win - An American in Paris
Could Win - Fun Home
Commentary - This reminds me of that Kinky Boots vs. Matilda year where no really knew what was going to happen. Fun Home has had a great run from a graphic novel, to Off-Broadway, to Broadway, and has received rave reviews. Of course so has An American in Paris, the musical adaptation of a Best Picture Oscar winner. In a close race, I favor the one that has racked up the most precursors, and will probably win the most awards out of the two, An American in Paris. But, make no mistake, this race is no over until the envelope is opened.

Best Play
Will Win - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Could Win - Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2
Commentary -  Unlike the Musical category, this one seems like a pretty easy pick. With the PBS series, and a lot of Emmy buzz following it, Wolf Hall is the potential spoiler. But The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has the best reviews, the most precursors, and looks like at this point it is unbeatable.

2015 Tony Predictions: Best Revival of a Play and Revival of a Musical

Best Revival of a Musical
Will Win - The King and I
Could Win - On the Twentieth Century
Commentary - On the Twentieth has some great reviews, and could win a few Tonys, but none of these three nominees are as well-represented across the board as The King and I. It has and incredible amount of representation across the categories, is clearly beloved by the Broadway industry, and by the critics and fans. I think it wins relatively easily.

Best Revival of a Play
Will Win - The Elephant Man
Could Win - You Can't Take it With You or Skylight
Commentary - The Drama League went with You Can't Take it With You, the Outer Critics with Skylight, and the Drama Desk Awards with The Elephant Man. So this is a race where literally anything can happen. All have great reviews, top-notch casts, and precursor awards under her belt. But I think that The Elephant Man overall has the most buzz, the biggest star in Bradley Cooper (who will probably lose his award, but maybe a consolation prize), and won the most recent precursor suggesting that maybe it is peaking at the right time? I put a question mark there because it is a guessing game at best.

2015 Tony Predictions: Best Lead Actor and Actress in a Musical

Best Lead Actor in a Musical
Will Win - Robert Fairchild "An American In Paris"
Could Win - Michael Cerveris "Fun Home" or Brian d'Arcy James "Something Rotten!"
Commentary - In a close race, I am favoring the guy that keeps racking up precursor awards. Brian d'Arcy James could finally win a Tony on this third try for Something Rotten! The battle for Best Musical is between Fun Home and An American in Paris, which seems to also pi Michael Cerveris vs. Robert Fairchild in a close race. But Fairchild has won the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle, and is clearly a well-liked new talent on the stage. I think he wins in a close race.

Best Lead Actress in a Musical
Will Win - Kristin Chenoweth "On the Twentieth Century"
Could Win - Kelli O'Hara "The King and I" or Chita Rivera "The Visit"
Commentary - I am going with same theory here that I am going with in the Actor category. This is a really tight race. Chita Rivera won the coveted Drama League Distinguished Performance Award, and another Tony is not out of the question. But I think this year's race is between two beloved stage veterans, both of whom I admire a great deal. I would love to see Kelli O'Hara finally win a Tony after six nominations and zero wins. But the precursors suggest that host, and previous winner Kristin Chenoweth is going to win this for her well-received role in the revival of On the Twentieth Century. Chenoweth is one of my favorite artists working today who has managed to cross all mediums with ease and success, and another Tony would be well-deserved.

The 60th Annual Drama Desk Award Winners

Best Play - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Best Musical - Hamilton
Best Revival of a Play - The Elephant Man
Best Revival of a Musical - The King and I
Best Actor in a Play - Alex Sharp "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Actress in a Play - Helen Mirren "The Audience"
Best Actor in a Musical - Robert Fairchild "An American in Paris"
Best Actress in a Musical - Kristin Chenoweth "On the Twentieth Century"
Best Featured Actor in a Play - K. Todd Freeman "Airline Highway"
Best Featured Actress in a Play - Annaleigh Ashford "You Can't Take it With You"
Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Christian Borle "Something Rotten!"
Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Renee Elise Goldsberry "Hamilton"
Best Director of a Play - Marianne Elliott "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Director of a Musical - Thomas Kail "Hamilton"
Best Choreography - Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris"
Best Music - Lin-Manuel Miranda "Hamilton"
Best Lyrics - Lin-Manuel Miranda "Hamilton"
Best Book of a Musical - Lin-Manuel Miranda "Hamilton"
Best Orchestrations - Christopher Austin "An American in Paris"
Best Music in a Play - Arthur Solari and Jane Shaw "Tamburlaine the Great"
Best Set Design - Bob Crowley "An American in Paris"
Best Lighting Design - Paule Constable "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Projection Design - Finn Ross "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Sound Design in a Musical - Nevin Steinberg "Hamilton"
Best Sound Design in a Play - Ian Dickinson "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Solo Performance - Benjamin Scheuer "The Lion"
Best Revue - Just Jim Dale
Best Unique Theatrical Experience - Queen of the Night

2015 Tony Predictions: Best Lead Actor and Actress in a Play

Best Lead Actor in a Play
Will Win - Alex Sharp "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Could Win - Steven Boyer "Hand to God" or Bradley Cooper "The Elephant Man"
Commentary - Three first time nominees battle it out for the prize. Steven Boyer got a lot of love for Hand to God, but it probably a safe third place. That leaves two. Bradley Cooper has gone from young hotshot to five-time Oscar nominated and well-respected actor in a matter of years. His popularity and high-profile appearance could easily land him the Tony. It doesn't hurt that he has received nothing but raves for this role in the revival of The Elephant Man. But they don't always go for the popular screen actor (see Tom Hanks). Alex Sharp is a young talent who apparently knocked it out of the park in the front runner for Best Play. He has some stiff competition, but I think he wins his first Tony.

Best Lead Actress in a Play
Will Win - Helen Mirren "The Audience"
Could Win - Carey Mulligan "Skylight" or Elisabeth Moss "The Heidi Chronicles"
Commentary - You know how I was just saying they don't always go for the popular screen actor? Well in this category, voters don't have much of a choice but to do just that. Carey Mulligan and Elisabeth are great dark horses (both Emmy/Oscar nominees), but this award belongs to Helen Mirren. She apparently stole the show in The Audience is a legend, and has never won a Tony Award. I think she finally wins the triple crown of acting.

2015 Tony Predictions - Best Featured Actor and Featured Actress in a Musical

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Will Win - Andy Karl "On the Twentieth Century"
Could Win - Christian Borle "Something Rotten" or Brad Oscar "Something Rotten"
Commentary - Andy Karl was nominated last year for Rocky, and I think he is going to win his first Tony, on his second try for On the Twentieth Century opposite Peter Gallagher and Kristin Chenoweth. He managed to be a standout despite two dominating leads, and already has made a name for himself on Broadway. But if anyone can beat him it is the duo from Something Rotten. Brad Oscar is a two-time nominee that has yet to win, and Christian Borle is a recent winner for Peter and the Starcatcher. Borle probably has the higher profile of the two, with several television and film roles of note, but I think both will split the Something Rotten vote giving it to Karl.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Will Win - Judy Kuhn "Fun Home"
Could Win - Sydney Lucas "Fun Home" or Ruthie Ann Miles "An American in Paris"
Commentary - An interesting race that is pitting co-stars against one another, leading to a potential dark horse. Of the two from Fun Home, I am leaning toward Judy Kuhn, a veteran stage actress, who is on her fourth nomination with zero Tony wins. But if the Fun Home votes split, watch out for Ruthie Ann Miles in the Best Musical front runner, An American in Paris.

2015 Tony Predictions - Best Featured Actor in a Play

Will Win - Nathaniel Parker "Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2"

Could Win - Micah Stock "It's Only a Play" or Richard McCabe "The Audience"

Commentary - This is one of those categories that seems all over the board. Richard McCabe for The Audience and even Matthew Beard for Skylight are not out of the question, but if I had to boil it down to two, I would put it between Micah Stock and Nathaniel Parker. Both have great reviews, and Stock is the only cast member to get nominated for a Tony, in his Broadway debut, and in a cast that includes Oscar Winner F. Murray Abraham, Two-time Tony winner Matthew Broderick, Tony and Emmy winner Stockard Channing, and Emmy winner Megan Mullally. That makes him a real threat, and a great way to honor a burgeoning new talent. But I think that the more popular Wolf Hall, and the well-received performance of Nathaniel Parker. This is one that might change between now and the final list, but for now it is Parker in the lead.

2015 Tony Predictions - Best Featured Actress in Play

Will Win - Annaleigh Ashford "You Can't Take It With You"

Could Win - Patricia Clarkson "The Elephant Man" or Julie White "Airline Highway"

Commentary - There is a trio at the top of this race that will make for an interesting one. Patricia Clarkson is opposite Bradley Cooper in the revival of The Elephant Man and this is her first Tony nomination. She is a veteran actress with rave reviews and an Oscar nomination under her belt. She is a real contender. So is Tony-winner Julie White for Airline Highway, despite the play's lack of recognition across the board. But after breaking through with a nod in 2013, and having a scene-stealing role on a popular television show, Masters of Sex, I think that it is Annaleigh Ashford's year to win. Reviews have been great, and the show has done well on the circuit so far. I think she takes the prize.

2015 Tony Predictions: Best Director of a Play and a Musical

Best Director of a Play
Will Win  - Marianne Elliott "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Could Win - Stephen Daldry "Skylight" or Jeremy Herrin "Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2"
Commentary - The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time is going to rack up a lot of Tonys come June 7th, and its reviews highlight its creativity, its unique set up, and its powerful message. So Marianne Elliot should be a shoo-in, and honestly, I would be kind of surprised if she were snubbed. But Wolf Hall has a lot of buzz with its TV and theater releases, and most importantly, Stephen Daldry is lurking around the corner. He is as well-liked by the American Theater Wing as he is by the AMPAS, and has won both of the Tony Awards he was nominated for. Plus, Skylight is a hit and one of the three plays that could win the revival category. I am going with Elliott, but I will not be shocked if Daldry ends up accepting his Third Tony.

Best Director of a Musical
Will Win - Sam Gold "Fun Home"
Could Win - Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris" or Casey Nicholaw "Something Rotten!"
Commentary - This one is a bit trickier than it looks on the surface. So far An American in Paris has swept the precursors for Best Musical, and I am definitely leaning towards it for the win come Tony night. But judging by the reviews and the buzz, Fun Home is a bit quirkier, and a bit more ingenious in its execution. It makes me think that for these top awards there is going to be a split, and you will be wondering what will win up until the name is revealed (sort of like the Matlida and Kinky Boots year). So I am predicting the split, and going with Sam Gold to win here, while still losing the top prize to An American in Paris. Of course, we'll have to wait and see.

2015 Tony Predictions: Technical Categories, Orchestrations and Choreography

Stay tuned for all of the Tony predictions in the next two weeks!:

Best Orchestrations

Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, Bill Elliott "An American in Paris" 

Best Choreography

Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris" 

Best Costume Design of a Play

Christopher Oram "Wolf Hall Parts 1 & 2"

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Catherine Zuber "The King and I"

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Paule Constable "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Natasha Katz "An American in Paris"

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Bunny Christie and Finn Ross "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Bob Crowley and 59 Productions "An American in Paris" 

The 65th Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Winners

Outstanding New Broadway Play
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Outstanding New Musical Play
An American in Paris

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
Between Riverside and Crazy

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
Hamilton

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Hamilton

Outstanding New Score
Hamilton

Outstanding Revival of a Play (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
You Can't Take It With You

Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The King and I

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Alex Sharp "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Helen Mirren "The Audience"

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Robert Fairchild "An American in Paris"

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Kristin Chenoweth "On the Twentieth Century"

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Richard McCabe "The Audience"

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford "You Can't Take it With You"

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Andy Karl "On the Twentieth Century"

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Ruthie Ann Miles "The King and I"

Outstanding Solo Performance
Jim Dale "Just Jim Dale"

Outstanding Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris"

Outstanding Choreographer
Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris"

Outstanding Set Design
Bunny Christie "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

Outstanding Costume Design
Catherine Zuber "The King and I"

Outstanding Lighting Design
Paule Constable "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

John Gassner Award
Ayad Akhtar "The Invisible Hand"

The 81st Annual Drama League Award Winners

Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play
You Can't Take it With You

Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
An American in Paris

Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
The King and I

Distinguished Performance Award
Chita Rivera "The Visit"

Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater
Joel Grey

Unique Contribution to Theater
WNET: Neal Shapiro and David Horn

Founders Award for Excellence in Directing
Stephen Daldry

2015 Outer Critics Circle Award Winners

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Between Riverside and Crazy

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Hamilton

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Hamilton

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Hamilton

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
You Can’t Take It With You

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The King and I

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Marianne Elliott - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Christopher Wheeldon - An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Christopher Wheeldon - An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Bunny Christie - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Catherine Zuber - The King and I

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Paule Constable - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Alex Sharp - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Helen Mirren - The Audience

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Robert Fairchild - An American in Paris

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kristin Chenoweth - On the Twentieth Century

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Richard McCabe - The Audience

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Annaleigh Ashford - You Can’t Take It With You

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Andy Karl - On the Twentieth Century

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Ruthie Ann Miles - The King and I

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Jim Dale - Just Jim Dale

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Ayad Akhtar - The Invisible Hand

Kristen Chenoweth and Alan Cumming to Host Tonys

So on the same day that the American Theater Wing announced its nominees for the 69th Annual Tony Awards, they announce their hosts for the ceremony. Kristin Chenoweth hosted a few years back opposite Sean Hayes. She is a Tony winner, and is also nominated this year for the well-liked revival of On the Twentieth Century. Alan Cumming is also a Tony winner with a long history in theater. I like both of these guys a lot, but I am a bit worried about the tone, and about their playing off one another. Chenoweth is perky and fun, and Cumming is sly and weird. It could be a great combination, or it could be just a bit off. Either way I am excited for the Tonys, as always, they are a fun show that really celebrates theater while entertaining the viewers at home (and yet the Oscars, Grammys, and Emmys, continue to screw up a ceremony when they have a perfect example for their use every June). The Tonys are June 7th on CBS.

The 69th Annual Tony Award Nominations

Best Play
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Disgraced
Hand to God
Wolf Hall Parts One & Two

Best Musical
An American in Paris
Fun Home
Something Rotten!
The Visit

Best Revival of a Play
Skylight
The Elephant Man
This Is Our Youth
You Can’t Take It With You

Best Revival of a Musical
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
The King and I

Best Leading Actor in a Play
Steven Boyer "Hand to God"
Bradley Cooper "The Elephant Man"
Ben Miles "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two"
Bill Nighy "Skylight"
Alex Sharp "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

Best Leading Actress in a Play
Geneva Carr "Hand to God"
Helen Mirren "The Audience"
Elisabeth Moss "The Heidi Chronicles"
Carey Mulligan "Skylight"
Ruth Wilson "Constellations"

Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris "Fun Home"
Robert Fairchild "An American in Paris"
Brian d’Arcy James "Something Rotten!"
Ken Watanabe "The King and I"
Tony Yazbeck "On the Town"

Best Leading Actress in a Musical
Kristin Chenoweth "On the Twentieth Century"
Leanne Cope "An American in Paris"
Beth Malone "Fun Home"
Kelli O’Hara "The King and I"
Chita Rivera "The Visit"

Best Featured Actor in a Play
Matthew Beard "Skylight"
K. Todd Freeman "Airline Highway"
Richard McCabe "The Audience"
Alessandro Nivola "The Elephant Man"
Nathaniel Parker "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two"
Micah Stock "It’s Only a Play"

Best Featured Actress in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford "You Can’t Take It With You"
Patricia Clarkson "The Elephant Man"
Lydia Leonard "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two"
Sarah Stiles "Hand to God"
Julie White "Airline Highway"

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Christian Borle "Something Rotten!"
Andy Karl "On the Twentieth Century"
Brad Oscar "Something Rotten!"
Brandon Uranowitz "An American in Paris"
Max von Essen "An American in Paris"

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Victoria Clark "Gigi"
Judy Kuhn "Fun Home"
Sydney Lucas "Fun Home"
Ruthie Ann Miles "The King and I"
Emily Skeggs "Fun Home"

Best Director of a Play
Stephen Daldry "Skylight"
Marianne Elliott "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Scott Ellis "You Can’t Take It With You"
Jeremy Herrin "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two"
Moritz von Stuelpnagel "Hand to God"

Best Director of a Musical
Sam Gold "Fun Home"
Casey Nicholaw "Something Rotten!"
John Rando "On the Town"
Bartlett Sher "The King and I"
Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris"

Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse "On the Town"
Christopher Gattelli "The King and I"
Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Casey Nicholaw "Something Rotten!"
Christopher Wheeldon "An American in Paris"

Best Book of a Musical
Fun Home by Lisa Kron
An American in Paris by Craig Lucas,
Something Rotten! by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell
The Visit by Terrence McNally

Best Score
Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron
The Last Ship by Sting
Something Rotten! by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick
The Visit by John Kander and Fred Ebb

Best Costume Design of a Play
Bob Crowley "The Audience"
Jane Greenwood "You Can’t Take It With You"
Christopher Oram "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two"
David Zinn "Airline Highway"

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes "Something Rotten!"
Bob Crowley "An American in Paris"
William Ivey Long "On the Twentieth Century"
Catherine Zuber "The King and I"

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Paule Constable and David Plater "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two"
Natasha Katz "Skylight"
Japhy Weideman "Airline Highway"

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Donald Holder "The King and I"
Natasha Katz "An American in Paris"
Ben Stanton "Fun Home"
Japhy Weideman "The Visit"

Best Orchestrations
Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky and Bill Elliott "An American in Paris"
John Clancy "Fun Home"
Larry Hochman "Something Rotten!"
Rob Mathes "The Last Ship"

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Bunny Christie & Finn Ross "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Bob Crowley "Skylight"
Christopher Oram "Wolf Hall Parts One & Two"
David Rockwell "You Can’t Take It With You"

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions "An American in Paris"
David Rockwell "On the Twentieth Century"
Michael Yeargan "The King and I"
David Zinn "Fun Home"

2015 Tony Award Nomination Predictions

The 69th Annual Tony Award Nominations will be announced tomorrow morning at 8:30 ET by Tony winner Mary-Louise Parker and Bruce Willis. Here are my predictions for the top eight categories:

Best Musical
An American in Paris
Fun Home
Something Rotten!
The Visit

Best Play
The Audience
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Disgraced
Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2

Best Revival of the Musical
The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century

Best Revival of a Play
The Elephant Man
It's Only a Play
Skylight
You Can't Take it With You

Best Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris "Fun Home"
Robert Fairchild "An American in Paris"
Peter Gallagher "On the Twentieth Century"
Brian d'Arcy James "Something Rotten!"
Ken Watanabe "The King and I"

Best Actress in a Musical
Kristen Chenoweth "On the Twentieth Century"
Leanne Cope "An American in Paris"
Beth Malone "Fun Home"
Kelli O'Hara "The King and I"
Chita Rivera "The Visit"

Best Actor in a Play
Steven Boyer "Hand the God"
Bradley Cooper "The Elephant Man"
Ben Miles "Wolf Hall Parts 1 and 2"
Bill Nighy "Skylight"
Alex Sharp "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

Best Actress in a Play
Glenn Close "A Delicate Balance"
Blythe Danner "The Country House"
Helen Mirren "The Audience"
Elisabeth Moss "The Heidi Chronicles"
Carey Mulligan "Skylight"

60th Annual Drama Desk Award Nominations

Outstanding Play
Clare Barron, You Got Older
Lisa D'Amour, Airline Highway
Anthony Giardina, The City of Conversation
Stephen Adly Guirgis, Between Riverside and Crazy
Elizabeth Irwin, My Manãna Comes
Simon Stephens, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Jack Thorne, Let the Right One In

Outstanding Musical
An American in Paris
Hamilton
Fly By Night
Pretty Filthy
Something Rotten
The Visit

Outstanding Revival of a Play
The Elephant Man
Fashions for Men
Ghosts
The Iceman Cometh
Tamburlaine the Great
The Wayside Motor Inn

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Into the Woods
The King and I
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century
Pageant
Side Show

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard
Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy
Ben Miles, Wolf Hall, Parts 1 & 2
Bill Pullman, Sticks and Bones
Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Brooke Bloom, You Got Older
Kathleen Chalfant, A Walk in the Woods
Kristin Griffith, The Fatal Weakness
Jan Maxwell, The City of Conversation
Helen Mirren, The Audience
Carey Mulligan, Skylight
Tonya Pinkins, Rasheeda Speaking

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Brian d'Arcy James, Something Rotten!
Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris
Jeremy Kushnier, Atomic
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Matthew Morrison, Finding Neverland
Ryan Silverman, Side Show

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, John & Jen
Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Leanne Cope, An American in Paris
Erin Davie, Side Show
Lisa Howard, It Shoulda Been You
Chita Rivera, The Visit

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
F. Murray Abraham, It's Only a Play
Reed Birney, You Got Older
K. Todd Freeman, Airline Highway
Jonathan Hadary, Rocket to the Moon
Jason Butler Harner, The Village Bike
Jonathan Hogan, Pocatello
José Joaquin Perez, My Mañana Comes

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford, You Can't Take It with You
Beth Dixon, The City of Conversation
Julie Halston, You Can't Take It with You
Paola Lázaro-Muñoz, To the Bone
Lydia Leonard, Wolf Hall, Parts 1 & 2
Julie White, Airline Highway

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Peter Friedman, Fly By Night
Josh Grisetti, It Shoulda Been You
Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton
Brad Oscar, Something Rotten!
Max von Essen, An American in Paris

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Carolee Carmello, Finding Neverland
Tyne Daly, It Shoulda Been You
Elizabeth A. Davis, Allegro
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Luba Mason, Pretty Filthy
Nancy Opel, Honeymoon in Vegas
Elizabeth Stanley, On the Town

Outstanding Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Jeremy Herrin, Wolf Hall, Parts 1 & 2
Anne Kauffman, You Got Older
Lila Neugebauer, The Wayside Motor Inn
Austin Pendleton, Between Riverside and Crazy
Joe Tantalo, Deliverance
John Tiffany, Let the Right One In

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Carolyn Cantor, Fly By Night
Bill Condon, Side Show
John Doyle, The Visit
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten!
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Outstanding Choreography 
Joshua Bergasse, On the Town
Warren Carlyle, On the Twentieth Century
Steven Hoggett, The Last Ship
Austin McCormick, Rococo Rouge
Casey Nicholaw, Something Rotten
Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Outstanding Music
Jason Robert Brown, Honeymoon in Vegas
Michael Friedman, The Fortress of Solitude
John Kander, The Visit
Dave Malloy, Ghost Quartet
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Sting, The Last Ship

Outstanding Lyrics
Jason Robert Brown, Honeymoon in Vegas
Fred Ebb, The Visit
Michael Friedman, The Fortress of Solitude
Karey Kirkpatrick & Wayne Kirkpatrick, Something Rotten!
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Benjamin Scheuer, The Lion

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Hunter Bell & Lee Overtree, Found
Karey Kirkpatrick & John O'Farrell, Something Rotten!
Craig Lucas, An American in Paris
Terence McNally, The Visit
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly, & Michael Mitnick, Fly By Night

Outstanding OrchestrationsChristopher Austin, An American in Paris
Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Allegro
Larry Hochman, Something Rotten!
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Rob Mathes, The Last Ship
Don Sebesky, Larry Blank, Jason Robert Brown, & Charlie Rosen, Honeymoon in Vegas

Outstanding Music in a Play
Cesar Alvarez, An Octoroon
Danny Blackburn & Bryce Hodgson, Deliverance
Sean Cronin, Kill Me Like You Mean It
Bongi Duma, Generations
Freddi Price, The Pigeoning
Arthur Solari & Jane Shaw, Tamburlaine the Great

Outstanding Revue
Forbidden Broadway Comes Out Swinging!
Just Jim Dale
Lennon: Through a Glass Onion
Lonesome Traveler

Outstanding Set Design
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
Christine Jones, Let The Right One In
David Korins, Hamilton
Mimi Lien, An Octoroon
Scott Pask, The Visit
Daniel Zimmerman, Fashions for Men

Outstanding Costume Design
Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
Bob Crowley, The Audience
Christopher Oram, Wolf Hall, Parts 1 & 2
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Andrea Varga, The Fatal Weakness
Catherine Zuber, Gigi

Outstanding Lighting Design
Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Paule Constable & David Plater, Wolf Hall, Parts 1 & 2
Maruti Evans, Deliverance
Natasha Katz, The Iceman Cometh
Ben Stanton, Our Lady of Kibeho

Outstanding Projection Design
59 Productions, An American in Paris
Roger Hanna & Price Johnston, Donogoo
Darrel Maloney, Found
Peter Nigrini, Our Lady of Kibeho
Finn Ross, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Austin Switser, Big Love

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Side Show
Scott Lehrer, The King & I
Scott Lehrer & Drew Levy, Honeymoon in Vegas
Brian Ronan, The Last Ship
Nevin Steinberg, Hamilton
Jon Weston, An American in Paris

Outstanding Sound Design in a PlayNathan Davis, The Other Mozart
Ien Denio, Deliverance
Ian Dickinson (for Autograph), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Gareth Fry, Let the Right One In
John Gromada, Lives of the Saints
Matt Tierney, Our Lady of Kibeho

Outstanding Solo Performance
Christina Bianco, Application Pending
Jonny Donahoe, Every Brilliant Thing
Tom Dugan, Wiesenthal
Mona Golabek, The Pianist of Willesden Lane
Joely Richardson, The Belle of Amherst
Benjamin Scheuer, The Lion

Unique Theatrical Experience
Catch Me!
Everybody Gets Cake
The Human Symphony
Queen of the Night
A Rap Guide to Religion