There were Tony snubs and surprises, as always
Of 34 eligible shows, 29 got at least one nod for award nominations
Tony nominations morning is always filled with joy for lots of performers, theater artists and producers who find themselves in contention for Broadway’s biggest recognition. But there are also always some who are overlooked, and others who are just gobsmacked.
Here are some of the snubs, surprises and observations about Monday’s list:
A The nominators spread out their admiration quite widely: Of the 34 eligible shows, 29 got at least one nod, including the critically scorned “Diana.” But five new plays were completely overlooked. Most surprising: “Pass Over,” a well-reviewed play and bracing drama by Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu, and also the first play to open after the pandemic lockdown. Also scoring no nominations: “Birthday Candles,” “Chicken & Biscuits,” “Is This a Room,” and “Thoughts of a Colored Man.”
A Monday’s fortunes for the tortured Civil War-era musical “Paradise Square” had to offer hope: It snagged 10 nominations, tying for the second most of any show. Joaquina Kalukango was always a sure thing in the lead actress in a musical category, but nominators also singled out her supporting costars, Sidney Dupont and A.J. Shively. The show drew attention in most of the major technical categories as well, but one key member of the creative team was left out: the director, Moisés Kaufman.
A Several major stars failed to impress. Among them: married couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, who are starring in a smash revival of “Plaza Suite” that scored just one nomination, for costume design, and Daniel Craig, who is playing the title role in a revival of “Macbeth.”
A Tony nominators followed the critics, raining on the parade for the highly anticipated revival of “Funny Girl.” While it was the beloved musical’s first time back on Broadway in nearly 60 years, it scored only one nomination, for tap-dancing supporting actor Jared Grimes. And Beanie Feldstein, who drew tepid notices as Fanny Brice, did not receive a best actress nomination.
A How to handle the many ensemble-driven shows was always going to be a challenge. In the case of “The Lehman Trilogy,” they bestowed riches on everyone, nominating all three lead actors — Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Adrian Lester — and expanding the category to make room for them all. For the musical “Six,” none of the actresses playing the six wives of Henry VIII were crowned.
A That Jesse Tyler Ferguson would be nominated for his role in “Take Me Out” seemed a sure bet. And the suave star power of Jesse Williams, as the baseball demigod Darren Lemming, vaulted him to a nomination as well. But the big surprise was a third nod in the supporting actor category for Michael Oberholtzer, whose wounded ferocity as a racist teammate put him in competition with his co-stars.
A A show struggling at the box office — a revival of the choreopoem “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf ” — did well Monday. The production had announced an early May 22 closing date, and must decide whether its seven nominations are enough to extend the run.