It’s whole lotta ‘Paradise’
Surprising 10 Tony nominations for show about Five Points nabe
The biggest surprise in Monday’s Tony Award nominations was, without question, the love for “Paradise Square,” the ambitious musical about the history of unity and racism in New York’s famed Five Points neighborhood. That show has been struggling mightily at the box office and was no favorite of most critics, with some distinguished exceptions.
But it snagged 10 nominations, including best musical, far more than anyone had expected.
Sure, “A Strange Loop,” the richly introspective Michael R. Jackson musical about what it truly feels like to be Black, gay and a writer of musicals, grabbed 11 nominations, also including the top prize. And it will be the favorite in many categories. But that was expected for a daring show that pushed the form forward in dramatic ways, was fearless in its trajectory, had a hero who actually works in New York theater and conformed politically to theater people’s sense of what their audiences should want to see. It’s the Broadway debut of a remarkable talent. But in a commercial marketplace, “A Strange Loop” is a prestigious but niche box-office attraction at the end of the day, and it will struggle to put together a big, multicity tour.
“Paradise Square” was at least given some oxygen to keep it alive and maybe deservedly move out across America.
And one more thing: “Paradise Square” was a major new musical, built from scratch and with a huge cast, put together entirely in the COVID era. That feat alone deserves a Tony nomination.
Poor Beanie Feldstein. She got her wish to play Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” but now has to live without even a nomination, let alone the Tony itself for one of the great bravura roles in musical history. Her fans in the balcony will still be there to lift her up, though, as she find roles more suited to her talents. She can take solace in all that. And, frankly, the nominators had little choice. But this is a musical that lives or dies on vocal performance. Feldstein brought all she has to the role, but all she had wasn’t enough.
Certainly not enough to compete with Sutton Foster, for “The Music Man;” Sharon D. Clarke, for “Caroline, or Change,” Mare Winningham, for “Girl From the North Country” or the brilliant Joaquina Kalukango of “Paradise Square.”
In terms of the all-important best musical Tony, I’d have gone with “Mrs.
Doubtfire” over “MJ,” which relied almost entirely on the music of its star; but no quibbles with the honors of “Girl From the North Country,” the Bob Dylan jukebox show set in hardscrabble, Depression-era Minnesota; the savvy “Six” and “Mr. Saturday Night,” a lovable yukfest starring Billy Crystal. Given all the givens this year, six new musicals should be a point of Broadway pride.
And when it came to plays, I think Noah Haidle’s “Birthday Candles,” about the only show this year that made its audience cry, deserved a best play spot alongside Tracy Letts’ “The Minutes” (which got just one nomination); Lynn Nottage’s savvy “Clyde’s”; Dominique Morisseau’s “Skeleton Crew”; which has few surprises; Martin McDonagh’s succulent “Hangmen,” and “The Lehman Trilogy,” as penned by Stefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power, a revelatory dissection not just of a financial services firm but of the perils of passing on your business to your kids. That is one heck of a slate.
“Lehman,” which is a story told by three actors, dominated the best actor in a play nominations, taking up three of the slots, even though the tour-de-force performance, clearly, was by Simon
Russell Beale.
No similar affection for the women of “Six,” who found themselves shut out. It’s a reminder of how badly the Tonys need a best ensemble award, long common in other award programs.
But even if a few of the nominations feel pro forma than reflective of successful work, especially in the directing category, the slate of nominees is, frankly, far more impressive than anyone would have dared to predict even a year earlier, when Broadway was on its knees.
Look at all this. Broadway, crucial to the well-being of New York City, is back.
One last thing that never gets said. Broadway is only back because of lot of producers and investors took risks on shows that they knew were unlikely to repay them their investments, especially in these circumstances.
In many ways, the producers this season are actually functioning more like philanthropists than traditional commercial producers.
Instead of poking fun at them all when they crowd the podium on TV looking for a bit of personal payoff, the entire City of New York owes them all a big debt of thanks.