Although I watch hundreds of shows a year, I am not a seer. Nor am I the kind of theater lover who easily divides valuable experiences into good, better, and best slices. Still, I’m here with the predictions and choices for the Tony Awards on June 12.
The winner category lists my predictions for an unpredictable year. The must-win category shows how I would have voted if allowed, with one exception: In some cases, I would have more room to move, including the chance to choose two “winners.” Even then, I was often smashed, almost equally nurturing some shows and artists that were most likely to win, and some that weren’t nominated at all.
Which brings us to the Should Have Been Nominated category. A fun Times tradition allows me to include not only other work seen on Broadway, but also artists and productions from (as denoted by an asterisk) Off Broadway and other more bizarre climes.
The potential “candidates” in this category are always too many to be considered – and I’m skipping some this year, I’ll probably be champion next year, like the “players and team behind it”kimberly akimbo” is a terrific musical that played at the Atlantic Theater Company last winter and transferred to Broadway in the fall.
But even then, I wanted to celebrate more work that has helped us feel less alone in a chaotic year – which is why I’m introducing the category of best non-canonical ensembles. After all, this was a time when simply doing theater was a triumph.
Best Game
WILL WIN
“The Lehman Trilogy”
MUST WIN
“Skeleton crew”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
“Dan H.”
“To go past”
“A Case for the Existence of God”*
Best Musical
WILL WIN
“A Strange Loop”
MUST WIN
“Girl from the North Country”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
“Oratorio for the Living”*
Best Game Animation
WILL WIN
“Trouble in Mind”
MUST WIN
“Trouble in Mind”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
“Cyrano de Bergerac”*
“Wedding group”*
Best Musical Revival
WILL WIN
“Company”
MUST WIN
“Caroline or Change”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
“Into the Forest”*
Best Actor in a Play
WILL WIN
Simon Russell Beale, “The Lehman Trilogy”
MUST WIN
David Threlfall, “The Executioner”
or
David Morse, “How I Learned to Drive”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Jon Michael Hill, “Passed”
James McAvoy, “Cyrano de Bergerac”*
Best Actress in a Play
WILL WIN
LaChanze, “Trouble in the Mind”
MUST WIN
Deirdre O’Connell, “Dana H.”
or
Mary-Louise Parker, “How I Learned to Drive”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Emily Davis, “Is This A Room”
Mary Wiseman, “At the Wedding”*
Brittany Bradford, “Wedding Ring”*
Best Actor in a Musical
WILL WIN
Myles Frost”MJ”
MUST WIN
Jaquel Spivey, “A Strange Loop”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Jay O. Sanders, “Girl from the North Country”
Best Actress in a Musical
WILL WIN
Joaquina Kalukango, “Paradise Square”
MUST WIN
Sharon D. Clarke, “Caroline or Change”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Kearstin Piper Brown, “Intimate Apparel”*
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
WILL WIN
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Take Me Out”
MUST WIN
Chuck Cooper, “A Problem on My Mind”
or
Ron Cephas Jones, “Clyde’s”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Branden J. Dirden, “The Skeleton Crew”
Brandon J. Dirden, “Take Me Out”
Tony Awards: Nominees for Best New Musical
2022 candidates. Compete for best new musical at the Tony Awards, traditionally the most financially rewarding award an extensive six-way competition this year. Here’s a closer look at each island:
Best Actress in a Play
WILL WIN
Phylicia Rashad, “The Skeleton Crew”
MUST WIN
Phylicia Rashad
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Gaby French, “The Executioner”
Evelyn Miller, “Cyrano de Bergerac”*
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
WILL WIN
Matt Doyle, “The Company”
MUST WIN
John-Andrew Morrison, “A Strange Loop”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Claybourne Elder, “The Company”
Austin Scott, “Girl from the North Country”
Best Actress in a Musical
WILL WIN
Patti LuPone, “The Company”
MUST WIN
Patti LuPone
or
Jennifer Simard, “The Company”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Julia Lester, “Into the Woods”*
Best Director of a Play
WILL WIN
Sam Mendes, “The Lehman Trilogy”
MUST WIN
Sam Mendes
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Tina Satter, “Is This A Room?”
Best Director of a Musical
WILL WIN
Marianne Elliott, “The Company”
MUST WIN
Conor McPherson, “Girl from the North Country”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Michael Longhurst, “Caroline or Change”
Lee Sunday Evans, “Oratorio for Living Things”*
Best Book of a Musical
WILL WIN
Michael R. Jackson, “A Strange Loop”
MUST WIN
Michael R Jackson
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, “Six”
best score
WILL WIN
Michael R. Jackson, “A Strange Loop”
MUST WIN
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, “Six”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Heather Christian, “Oratorio for the Living”*
Best Choreography
WILL WIN
Christopher Wheeldon”M.J.”
MUST WIN
Camille A. Brown, “For Girls of Color who Contemplated Suicide/ Rainbow Is Enough”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED
Michelle Dorrance, “Flying At Sunset”
Best Community
SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANDIDATED