This Sunday June 7, The Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall and broadcast live on CBS. No Hugh Jackman as host, no Neil-Patrick Harris (perhaps still smarting from hosting the Oscars). This year it's past winners Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming co-hosting.
The winners are decided by a pool of voters, a process similar to the Oscars. Comprised of well over 800 industry folks, the pool is made up of members of the Broadway League (producers, presenters, theater owners) and of union and guild representatives (actors, directors, writers, press agents, designers, and casting agents).
The "Best Musical" field is interesting. "An American in Paris" has the pre-show buzz, but "Something Rotten" is rumored to be just as much of a contender. "American" is going into the weekend with -170 odds here at BookMaker.
Also nominated: "The Visit" and "Fun Home," the latter of which should not be discounted. It's on the leaderboard at +135. It is a fan favorite, but may snap up "Best Score" in place of this much more sweeping victory.
The other nominated musicals share +1000 odds.
It really is a very tight race, with "American" and "Rotten" both having huge commercial appeal and rave reviews gracing every dressing room. "American" has won all of the major awards thus far, while "Rotten" may be too inside baseball for the mass appeal necessary here to win, the nation's favorite pastime notwithstanding.
"American" also has proven commercial heft on its considerable side: it's weekly take hasn't dipped below $1.15 million in two months. Tony voters like these kinds of numbers and, frankly, need them these days.
As for "Best Play," the nominees are "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," with its lauded literary roots and pretentious title, "Hand to God," "Disgraced," and "Wolf Hall."
"Curious" has the lead going into Sunday’s ceremony. It would appear the shoo-in, especially at BookMaker, where it has -800 odds!
"Best Actress" nods went to the glorious Helen Mirren, Geneva Carr, Elisabeth Moss (for the tirelessly revived "Heidi Chronicles"), Carey Mulligan and Ruth Wilson.
Mirren is the favorite, but Wilson performed during a difficult year, battling disease simultaneously. I'm a big fan of Mulligan but see this as a race between Mirren and Wilson. Dame Helen, it should be noted, is being hailed as the sole reason the show brings in millions week after week.
"Best Actor" see silver screen heartthrob Bradley Cooper taking on Steven Boyer, Ben Miles, Bill Nighy and Alex Sharp. Boyer has the edge, while Cooper is saddled with yet another tirelessly revived show, even if the show in question is "The Elephant Man." I, personally, would be thrilled to see Bill Nighy, never without a twinkle in his eye, run away with this, and he just might.
His main competition is in Alex Sharp, whom voters may flock to as the up-and-coming underdog, a young talent in his Broadway debut, fresh out of Julliard. That said, they could easily view Cooper somewhat the same way, a Hollywood star still intent on doing stage-work, and honing his craft.
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