I look forward to the Tony Awards more than any other awards show for lots of reasons – I love the theater and am an avid fan, seeing almost everything as it arrives on the Great White Way.  The presentation is so much more entertaining than the Oscars or the Emmys.  More than that, it exposes theater to the entire country.

Having seen almost everything this year, I thought I would take a shot at predicting the winners – with some commentary of course!!  So here goes –

BEST PLAY NOMINEES: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Disgraced, Hand to God and Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two

• MY PREDICTION: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time    This was one of the best plays I have ever seen.  Even without its special effects, the intensity of the plot and the kinetic ensemble work make this the front runner.

BEST MUSICAL NOMINEES   An American in Paris, Fun Home, Something Rotten! and The Visit

• MY PREDICTION:  Fun Home.  This will win…a funeral home, a lesbian cartoonist and a gay dad who commits suicide makes for a  solid theatrical night.   This was not my favorite, however.  I would choose Something Rotten over Fun Home but I think there is something to be said about a theater piece that is emotionally riveting.  The Visit and An American In Paris are great contenders but Fun Home has it locked up.

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY NOMINEES: The Elephant Man, Skylight, This Is Our Youth and You Can’t Take It with You

• MY PREDICTION: Elephant Man will win, but my personal favorite is You Can’t Take it With You.

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL NOMINEES: The King and I, On the Town and On the Twentieth Century

• MY PREDICTION: The King and I will win.  It is Rogers and Hammerstein’s best musical and my personal favorite!

BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY NOMINEES: Steven Boyer (Hand to God), Bradley Cooper (The Elephant Man), Ben Miles (Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two), Bill Nighy (Skylight) and Alex Sharp (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time)

• MY PREDICTION:  Alex Sharp will win although Bradley Cooper was phenomenal!

BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY NOMINEES: Geneva Carr (Hand to God), Helen Mirren (The Audience), Elisabeth Moss (The Heidi Chronicles),Carey Mulligan (Skylight) and Ruth Wilson (Constellations)

• MY PREDICTION:  Helen Mirren hands down will win this.  No one does Royalty justice better than Mirren.

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL NOMINEES: Michael Cerveris (Fun Home), Robert Fairchild (An American in Paris), Brian d’Arcy James(Something Rotten!), Ken Watanabe (The King and I) and Tony Yazbeck (On the Town)

• MY PREDICTION:  Brian d’Arcy James will win.  His performance as Nick Bottom is over the top and his entire body of work has never been recognized.  Fairchild and Yaszbeck are wonderful but have similar roles – this is also Fairchild’s first nomination and Yazbeck’s leading role establishes him as a perfect leading man.  My money is on Brian – who is a theater favorite.  He did not get a Tony for Shrek – and he should have just for the costume and makeup! 

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL NOMINEES: Kristin Chenoweth (On the Twentieth Century), Leanne Cope (An American in Paris), Beth Malone(Fun Home), Kelli O’Hara (The King and I) and Chita Rivera (The Visit)

• MY PREDICTION:  This is by far the most difficult of the categories this year.  Chenoweth’s performance is hands down brilliant.  O’Hara is radiant as Anna, and the legendary Chita Rivera is stunning.  Cope is wonderful but this is her first time at the rodeo.    While O’Hara has never won before, and this will probably be Chita’s last show, I think Chenoweth has this tied up.  Wouldn’t a tie be great? 

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY NOMINEES: Matthew Beard (Skylight), K. Todd Freeman (Airline Highway), Richard McCabe (The Audience),Alessandro Nivola (The Elephant Man), Nathaniel Parker (Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two) and Micah Stock (It’s Only a Play)

• MY PREDICTION: This is a toss up.  I would love to see Micah Stock win this.  He is the only one in the ensemble of “It’s Only a A Play” who is not known and he more than holds his own.  That is a feat in itself. 

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY NOMINEES: 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) and Julie White (Airline Highway)

• MY PREDICTION: This is between Annaleigh Ashford and Patricia Clarkson..two performances on the opposite end of the spectrum.  Ashford was a delight in You Can’t Take It With You and Clarkson was brilliant in The Elephant Man. 

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL NOMINEES: Christian Borle (Something Rotten!), Andy Karl (On the Twentieth Century), Brad Oscar (Something Rotten!), Brandon Uranowitz (An American in Paris) and Max von Essen (An American in Paris)

• MY PREDICTION: I would love to see Brad Oscar or Max von Essen win this but I would be comfortable with any of these fine performances.  Christian Borle is so great as Shakespeare and Andy Karl has a great chance as well for On The Twentieth Century.  

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL NOMINEES: Victoria Clark (Gigi), Judy Kuhn (Fun Home), Sydney Lucas (Fun Home), Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I) and Emily Skeggs (Fun Home)

• MY PREDICTION:  It is either going to be Judy Kuhn (My personal favorite) or Ruthie Ann Miles.  All the nominees are wonderful but my money is on Judy Kuhn.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE NOMINEES: Fun Home (Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron), The Last Ship (Sting), Something Rotten! (Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick) and The Visit (John Kander and Fred Ebb)

• MY PREDICTION:  Fun Home will take this hands down.  The score to Something Rotten is just great as well, but Fun Home will get it.

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL NOMINEES:  An American in Paris (Craig Lucas), Fun Home (Lisa Kron), Something Rotten! (Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell) and The Visit (Terrence McNally)

• MY PREDICTION:  This is an interesting category.  Four completely different shows vie for Best Book.  Something Rotten is the only one not based on another source, so it gets some points for that. An American In Paris makes for a great transition from the screen to stage.  The Visit is so dark and poignant and with an element of evil that pushes the envelope.  Fun Home, however, tells a story that on the surface seems unable to be told.  I think the award goes to Fun Home, although I would like to see Something Rotten nail this one.  

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY NOMINEES: 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) and Moritz von Stuelpnagel(Hand to God)

• MY PREDICTION: Marianne Elliott for The Curious Incident..hands down.

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL NOMINEES: Sam Gold (Fun Home), Casey Nicholaw (Something Rotten!), John Rando (On the Town), Bartlett Sher (The King and I) and Christopher Wheeldon (An American in Paris)

• MY PREDICTION:  This is a real toss up for me between Nicholaw and Sher, with Gold and Wheeldon running close behind.  I think the award will go to Bartlet Sher because in the end, the committee loves a great revival. 

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY NOMINEES: Joshua Bergasse (On the Town), Christopher Gattelli (The King and I), Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), Casey Nicholaw (Something Rotten!) andChristopher Wheeldon (An American in Paris)

• MY PREDICTION: Christopher Wheeldon will win this.  The choreography in An American In Paris was breathtaking and stunning. 

So there you have my predictions for the major categories.  I would love to hear your thoughts but more than that, I would love to see you at the theater!!