Let it be known to all who follow the Broadway scene that “Hamilton,” for all its brilliance, is already “so 2016.”
With the announcement Tuesday morning of the nominees for the 2017 Tony Awards, a whole new crop of musicals, plays and performers has seized the spotlight. And that spotlight is shining, in part, on Chicago.
Among the contenders are the two stars of “War Paint,” the musical by Scott Frankel, Michael Korie and Doug Wright that chronicles the competition between cosmetics magnates Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden — a show that had its pre-Broadway production at the Goodman Theatre. Patti LuPone and Christine Ebserole both received nominations for their portrayals in this show that also features several Chicago actors, including Mary Ernster and David Girolmo, in supporting roles. “War Paint” costume designer Catherine Zuber and set designer David Korins also received nominations. The show itself, however, was not nominated in the best musical category.
But LuPone and Ebersole will be competing with another force of nature — Bette Midler — whose return to Broadway in a revival of “Hello, Dolly!” has become the hottest ticket of the season.
Among the nominated musicals is “Dear Evan Hansen” (the story of a troubled, socially inept high school boy featuring a stellar performance by Ben Platt, familiar to Chicago audiences for his role in the first national tour of “The Book of Mormon”); “Groundhog Day” (with a leading performance by Andy Karl that might give Platt a run for his money); “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” (the immersive musical adaptation of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” starring Josh Groban), and “Come from Away” (the musical about the hospitality shown by a Newfoundland town when planeloads of passengers were forced to land there following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks).
Laurie Metcalf | Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
On the dramatic front, the principal Chicago connection comes courtesy of veteran Steppenwolf ensemble member Laurie Metcalf who has received raves for her role in “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” Lucas Hnath’s riff on what happened to Nora Helmer, the wife and mother who slammed the door on her husband 20 years earlier in Ibsen’s classic play.
Northwestern University grad Kate Baldwin will be competing for best featured actress in a musical for her role in “Hello, Dolly.”
Lynn Nottage, a playwright familiar to Chicago audiences for her earlier works, already has received this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Sweat,” her play about working class discontent in Reading, Pennsylvania. And it certainly is a strong contender for a Tony Award.
The nominations were announced this morning in New York. The awards ceremony, hosted by Tony and Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, will be broadcast live on CBS starting at 7 p.m. June 11 from the Radio City Music Hall.
Here are the nominations:
Best Play
A Doll’s House, Part 2
Indecent
Oslo
Sweat
Best Musical
Come From Away
Dear Evan Hansen
Groundhog Day The Musical
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Book of a Musical
Come From Away
Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen
Steven Levenson
Groundhog Day The Musical
Danny Rubin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Dave Malloy
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Come From Away
Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen
Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Groundhog Day The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Music & Lyrics: Dave Malloy
Best Revival of a Play
August Wilson’s Jitney
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Present Laughter
Best Revival of a Musical
Falsettos
Hello, Dolly!
Miss Saigon
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Laura Linney, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Falsettos
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Michael Aronov, Oslo
Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia
Best Scenic Design of a Play
David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
Michael Yeargan, Oslo
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Korins, War Paint
Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, Anastasia
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, War Paint
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Direction of a Play
Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Orchestrations
Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Special honors/awards this year will include: The Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will be presented to James Earl Jones, while the Regional Theatre Tony Award will be presented to the Dallas Theatre Center in Dallas, Texas. in addition, the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to General Manager Nina Lannan and General Manager Alan Wasser; the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award will be presented to director/actress/chorographer Baayork Lee. And a special Tony Award will be presented to Gareth Fry and Peter Malkin for their outstanding Sound Design on “The Encounter.”
Contributing: Miriam Di Nunzio
