Tony Nomination Day: Shutouts and Home Runs

On this most auspicious Tony Nomination Day, almost more interesting than the nominations themselves are the shows that were completely shut out:

The Anarchist 
Breakfast at Tiffany’s 
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 
Dead Accounts 
An Enemy of the People 
Glengarry Glen Ross 
Grace 
Harvey 
I’ll Eat You Last 
Jekyll & Hyde 
Macbeth 
Picnic

Most can be attributed to early season closers or spectacular flops. But some are more interesting. The Anarchist, for instance, penned by Broadway son David Mamet, also starred beloved Broadway diva, Patti LuPone. Perhaps Mamet lost his flair for the dramatic in his much publicized political “conversion” from liberalism to conservatism, but the show was universally panned and ran for only 17 performances.

The Cat on a Hot Tin Roof shutout can be attributed to how overdone it is on Broadway, with runs as recent as 2008 and 2004. Additionally, since the raft of movie star winners two years ago, the zeitgeist  has been to favor homegrown talent. (This year’s one and only exception being Tom Hanks in Lucky Guy.) Unfortunately for Scarlett Johansson, Maggie the Cat is left to dance on that roof all by her lonesome. Similarly, Jekyll & Hyde‘s blank slate is representative of the times. Its original run in 1990 came near the end of the rock opera era of musical theatre, which has since given way to the concept musical and the integrated musical. No one has room for the old hat, as it were.

I’m personally amused by the snub of Alan Cumming’s one-man Macbeth. It’s surprising because he’s another Broadway favorite, and wonderful because, well, a one-man Macbeth? Really?! Kudos to him for giving it a go, I guess, but definitely not my cup o’ tea.

As to the actual nominations, I’m glad for Matilda‘s 12 nominations, but could do without the excessive Kinky Boots recognition. Stephanie J. Block finally got the nomination she’s long deserved, but never gotten due to less-than-meaty roles. She won’t win (my money’s on Patina Miller), but hopefully the nomination will bring her and her pipes of brass some parts worthy of her talent in the near future. And finally, I’m not a fan of Christopher Durang in general, but the buzz about Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and now its 6 nominations–including one in each acting category–have me intrigued.

All in all, a weird season. But weird is always interesting, in my book. At least the American Theatre Wing didn’t see fit to lavish Hands on a Hardbody with as many nominations as the Drama Desk did.

See you guys the second Sunday in June!