Yes, Michael B. Pajama Game received some Tony nominations. It's up for Best Musical Revival, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Megan Lawrence), Kathleen Marshall was nominated for Best Director for a Musical, it got nominated for Best Costumes, Scenery, Choreography and Orchestrations and Kelly O'Hara and Harry Connick, Jr. were both nominated as Best Actor and Actress in a Musical.
Although CW (that's conventional wisdom in political talk) gives the award to Sweeney Todd for Best Revival, PG could come in. It's hard to say. The third nomination, Three Penny Opera, doesn't have a chance. It seems as if they nominated it mostly because they didn't want just two nominations. I know there are people who like the production and give it credit for a new look and I'm not being nasty when I say this but I thought it was trash. I thought Brecht and Weill would be turning in their graves over this travesty. There were some very good things about it, Jim Dale, for example (and he will probably get the Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical) but overall I found it to be an embarassment, IMHO (In My Humble Opinion).
Awake and Sing will win Best Revival of a Play.
It would be great to see Judy Kaye win another Tony but I think it will go to Cynthia Nixon for Rabbit Hole. I think she deserves it, too. There were 5 excellent performances and choosing one brings up the whole awards question of "why do we need to choose a best" The plays in which these actresses performed are all so different that you can't really choose a "best" but having seen them all I do think Cynthia Nixon will win.
I think History Boys will win Best Play, Best Actor in a Play (Richard Griffiths), Best Director (Nicholas Hytner), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Frances de la Tour) and possibly Best Featured Actor in a Play (Samuel Barnett).
Best Director of a Musical will probably go to John Doyle for Sweeney. I saw the show. I found it fascinating and I'm very glad that I saw it, but I must admit at this point it has crossed over from inventive way to stage a show to gimmick. He did Sweeney, then he did Company and then Mack and Mabel (I don't know which he did first Company or M&M). There comes a point of diminishing returns for me. Not every show can be done in this way and I don't think it helps some shows to be cut down to the bone. Sometimes you need the sweep and the people and the sound. I just don't want this to become the next big trend. That being said, Des McAnuff could pull it away from John Doyle. There is a very strong feeling about Jersey Boys which could help McAnuff.
The next few nominations are more difficult to call. Even though there is conventional wisdom surrounding most of them I think we may not know until the envelope is opened.
I think the contest for Best Actress in a Musical is between Patti LuPone and La Chanze. I think La Chanze may take it. Color Purple won't win much else but La Chanze is so electric and amazing as Selie that she has an excellent chance of winning. Patti is a hotly debated performer. Many either love her or hate her but I will admit that in Sweeney she has a completely different take on Mrs. Lovett and she could easily win.
Beth Leavel may win for Drowsy (much deserved) but don't count out Felicia P. Fields from Color Purple. She's wonderful!
I think John Lloyd Young will probably win Best Actor in a Musical (Jersey Boys) but there is a strong undercurrent for Michael Cerveris. Even though he has won other Tonys people are very impressed with his Sweeney. And Mr. Connick does do a very good job in PG. I don't think it's a breakout performance of the kind given by JLY, but it's very good nonetheless.
I think Kathleen Marshall will win Best Choreography for Pajama Game although I want Casey Nicholaw to win for Drowsy Chaperone.
Of the four shows nominated for Best Score I think it has to go to Drowsy Chaperone. Woman in White was not awful but it's certainly not the Best Score on Broadway this season. The Wedding Singer, oh, please!!! There are moments in the Color Purple which are dynamic and moving and soulful but it's not a great score and won't win. That leaves my favorite, Drowsy Chaperone.
It's harder for Best Book. It could go to Drowsy but it also could go to Jersey Boys. I think Wedding Singer and Color Purple are filler.
I would love to see Larry Blank win for Drowsy but as Larry Moore mentioned, it will probably go to Sarah Travis for Sweeney.
For Best Musical I won't be disappointed if either Jersey Boys or Drowsy Chaperone wins. I want Drowsy to win because I love the show so much but Jersey Boys is damn good and if it wins I won't think that it's all politics. There are strong forces on both sides rooting for each show. CW says Jersey Boys but CW also said Wicked two years ago (CW was right about Spamalot). Drowsy may be able to pull it out. Yes, it's a more difficult show to sell than Jersey Boys but if it wins, I think it will have some merit to the victory.
I think I left out Scenery, Costumes and Lighting but those are my (long-winded) thoughts on the Tonys.
I hope Show Off (the Drowsy Chaperone number) plays well on television. It's great in the theatre.
