Tom said:
I hope I never have to watch and hear Jennifer Holiday do her party piece again. I'm telling you I'm, not watching.
Tom, we are in a small minority. I agree with you. I was in Puerto Rico that year touring w/Sesame Street and we watched the Tonys in our hotel room. I was not impressed. I won't go on because I know that many people consider this one of the best performances they have ever seen. I will say that it gave me chills, but for all the wrong reasons. I am also not a fan of Dreamgirls. There, I've said it! I've come out of the closet about it. An early incarnation of Forbidden Broadway called it Screamgirls and that's good enough for me.
Long post ahead:
Doubt will win for Best Play, Best Direction, Best Actor, Best Actress and I think Adriane Lenox will win for Best Featured Actress. I wish I had seen Pillowman but I will see it very soon after Sunday. I do think that Pillowman has a good chance to take the design Tonys, even though I haven't seen the show I have seen enough pictures and read enough to make me think that's what will happen. As far as Costume Design for a Play (Pillowman is not nominated), I'm not sure at all. I'll give it to The Rivals which had a short run at Lincoln Center before Piazza came in. It was well received so I'll go with that for no other reason than I like the play and I love Dana Ivey (who is nominated for Best Featured Actress for that very production).
700 Sundays will win Best Theatrical Event.
Best Musical Revival is a toss-up between La Cage and Sweet Charity. Even if it was still running, I don't think that Pacific Overtures would have a chance. It was just too uneven a production. I think La Cage will win as will Jerry Mitchell for Best Choreography.
I think Best Score and Orchestrations will go to Guettel for Light in the Piazza. I would love for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to sneak in for this award, but I won't be disappointed when Piazza takes it. BK mentioned yesterday that the show probably works better in a theatre than on disc and I agree. This show will also take the design, lighting and costume awards, methinks. It is a sumputious and beautiful design. I do think Miss Clark will win and I think she deserves to win, whether her publicist has worked overtime or not. Although Christina Applegate came out of the Charity brouhaha looking very good I doubt she will take home a Tony. I could be wrong, stranger things have happened but that's my feeling today.
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see Mark Kudisch and Jan Maxwell take the Tonys for Featured Actor/Actress in Chitty (or Joanna Gleason as Actress for DRS) but I do think it will be Fogler in Spelling Bee and Ramirez in Spamalot.
I think Mr. Alda will be Tonyfied for Glengarry Glenn Ross (another play I do not care for) and I think Best Revival of a Play will also go ot GGR
Mr. Butz has the Musical Best Actor Tony sewn up and did since his first performance of Great Big Stuff.
I'm not sure about book for a musical. The conventional wisdom seems to be Spelling Bee but I want DRS to win. It will probably go to SB
As Iris said, I would love for DRS to sneak in and take the Tony for Best Musical but it will go to Spamalot and Mike Nichols will get the Tony for Best Director of a Musical.
I think I've covered every category. If not, sue me (a Frank Loesser reference). Some of my predictions are based on conventional wisdom and others on just wanting the show or person to win.
I better post this before something happens. I also have to get back to the laundromat to retreive my laundry.
Later.