Tony Awards Nominations 2019: ‘Hadestown,’ ‘Ain’t Too Proud,’ ‘Tootsie’ Dominate
By Brent Lang
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Hadestown,” a scruffy take on Greek mythology, dominated the 2019 Tony Award nominations, picking up a leading 14 nods on Tuesday, including one for best musical. “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” a celebration of the music of the Temptations, and “Tootsie,” an update of the comedy classic that’s earned critical raves, were close behind with 12 and 11 nominations, respectively.
“The Ferryman,” a drama about a former IRA agent whose radical past comes back to haunt him, earned a leading nine nominations, including a nod for best play. In a shocking upset, “,” an adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic novel that’s become a box office smash, tied “The Ferryman” with nine nominations, including nods for its cast and for director Bartlett Sher, but was snubbed in the best play category. “Network,” a news business satire, was also shut out.
Instead, the best play category will be a contest between the coming-of-age drama “Choir Boy,” the off-beat comedy “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus,” the Rupert Murdoch origin story “Ink,” and Heidi Schreck’s one-woman civics journey “What the Constitution Means to Me.”
“Oklahoma,” a pared down and darker interpretation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic slice of Americana, and “Kiss Me, Kate,” Cole Porter’s look at the back-stage hijinks of a troop of egotistical actors, will duke it out in the best revival of a musical category. “Oklahoma” picked up a total of eight nominations, including a nod for its star Damon Daunno and for its director Daniel Fish.
Best play revival nominees include “Burn This,” a romantic drama about a couple united by shared grief; “The Boys in the Band,” a groundbreaking drama about a group of gay friends; “All My Sons,” Arthur Miller’s look at the corrosive effects of capitalism; “Torch Song,” the story of a Jewish homosexual drag queen, and “The Waverly Gallery,” a dramedy about a young man’s relationship with his ailing grandmother.
The best musical race will also include the big-budget stage show “Beetlejuice” and the ebullient and much more modestly priced “The Prom.”
The best leading actress in a play category includes the legendary comedian Elaine May (“The Waverly Gallery”), returning to the stages after several decades as a woman suffering from dementia. She will vie with Laurie Metcalf (“Hillary and Clinton”), Annette Bening (“All My Sons”), Janet McTeer (“Bernhardt/Hamlet”), Schreck (“What the Constitution Means to Me”), and Laura Donnelly (“The Ferryman”) for that honor. In a shocker, Glenda Jackson, who won the prize last year for her work in “Three Tall Women,” was snubbed for her performance as the mad monarch in “King Lear.” The Shakespeare adaptation has divided critics and only scored one nomination in the supporting actress category for Ruth Wilson.
Best leading actor in a play boasts several Hollywood heavyweights, including Bryan Cranston’s towering performance as a newscaster on the brink in “Network,” Jeff Daniels’ turn as country lawyer Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and Adam Driver’s work as a hyperactive restaurant manager in “Burn This.” Rounding out the category are Paddy Considine for his starring role as a former IRA operative in “The Ferryman” and Jeremy Pope for his work as a gay teenager in a conservative high school in “Choir Boy.”
In the lead actor in a musical race, “Oklahoma’s” Daunno will face off against Brooks Ashmanskas (“”), Derrick Baskin (“Ain’t Too Proud”), Alex Brightman (“Beetlejuice”), and Santino Fontana (“”).
Leading actress in a musical nominees include Stephanie J. Block (“The Cher Show”), Caitlin Kinnunen (“The Prom”), Beth Leavel (“The Prom”), Eva Noblezada (“”), and Kelli O’Hara (“Kiss Me, Kate”).
James Corden will host the telecast on June 9. It will air on CBS. See the full list of nominees below:
Best Musical
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie
Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
The Boys in the Band
Burn This
Torch Song
The Waverly Gallery
Best Revival of a Musical
Kiss Me, Kate
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Best Book of a Musical
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Be More Chill
Music & Lyrics: Joe Iconis
Beetlejuice
Music & Lyrics: Eddie Perfect
Hadestown
Music & Lyrics: Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom
Music: Matthew Sklar
Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
To Kill a Mockingbird
Music: Adam Guettel
Tootsie
Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Annette Bening, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O’Hara, Kiss Me, Kate
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Bertie Carvel, Ink
Robin De Jesús, The Boys in the Band
Gideon Glick, To Kill a Mockingbird
Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
Benjamin Walker, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman
Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ruth Wilson,
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
André De Shields, Hadestown
Andy Grotelueschen, Tootsie
Patrick Page, Hadestown
Jeremy Pope, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Ephraim Sykes, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Lilli Cooper, Tootsie
Amber Gray, Hadestown
Sarah Stiles, Tootsie
Ali Stroker, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Mary Testa, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, To Kill a Mockingbird
Bunny Christie, Ink
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Santo Loquasto, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Jan Versweyveld, Network
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Peter England, King Kong
Rachel Hauck, Hadestown
Laura Jellinek, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
David Korins, Beetlejuice
Best Costume Design of a Play
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Toni-Leslie James, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Clint Ramos, Torch Song
Ann Roth, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ann Roth, To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Michael Krass, Hadestown
William Ivey Long, Beetlejuice
William Ivey Long, Tootsie
Bob Mackie, The Cher Show
Paul Tazewell, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, Ink
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Peter Mumford, The Ferryman
Jennifer Tipton, To Kill a Mockingbird
Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, Network
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, The Cher Show
Howell Binkley, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Bradley King, Hadestown
Peter Mumford, King Kong
Kenneth Posner and Peter Nigrini, Beetlejuice
Best Sound Design of a Play
Adam Cork, Ink
Scott Lehrer, To Kill a Mockingbird
Fitz Patton, Choir Boy
Nick Powell, The Ferryman
Eric Sleichim, Network
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Beetlejuice
Peter Hylenski, King Kong
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Drew Levy, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, Hadestown
Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, Ink
Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
Bartlett Sher, To Kill a Mockingbird
Ivo van Hove, Network
George C. Wolfe, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Best Direction of a Musical
Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Scott Ellis, Tootsie
Daniel Fish, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Des McAnuff, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Casey Nicholaw, The Prom
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy
Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate
Denis Jones, Tootsie
David Neumann, Hadestown
Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Best Orchestrations
Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown
Simon Hale, Tootsie
Larry Hochman, Kiss Me, Kate
Daniel Kluger, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Harold Wheeler, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
