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Foreign.
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Welcome to a special episode of Broadway Radio. I am Matt Tamina and I am joined for the first time in way too long, at least on the podcast. We saw each other about a month ago, but I'm here with the group chat of Ashley Hufford and Kaitlin Berg. Ladies, how are you? Ashley, how are you doing?
A
I'm great. You know, final week of the season.
B
It is now, Caitlin, you are nominated for a Tony this year. Tell us. So we have like the full disclosure here. What shows are you involved in?
C
I'm a co producer on Cats, the Jellicoe Ball.
B
And that's the only show of yours nominated?
C
Only one that's nominated.
B
All out. All out didn't get any nominations.
C
No, it did not.
B
Sorry about that. Okay, what we're going to do is we're going to run through every single category from the Tony Awards. We're going to give you our predictions and if we want to expound on any of those, we will. But we're going to knock out the technical awards first because probably those won't be on regular TV anyway. Those are probably going to get shoved into the Pluto TV act. One thing. But let's start with best sound design of a play. I'm not going to give you the individuals. I'll just give you the shows for these. The nominees are Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Oedipus, the fear of 13, bug and death of a Salesman. Ashley, why don't you tell us what you think is going to win?
A
I think it's gonna be Oedipus. I would not like that. To me, I feel, it feels like the most obvious. It's just, it's such. Was such a heavy sound play and so intense and I, I love, I loved it. It was my favorite of the year. So I'm gonna give it to Oedipus. Shout out to fear of 13 because I did really like the sound in that.
B
But you were like the only one that I heard that actually liked the show at all, though.
A
Like, I. Everyone, I love the show.
B
Yeah. And like, I don't think people disliked it. They were just kind of like, yeah, that was something I saw. But, like, you really enjoyed it.
A
I. I really enjoyed it. And I think Adrien Brody was snubbed. So that's where I am at.
B
Oh, I mean, if only he would have won and we could have gotten another 20 minute acceptance speech from him. Caitlin, I know you're a big Adrian Brody fan though.
C
I got in trouble for saying something mean about him on Instagram So now I'm just going to say I hope he's doing well. And I also predict that Oedipus will win. Feel like the only way to change it would be like, because it was a winter play, like maybe Salesman just has really, really great kind of momentum. But I think Oedipus sound just stuck out so well.
B
Yeah, I agree. I have that one too, guys.
A
But they are sending out these totes. They're setting these totes out.
C
That's amazing.
B
Yeah, it's a. It says awards season is a motherfucker. Which again was like their, their thing throughout their, like their marketing campaign as well. Was, was it politics as a motherfucker? Like literally. I don't know who came up with that, who their marketing agency was, but that is one of the most brilliant.
C
Their producers are just sorry and so good at what they do.
B
Who is the lead on that? I don't remember.
C
It was John Johnson and Sue Wagner. Like they're just the smartest, most amazing producers, I think.
B
Awesome. I love, I mean I love that show so much and we'll talk about it obviously later, but sound design of a musical. The nominees are Cats, the Jellicoe Ball Rock, Ragtime, the Lost Boys, Rocky Horror show and Schmigadoon. I will note that Kai Harada is nominated for both Cats and Ragtime. So to a double chance for a win there. Caitlin, should I just assume that you're going to go Cats here or are you going to go.
C
I think Lost Boys is going to win sound. I think the sound in Lost Boys is crazy.
B
Yeah. And I feel like Lost Boys is going to do very well in all of these awards. Maybe not costume design, but like the other more technical ones. It almost feels like it's a no brainer that Lost Boys is going to. Is going to sweep a lot of these ones. But speaking of costume, let's do costume design of a play. The nominees are Dog Day Afternoon, Liberation, Fallen Angels, Ballisters and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. I will admit I did not see Dog Day Afternoon or Fallen Angels, but I'm still going to go with Fallen Angels just because it's the. I mean some of these are other period pieces as well, but it's like the most period period piece. So I'm just going to say them just for kicks and giggles.
A
I'm going Joe Turner because I feel like Paul Tazwell is a fave and it is a suit play and they love a suit play. They like the Tonys, love a suit play. So that's that's why I'm going.
C
Paul, Kaylee, you could give me a million dollars and I would have no gang idea what happened. Who's going to win this one? So I'm going to go with Liberation because it's the only show that I saw the entirety of out of that category.
B
Wait, what? I'm not the entirety of. Okay, you're not gonna. You're not gonna elaborate on it? Okay. All right.
A
I do. I did love those. I did love the Queen Jean credible costumes. I love the costume deliberation.
C
Jane could win two in a year. That could be a cool, historic moment. But, like, yeah, honestly, guys, like, I, you know, this was not a year that I saw a ton of the shows, so I feel like in this one, I just don't know.
B
Yeah, so that's totally fair. Yeah. Queen Jean nominated for Liberation. Also nominated for Cats of the Jellicle Ball, best costume design of a musical. Linda Cho for Ragtime. Linda Cho for Schmigadoon. Queen Jean for Cast, the Jellicoe Ball, Ryan park for the Lost Boys, and David I. Reynoso for Rocky Horror Show. Okay, let's go back here. We were just talking about Queen Jean.
C
Like, I think she has.
A
Yeah, she has to. I just, like, there's not an. There's no argument to me that can be made that it's not Cats. There's just, like, not one.
B
Yeah, I actually, like, other than Lost boys, like, doing something 80s doesn't impress me. But like everything else, the costumes looked pretty good, and I. I actually thought a lot of these costumes were great. In Ragtime Schmigadoon. I didn't see Rocky Horror, but I've seen enough of the. The clips. Like, they're all good, but, like, Cats is on so many levels to me, a step above their competition. And I don't think they're going to win nearly enough awards on Sunday, but we can get to that in a minute. Lighting design of a play. Nominees are Dog Day Afternoon, Oedipus, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Bug, the fear of 13, and death of a Salesman. Caitlin, let's start with you. Where are you going with this one?
C
Ooh, I think Salesman. Salesman. I feel like when I saw it, I was really caught up by, like, how the lighting impacted the mood of the play. And I think that in terms of just like, Tony voters love a show that's winning a lot of things. I think, like, for the people who maybe can't remember all the other shows or, like, you know, aren't Great at knowing about lighting design. Like, I think Salesman just sticks with you.
B
Ashley, what about you?
A
I think that's probably very likely. Salesman's also where I'm going a second. Second. Possibly Bug, because Bug has a lot of really interesting lighting choices. But I think Salesman is going to be the. The Bug is much a smaller show. So I think, like, Salesman on its
B
scale, I think Salesman's going to win a lot. Where are we thinking? Like, do people in the Tony voter pool, which is obviously different from all of the other awards organizations. Like, do we think they care at all about the Scott Rudin of it all?
A
No. No.
B
Okay. No, no, no. Okay, Fair. I just wanted to ask to see if anything at all. All right, let's do Lightning Design of a musical. The nominees are Chess, Rocky Horror, Schmigadoon, Cats, Ragtime, and Lost Boys. This is a little fun thing here. Adam Honore and Donald Holder are nominated together along with 59 Studio for Ragtime. But then Donald Holder individually is nominated for Schmigadoon, and Adam Monterey is nominated for Cats. I don't think any of them are going to win. Like, this is completely a Lost Boys. Ardyn and Jen Shriever, right?
A
Yeah, yeah. Michael Arden did this so we could get a Tony.
B
Yeah, 100%. He put himself on there. But I actually did interview Jen Shriver and she said, like, it. It really has been super collaborative with him because it is such a massive project for this. Like, you needed somebody. You needed an extra set of eyes. And obviously she can do both the technical and the creative. But having somebody else keep an eye on the creative stuff was really, really helpful. And she was. I talked to her during previews, so it was, like, still being developed and was so geeked about everything. And it paid off. Like, I think in my review, I said, like, you could legitimately go and see this show and pay attention to nothing but the lighting and leave entertained. Like, it's that good as far as I'm concerned.
A
I agree.
B
All right. Best scenic design of a play. Oedipus, Bug Salesman, Dog Day, Fallen Angels. I'm just going to go with Oedipus because that's the only one of these that I saw.
A
I'm actually going Dog Day. I think Dog Day was very cool. The. Like, this. The set of Dog Day, it's like a. It's a. They create an entire bank. It spins. There's, like, multiple facets to. It's very, very David. Like, David Korns always does, like, weird, cool shit with his sets and I. I really, really liked the set of Dog Day after.
C
I'm also going to go with Dog Day. I thought I had a really cool set.
B
Okay. I will say that if not that this is the most accurate thing in the world, but I know, Caitlin, you and I have talked about this a little bit over on Kalshee, where you can bet on these things. It's been a late surge and Hildegard Bechtel has overtaken the lead. Who did the scenic design for Oedipus? She overtook Chloe Lamford. Who did the scenic design for Death of a Salesman? Caitlin, you saw Death of a Salesman. Ashley and I did not. Is there a set? I didn't think there was a set.
A
There is.
C
I mean, they have like a car on the stage and there's a cool pit sort of situation. But I think that that's probably again, more so of the fact that, like, people are like really getting into salesmen right now.
B
Okay. So it's not like. It's not like Jamie Lloyd's Doll's House, where there was literally no set whatsoever.
C
There's definitely a set.
B
Okay. All right, last technical technical award. Scenic design of a musical. This is another one where I feel like we're all going to agree pretty easily, but the nominees are Rocky Horror Two Strangers, Cats, Lost Boys, and Schmegadoon. This is Lost Boys, right?
A
Yeah, I think it is. I will say this is one where it could go to any of these five. And I wouldn't be mad. Like, I really think that, like, it was such a strong set year.
B
I would be. I would be violently angry if Two Strangers won this. That is one of the worst sets I've ever seen in my life.
A
I completely disagree. I love the set of Two Strangers.
B
I like the concept, but, like, no building in New York is made of concrete like that. They all look like.
A
It's not built made of concrete. It's made of suitcases. The whole set is stacked suitcases.
B
I understand that, but the coloring and the texturing of it makes it look like concrete. It's that gray concrete looking thing. I understand their suitcases and I love the fact that they open and they turn into things. But like, throw some glass on there, throw some color on there. They're meant to stick, stack, like buildings, I think. And if not, maybe that's another reason why it shouldn't win. Because I. That's what I assumed they were trying to represent.
A
I. I really like the set. So it's, you know, you can. We can disagree. I agree. I agree. It's the weakest of the five, But I still like the set of Two Strangers. I mean, I. If I was picking, I would honestly go Cats because I think Cats is the most effective of all. Like, I think what Rachel has done, taking that off Broadway Cats and transferring to Broadway is so cool. And the fact that she makes it work in a proscenium and feel so immersive still, I just. I love the Cat set, but I agree it's going to last Boys, so it doesn't actually. None of this actually matters.
B
See, for me, if it wasn't Lost Boys, I would say Schmigadoon, a show that I did not really care for at all. But what Scott Pask did with that set is really cool.
C
I love that. That was my favorite set of the year, by far, was the Schmikadoon set. I think it's gorgeous. I think it's just so pretty, and I think Scott is just the best set designer on the planet.
B
Yeah, it's really, really an effective, gorgeous set, but, yeah, it's beautiful. All right. Best orchestrations. Schmigadoon, Lost Boys, Two Strangers, Chess, and Cats. This is one where, like, I'm not smart enough musically to really know what I'm talking about here, but, like, the consensus seems to be going in Schmiga Dunes direction. Like, I don't know that I would go there. Like, I kind of. For me, you know, I'm not just saying this because Caitlin's here.
A
Like.
B
Like, I would probably want to go Cats just because, like, it's a bit more of a reinvention, but the vibes all seem to be heading towards Schmigadoon. Caitlin, what do you think?
C
I. Yeah, I agree with, like, I think has just, like, a really great momentum right now that, like, I don't really think any of the revivals are kind of capturing that momentum, this moment. But I would say, like, as somebody who doesn't know anything about this, like, I just think that Cats does something so crazy with it. I don't know if I think it'll win, but I think it should win for orchestrations, so I'm gonna go with Cats because I want to manifest a really good weekend.
A
Yes, I like that.
C
And my shrink says you're supposed to say things that you want to happen as though they're gonna.
A
My two MD friends both tell me that Chess has the best orchestrations of the season. I don't necessarily. Again, I don't know enough musically to
B
be able to be able to. Brian Youssef is Amazing. Yeah.
A
Right. So I don't know. Again, similar. Like I'm not musical enough to be able. But they're like what they're doing in Chess is again, this is the show aside. This is specifically the orchestrations of the concert version of Chess that is being presented. But they have told me that Chess is the best of the season. I kind of agree that it's probably schmigadoons to lose. I would not be mad about Cats. I really like Cats. But I just wanted to throw in the Chess thing because that's what my two friends who do know these things about. Again, neither one of them are voters though, so it's not like they're like voting Tony people. They're just both musical director people. So that's what they told me.
C
I have no idea what's going to win anything this year. Every single category that I have a prediction for, I don't really. Do you know what I mean? It's like, yeah, yeah, I don't. I feel so just like it could kind of go either way. I feel like there's always so much like behind the scenes stuff that happens that people talk about that like voters talk about that. Like, I think might make a bigger deal this year than usual.
B
Why do you think that is? I think we all feel that. Like last year I. If I remember correctly, we all did very well in our predictions, like, of like 24 of the 28 categories or whatever, if not more. This year it feels so different. Is it just because, like, there aren't any front runners or not as many front runners? The shows aren't as good, I think
C
in two ways, phrasing for the revivals. Because Cats and Ragtime were both so universally acclaimed, it really is going to just boil down to, I think at the end of it, like, what aligns with personal taste more. And like, usually revivals that have been winning in the past, like 10 years have been things that feel more like reimagining, which in which case it would go to Cats. But I also think that, like, people love Ragtime and it feels very current for this moment. So people might, you know, it feels very cathartic and wonderful. So that could help them. And then for the new musicals, none of them were universally met with critical acclaim. You know, every show had like mixed some raves as well as some like tearing it apart reviews.
A
Yeah.
C
And weirdly, I feel like not many shows just had like, meh reviews. They were kind of really swinging either or. And so because of that, I think there's not Like, a clear way. Like, you see stuff online, but then you ask people in person, and they're like, I didn't really like any of them. So I think that that's going to, like, that's kind of why is that, like, nothing feels like a front runner, but for two very different reasons.
B
Ashley, do you think that means that we're going to have more surprises this year because of that feeling?
A
Yeah, I think so. Because I think there's a world in which we see, like, splits all across the board. And then I think there's a world in which we see one musical just dominating all the way. And I know that sounds like. But, like, I feel like sometimes it's like you'll see, like, one or two musicals kind of go. And I really, like, I'm like, I think there's a world in which, like, looking back, what, two years, where you had sufficient book and score. Outsiders win all the technical awards, Hell's Kitchen win all the acting awards, and then Outsiders won overall. But, like, I think, to me, that's probably the direction that we end up going, which we'll see when we get into the conversation with these later things. But I also see worlds in which Schmigadoon or Lost Boys just goes in and sweeps them all just because, like, they're there. Like, I just. I. It's. I. But I really, again, like, to Caitlin's point, like, I. And a lot of people that I've been talking to, including voters, like, everyone is kind of like, we don't know. Like, there's no people. Like, you talk about Schmikadoon. Some people are like, it's my favorite show I've seen this year. And other people are like, I hated it. Lost Boys people are like, it's my favorite thing I've seen this year. Like, I completely hated it. Like, there's. Everything is so divisive because I don't think there is. Like, we don't have a maybe happy ending this year. We don't have an Outsiders this year. Like, that of, like, people are like, oh, I just love this show so much.
C
Yeah.
B
I saw this thing on, like, an Instagram reel from Ken Davenport, who I'm always a little bit suspect of. But you were talking about the fact that, like, there's what, six to 700, 800 Tony voters. We know that. We know who they are. They're mostly. I mean, a large block of them are road presenters. But the thing that really caught me in the. In what he was saying, and I'm going to get the number wrong. So forgive me, it was either like only 2/3 of the voters actually vote or maybe it was maybe even as low as one third. I need to go back and look at that when I'll try to throw it in the show notes if I can find it. But like even we're talking about six to 800 people, not all of them are voting and a fairly substantial number aren't voting. So when you get down to let's say it's just 400 people actually voting, when you start thinking about like that amongst a five show or five nominee category that divides it up like dozens, like a dozen or so votes will change the winner. And when things are this well divided, it really does make you think that like, oh, this really could go either way without some of these big ones. But we can keep talking about that because I know, Ashley, this next category is one that you really are kind of interested in how this breaks down moving here forward. But let's go with book of a musical. The nominees are Lost Boys, Schmigadoon, Titanique and Two Strangers Carry a Cake across New York. What about this category makes you interested about how this will play out moving forward? Ashley?
A
I. If it were up to me and what I. I don't know, but what I think will happen or should happen is that I think Titanique wins here. And I think the reason Titanique wins here is, I think Pete, is that I think people want to give. I think they like the concept of giving Marla a Tony. She's not going to beat Kacey. And in this way they can honor Marla, they can honor Constantine and they can also kind of honor the fact that like Titanique made this big, bold, silly choice to come to Broadway and this is like a fun way to give it to them. And I also just think like Titanique is a fun book. Would I say it is the best book of musical I've ever heard? No, but like, I think if it were up to me and what from people that I've been talking to, like, I think I can see a world in which Titanique, this is where they get their Tony.
C
I completely agree with it, actually. I think, I think Titanique is going to win as well. And I think that it would be fun this year. Just be fucking crazy. Give every show something different. Like there's not a front runner this year. So don't make there be a front runner in the awards. Don't let any shows that they're the most Tony award winning musical this year. Like I Love the idea of it just being like fudgeing free for all because it is kind of a free for all season. Like I don't give a shit. Like it's like make it fun. Surprise us. Like I would love nothing more than something crazy to happen on like Sunday. Like I want the craziest win ever to happen. Like salesman win score. Like not actually but like that's something random as hell that could happen. And I would be like this is funny. Like I don't know. Like I, I'm kind of just like I feel very. That's the right vibe but nihilistic about it this year.
B
Yeah, I mean you guys can see my predictions because we're all looking at the same spreadsheet. But like I, I'm probably going to pick at least for now. I reserve the right to change it up until like 6:30 on Sunday. But I'm going to pick Schmegadoon now. But in my want column is Titanique. That book is so absurd and the fact that it came to Broadway I think deserves credit. I think probably my favorite book is still Two Strangers of the Season. But in terms of what I want to win, I want big stupid silly swings to be rewarded. I think we need that. We don't need self serious stuff all the time on Broadway. We can have silly stuff that is only trying to be funny. And I think that that needs to be. Yeah. Needs to be rewarded. So. All right. Best original score, music and or lyrics written for the theater. This is crazy because Schmigadoon is in this category. This score was not written for the theater. And I know he got under the limitation of like 50% of the show being written or the score being written for the theater. That's ridiculous. But still, even with them in there, there's two plays in this category. The nominees are Death of a Salesman, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Lost Boys, Schmigadoon and Two Strangers. For me, if anything other than Two Strangers wins, I'm going to be so disappointed. I could see Schmigadoon winning even though it's not a good score. But I hope and I'm going to predict that Two Strangers wins.
A
I'm also giving it Two Strangers here. But I do think it is getting a lot of the momentum right now. So like I don't know.
C
But I think that my hot take is I think maybe the Lost Boys will win the score award. I don't know. Although the more that I think about it I'm like Two Strangers deserve something because it's so original, and so I would probably give it the score. I think it has a very strong score. I also think it has a very strong book. I think it is very strong material. I think the Lost Boys score sticks in your head really, really well. Really at least did for me. Like, I was humming just, like, random bits of that show for some time, and I feel like they have been, like, releasing it on a lot of stuff. So I'm gonna just, like, hot take, say, the Lost Boys, But I feel okay, absolutely no confidence in that answer. And you could ask me, like, the square root of PI times 94, and I would give you the answer with the same amount of confidence. I give that prediction.
A
I think I. My reason for Two Strangers is kind of because almost the same reason with my Titanique book, which is that I think I don't. I think if Two Strangers doesn't get score, it gets no Tonys. And I think it's so. I think it's such a strong show that it's crazy in this season. Not rewarding two strangers, like, but for me, I'm like, 100. I don't think it goes anywhere else. So I think it. I mean, I also. It is my favorite score of these. And, like, I think New York is my favorite song of the whole year. Like, I just love that song so much. Yeah. Like, it's so catchy. It's so catchy. So I don't know. I would like it to go here. I think it will go here. But again, in the same way Caitlin, like, it could go. None of it was okay. I lied. Death of a Salesman or Coming Joe Turner would shock me, but. But Schmigadoon, Lost Boys or Two Strangers would not shock me.
B
Yeah, I am with you there. All right. Best Choreo. The nominees are Christopher Gattelli for Schmigadoon. Eleanor Scott for Ragtime Annie Taj for the Rocky Horror Show, Amari Wiles and Arturo Lyons for Cats of Jellicoe Ball. Lauren Yolango Grant and Christopher Cree Grant for the Lost Boys. If anything other than Jellicoe Ball wins. Here we're.
A
I'm throwing a temper tantrum.
C
I also think I really, really hope Jellicoe Ball wins. I loved, actually, because I do really love Chris's choreography for Shamagadoon. I think it's gorgeous, and I love tap so much. So I loved when it was the drama desks and they tied. I thought that was, like, so perfect because they're two incredibly different forms of dance. And, like, dance tells a Different story in the shows, but I think Cats is a dance piece in its core, and I. So I'm gonna go with Cats. And again, saying it aloud helps manifest things.
B
Yeah. All right. Best direction of a play. The nominees are Nicholas Heitner for Giant, Robert Ike for Oedipus, Kenny Leon for the Ballisters, Joe Mantello for Death of a Salesman, and Whitney White for Liberation. This is one where I feel like the momentum is. Pretty obviously this is going to be Joe Mantello winning. But, like, if Robert Ike or Whitney White won, I think those are the two. I didn't. Again, didn't see Death of a Salesman. I thought those were two of the most gorgeously directed shows I've seen in a long time. So I would be very happy with Robert or Whitney winning. I just don't think either of them will.
C
I think it's Mantello.
A
I think it is too. I think it's Mantello. What I do think helps Whitney is she's doing Liberation in four different cities in the next year. Like her, she's directing. She's directing Liberation at Berkeley Rep. She's directing liberation in D.C. like, and I do think when it comes to the technical, like, Tony voters of, like, people trying to get people to come see their shows being like, oh, Tony winner Whitney White is directing a play at our theater. This season is like the play that you're going to see here. Who are people voting like that, I do think helps, but I do think that all the momentum right now is Joe Montello. So.
C
And I think he deserves it. I think the fact that we saw Salesman only a few years ago and that this feels very fresh for one of the most famous plays of all time, I think really lends in his favor. And he hasn't won a Tony in quite some time. And unless I'm missing something, so I. I think I would vote for him.
B
Yeah. I also think the one other thing about Whitney White is the fact that she would make history as the first black woman to win a Tony for direction, which would be great. I just don't see that happening. And I think she's one of the best. I probably. I don't remember what she was up against, but, like, I could have voted for. For Ja Jazz a couple seasons ago, but, uh, nonetheless, here we are. This is one that is probably going to make me angry. And the nom. And the category is Best direction of a Musical. The nominees are Michael Arden for the Lost Boys, Lear to Besson a for Ragtime, Christopher Gattelli for Schmigadoon, Tim Jackson for Two Strangers, and Jalen Livingston and Bill Rauch for Cats. The Jellicoe Ball. I'm just. I'm just not going to allow myself to believe that anything other than Cats wins here, even though the tea leaves aren't pointing in that direction. I'm just going to be beside myself angry if Lear wins for telling people to stand still on stage and not move at all during an entire show.
A
I, I. The one argument that I've seen for Lear, which I don't necessarily agree with, but just this is what I've heard, is that a lot of people are associating the casting of Ragtime with Lear because Lear was so. Again, I'm not saying I agree. I'm just saying what I've heard. And it's people telling me that because Lear is basically the person that cast this show. Like, she from City Center. She brought. She brought those actors in. She nurtured it. She. And to them, they have now associated the casting direction with the direction.
B
Then where's the casting? Tony Award.
A
I, I agree. Again, I'm not saying that I want her to win. I very much want Jalen and Bill to win. But that is. Multiple people have told me that.
C
And are those voters or just random?
A
No, like, like, vote. Like, people who. Like, like, but, like, maybe voters actually, but, like, produce, like, producers, like, and I've seen it on TikTok. Like, I've just seen people. That's. Again, I, I do think, though, that,
C
like, that's what made Merily lose direction. You know, it was cast so well, but she didn't win. So I'm going to go with our Cats directors.
A
Yes.
B
And here's. Here's my hot take. I don't think Ragtime was especially well cast. I think some of these people who are going to win, I don't think are well cast. I think they're just people that audiences and voters really, really like. And they're really good, but they don't actually fit their characters very well in terms of what the roles actually demand from them on a technical standpoint, but neither here nor there. So, wait, so, Ashley, what are you actually going to predict?
A
I'm going to put. I'm putting Jalen and Bill, because I can't also, I. I'm putting Cats. I'm putting Cats. I can't. I just. I can't make myself do it. I know I will. I can't do it. So, like, I have. I have to be Jaylen Bell.
B
It's the most brilliant thing. It's.
A
It's.
B
It is like the most revolutionary, brilliant thing. And to think that we're going to have a potential best direction award go to someone other than them for just doing a park and bark concert is absurd.
A
Crazy.
B
Okay, let's get into the performance categories. The nominees for featured actor in a play are Christopher Abbott for Death of a Salesman. Danny Burstein for Marjorie Prime. Brandon J. Dearden for Waiting for Godot, which, until these nominations came out, I completely forgot that that show was this season. Alden Ironreich for Becky Shaw. Ruben Santiago Hudson for Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and Richard Thomas for Ballisters. Caitlin, I think you are. Were one of the people who was really big on Alden early on, right?
C
Yeah. Alden's gonna win. If Alden doesn't win, I'm committing a crime in that audience. He's so good. I'm literally seeing Becky Shaw again tonight. It was my absolute favorite show of the season by far.
B
That is so, so on brand.
C
I am committing. I will kill myself in the audience, and everybody will have to watch.
A
It makes me so happy. Only because when I saw Becky Shaw, I literally. I don't think I had left the theater yet. And I texted Caitlin and be like, you have to see the show.
C
It's, like, written in the way that I talk when I'm not on camera. It's unbelievable that after the show, everybody kept saying that all the characters were assholes, because I have never in my life.
B
That was literally my entire review of the show.
C
Yeah, like, everybody was assholes. And I was like, I talk like this. Like, this is how my family talks to each other. And then again, everybody who gets to know my family says that we're way too intense to be around sometimes. So maybe that's what it is. Alden has to win.
B
Ashley, are you also going with Alden? I'm going with Alden.
A
Yes. I do think the. The other option. The other big option here is Ruben Santiago Hudson. I think he is. Was. So I really loved him. And in Joe Turner, and I think he's getting a lot of. A lot of early praise. But I do think Alden. Alden Winter. I wouldn't. I wouldn't be mad because I thought Richard Thomas was great. I thought Danny Bursty was great. But, like, I. To me, it's. It's Alden or Reuben, and I think Alden slightly comes ahead.
B
And you know what's so funny about it is, like, when I saw Joe Turner's come and gone, the Performance that I thought should win the Tony or at least be nominated was Josh Boone. Like I thought he was the standout and he didn't even get nominated. But that's neither here nor there.
C
He's so good. He was so good on the Outsiders.
B
He's great. He's. I mean he's a two time Tony nominee already for Choir Boy and then Outsiders and now I thought he should have been nominated here, but featured actress in a play. The nominees are Betsy Adam for Liberation, Mary Louise Burke for Ballisters, Aya Cash for Giant, Lori Metcalf for Salesman and June Squibb for Marjorie Prime. I think we're all probably going to go. Laurie Metcalf is going to win, right?
A
Yeah. Yes.
C
Lori Metcalf is going to win and Lori Metcalf should win. And I thought she was so good in that show. Oh my God.
B
Again, did not see Death of Salesman but I loved Mary Louise Burke so much in the Ballisters. Like she is just at however old she is still the funniest person on stage the entire time. And spoiler alert, she gets hit by a car. Like that's just funny that they made her get hit by a car. Not that you see it, but love Mary Louise Burke. The original Kimberly Akimbo. Remember when they did it in 2000 as a play, she was Kimberly Akimbo. So love her. Love her. All right, Best featured actor in a musical. The nominees are Ollie Lewis Borsgi for the Lost Boys, Andre de Shields for Casa Jellicoe Ball. Bryce Pinkham for Chess, Ben Levi Ross for Ragtime, Leighton Williams for Titanic. My hot take is that I want Bryce Pinkham to win. I thought he was the best thing in Chess. Like not even especially close. He's what makes that show work on whatever level it works. Not that it works especially like the book I'm talking about. He makes it work because he is brilliant and it's time that he gets back to being a leading man. Obviously he was a leading man with Gentleman's Guide and this is not a leading man role. But like, I hope that this gives him some momentum because he's brilliant. I have money on Ben Levi Ross over in Kalshee because I jumped on that early. I don't think that's going to happen because apparently Andre de Shields standing there and speak singing his way through the score of Cats is enough to earn him a Tony. Just because he's Andre de Shields, but no shade, I guess at all because he's Andrea Shields and he's a legend. But I didn't see anything that was Tony worthy from that performance. But nonetheless, it seems like a lot of people have. No offense, Caitlyn, since this is your show, I.
C
Okay, so I'm so sorry if this is going to get me canceled for what I'm about to say. I did ask AI to predict the Tonys because I'm actually very curious about how the modeling would work for a Tony award victory because I don't think that artificial intelligence has any idea of what theater is or how it works. So I ran it through Claude, and Claude is predicting Ben Levi Ross. And I think Ben is also gonna win. I think that, I mean, I love Andre. I think he's so great in it, I think. But I think there's something really cool about a young person winning in my mind, like, somebody who is like, I think Ben is just like, brings a lot to that character. But I also could see Andre winning by name recognition. Also. I do think he's doing, like, he's so, just, like, he has so much stage presence. But, like, in my predictions, I was going with Benlave, Benley Veyros. But I also would be like, if Leighton Williams wins, I'd be like, hell yeah.
A
Yeah, I agree. I, I, I, I've been saying Andre forever. I, I think I'm switching to Ben mostly because I think we're gonna see a lot of, I think, I think ragtime. The casting is where they're gonna really want to reward Ragtime. And so that is why I'm going Ben. I also, I will say, like, I, if I had to gun to my head, I think Ben is probably my favorite, like, maybe my favorite performance of the whole season in, in any category. Like, I just, I think what Ben does in that show in specifically him and Shayna in the night that Goldman spoke at Union Square is like my favorite. Like, I just, I love the acting performance there. I think Ben is so brilliant. I mean, I would have nominated Shayna Talbot because I thought she was just perfect. Again, small role, perfectly cast, perfect, Perfect role for her.
B
I will say. I complained about the casting earlier, saying that I didn't think some of these people fit their roles. The two best people in the show, the two best cast people in the show were Bentley by Ross and Shannon. And, like, it wasn't especially close as far as I was concerned. Like, I thought they, I mean, I'm choking up just thinking about that song because it was one of the most powerful things you'll ever see. And then they went and did it freaking in The Union Square subway station. Like, I just got goosebumps. Like, it's just brilliant. Brilliant. Into that category where she would have been nominated, but she's not. Best featured actress in a musical. The nominees are Shoshana Bean for the Lost Boys, Hannah Cruz for Chess, Rachel Dratch for the Rocky Horror Show, Anna Gasteyer for Schmigadoon, and Nichelle Lewis for Ragtime. Now, Caitlin, you are on Cats, but also, like, you've got a little bit of a bias in this category.
C
I have a big bias in this category. I think Shoshana should win. I was her assistant for a couple of years. I would love to see her win. I was just talking to her this morning, and I think she will win. I think this is her third nomination. I think she brings so much warmth to that show. She kind of has her, like, Molly Weasley moment at the end of it, which I love. So I'm going with her.
A
I think it's like, we talked about this a little bit pre. Pre recording. I think it's Shoshana's, like. I think everyone just wants her to have it. I think they want her to be a Tony winner. I think they want to give it to her. I don't think there's, like, a heavy front runner, which makes Shoshana the front runner. The only other potential, like, for me is Anna Gasteyer, and only because Anna's doing so much pre Tony. Like, she has been everywhere. She's doing so much campaigning, heavy campaigning,
B
and she's doing bits. She's doing bits as a. As a different person. Like, I got, like, when this. What's her name? September.
A
September, whatever.
B
Yeah, like, as this alternate character, I got a real. And I just saw, like, the text, and it was like, badmouthing Anna Gasteyer. And I was like, what in the hell is going on? Why is somebody badmouthing Anna Gasteyer for taking a part away? And then I looked at the picture, and it's just Anna Gasteyer in a wig. And I was September, Elle Davis. September Elle Davis. There you go. She is doing so much. And sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. But it's actually pretty funny. And the whole proof, the musical that she's doing in Canada, I think it's great. But she does funny. She really is. I mean, like, honestly, all of the SNL women on Broadway right now with Dr. Gasteyer and then Maya Rudolph, like, why we haven't had more of an SNL to Broadway transition is wild to me because, like, Even if it's not in musicals, although a lot of those people can sing. Like, it makes so much sense, the experience that they have on stage in front of audiences, doing things kind of wild and crazy. Like, you would think there would be more of that. And I wonder if all of the success that people are having right now opens it up for other people. Obviously, Caitlin, as I said, you were on both all in and all out. A lot of SNL people came through there. But, I mean, in proper, you know, plays and musicals, I'd really love to see more SNL people, but. All right, let's get into the leading categories. Best lead actor in a play. The nominees are Will Harrison for Punch, which is definitely a show that happened this season. Nathan Lane for Death of a Salesman, John Lithgow for Giant, Daniel Radcliffe for Every brilliant thing, and Mark Strong for Oedipus. I personally would go with Mark Strong here because I just think everything about Oedipus was brilliant.
A
So good.
B
It was so good. But I like, Nathan Lane's going to win.
C
I hope Nathan Lane wins. I. I really, you know, like, I'm trying to not, like, badmouth any shows, but I found Giant to be so offensive to, like, the Palestinian people. And, like, as a Jew, I just left being so disappointed that, like, the story that we're telling right now is about the, like, example of a bigoted anti Semitic guy who is also anti Zionist and happens to also be horrifically anti Semitic. And I was just, like, so offended also that then I had to sit through 10 minutes of the most anti Semitic crap I'd ever heard, which is all real from old doll. But I just, like, I was so sad that that was the story that I was being told. And I think that John Lithgow is amazing. He's so talented. But I give it to Nathan Lane.
B
Yeah, Ashley.
A
I mean, I mean, I said I like, I. I agree. I was not. Giant is not a show I particularly enjoyed nor felt ever like discussing. So that's like everything Caitlin said times 10. I did not see Death of a Salesman, but I've heard from everyone that Nathan Lane was phenomenal in it. So, yeah, I mean, I. Again, I would. I would also give it to Mark Strong if I was voting, but I think that the. I think the Death of a Salesman energy is too, too powerful.
B
Yeah. Best lead actress and a play. The nominees are Rose Byrne for Fallen Angels, Carrie Coon for Bugs, Susanna Flood for Liberation, Leslie Manville for Oedipus, and Kelli o' Hara for Fallen Angels. I think it's going to be Leslie Manville, and I probably want that. But Leslie Manville is. I mean, maybe not like an A lister here in the States, but she's a pretty big star, especially in the uk. I kind of wish that Susanna Flood would win because Liberation is just such a unique show, and it all hinges on her performance. And she is just so raw in so many different ways, both as her main character and then the mother. I think that she deserves all of the accolades that she could possibly get. But I do think that Leslie Manville is going to win.
A
Yes. And I'm going to be sad about it, even though I love Leslie because I love Susanna Flood so much, and I want her to win everything forever, so. But I think you're everything you said. Everything you said.
B
Yeah. Caitlyn, where are you going?
C
I am going with Leslie Manville. I'd give it to her. She's amazing in that show.
B
Yeah. I mean, it was one for a show that's like 2,500 years old. And I know that Robert Eich redid the script and everything, but, like, for that show to be that good is honestly kind of offensive. Like, it's like, how dare you make Oedipus that good in the year of our Lord 2026? Like, it is really.
A
I was so stressed, and we all knew the ending. Like, that's. It's crazy. I was so stressed.
B
You said, we all know the ending. And I think of the three of us and most of the people listening, we all knew the ending, but the lady sitting behind me absolutely did not. Because she leaned over at one point to whoever she was with and goes, wait, is she gonna be his mom? And I was like, who are you? How did you end up here? How are you alive? How have you survived living this life? But nonetheless, it really is wild for
C
lead actor in a musical. Do we even need to say this? Josh Henry, give it to him.
A
And already it already. Literally, they're gonna hit. They're just gonna, like.
C
They're just gonna hand it to him engraved.
A
He doesn't have to go to the engraver. It's just already. It's already on there.
B
Yeah. I say the other nominees just because, like, I think they're all really good. Like, Nicholas Christopher for Chess, Luke Evans for Rocky Horror, Josh for Ragtime. Sam Tutty for Two Strangers, Brandon Uranowitz for Ragtime. I feel like in other seasons, you could make an argument for any of these guys winning, but they literally combined don't have a chance to even, like, get within 80 points of Josh Henry.
A
No, I feel like. I feel like he's gonna be, like, the first unanimous ever Tony winner.
C
Josh Henry's dunking. He's. He's LeBron this season.
A
Like, when he walked out opening the Met Gala, I was like, what are we even doing here? Why is anyone else nominated?
B
But first off, like, what was he doing? Like, seriously, Eleanor. Like, I get it, but, like, what was that? Can we stop? Can we please? I love you, Josh, but please. Okay. Lead actress for Lead actress in a Musical. Sarah Chase for Schmigadoon, Stephanie Hsu for Rocky Horror Show, Casey Levy for Ragtime, Marla Medell for Titanic, and Christiani Pitts for Two Strangers. Like, this is another one. Like, this is just. It's just Casey.
A
Casey's. Yeah.
B
Yeah.
C
They're both so good. They're both so good. And then I said, who you say? Casey and Josh. They're just both so good. But honestly, again, this category, everybody is amazing. I haven't seen Rocky, and I'm going tomorrow, but I think it's Casey.
A
It's. It's also, like, I'm so happy still. Stephanie is nominated. It's insane to put her as a. Like, as a leading actress and that, like, in that show. But, like, I'm happy she's here. Like, I'm not mad she's here. It's just, like, insane that she's a lead in that show. But, like, it's like, I'm. Like, she deserves to be nominated. So whatever. I'm thrilled. But it's hard to compare.
B
Would like a number.
A
Yeah, but it's hard to compare Janet in Rocky Horror to Mother in Ragtime,
B
like, or to Celine Dion in Titanic.
A
Right.
B
Or whatever the hell. Kris, Danny Pitts's character's name is.
A
Doesn't leave the stage.
B
She's there the whole time. And I will say, like. And, Ashley, you and I were talking about this before we started recording. Like, I am just so geeked for Hannah Cruise to be nominated. And as she said so many times, like, she's on stage for 23 minutes to get that nomination is awesome. I feel the exact same way for Christiani Pitts because I am, like, the one person who really, really liked King Kong the musical, and I thought she was great.
A
She's the best part. Was the best part of it.
B
Yeah. Including the. Including the puppet. Like, I thought she was the best part including the puppet. And, like, to have her see, like, a little bit of a redemption arc after, like, one of the most critically Lamb based in shows of all time. Like, it just makes me happy, like, for her and Hannah, I think that's just awesome. So, all right, let's get into the production categories and instead of doing these in, like, the normal order, let's see if we can do them in the order of, like, the ones that are obvious to the ones that are least obvious. So revival of a play I feel like is pretty obvious are Salesman, Becky Shaw, Every Brilliant Thing, Fallen Angels, and Oedipus. Although I would give it to Oedipus. I think we're all going with salesmen, right?
A
Yeah. Yeah.
C
Agree.
B
Yeah. Okay, so after that, let's go to best play. The nominees are the Ballisters Giant, Liberation, and Little Bear, Ridge Road. If anything other than Liberation wins. I said pitchforks earlier. I'm getting pitchforks and torches because there it won the Pulitzer. And it's wild because it's. I think it is, like, by far the best show. But when shows have been closed for as long as Liberation have, that usually makes a pretty big negative in their category. But I feel like once they won the Pulitzer, everyone was like, okay, we have enough justification to vote for it, even though it's closed.
A
And again, it's going to everywhere regionally next year. Like, when I tell you it's in like 10. Like, it's. So I do think it's doing a tour.
B
Like, it's technically a tour.
A
It's a three city tour. Like, it's doing a full. Like the fact that it won the Pulitzer, I think it's in the same way that, like, I don't think. I don't think people had Purpose as their favorite last year, but then Purpose won the Pulitzer and it pulled it right on over the edge. So I feel like we're gonna see that with Liberation too.
B
Okay, so let's get into the musicals. Let's do best revival of a musical. The nominees are Cats, the Jellicoe Ball, Ragtime and the Rocky Horror Show. All due respect to the Rocky Horror show, which I've heard is great, they could not get me in to see it when I was in town. But I don't think it's going to win. I mean, this is going to come down to Ragtime and Cats, the Jellicoe Ball. I have already made my thoughts known that I think it would be a travesty to all things good and holy in the theatrical world if Cat's the Jellicoe Ball. A show that redefined one of the most iconic concepts and shows of all time. Literally of all time in musical Theater. And then, like, didn't just reinvent it or reimagined it, but, like, legitimately made it infinitely better. If that doesn't win, I don't know what the Tony Awards are for.
A
And I want to specify. This hurts me. It hurts me. Ragtime is one of my favorite musicals, and I'm sitting here screaming about Andrew Lloyd Webber again for a second year in a row. I'm like, give it to my boy, Andrew.
B
I saw Ragtime. I saw the original cast of Ragtime on my very first trip to New York City in 1998 as a high school junior. Caitlin, you weren't even born yet. But this production of Ragtime is fine. It is good. The people are great. But, like, the elevation of Cats, the Jellicoe Ball, into what it has become, if we don't honor it, I don't know why we give awards. Like, what's the point of giving awards if Cats, the Jellicoe Ball, doesn't win the Tony? Caitlin, you're sitting there quiet because you're. You know, you stand to get your second Tony Award if it.
A
Want to hear a fun. A fun fact?
B
Yes, please.
A
Rag. Ragtime, original production. You know who they lost to?
B
No.
A
The Li. The Lion King. So if they lose the Cats. That's very funny to me.
B
That is very funny.
C
That's a very feline situation to be in. And you know what? I'm gonna go. When I predict this, Like, I think everybody thinks Ragtime's gonna win. I mean, politically. Make, like, politically as in the world. It makes sense. I think voters like things that are original and revitalize things. And I'm gonna go with Cats, mainly because I just want to manifest that it wins.
B
I. I had Ragtime down, but I'm gonna switch. I talked myself into voting, into predicting Cats.
A
I also think, like, they're gonna feel good about awarding Ragtime in its performances. And I think that's, like, to me, like, they want to give it to Josh, they want to give it to Casey. And then I think, again, this is. And we're manifesting, but I also think it's true. They want to give it to Cats. Like, that's just how I feel. Like, I think they're, like. It's that. It's those performances that make the show, and Cats deserves it all in time.
B
It's the concept. It's the whole package for Cats where it's the performances for Ragtime. So. All right. Best Musical. The nominees are. The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon, Titanic, and Two Strangers Carry A cake across New York. To me, I would vote for two strangers because that to me was the best package we were talking about. You guys said. I think Caitlin, it was you that said, like, the score is really, really good. It is. But I think the book is actually the best part of the show and I think it is the best book. I just don't think it's going to win. Best book. I thought that was the most enjoyable experience. I had a theater with a new musical this season on Broadway, but I don't think it really. I. In fact, I had to cash out my prediction on Kalshi Caitlyn because I did it right away and then like, it lost money. So I took it at like a 10 loss. But that leaves us with like, I guess Schmegadoon and Lost Boys. I don't think either any of us think that Titanique is gonna win. Right?
A
That was. To me, it's a two. It's a two. It's a 2 man race and it's lost Poison Shmega Dune, I think wins. But it, but it would. A Lost Boys win would not surprise me. I would have, I do think. Yeah, but I do think Megadun, I think has so much momentum right now. Like, I think they've been doing so much. I don't know.
B
And let's. Let's give a shout out to our friend Grace Aki and that picnic basket thing they did this weekend, like, that was her brainchild with one of her co workers. But like, and that's their job is like to come up with this stuff. But like, that is just such a brilliant campaign move for them because not only were they doing something for Broadway cares, which a lot of shows do during this time of year, but it was like literally something taken directly from their show and it was so well executed. And I just feel like they are crushing the campaign. Lost Boys is doing a great job with like releasing some of their music and getting everybody out there and all the performances. But Schmigadoon, similar to what we were talking about earlier with Ana Gasteyer, just seems to be crushing the Tony campaign.
C
I fully agree. Fully agree.
B
Yeah. So, all right. Over under. How many times does Pink do a Silk performance above the audience at Radio City Musical?
C
I need her to be flying the entire fucking time and I cannot wait. I love her. I've always loved her. Honestly, I'm thrilled to.
B
You feel like a Pink, exclamation point person.
C
Yeah, I love Pink.
B
Yeah. All right, real quick. We did. I did not prepare you either of you for this. What is the Tony Award winner for best musical in 2027?
A
I think it's Paddington. I haven't seen it, but from everything that everyone has told me, I think it's.
C
I'm going to say something absolutely crazy and I'm going to say it. And I can't see what everybody says when I say this. I'm going to go with Galileo.
B
I think you're crazy. I will go Mexico. I am manifesting as you were talking about earlier. I'm manifesting Mexico to come to Broadway. I don't know that it has any interest in doing it, but if it had come this season, I think it
A
would have been crazy that it didn't. It's crazy it didn't. The Shubert was sitting there empty. Empty. And I'm aware that Shubert's huge. They could have closed the mezzanine. Just do the orchestra at, at the Schubert.
B
It would have been the Runaway. Like, it wouldn't have even been close. Like Mexican is that good.
A
It would have won every.
B
The best music. I, I honestly, I said this in my review and tell me if you think I'm crazy, but not only do I think it's the best musical of this season, I think it might be the best musical that I have seen personally since Hadestown. Like that, that sounds wild. Like six years that this little two person off Broadway musical is that. I think it's the best thing I've seen in so long. But anyway, so I'm just going to put that out there and then 2028, Ashley, our board, our boy Benny. I'm calling it for 2028.
A
Benny, Benny, Benny.
B
Unless Benjamin Button, unless he comes next year.
C
All right, guys, unfortunately my laptop is at 2%. So I will talk to you guys soon. This is so fun.
B
Yes, you go. All right, that's all we got. We will have these productions. We will talk about them afterwards. Enjoy the Tonys. Bye,
A
Sam.
Date: June 6, 2026
Host: Matt Tamina
Guests: Ashley Hufford, Kaitlin Berg
Podcast: BroadwayRadio
In this lively roundtable, BroadwayRadio's Matt Tamina reunites with Ashley Hufford and Tony-nominated co-producer Kaitlin Berg (Cats: The Jellicoe Ball) to break down the 2026 Tony Awards. They predict winners across every category, share insider tidbits, debate contentious races, and call out historic possibilities for this unpredictable year. With nominees that inspire passionate favorites and deep divides, the episode is equal parts informed analysis and theatrical enthusiasm.
Nominees: Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Oedipus, The Fear of 13, Bug, Death of a Salesman
"I'm gonna give it to Oedipus. Shout out to Fear of 13 because I did really like the sound in that."
—Ashley, 01:25
Nominees: Cats: The Jellicoe Ball, Ragtime, The Lost Boys, Rocky Horror Show, Schmigadoon
Nominees: Dog Day Afternoon, Liberation, Fallen Angels, Ballisters, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Nominees: Cats: The Jellicoe Ball, Ragtime, Schmigadoon, Lost Boys, Rocky Horror
"There's no argument to me that can be made that it's not Cats."
—Ashley, 05:31
Nominees: Dog Day Afternoon, Oedipus, Joe Turner, Bug, Fear of 13, Salesman
Nominees: Chess, Rocky Horror, Schmigadoon, Cats, Ragtime, Lost Boys
Nominees: Oedipus, Bug, Salesman, Dog Day, Fallen Angels
Nominees: Rocky Horror, Two Strangers, Cats, Lost Boys, Schmigadoon
Nominees: Schmigadoon, Lost Boys, Two Strangers, Chess, Cats
Nominees: Lost Boys, Schmigadoon, Titanique, Two Strangers
“I love the idea of it just being like [a] free for all because it is kind of a free for all season.”
—Caitlin, 19:35
Nominees: Death of a Salesman, Joe Turner, Lost Boys, Schmigadoon, Two Strangers
“I think New York is my favorite song of the whole year.”
—Ashley, 22:58
Nominees: Schmigadoon, Ragtime, Rocky Horror, Cats, Lost Boys
“I can’t make myself do it. I have to be Jalen and Bill.”
—Ashley, 28:42
“If Alden doesn’t win, I’m committing a crime in that audience.”
—Caitlin, 29:38
“It was so good. But Nathan Lane’s going to win.”
—Matt, 39:09–39:13
“Josh Henry’s dunking. He’s LeBron this season.”
—Caitlin, 43:15
“If Cats: The Jellicoe Ball doesn’t win the Tony, I don’t know what the Tony Awards are for.”
—Matt, 47:48
The group is candid, passionate, and insider-savvy, mixing sharp humor with obvious love for Broadway. They don’t shy away from blunt takes, venting frustrations, or poking fun at Tony politics, but the overall tone is inclusive and fun.
A must-listen for theater fans who want to enjoy the highs, lows, and hilarious quirks of Tony season straight from Broadway insiders.