Matt’s Group Chat Predicts Tony Nominations

Summary

BroadwayRadio Podcast Summary

Episode: Matt’s Group Chat Predicts Tony Nominations
Release Date: April 14, 2025
Host/Author: BroadwayRadio
Description: Broadway's Premier Podcasts

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of BroadwayRadio, hosts Caitlin Berg and Ashley Hufford join forces with Tony-nominated producer Kaitlyn Berg to predict the upcoming 2025 Tony Awards nominations. As the Tony eligibility deadline approaches, the trio delves into various categories, analyzing performances, productions, and potential surprises based on their firsthand experiences and insider knowledge.

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Featured Actor in a Play

Discussion Highlights:

• Glengarry Glen Ross is a significant contender, with all three lead actors expected to be nominated.
• Kieran Culkin emerges as a frontrunner, potentially securing both Oscar and Tony nominations simultaneously, a rare achievement.
• Other notable mentions include Conrad Rickamura from O'Mary, James Scully, Andrew Burnap from Othello, and Zachary Quinto from Cult of Love.

Notable Quotes:

• Ashley Hufford [02:21]: "I'm on Romeo and Juliet, Sunset Boulevard, and all in on Broadway this year."
• Caitlin Berg [05:34]: "Kieran Culkin feels like him winning an Oscar and a Tony in the same year just feels delightful."

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Featured Actress in a Play

Discussion Highlights:

• Bianca Lee is highly favored due to her comedic prowess and standout performances.
• Latonya Richardson Jackson from Purpose and Jinx Monsoon are also strong candidates.
• Sadie Sink from John Proctor is a wildcard, with debates on her category placement.

Notable Quotes:

• Caitlin Berg [08:08]: "Bianca Lee will get one only because I also think she's amazing."
• Unnamed Speaker [09:59]: "She plays Beth in John Proctor. Amazing performance."

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Featured Actor in a Musical

Discussion Highlights:

• Predictions include Jack Malone, Tom Sesma, Danny Burstein, David Thaxton, and Christopher Seaver.
• Concerns about balancing star power versus nuanced performances, especially with performers like David Hyde Pierce and Ramin Karimloo from Pirates.

Notable Quotes:

• Caitlin Berg [11:15]: "Jason Goate is pretty great."
• Ashley Hufford [12:09]: "Jack Malone being in featured makes sense."

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Featured Actress in a Musical

Discussion Highlights:

• Anna Gastire from Mattress and Joy Woods are strong contenders.
• Natalie Felicia Belconn from Buena Vista Social Club is viewed as a probable winner.
• Jen Simard, Megan Hilty, Audra McDonald, Jason Musa, and Nicole Scherzinger are also mentioned as potential nominees.

Notable Quotes:

• Unnamed Speaker [19:46]: "She's amazing and very young. I wouldn't be shocked if she got nominated."
• Caitlin Berg [20:06]: "Happy Endings might propel Helen to a nomination."

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Best Actor in a Play

Discussion Highlights:

• Cole is a favorite to win, with mentions of Kit Connor from Romeo and Juliet as a future star.
• Other potential nominees include George Clooney from Good Night and Good Luck, Jake Gyllenhaal, Denzel Washington, and Jim Parsons from Our Town.

Notable Quotes:

• Unnamed Speaker [38:17]: "I’d like Kit Connor to be remembered as a future Oscar winner."
• Caitlin Berg [39:30]: "Jake Gyllenhaal’s role in Othello is deeply emotional."

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Production Categories

Play Revivals

Discussion Highlights:

• Only seven eligible shows with four nominations expected.
• Glengarry Glen Ross, Eureka Day, Romeo and Juliet, and Our Town are primary contenders.
• Othello is considered a dark horse due to its celebrity power despite lukewarm reviews.

Notable Quotes:

• Ashley Hufford [15:01]: "Glengarry and Eureka Day are for sure."
• Unnamed Speaker [16:04]: "Othello is in here because of its star power."

Musical Revivals

Discussion Highlights:

• Predicted nominations include Floyd Collins, Gypsy, Pirates, and Sunset Boulevard.
• Elf and Dead Outlaw are fan favorites but may not secure nominations due to competitive categories.

Notable Quotes:

• Ashley Hufford [17:11]: "Death Becomes Her has great marketing."
• Unnamed Speaker [26:05]: "Real Women Have Curves could easily get it."

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Best Actress in a Play

Discussion Highlights:

• Laura Donnelly and Sarah Snook are headliners, with Laura pushing boundaries in Hills of California.
• Mia Jae from The Roommate and Sydney Lemon are also strong contenders.
• Tatiana Cordoba and Justina Machado from Real Women Have Curves are potential surprise nominees.

Notable Quotes:

• Unnamed Speaker [33:40]: "Sarah Snook is probably the only competition Laura has."
• Ashley Hufford [37:52]: "Sarah Snook has a remarkable performance."

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Best Actor in a Musical

Discussion Highlights:

• Predicted nominees include Andrew Durant, Jonathan Groff, Tom Francis, Jeremy Jordan, with potential entries like David Hyde Pierce and Darren Criss.
• Discussions revolve around balancing star power with emotional depth in performances.

Notable Quotes:

• Caitlin Berg [43:12]: "Andrew Durant, Jonathan Groff, Tom Francis, Jeremy Jordan."
• Unnamed Speaker [44:06]: "David Hyde Pierce is delightful but lacks emotional depth."

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Surprise and Shock Nominations

Discussion Highlights:

• Possible unexpected nominations include Cost of Living, which could secure five nominations despite a short run.
• Buena Vista Social Club and Death Becomes Her might receive surprising nods in technical categories like costumes.

Notable Quotes:

• Unnamed Speaker [46:55]: "If English comes in and steals a nomination, that would be surprising."
• Ashley Hufford [48:05]: "Paul Tazwell should be the costume designer for everything."

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Conclusion

As the Tony Awards approach, BroadwayRadio’s trio offers a comprehensive and spirited analysis of potential nominees across multiple categories. Balancing star power with critical acclaim, their predictions highlight both beloved performances and potential dark horses. Listeners are encouraged to follow Ashley Hufford for in-depth reviews and Caitlin Berg for entertaining commentary on social media as the excitement builds towards the nominations announcement on May 1st.

Notable Final Quotes:

• Caitlin Berg [50:10]: "Enjoy the last few weeks and we’ll have a more intelligent conversation before the nominations come out."
• Unnamed Speaker [50:45]: "Thank you for letting us share our predictions."

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For more insights and updates, follow Ashley and Caitlin on their respective social media platforms as mentioned in the show notes.

Transcript

[Ashley Hufford]

Foreign.

[Caitlin Berg]

Welcome to a very special episode. We are just mere weeks away from the Tony eligibility deadline, so I wanted to get my group chat together. You all know Ashley Hufford, who has been here before, theater influencer, arts insider extraordinaire. But we are adding in the third leg of our group chat with Tony nominated producer and girl about town, Kaitlyn Berg. Kaitlin, thank you for doing this.

[Ashley Hufford]

I'm so excited.

[Caitlin Berg]

All right, so what we're going to do today is we're going to go through the performance and production categories and tell you what we think is going to be nominated for the 2025 Tony Awards. There are still things that all of us have not seen. I'm coming back in May to wrap things up. Ashley has just a few shows. Caitlin, I know you're after. We're done running off to see Dorian Grace. So there are things that are going to be blind spots for us that we're just not going to know. So we're just kind of going on conjecture and word of mouth and if it was off Broadway or in London, what other awards nominations they have gotten. So this is not going to be 100% perfect. We might revisit before the actual eligibility deadline. But before we get into that, Caitlin, I mentioned Tony nominated producer. What shows are you on this year? So we know when you talk about them, you are full of crap and just hyping up your own stuff.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, I'm going to be incredibly biased. So I am on Romeo and Juliet, Sunset Boulevard and all in on Broadway this year.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Wow, that's a great. That's a great list.

[Ashley Hufford]

It was a fun year.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, absolutely. And then you throw in some off Broadway stuff too. So that's fun. So let's go with the categories that I always think are the absolute most insane things to try to predict. And those are the featured performer categories. Let's start, I guess with the featured actor in a play. There are so many different people that are eligible for nomination here and I, even as, even as I'm going through, like there's only three that I feel pretty confident about getting nominations. But Ashley, let's. Let's start with you here. We get five nominees barring ties in this category. So let's. Unless you are really confident we're going to get a tie, let's just go with five in these categories. And where are you leaning with yours so far?

[Unnamed Speaker]

So one of the big ones that I have not seen yet is Glengarry Glen Ross. And I feel like. And I have. We. I don't think it's been officially decided. But do we think everyone is going featured in that?

[Caitlin Berg]

I have everybody listed and featured there.

[Ashley Hufford]

And I think in past productions, they've all been listed as featured too.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah. Because I just feel like for me, like, I mean, again, I haven't seen it yet, but from what I'm hearing, like, they all. They literally all could be nominated, which I like, but I feel like Kieran Culkin is like the obvious, most obvious one of all of them. But. And then I also feel like Conrad Rickamura from O'Mary has a decent shot of being nominated here. I'm like, trying to think back to all of the plays that had Men, which I feel like it's. I guess there is over nine, but I just. To me, I'm like, featured category of men. I'm like. I'm like the women. I feel like it's so much harder right now.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. Caitlin, what do you have in this category?

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, I have Conrad for sure. I put literally all three of the Glengarry guys because also, you know, they're all three pretty beloved people. But also, then you have James Scully. You have Andrew Burnap, who I haven't seen Othello, but apparently he's also amazing in it. Zachary Quinto from Cult of Love.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like, oh, I forgot about Zachary. I've totally. He was. He was fun on that.

[Ashley Hufford]

The Cult of Love people.

[Caitlin Berg]

Christopher Sears was the one out of there that I was like, oh, he was just electric in Cult of Love. So I have him and Zachary as potentials there too.

[Ashley Hufford]

There was also the guy in English who was so good. I don't know his name, but he was so, so, so good. Especially in, like, that scene where he admitted that he had an American passport was so, so good.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, yeah, that was a great moment.

[Ashley Hufford]

That's another option.

[Caitlin Berg]

Hadith is in there. And then I have not seen John Proctor yet, but I think Gabriel Ebert is going to be in featured. Ashley. I haven't seen it. Did you think that's A, a featured role and B, a Tony contending role?

[Unnamed Speaker]

I do. I mean, winner. Yes. And. And I will say, like, I. I like, didn't even think about him. Only because John Proctor is like, all about the girls. But, like, he is. He's very good in it. It would not the issue. The thing about featured actor is it's hard because I'm like, you could kind of throw any of these, Any sort of any of them. And I would be like, okay, that makes sense. Like, because we have gotten a lot of very Good feature performances this year, but I don't know if any of them have, like, particularly, like, stood out to me as, like, this is the defining winner, which is why I feel like it's a hard category because I'm like, literally pick any of the names we just said, and I'd be like, yeah, that's a pretty. Pretty decent category. To me. It just feels like Kieran Culkin feels the most obvious because of everything. He feels like it's. He's in his year right now, and it feels like him winning an Oscar and a Tony and, I mean, and him winning an Oscar and a Tony in the same year just feels delightful.

[Ashley Hufford]

Has that ever happened before?

[Caitlin Berg]

I mean, if you throw in the Emmy as well, like, in this past cycle, it would be all three.

[Ashley Hufford]

But him and Paul Tazwell, though, could both be Oscar winners this year and Tony winners, which would be so cool.

[Caitlin Berg]

The three that I have as, like, my locks for nominations are Kieran, Conrad and Bill Burr. And to be quite honest with you, like, I would probably vote for Conrad and for Outer critics, I can't vote for Conrad because he was eligible last season.

[Ashley Hufford]

Not sure.

[Caitlin Berg]

But, like, if you take him out, like, I. Like I said, I've seen Glengarry. I think Bill Burr was actually better than Kieran, so. And maybe it's just because of the surprise of it that, like, you expect Kieran Culkin off an Emmy and an Oscar win to be like, oh, he was great. That makes sense. But I think just because I didn't have super high expectations for Bill Burr, like, he was the one that kind of surprised me the most, I kind of hate that show. So it's also like, nah, okay. But, like, also, I would love to see Francis Zhu from Yellowface get a nomination in there too. Like, I think that's a show that's gotten forgotten.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah. And I really liked Yellowface.

[Ashley Hufford]

I missed that one.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. It's just one of those things where it's like anytime you're. You've not only been closed, but been closed for, like, four months since, you know, before the eligibility, it's like, what are we doing? Bill. Bill Irwin was also good. You know, it is.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It is part of this PBS recording. They're doing a. PBS recorded it, so you can watch it, Caitlyn, if you want. I'd recommend, actually.

[Ashley Hufford]

Oh, actually, I will.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah. Because they did. I forgot what day. What day it's playing. But it is pre Toad that they're doing. Because they're doing that. I know you can't watch it now and vote on it. But what I meant is, if people had forgotten about it, it is a way to, like, revisit a performance that's.

[Ashley Hufford]

So exciting for Leigh Silverman because she got recorded with suffs too, and she directed Yellowface, so good for her.

[Caitlin Berg]

All right, well, let's talk about best featured actress in a play also, like, dozens and dozens of options. You know, I think also the. Our Town of It all adds extra people into these lists of potential nominees, and I don't think any of them are getting nominated, but they do make the lists longer than we would have normally had. And, you know, as I go through here, it's another one where I'm like, I feel pretty confident about two, maybe three, and the rest, I'm just like you said, Ashley. Yeah, I'd be good with other people, but, like, the ones I have is, like, locks, I think. Kara Young. I mean, I think we should just, like, rename the Tony after her and just let her be nominated all the time. And I guess Jessica Hecht from. From Eureka Day, just because she's Jessica Hecht and she was pretty great as being the asshole in that show. And that's what people often reward. So I don't know what else. I mean, like, Bianca Lee, maybe Marjan Nashat from English.

[Ashley Hufford]

I think that Bianca Lee will get one only because I also, like, I think she's amazing. She's so funny, and I think that Omari is just gonna do so, so well.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, I agree.

[Ashley Hufford]

Apparently, I haven't seen Purpose yet, but latonya Richardson Jackson is apparently amazing in it. Also.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I. And also, I think it will depend because I've heard that they may try to argue Sadie Sink down in the featured, and if they do, I think that kind of changes the category because she in John Proctor, I don't know if they'll. I get A, I don't know if they'll win, but B, John Proctor, she doesn't show up until 45 minutes into the show. And she is very much like. Like, to the point that, like, people were. When I was there and I had heard that she wasn't in it. So 40 minutes into the show, but people were, like, looking through their playbills, being like, is she out? Like, and we just don't realize it, but I literally think you could fill featured actress this year with just people from Purpose and from John Proctor. Like, that's how good those two shows are. I don't think it's gonna happen. But, like, truly, I think, like, because the Other person that, to me is really, like, insane is. Her name's Finestrasa. I think she's 19 years old. She plays Beth and John Proctor. She's incredible. Like, absolutely incredible. I never heard of her before. I, like, looked her up. She was a Matilda in Matilda on Broadway, and I was like, who is this girl? I looked her up. Insane performance. Like, absolutely stunning.

[Ashley Hufford]

So, like, it's crazy to be Matilda and now be 19 years old. I know.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But I also think that if they are. If they end up moving Sadie sink into featured, I think she probably gets kicked out for Sadie, but if Sadie isn't best, I think she has a chance of getting a nomination featured because she's so good and she's not.

[Caitlin Berg]

They don't. Playbill Vault doesn't have the. I went to look to see if we had the title page from Playbill to see if Sadie was above the title or not, and they don't have it online yet, and I haven't seen it, so it's interesting whether they'd have to argue her down or whether she would be there.

[Unnamed Speaker]

She's already down.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, but that's a good point. I just assumed she was best actress, so that's. That's good to know. Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

There's also Hills of California.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh. And all of them are so good.

[Ashley Hufford]

And, like, the adult. All of the, like, older versions of those girls were individually amazing.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Berg]

Like, again, though, it's been closed for so long that, like, I. I just wonder if they're going to get forgotten.

[Ashley Hufford]

There's just so many plays.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. All right, well, let's move over to the musicals and let's do featured actor in a musical again. Lots of these featured actor categories are always super difficult, but I feel like we have a little bit more to go on here based off of not only there being, it's. It's a little bit more focused, but we have previous awards, both in London and off Broadway, to kind of base some of these things on. I feel a little bit more secure about, like, I feel pretty good about four of them. And even. And the fifth one is one that I really want, but I'm. I'm not super confident on, but I feel like we're going to get Danny, we're going to get Jack Malone. I think we'll get Tom Sesma, and then I would really love to have David Thaxton in there. Like, I would love that. I don't know that he's going to. And I have not seen Floyd Collins yet. I know you have, Ashley. And it sounds like Jason Goate is pretty great.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Jason, go taste. I would put him in there. Like, I think he's so good. Like, yeah. And the other thing I don't know is if I don't know how they're doing Pirates in terms of, like, Ramin and David Pierce and, like, where that falls. Because I could see one of them getting in here, but I. But I don't know, like, where they. Where they go. Because David Hyde Pierce is so funny, but he also gets the final bow of the show, which makes me feel like they may be trying to be pushing him towards lead and remain towards featured, but I think David Hyde Pierce's.

[Ashley Hufford]

Part was lead and other past Tonys.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Okay.

[Ashley Hufford]

If I had to bet on five, which I. This will be wrong, I would go. And I haven't obviously haven't seen Floyd Collins yet, so this could change. But Jack Malone, David Thaxton, Danny Burstein, Tom Sesma, and Christopher Seaver, I just.

[Caitlin Berg]

Don'T see Chris getting it. I just feel like his part is kind of a wash in there, but I do think people love it, so maybe he does. I don't know. I. I don't know. I. That.

[Unnamed Speaker]

That I had. I had Chris Seber in mind.

[Caitlin Berg]

Did you? Okay, maybe I'm wrong there, but I don't.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But I. But I don't. Only because I feel like the hype is, like, so strong for that show and people, like, really love it.

[Ashley Hufford]

But I think he's so good in it. He was my favorite part of it, honestly. Like, I had. I mean, I obviously loved Megan and Jen, but I knew I was gonna have fun watching them. But I thought he was so good. But I haven't seen Floyd Collins, haven't seen Pirates. And you know who I would love to get in there? Who I thought was so funny was Brooks in Smash.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Brooks was delightful in Smash. I. Because I. I have. But I didn't have David Thackson, and I would love David. So, like, if David Axton kicks out Chris Zebra, I, like, would not be mad, but because I love David Jackson, I just think he's so good. I think he's so good, too. I just don't know if his role is big enough compared to, like, the other featured categories, which is, like, my problem with feature category. This is again, my. My rant of why we should have two. There should be featured and there should be, like, supporting as, like, two separate categories. Because I feel like there's, like. When you have those, like, one moment, there's, like, not one moment, but like, smaller parts that are just as impactful. It's so hard when you have, like, big giant. Anyway, like, Jack Malone. Jack Malone being in featured, which it makes sense, but it's also crazy because he's in 100% of operation. Like, there's, like, barely a moment that David. That Jack Malone is not on stage.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

But, like, he has a big featured and, like, special, like, for, like, any everybody else in the show.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Else. Yeah, I was like, like, so that, like, Pudgy the puppet can get a nomination for.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yes.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like, being the best part of Boob.

[Ashley Hufford]

Like, no.

[Caitlin Berg]

Jasmine. Other than Jasmine. Other than Jasmine, Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yes, yes, yes. But, like, that. But Jasmine would be nominated in special. Pudgy be nominated in special.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. All right, let's.

[Ashley Hufford]

I'm seeing that this week. I'm so excited.

[Caitlin Berg]

Oh, I can't wait to hear your thoughts. That will light up the group chat. No doubt. All right, so let's actually pivot here, and let's go to the production categories, because I feel like even though those are the bigger ones, those are a little easier because there are such fewer options there. Let's start with play revivals, and there are only seven shows eligible in this category, so that means that, barring ties, we will only get four nominees. So that makes it a little bit more difficult. There are seven potential shows here. Only four of them will get nominations. Three will not. With all due respect, Caitlin, I feel like Romeo and Juliet's in that fifth spot probably here, even though I personally would have it higher. But for some reason, people loved Our Town a lot more than I did. It's my favorite play, and I just didn't love this one. But I feel like everybody else seemed to like it a lot more than I did, so I feel like that's going to sneak in there with Glengarry, Eureka Day, and Yellowface. Am I wrong, Caitlin?

[Ashley Hufford]

I have Glengarry and Eureka Day for sure. And then I think it's a literal crapshoot between Yellowface, Romeo and Juliet. Our town home, which was also this season.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

And Othello. And I think it literally is so dependent on the fact that so many of these were in the fall. So who remembers what happened in the fall and what the campaigns are of each one of them and, like, how many people came to see them? So I honestly. This is the one that I am so lost on, just because literally, except for Othello, the rest of these, and Glengarry and Eureka Day, Othello and Glengarry are the only ones right now which Is wild.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like, that's so crazy.

[Ashley Hufford]

Like, it depends on people's memory.

[Caitlin Berg]

What. Ashley, what do you think here? Like, is Othello actually a contender? The reviews were so kind of lukewarm. Is it going to get by just on the strength of the celebrity?

[Unnamed Speaker]

That is my concern. Like, I. The four I had are Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Glengarry, and Eureka Day. And for me, Othello is because of the celebrity of it all.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like, I forget. Like, I literally forgot that the reviews for Our Town were good. Like, I'm. I, I remember, like, now that you said that, I'm like, oh, yeah, you're right. But like, to me, I was like, it happened the fall. Like, Kenny's done three play. I mean, three revivals. And three of them are all three of these. Or, sorry, seven. Seven revivals. Three of them are directed by Kenny Leon, which is crazy.

[Caitlin Berg]

That is. That is wild. And I feel like only one of them is probably going to get a nomination. I guess maybe Othello in Our Town. But yeah, it's. That's tough. Like, I would, I would swap out Our Town for rj, but I feel like maybe the, I don't know, maybe the star power of. Of Our Town carries it along. But I, I would go with rj, but. All right, let's go over to the musical revivals again. Only seven, so there are only four nominations. This one, I feel, is a lot easier. Right? Like, are we all. Are we all Floyd Collins, Gypsy Pirates and Sunset?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, that's the four I have.

[Ashley Hufford]

Those are the four I have, too.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

But you know what? In a just world, Elf would be in there.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Elf. I had such a good time.

[Caitlin Berg]

Absolutely not. Absolutely.

[Ashley Hufford]

I had the best experience at Elf. I was like, yeah, fifth row. I, I, I cried.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I know that. I. I love Elf.

[Ashley Hufford]

I love Elf. Was so fun because it was like Back to the Future. It was the same exact situation. Some the car flew at the end, but this time it was the sled.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And it was way more magical. It was okay.

[Ashley Hufford]

And both times, Both times I was on Inedible and I. Although at Elf, this whatever they used as snow, like the soap, I was allergic to. So it's like packing up my lungs and then eat. And I had like leftovers in my purse that I had brought with me.

[Caitlin Berg]

Jesus, Caitlin to Elf.

[Ashley Hufford]

But I was like in a group of friends, so nobody around me really knew what I was doing except for my friends and so high and could not breathe. I had the best night of my life at Elf.

[Caitlin Berg]

I Mean, look, Ashley Brown as Hillary Clinton. Yeah. Like, she was great. Like, I would love for her to get a nomination. I don't think it's going to happen.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But I don't think it's going to happen either. But I just. I do want to pour one out for Elf. I do. Give it. Give it its due.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Berg]

You know what? We skipped featured actress in a musical. That's my fault. Featured actress in a musical. Ashley Brown not going to get nominated, but I think she should. What are we doing here? Like, I feel like there's some really powerful performances for featured actress in a musical. Ashley, what do you have?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, so this one's really hard for me because I literally was like, I don't. I'm like, I don't know. I. I did put Anna Gastire just because I did think she was the best part of Mattress, and I think it might be its only nomination. And I also think her name, like, carries and people love her. I did put Joy woods, which I wasn't. I wasn't 100% sure. But then looking at the category, I decided she did have a spot here. Even though I actually think Jordan Tyson might. I don't know. It's hard. So Gypsies, the Gypsy of it all is very hard.

[Caitlin Berg]

I'm going to throw one out here. If we're giving a nomination to Gypsy, I'd be fine with Joy, but, like, if we're giving a nomination in this category to Gypsy, I would go with Leslie Margarita.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Oh, see, I was not a.

[Ashley Hufford]

And I like the special category.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

I. Both Jordan and Joy, but I'm very biased. I know both of them very well, and I love both of them and I would love to see my friends get nominated, but I think both of them are so good in this. But then you go, and it's like, I haven't seen Buena Vista yet. And I heard that, yeah, she has.

[Caitlin Berg]

To be Natalie Felicia Belconn.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah. That she's amazing.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And to me, she's the, like, probable winner. Like, I just kind of like, oh, cool. Yeah, she's very good.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, I agree. I think in our chats we were talking, like, I. I assumed at first she was in lead and, like, would be a nominee in lead and just kind of get overrun by all the power there. But. But you're right. In previous seasons, she had been in the Off Broadway Awards a featured actress. So assuming that that's the same here, I think she's there. Ashley. What. How are we feeling about the Lizzie McAlpine coming out of out of Florida.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I really like Lizzie. I don't. I don't think she gets a nomination here. Like, I. And I thought. And I thought she was quite good. I just don't think her part is enough. And I don't like. She. Basically, she plays the little sister in Floyd who's have. Who's, like. Has just. Who's just gotten out of a mental institution. And she sings a lot of, like, no way. That is the plot of what Colin.

[Ashley Hufford]

No way. Okay. I, like, can't wait to see this.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Show and so spend a lot of it. She spends a lot of it trying to, like, channel her brother through the rocks. And, like, everyone's like, this girl's crazy, and she's, like, reaching him mentally. It's a whole thing. But she. I thought she was great, but I don't think her role is big enough for her to get nominated again. Maybe I'm wrong because of. But, like, I also don't think that, like, Tony voters will care about her celebrity because she's not. Like, they're famous. Like, she's famous in a very specific. That was the craziest audience. Sorry, this is, like, unrelated, but the Floyd Collins was such a crazy audience because it was, like, all teenagers and then, like, old people, and there was, like, no one in the middle because it was like, all these teenagers were there for Jeremy Jordan and Lizzie McAlpine and. And then all these little people who had no idea who they were and were just, like, Lincoln center subscribers.

[Ashley Hufford]

That's amazing. That's the best kind of crowd.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And then I think Natasha, I think Tash from Operation Minsby gets nominated.

[Ashley Hufford]

And also Jinx Monsoon.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, I was gonna ask about Jinx again.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It's hard. I think Jinx probably does get nominated here. It's hard because her role is also not super large. But I also don't think that Matt, like, there's. She has kind of, like, at the end of Act 1, has kind of, like, the ladies lament song or, like, moment where she's like, talk about me now. Like, I'm still here. It was, like, very funny. And she's great in it, so it would not surprise me. Again, it's hard because I kind of feel like you throw. And I haven't seen just a Time yet, so I don't know about, like, Erica and Gracie Lawrence. Like, I have no idea how they fall into this category.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, I heard about Bobby Darin for the first time maybe three weeks ago. I had never, ever heard of this man.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Not me.

[Caitlin Berg]

Such a child.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I also had. But I also hadn't heard about him until they announced Jonathan Crawford was doing it. And I was like, what? Who is this person?

[Ashley Hufford]

Oh, I have a theory on this. I don't think Jewish people know who he is, Ashley. Oh, like I don't think. I don't know a single Jewish person who had ever heard of him.

[Unnamed Speaker]

No, I literally had never heard of him.

[Caitlin Berg]

Kevin Spacey literally played him in a very popular movie like 15 years ago.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I had never heard of this movie either. I looked it up. I was like, this is a made up movie. I've never seen it. Never heard of it.

[Caitlin Berg]

Okay, all right.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, yeah. Above it was not somebody I am familiar with. Yeah.

[Caitlin Berg]

All right, well, let's do. Actually, I want to do musical best musical first because I feel like that's a little easier than plays because plays feels like that's insane. So there are, there are plenty of musicals here. We are going to have five nominees and I feel like there's four guarantees at this point. There's Buena Vista Social Club, Dead Outlaw, maybe Happy Ending and Operation Mincemeat. I feel like those are my lots. And then you've got maybe Death becomes her just in Time. Real Women have curves. I mean, I guess maybe Old friends would be the one other one hanging around there, but Death becomes her just in Time. Real Women have Curves are the other ones that I feel like are fighting for that fifth spot. Ashley, have you, have you seen Just in Time yet?

[Unnamed Speaker]

No, Justin. So I've seen everything except for Just in Time and I haven't seen Old Friends on Broadway yet, so. But I saw it in London.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. Okay. So I think we can take old friends out. We can take old friends out. Because I don't think that's actually going to get in there.

[Unnamed Speaker]

No.

[Caitlin Berg]

But with not having seen Just in Time, if you had to. If I like forced you to pick one, who are you going with? The fifth, fifth spot.

[Unnamed Speaker]

This is maybe controversial. I would go with Real Women of Curves. I, I saw it last night. So maybe I'm coming off the high, high off of seeing it, but I thought it was delightful. Like, it is, it is a musical. Again, it is not like, I don't even know how to describe it because I'm like, this is a, It's a musical that is about women who are working in a. Like, who's the one of them runs a factory in the 80s in LA, like a garment factory. And they're all undocumented. And so it's this. Like really?

[Caitlin Berg]

But then it's yeah, it's in. It's in, I think, the social justice warriors in the nominating committee.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It's also, like, so. It's so happy and joyful. But then it also does touch on these very relevant, very prescient issues that are happening again. It takes place in 1987, but yet it still feels, obviously, like, so prescient. And there are, like, I will say, like, it's still in previews. I was told even as late as yesterday, they are still cutting things. They're still rewriting things. But, like, I thought the book was really charming. It very much has, like, waitress vibes. But then there's also, like, this really lovely family story of, like, this mother and her two daughters. Like, I. And the part of the story is her youngest daughter is a citizen, so the whole family is undocumented. The youngest daughter, who is 18, is a citizen and has just gotten into Columbia School of Journalism and wants to move to New York to do journalism. And her mom is like, no, you have to stay here and work at the fit. We need you because you do all of our paperwork. You're the one that does all of the like. And you have the bank accounts in your name. Like. But again, there's just so much about it that I think is. That sounds like it's so serious and it's really not. Like, it's really this, like, lovely, joyful, beautiful, like, story. So I don't know, but I. To me, that's what I would put the fifth spot in. And also. And I get. Yeah, I really, really had a great time at it. And Death Becomes Her, I think, is obviously the other one that, like. And again, I haven't seen Just In Time yet, so who knows? And some people I've talked to really love Just In Time, so I am curious if that ends up that could take the spot. Although I think technically Real Women is the last. Is real when the last show to open?

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, like, because they.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They have their opening on the last day.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, I think they're the last option because they open two days or three days before nominations.

[Caitlin Berg]

Oh, I thought Just In Time was the last one, but that makes sense.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah. No, I think I. I thought Just Time was last one, too, because I didn't realize how late Real Women it's opening night was because they have a long. They're doing a real long preview process.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, you're right. Real. Real Women have Curves and Dead Outlaw both open on the same day. So that's. They open on Sunday the 27th.

[Unnamed Speaker]

So is it one doing a matinee or they're.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, they'd have to be. Yeah. Just in time is the 26th, which is the Saturday and the Dead Outlaw and Real Women are Sunday the 27th.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

Wow.

[Caitlin Berg]

So, Caitlin, you haven't seen them yet. What are you picking?

[Ashley Hufford]

Okay, I haven't seen a couple. A lot of these actually yet, but. Okay. I don't know anything about Real Women have Curves. I'm seeing it next week. I would say it's between that and Death Becomes her.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Also.

[Ashley Hufford]

I think Death Becomes her has really great marketing. I think that they've been doing a really good push. I think it really helps them that they came into the. In the fall, actually, which, you know, we would disagree with for. I would say the opposite for plays. But I think that because they came in in the fall, people have all seen it. People have been talking about it, because I think if it came in now, that Smash and Boop, all three of them, would cancel each other out. When in this case, I think Boop and Smash might cancel each other out just by being big musicals, fun musicals, comedies. And I think Death Becomes her has kind of separated itself from that. But, you know, we have four locks. And I think it literally will just come down to, like, I think it's gonna be such a crazy tight category, and that slot will be so small, like, I don't know who it could be. Real Women have Curves. Could easily get It. That becomes Her. Could easily get it because I could see also, you know, Death Becomes her some really big, fun numbers. Fun to put on the Tonys, but at the same time, so do a lot of the other shows.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. I think, Ashley, when we did this back in, like, December, I'd said the four locks that we have, and then Death Becomes Her. But I like what you're saying about Real Women have Curves. That's actually the first show I'm seeing when I'm back in town in a couple of weeks. So I'm very much looking forward to that.

[Ashley Hufford]

But, yeah, I'm so excited to see it now.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. Let's get into plays because this one, I think, is wild, because I feel like in a lot of other years, there are seven, eight shows that not only could get nominations, but, like, could legitimately win a Tony in any other year. And so I feel like with. I loved Job, I thought Job was great. I don't think that's getting a nomination. I don't think the Roommate is getting a nomination. I don't think all in is getting a nomination. I don't think McNeil is getting a nomination. I don't think left on 10th is getting a nomination.

[Unnamed Speaker]

What? That's my winner.

[Caitlin Berg]

Shut up. But I feel like every other show, including Stranger Things, the First Shadow, could get a nomination because remember, this is a production category. This is not a script category. So when you factor in all of the. The effects and everything that Stranger Things has, I feel like that's probably one of the under considered parts going into this look at Cursed Child, which I think probably won on the strength of their effects. But also I think the other nominees weren't as strong as they were this year. But what are the ones, Ashley, that you think are locks at this point? Because I think there's probably three that are locks.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The. I, I have four to me that are locks and that I have four.

[Caitlin Berg]

But I was. I'm talking myself out of my fourth, so I'll see if they're the same ones.

[Unnamed Speaker]

My four are, oh, Mary Hills of California, John Proctor, and Purpose. Those are, to me, the four locks.

[Caitlin Berg]

Oh, yeah. Mine are different. Mine are different. I had, I had English as a lock over Hills of California. But I'm talking. I've talked myself out of English as the fourth one because it's my.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Is my favorite play of the year. So, like, that's probably why I'm like so high on Hills of California. But it also, I recognize that it's the fall. But I also, when we get to best actress in a play, like, I will give you my why I think Laura Donnelly is the best actress of the year. So. But I also get, like, I get that it was a fall show. I just, to me, it is so good. I just love California so much.

[Caitlin Berg]

Caitlin, what do you think? What do you have as locks so far?

[Ashley Hufford]

I also think Hills of California is like one of the best things of the year. I loved it. Okay. Oh, Mary Hills of California, English are my three locks. I think then you have Purpose, John Proctor, Stranger Things, Dorian, Greg, Cult of Love, Good night and good Luck, which I wouldn't rule out because people are going to want to see George Clooney. I think we'll get into this with the actor category, but people are going to want to see him on the stage as much as possible and in that space. So if I had to like bet money on 5, I would be like, oh, Mary Hills, California, English, Good night and good luck and John Proctor.

[Caitlin Berg]

I don't. I will, I will flip tables if Purpose is not nominated in this category.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Berg]

Oh, my gosh.

[Ashley Hufford]

I literally forgot about purpose just now, because that's also. And I love Randy Jacobs. Jenkins. This is crazy.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I know. And I love, like, English. I like, I would. I would. If that's me, English takes that fifth spot. Like, I would put. I would put, oh, Mary Hills in California. English, John Proctor. Purpose. My perfect five. Like, that, to me, is a perfect five. That being said, I think. I think it's really hard when you. When you factor in Dorian, when you factor in Good Night, Good Luck, and you factor in Stranger Things for all the reasons that we've been saying. So, like, that's where I would. I would put it. I. I know you love Cult of Love. I really liked Cult of Love as well. I don't. I don't think it has a. I don't think it can. I don't think there's room for it.

[Caitlin Berg]

I agree.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But, like, I really. But again, like, I really liked it.

[Ashley Hufford]

And again, it could be best play in another year. That's what.

[Unnamed Speaker]

In another year. Yes, I agree.

[Ashley Hufford]

I could see Dorian getting, like, direction and best actress, not getting in for best play itself.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

But, like, wouldn't rule out any of these. Like, I could see it's.

[Caitlin Berg]

It's wild.

[Ashley Hufford]

John Proctor and Hills of California just canceling each other out just because they're like, People are like, oh, young women.

[Caitlin Berg]

We only need one of those.

[Ashley Hufford]

We only need one of those. We can put the other ones on the. The Rocket. Going to space with Katy Perry.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I am so curious with John Proctor because I. Everyone I know, all the young people I know that have seen it, have been obsessed with it. And I'm just very curious how critically it is it is seen, because I, I, to me, I think it is, like, one of. It is one of my favorite plays I've seen ever. I think it is so well done and so, like, beautifully written and so well acted, and I love the staging. But again, like, I'm like, will a Tony audience, which is not traditionally a young Gen Z, like, audience, will they get it? I think they will, but I. But I'm not, like, 100% sure they will.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, I haven't seen it.

[Caitlin Berg]

All right, let's get into the performances. Ashley, you just mentioned best actress in a Place, so let's start there again. We talked about Sadie Sink. Whether she's going to be in there or not. Does it matter? Because I feel like Laura Donnelly is head and shoulders here. Like, Sarah Snoop is probably the only competition that she has if. Especially if Sadie is not in this category. But Laura, I feel like, is Kind of lapping the field. Other than Sadie or other than Sarah.

[Ashley Hufford]

I think Sarah win is my.

[Caitlin Berg]

You think Sarah wins?

[Ashley Hufford]

I think Sarah wins.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Well, again, this is. This is the same. The same debate that people had last year with the. Olivia's right. It was literally the same two things. And Sarah won. Sarah beat Laura. I. To me, I would like Laura to win for many reasons, but I think the pro. The recency bias of people seeing Sarah and what Sarah is doing on that stage is remarkable. That being said, I. And I love. It's hard because I really like Dorian Gray a lot. But to me, what Sarah Snook is doing, I just learned it at Sarah Snook and not Sarah Snook. And it's like, changed my whole philosophy in life, is that it's like a performance piece almost where I feel like Laura is, like, doing, like, such incredible acting. And the difference is, in London, they had a totally different ending to Hills of California. So to me, the most powerful moment of Hills of California is that staircase scene. And that did not happen in London. That was not part of the show in London. Completely different ending. And so to me, that kind of changes the game because I thought, yeah, like, in London, there was a baby. She was bringing an infant. She was leaving with her sisters. There was like a whole different third act of Hills of California that was completely rewritten for Broadway.

[Ashley Hufford]

And I.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And I do think that what they've. What, her husband, the best husband in the world, who's like, I'm gonna write my wife. That's. She's like, like, what do you want for your birthday? She's like, write me a Tony winning piece, please. And he's like, done. Check. Happy birthday. I don't know if it was up to me, Laura would win. I think it's gonna be a battle, and I think it's gonna be a really. It's a fun debate. And I also think that I'm not mad at either of them because they're both so good, respectively. And I do think the recency of Sarah, though, might help. But I will say, looking at the reviews, that's why.

[Caitlin Berg]

That's why I was saying, yeah, in.

[Unnamed Speaker]

London, it was much more universally acclaimed than it was here. And I think that might matter, but it also might not matter because of people can't see. Can't go and see Laura right now on Broadway, and they can go and see Sarah any night of the week. So.

[Ashley Hufford]

And people love succession. And I mean, I love Turn Dorian in London. I adored it. I'm so excited to see it here today.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

It is, like, one of my favorite things I've ever seen on a stage. But I think, like, Laura and Sarah are the two locks, and then it could go. Anyway, I don't.

[Caitlin Berg]

If you take Sadie out of that category, I don't know who the other two are because you'll only have four. Like, Patti LuPone. I would love Sydney Lemon. That's. I would say Mia, Patty and Sydney, because, like, I don't think Rachel's going to get it. I don't think Juliana Margulies is going to get it. And that's it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah. I mean, I think Mia, to me is probably the third. Like. Like, outside of. Say, it's like, again, depending on how they put Sadie. But it'd be Laura, Sarah, Mia, to me was like, the best part of the Roommate. Like, I thought she and I. Roommate was not one of my favorite shows, but I thought.

[Caitlin Berg]

I thought the set was the best part of the Roommate.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Right. It was not a show I particularly like. Was not my thing. But I did think Mia was like, the standout of the two of them. But. Yeah. And maybe Sidney would be. Is it. Yeah, it's hard. I mean, I. And I do think Rachel has a shot because of the fact that, like, she's, like, the hot. This sounds bad. And I don't mean because she's not good, but because she's just, like, she's leading in.

[Caitlin Berg]

She's at the center of a lot of conversation.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, she's a lot. She's a big. A big name. Like, I think they're also trying to.

[Ashley Hufford]

Bring the Tonys and Broadway audiences, like, age, downwards, like, they want young people to be excited about it. They want young people to be interested, which is why I think Romeo and Juliet could easily get a nomination for Best Revival. Because I just think all of these young people were so, so interested in the show. I mean, it's, you know, like what Jesse Green honestly said in his review, where he was like, was it for me? No. But it was so worth it because I loved seeing all these young people excited.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

And I do think that, like, that power was really big. And as these wider conversations have. Are being held about how do we bring in young audiences, how do we capture what the Outsiders has done among, like, industry wide. I think Romeo and Juliet, like, did that pretty well.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, absolutely. Grace and I have talked a lot about that on Today on Broadway. All right. Best actor in a play. We can discuss the nominees, but, like, Cole's winning, right?

[Ashley Hufford]

Cole's winning.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Cole's winning. It doesn't. Like if it was up to me, I would put. I would want Kit Connor in there because I think what Kit was doing Romeo and Juliet. Kit was so kids just I was like, I felt like. But I felt like I was like we're watching like a future Oscar winner. Like I was like this is gonna be like remember? I feel like in 20 years, 10 years we're gonna be like remember when we saw Kit in that tiny little on Broadway that was crazy doing the pull ups.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yes. Like I'm going to tell my kids be like, oh guys, when I was in my 20s I saw Kit Connor, you know the, the one from all the Oscars when or play Romeo in a little tiny underground theater on Broadway and he ran around and they'll be like okay, we don't care. Yeah but I think that's going to be I think kick I want Kit in there so bad but I think the locks are George Clooney, Cola Scola, John Michael Hill. And then it's going to be a battle between Peter Friedman, Daniel Day Kim, Jake Gyllenhaal. Denzel is in there. Hit. Is Jim Parsons leading?

[Caitlin Berg]

Yes, but he can't get out. You cannot give. I just. I again love Our Town and I like Jim Parsons but that's just not a performance that stacks up with these. The stage manager is just not an acting performance. He's just talking.

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Berg]

I would go Cole, go ahead.

[Unnamed Speaker]

No, no, sorry I was asking. I think it's hard because from again I haven't seen a fellow yet. I'm going with Caitlyn now so I'm very excited.

[Caitlin Berg]

So fancy.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But yeah with our passport tickets. I keep hearing Jake is like the, the role of Othello but it feels crazy to not.

[Ashley Hufford]

I also hear that about Andrew Burnap that he is like amazing in it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But like I don't like it feels crazy to not nominate Denzel if you're nominating Jake and Andrew like that. Like so I don't, I don't. I don't know. It's. It's hard. I also think like I don't okay I did not like McNeil at all and I didn't really like Robert I Jr in McNeil but the star power of that name I think is. Is really alluring. Again not.

[Caitlin Berg]

Was not out of sight out of mind though.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I agree but I think, I think they again this is like taking into account the optics of having Robert Downing Jr. Show up to the Tonys is cool. And again I like I don't think that's why we should nominate him. I don't think he should be nominated, but I just, I had to say it because I think like they, if they want to make the Tony's cool, like you inviting Iron man is like pretty cool.

[Ashley Hufford]

I'm sorry, Inviting Lewis Strauss from Oppenheimer would be really cool. I've never seen any Marvel. I've never seen a Marvel movie. I don't know anything about them. So like I saw Robert Downey Jr. And McNeil because I wanted to see like Louis Schwartz Oppenheimer on stage.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The number one Oppenheimer fan in the world.

[Caitlin Berg]

She is. How many times have you seen it?

[Ashley Hufford]

Over 30 at this point.

[Caitlin Berg]

You're. And considering that's a 12 hour movie, it's, it's a week of your life. All right. Best actress in a musical I think is a wild category because to me there are four locks and then Jen Simard and Megan Hilty fighting each other. I think Audra, Helen, Jason, Jasmine, Amy Rogers and Nicole Scherzinger for me personally are the four locks. And if there's any justice, they will all be nominated, especially Helen and Jasmine. And then you've got the, the death becomes her. Women fighting. I. Am I wrong? Who, what do you guys have?

[Ashley Hufford]

I agree completely.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah. I mean Helen to me is the hardest one and not because I think I would nominate her, but I, I could. I'm worried that she falls out for Megan and Jen, but I don't want her like to me the three locks are Nicole, Audra and Jasmine. And then it's really like the other three fighting with like Adina a little bit in there because she's Adina. But.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, but Redwood is a horrific show.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I, but I, again this, this is me looking at not.

[Caitlin Berg]

I know, I understand.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like, it's just the name, the name. I think the problem is I'd like to remind you critics pick Redwood.

[Caitlin Berg]

So just stop, Jesse.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I just, I just have to say it.

[Caitlin Berg]

I know I will say though that like I do feel like maybe happy ending is going to have a lot of nominations and I think that there will be momentum that could carry Helen to a nomination.

[Ashley Hufford]

That's what I think and I think.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It'S deserved and I hope, I hope that's what I would like to happen. So I, I'm, I'm in.

[Caitlin Berg]

You're agreeing, Caitlin?

[Ashley Hufford]

Yeah, I completely agree with this. I have nothing I can add.

[Caitlin Berg]

So who, who gets it, Jen or Megan?

[Unnamed Speaker]

I would put Jen personally, I would go Megan.

[Ashley Hufford]

I saw the show in November and I don't remember a single part of it. I honestly need to go back. I feel like I enjoyed Jen's character more, but I think both of them were both so good, but I honestly don't remember it at all.

[Caitlin Berg]

Fair enough. All right, last category. Best actor in a musical. I have what I think is a set five, and I don't know that I see it changing. Do you guys have a locked five?

[Ashley Hufford]

I have a locked four.

[Caitlin Berg]

Okay, who are your four?

[Ashley Hufford]

And then two people that it could be. So I have Andrew Durant, Jonathan Groff, Tom Francis, Jeremy Jordan. And then battling between David Hyde Pierce and Darren Criss and Ashley.

[Caitlin Berg]

You said you. You do feel like David Hyde Pierce is lead, having seen it. And Caitlin, you mentioned his role, even though it is different in this show because they have moved things around. Has been lead in the past.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I think he'll be lead. I. Again, I. We don't know for sure. Yeah, it's. I don't know if I have a lot. I think to me, Francis, Jonathan and Andrew are probably locks. I would not shock me seeing, like. Like Jeremy, Darren, David. For me, I like to hear your locked five, because that's where I get, like. I don't know. I feel like Darren has to be nominated because of the maybe happy ending of it all.

[Ashley Hufford]

He's so good in that, too.

[Unnamed Speaker]

No, I mean, he's. He's wonderful, and I think he deserves.

[Ashley Hufford]

His flowers at this point for, like, I think he's so talented and so good and.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, especially because, like, that show might not have made it to Broadway without the star power of Darren Criss. You know, Like, I do wonder if that show not only makes. I guess maybe. Maybe not makes it, but makes it on Broadway. Like, I don't know if that show runs.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I mean, it was literally. They remember, they literally were loading it in. It had to stop. Like, they almost. The show literally almost didn't open.

[Ashley Hufford]

Like.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

And it's so perfect in every single way.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

That's my best musical of the year.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. I have not seen Dead Outlaw yet, but until I see Dead Outlaw, like, that's. That's the best one. But I've got Andrew Duran for Dead Outlaw, Darren Cris for maybe happy Ending, Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins, Jonathan Groff for Just in Time, and Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard. Those are my. Those are my five. Like, Ramin David. What are we going to do there? I don't know. But, like, Gray Hansen, James Monroe iglehart, John Gallagher Jr. Nick Jonas aren't getting it so it's really just. I guess if we're swapping one of them out for a pirate, but I. I feel like that's a revival of a Gilbert and Sullivan show. That's a comedy. And, like, all of these other ones are. Again, haven't seen just in time yet, but, like, the other ones are giving us legit, deep, full emotional arcs where I don't. I don't assume that from pirates, exclamation point.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It's mostly that David is such a. Like, if I'm them, I'm trying to argue everybody into. I'm. If I. If I am pirates, I'm arguing everybody into Featured. And I'm just hoping that, like, featured is such a mess that, like, we can get, like, a couple of them nominated in there. Like, because I agree, Like, I agree with you. I just think David is a delight. But I agree he's not, like, doing, like, a deep emotional arc. He's just, like, so charming and funny and lovely. And same with Ramin, who. I'm like, this is a. Ramin is having the best time of his life. The best.

[Ashley Hufford]

Best time of his life.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And it's. And he. He does the entire show with his beautiful abs just on display. Like, he looks like a soup. He looks like a superhero, but he's, like, dancing around like a pirate and being so funny. And him and David are. Are sitting on the ground just, like, making jokes back and forth at each.

[Ashley Hufford]

Other, and you're like, oh, I like that a lot.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like, it's just dumb.

[Ashley Hufford]

But, like, notes from the Outsiders. They were like shirtless men.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You're like, this is the most jacked man that's ever been on Broadway. Like, any. Like, it's just. It's so funny. Anyway, but I agree that when it comes to, like, actual nuanced performances, that's not what you're getting here. So.

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah. All right, let's wrap up with this question. What is something in one of these categories or potentially in another category that you are expecting will be a shock or a surprise prize when nominations come out?

[Unnamed Speaker]

I mean, the thing about the plays, which I think is always surprising to me, and I think back a lot to. Oh, my God, now I'm forgetting the name of it. It was the play that Kara was in at mtc or Cost of Living.

[Caitlin Berg]

Cost of Living.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Cost of Living. Where, like, it had. It was a fall play open for literally, like, three weeks. Like, I liked it, but I. Everyone had For. I thought everyone had forgotten about it. And then it came out with five nominations, and I Feel like that's the kind of thing that can happen with, like, an English that. But again, it's a different year because there's so many plays. But, like, if English came in and, like, we saw a nomination for what's Her Tale? Like, yeah, Talia Ash. Like, and English got nominated and, like, that wouldn't. That would be, again, surprising only because of the fact that, like, it is such a stacked year. Like, but that's, to me, is, like, I don't. I don't know if there's, like, I mean, and then maybe people love Boo. Like, I. I personally did not love Boop, but the reviews were much better than I thought. Like, if Boop comes in there and, like, steals a nomination, like, I would be surprised.

[Caitlin Berg]

Riot. We riot. If Boop steals a nomination.

[Ashley Hufford]

Wait, I have a crazy one.

[Caitlin Berg]

All right, what's your crazy one?

[Ashley Hufford]

I really. And, like, this is not my comment at all on my thoughts on the show because I, like, had so much fun, but I think Death Becomes her is going to do pretty poorly in nominations. I think that a lot of their stuff is going to cancel each other out, but I think it's a lot for costumes is my guess. I think Paul Tazwell is a genius and should be the costume designer for everything on the planet. But I wouldn't be shocked if it did not get a best musical nom. Only because I think, like, it could easily be skipped for best score. Like, score and book are such a competition that we aren't remembering. Like, I could see, you know, just the fact that, like, we have Buena Vista and all these other shows that will get booker score and score nods where other shows might not fit in, even if they're a great production.

[Caitlin Berg]

That would be wild. That would be wild.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The other. The other one that I don't think we actually touched on is the. The cast of Real Women have Curves, which, again, it's different because it's like a comedy. It's not like a.

[Caitlin Berg]

But like, and we haven't seen. And Caitlin and I haven't seen it either, so.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But there are a lot of really, really great female performances in that. And I think that a couple of those, like Justina Machado supporting. I think she's so good. Like, Like, I would not be shocked if she found her way into supporting. I honestly wouldn't even be shocked if the lead girl, who I'd never seen before Broadway debut, Tatiana. I'm looking at Cordoba, like, she's amazing and she's very young, and I wouldn't. I mean, Again, like, I don't know where she felt like, I don't know if what she's doing is enough because again, it's like a more of a light hearted fun vibe but like, I think real women, depending on how it falls, could have some impact. But again, we're all like, this is so. It's hard because of. There's just so much happening.

[Caitlin Berg]

There's a lot. Well, all right, let us know what you all think of the nominations, who you expect to get nomination coming up in just like what we're recording on the 9th. So it's gonna be like three weeks. Less than three weeks.

[Ashley Hufford]

They're May 1st, right?

[Caitlin Berg]

Yeah, I believe so. Yeah, three weeks. So that, that'll be wild. So I will have the appropriate social media handles for both Ashley and Caitlin in the show notes if you want to follow them. They are both hoots on social media for very different reasons. Must follow both of them. Ashley for the in depth post show reviews, Caitlin for the memes and yeah.

[Ashley Hufford]

You'Re not getting anything in depth on my social media accounts.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But the, but the funniest person I know. So thank you.

[Caitlin Berg]

Absolutely. All right, well, let us know. Enjoy the last few weeks and hopefully we'll be able to wrap up the rest of these shows, have a more intelligent, completely intelligent conversation before the nominations come out.