Predicting the 2026 Tony Award nominations...

Summary

MickeyJoTheatre Podcast Episode Summary

Episode: Predicting the 2026 Tony Award nominations...

Host: Mickey Jo (MickeyJoTheatre)
Guest: Erin James
Date: May 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Mickey Jo and guest Erin James dive into their predictions for the 2026 Tony Award nominations, focusing on the Broadway shows, revivals, performances, and creatives most likely to make the cut. Drawing on their experiences seeing nearly the entire eligible Broadway season, recent industry awards, and insider chatter, they unfold their expectations for the major categories — including musicals, plays, revivals, writing, creative teams, design, and acting. The tone is fast, passionate, and delightfully nerdy, with both hosts weighing stats, industry strategy, and their own (sometimes wishful) opinions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

[02:34] – Introduction & Methodology

• Context: Both hosts have just returned from New York, after a binge of this year’s eligible shows.
• Method: Predictions are a mix of personal opinions, conversation in the industry, and award trends from the Drama Desks, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle.
• Quote:

  "Some of this is our own opinion, maybe a little bit of manifestation, but it's also a little bit based on patterns and statistics... Of course, this is just our thoughts..." — Mickey Jo (03:33)

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[04:18] – Musicals & Revivals: Best New Musical

• Predicted nominees (4):
  • The Lost Boys
  • Schmigadoon
  • Titanique
  • Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York
• Dark horses: Beaches, The Queen of Versailles unlikely unless an upset occurs.
• Quote:

  "It would be a huge surprise if either Beaches, for example, or the Queen of Versailles managed to make their way into this category..." — Mickey Jo (04:35)

[05:04] Best Revival of a Musical

• Predicted nominees (likely 3; up to 4 possible):
  • Cats: Jellicle Ball (“locked”)
  • Evangelical Ball (“locked”)
  • Ragtime (“locked”)
  • Rocky Horror vs. Chess for the third slot: Rocky Horror favored for recency and box office momentum.
• Quote:

  "I think it will be Rocky Horror just because of recency biases. It opened recently. Chess has been open for a while." — Erin James (06:12)

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[06:46] – Plays & Revivals

Best New Play

• Predicted nominees (4):
  • Liberation (best-reviewed)
  • The Ballisters
  • Giant
  • Final slot uncertain: Little Bear Ridge Road, The Fear of 13, Dog Day Afternoon, Call Me Izzy in contention.
• Industry observation: Olivier-winning plays sometimes snubbed on Broadway (e.g., Life of Pi).
• Quote:

  "Liberation remains... the best reviewed production of the year on Broadway." — Mickey Jo (07:18)

Best Revival of a Play

• Five predicted nominees:
  • Oedipus
  • Death of a Salesman
  • Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
  • Becky Shaw
  • Final slot up for grabs: Proof, Art, Marjorie Prime, Fallen Angels, Every Brilliant Thing, Bug.
• Quote:

  "There could be a big snub here for something that we thought was definitely going to get in. Who knows?" — Mickey Jo (10:10)

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[10:10] – Directing (Creatives)

Best Director of a Play

• Predicted names:
  • Robert Icke (Oedipus)
  • Nicholas Hytner (Giant)
  • Whitney White (Liberation)
  • Joe Mantello (Death of a Salesman)
  • Fifth slot: David Cromer (Becky Shaw), Kenny Leon (The Ballisters), possible.

Best Director of a Musical

• Predicted names:
  • Lear deBessoner (Ragtime) “locked”
  • Michael Arden (The Lost Boys)
  • Zaylon & Bill Rauch (Cats: Jellicle Ball)
  • Sam Pinkleton (Rocky Horror)
  • Fifth slot between Tim Jackson (Two Strangers...) and Christopher Gattelli (Schmigadoon)
• Quote:

  "If we're talking about, like, really vibrant, exciting direction, then. Yeah, that would be great to see as well." — Mickey Jo (12:17)

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[13:06] – Choreography

• Top contenders:
  • Christopher Gattelli (Schmigadoon)
  • Cats: Jellicle Ball (completely fresh approach)
  • Eleanor Scott (Ragtime and Titanique)
  • Chess
  • The Lost Boys (for innovative aerial work)
• Observation: Inclusion of aerial and fight choreography broadens the category this year.
• Quote:

  "I feel like that this is the campaign across the board, is that aerial work is going in choreography." — Erin James (14:23)

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[14:56] – Writing & Orchestrations

Best Original Score

• Eligible musicals are few; plays with incidental music may sneak in.
  • Schmigadoon (Cinco Paul, newly eligible) is a lock
  • Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York
  • The Lost Boys
  • Possibly Beaches and The Queen of Versailles, but some plays like Proof or The Fear of 13 could surprise.
• Quote:

  "I wouldn't be shocked if Beaches got snubbed." — Mickey Jo (16:55)

Best Book of a Musical

• Schmigadoon, Two Strangers..., Lost Boys, and either Versailles or Beaches predicted (“essentially the other two shows... were both books [that had issues]”).

Orchestrations

• Schmigadoon and Cats: Jellicle Ball are locks.
• Chess, The Lost Boys, and Titanique or Two Strangers... compete for remaining slots.
• Quote:

  "I sort of think Titanique will actually get nominated in this category almost because it can't for Score..." — Mickey Jo (19:13)

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[20:47] – Design Categories (Musicals)

Set Design

• Big maximalism (Schmigadoon, The Lost Boys) vs. minimalism and innovation (Two Strangers).
• Queen of Versailles or Rocky Horror could sneak in for distinctive work.

Costume Design

• Cats: Jellicle Ball (“locked 100,000%”)
• Schmigadoon, Ragtime, Lost Boys, and possibly Titanique.

Lighting Design

• Lost Boys (“100,000%”)
• Ragtime (for lighting/projection blend)
• Titanique, Cats: Jellicle Ball, Rocky Horror, Schmigadoon — all plausible, depending on style and ambition.

Sound Design

• Lost Boys, Cats: Jellicle Ball, Ragtime, Schmigadoon, Titanique, with Two Strangers as a personal favorite but less likely.
• Quote:

  “Are there any you feel real strongly about?... moments that I can recall noticing in sound design, One of them was in the Lost Boys.” — Mickey Jo (24:02)

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[25:03] – Design Categories (Plays)

Set Design

• Bug, The Ballisters, Dog Day Afternoon, Proof, Waiting for Godot (“famous tube”), Becky Shaw, Giant, Liberation all in the mix; extremely tough field.

Costume, Lighting, Sound Design

• Liberation, Joe Turner’s..., Fallen Angels, Oedipus, Dog Day Afternoon, Becky Shaw, Every Brilliant Thing (noted for immersive sound), The Ballisters, Fear of 13, Death of a Salesman all variously discussed; predictions less certain due to the breadth and quality of contenders.

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[29:02] – Acting Categories (Plays)

Best Leading Actress

• “Three locked”:
  • Carrie Coon (Boxes on the Flow)
  • Susanna Flood (Liberation)
  • Lesley Manville (Oedipus)
• Next tier: Rose Byrne, Kelli O’Hara (Fallen Angels), Anika Noni Rose (The Ballisters), Laurie Metcalf (Little Bear Ridge Road) — Metcalf could make history with simultaneous lead and featured nominations.
• Quote:

  “There’s too many. I need for there to actually be six in some of these, because they could be.” — Mickey Jo (29:29)

Best Leading Actor

• “Titans, just say they’re nominated now”:
  • John Lithgow
  • Nathan Lane
  • Adrian Brody
  • Mark Strong
  • Daniel Radcliffe (Every Brilliant Thing), who is favored for both star power and critical acclaim.

Best Featured Actress

• Overflowing category; “I need six nominations to happen here.”
  • Mary Louise Burke (The Ballisters)
  • Kari Young (Proof, could earn her fifth Tony nom in five years)
  • June Squibb (Marjorie Prime) could make history as oldest nominee
  • Laurie Metcalf (Death of a Salesman)
  • Betsy Aiden (Liberation)
  • Jessica Hecht (Dog Day Afternoon)
  • Linda Emmond, Aya Cash, Taraji P. Henson, and others in the mix.

Best Featured Actor

• Elliott Levy (Giant) — London-to-Broadway transfer
• Alden (Becky Shaw)
• Ruben Santiago Hudson (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone), possibly Joshua Boone as well
• Multiple actors from Death of a Salesman, The Ballisters, Marjorie Prime
• Noted category confusion due to shows moving actors between lead and featured.

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[37:36] – Acting Categories (Musicals)

Best Leading Actress

• “Guaranteed”:
  • Marla Mindelle (Titanique)
  • Caissie Levy (Ragtime)
• Strong contenders: Sarah Chase (Schmigadoon), Jessica Vosk (Beaches), Stephanie Hsu (Rocky Horror, though role debate between lead/featured), Christiani Pitts (Two Strangers…, likely to make the cut following trends in other awards).
• Quote:

  “I so desperately hope that she breaks into this category. I really do.” — Mickey Jo (39:29)

Best Leading Actor

• “Absolutely expect”:
  • Joshua Henry (Ragtime)
  • Brandon Uranowitz (Ragtime)
  • Nicholas Christopher (Chess)
  • Luke Evans
  • Sam Tutty (Two Strangers…, “new boy, gotta be” and has ‘cheeky chappy’ factor)

Best Featured Actress

• Shoshana Bean (“lock”, Schmigadoon)
• Ana Gasteyer & Mackenzie Kurtz likely (Schmigadoon, Cats)
• Emma Sophia (Cats) positioned for a “company” nomination
• Potential from Rocky Horror (Rachel Dratch, Amber Gray), Ragtime (Michelle Lewis), among others.

Best Featured Actor

• Titanique has several options (Constantine, Jim Parsons, Leighton, John)—major split among critics; likely between Constantine and Layton.
• Andre de Shields (Cats), Louis Borstky (Lost Boys), Max Clayton (Schmigadoon), Ben Levi Ross (Ragtime, beloved by Drama Desk)
• Quote:

  “There are three that from different shows that I think are all kind of guaranteed... Andre de Shields... Louis Borstky... Max Clayton for Schmigadoon.” — Erin James (45:02)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On The Snub Factor:

  “It could be very different. There could be a big snub here for something that we thought was definitely going to get in.” — Mickey Jo (10:10)

• On the crowded Featured Actress field:

  “I need six nominations to happen here... Ideally, I’d like seven.” — Mickey Jo (29:29)

• On Broadway’s unique season:

  “There are so few new musical theater scores this year because we've said already there are so few new musicals.” — Mickey Jo (16:08)

• On acting category blurring:

  “You have shows that are still running... you have two that conspicuously were not well received...and then Sarah Chase in Schmigadoon, who I think is terrific, but it’s more of a kind of a Baker’s Wife level of lead than Evita.” — Mickey Jo (38:31)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 02:34 – Start of Tony nom predictions: method & context
• 04:18 – Best New Musical & Revival of a Musical
• 06:46 – Best New Play & Play Revival
• 10:10 – Best Director & Creatives
• 13:06 – Choreography & Orchestrations
• 14:56 – Writing & Music
• 20:47 – Design categories (Musicals)
• 25:03 – Design categories (Plays)
• 29:02 – Acting categories (Plays)
• 37:36 – Acting categories (Musicals)
• 46:01 – Wrap-up, encouragement to share predictions, and sign-off

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Overall Tone & Listener Takeaways

The episode features deep, specific analysis, playful speculation, and clear love for Broadway, blending personal wishes with sharp award-season insight. If you haven’t followed the season or caught every show, Mickey Jo and Erin paint a vivid picture of the trends — from industry politics around creative teams to how few new musicals there are this year and the unusually crowded acting categories. Their predictions may or may not align with the final nominations, but their bubbling enthusiasm and experience make this an essential listen (or read) for anyone invested in Broadway’s big night.

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Transcript

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[Erin James]

the nominees for this year's Tony Awards are going to be announced on Tuesday 5th May, but which shows, performances

[Mickey Jo]

and creatives will be among them?

[Erin James]

Oh my God.

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[Erin James]

Hello.

[Mickey Jo]

Welcome to my theatre themed YouTube channel. Or hello to those of you listening to this on podcast platforms. My name is Mickey Jo and I'm Erin James and we are both obsessed with all things theatre.

[Erin James]

Correct.

[Mickey Jo]

We just got back from a two week trip to New York where we saw the majority of this season's eligible shows, having seen a handful of them previously back last year. Now, over the past couple of weeks, the nominations have already been announced for other theatre awards such as the Drama Desks, the Drama League, the Outer Critics Circle Awards and others. And Aaron James has been paying very close attention to all of those. Between that and our perceptions about the shows that we've been able to see this year, conversations that are happening within the industry and the campaigning that's going on, we are now going to try and predict all of the Tony Award nominations that are going to be announced on Tuesday. Some of this is our own opinion, maybe a little bit of manifestation, but it's also a little bit based on patterns and statistics and stuff that we've seen. Of course, this is just our thoughts on who and what will be nominated for the Tonys this year. If you disagree with us or if you agree with us, feel free to let us know in the comments section down below. If you want to share all of your predictions for the nominations, go right ahead.

[Erin James]

If you want to follow along to our reaction at the Tony nominees, make sure to check out on the day on Tuesday for our live reactions.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah, we'll be live right here on YouTube. Make sure you're subscribed with the notifications turned on so you don't miss it. In the meantime, let's talk predictions.

[Erin James]

Here we go.

[Mickey Jo]

So we're going to start with the shows themselves and that contentious of categories, Best New Musical. Aaron J. Times Based on the number of eligible shows, how many nominees are we predicting or anticipating for best new musical?

[Erin James]

4. The only way for a fifth to be there is if it's extremely close between the fourth and the fifth.

[Mickey Jo]

Now, it's kind of thought that this is pretty much a locked category between four new musicals, which are the Lost Boys, Schmigadoon, Titanique and Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York. It would be a huge surprise if either Beaches, for example, or the Queen of Versailles managed to make their way into this category, especially if it was in lieu of one of those other nominees.

[Erin James]

Yeah, this feels pretty much Certain.

[Mickey Jo]

Meanwhile, then in best revival of a musical, what are we expecting and how many?

[Erin James]

There's three and then it'll go to four. If there's a tie between the third and the fourth, I think it's something like. If it's like 10% between the third and the fourth, then it'll go in. But we're only expecting three, which is actually fascinating because everybody kind of thinks it's going to be that fight for that fourth place.

[Mickey Jo]

There are four shows very much in conversation. What would you say are the top two of this category that are definitely going to make it in?

[Erin James]

Everybody knows it's the fight between Cats, Evangelical Ball and Ragtime. Those are the two that are absolutely guaranteed.

[Mickey Jo]

Interestingly, this feels like with regards to Ragtime versus Cats, a little bit of a repeat of last year. One bold reimagining of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and the other a sort of more classic style. A Broadway star led staging of a beloved show. So that's going to be interesting to see that play out when it actually comes to the ceremony in June. As far as the nominations go, definitely those two. Who do you think is taking that third slot between Chess and Rocky Horror?

[Erin James]

I think it will be Rocky Horror just because of recency biases. It opened recently. Chess has been open for a while.

[Mickey Jo]

I concur. Rocky Horror is also doing great business at the box office, which is one of the big selling points of Chess is how commercially successful it has already been. It's kind of not great timing for Chess because just as their box office is beginning to show signs of maybe decelerating, Rocky Horror is opening and selling out. Yeah. Now let's talk about plays. How many nominations are we expecting there to be for best new play? Because a lot of the productions of plays on Broadway this year have been revivals.

[Erin James]

So we've only got four. I feel like we can kind of safely ish say that liberation is likely to be in the mix.

[Mickey Jo]

I concur. The Ballisters, also by David Lindsay, heir Giant, which certainly. Yeah.

[Erin James]

And it's interesting actually. We've got two Olivier award winning plays back to back in the mix because there's also a show such as Punch, which I kind of think won't get a nomination. And it'll be fascinating to see in the same like half a year won it win the Olivier and then not be seen with an om for.

[Mickey Jo]

Well, that's not the first time. That won't be the only time that's happened because Life of PI also wasn't nominated. For best new play. As I recall, in a season when it was a bunch of Olivier Award winning plays were all competing in the same year on Broadway. I think Giants certainly will. I concur that Punch just didn't make that much of an impact. Again, it's sort of a been and gone, as is Liberation. But Liberation remains, I believe the best reviewed production of the year on Broadway.

[Erin James]

It was completely positive.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

Then the fourth slot is between Little Bear Ridge Road, the fear of 13 punch, dog day Afternoon and Call Me Izzy. I believe that's all. Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

Call Me Izzy was so long ago.

[Erin James]

All out technically is in there as well. Just because of eligibility. But yes, unlikely to be seen in this mix.

[Mickey Jo]

Call Me Izzy was such a time ago and I don't think it really made enough of an impact. Dog Day Afternoon has had a very mixed critical response.

[Erin James]

New York Drama Critics Circle. Uhhuh.

[Mickey Jo]

Oh, they did give it to Little

[Erin James]

Be just gave it to Little Bear Ridge Road and it got in, I think in the New American Playwriting. But so did Call Me Izzy.

[Mickey Jo]

I think I. I wasn't anticipating Little Bear Ridge Road would get in. We didn't see it because we're not entertaining the return of Scott Ruden to Broadway. It'll be interesting to see how much of an impact that has.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

On productions not only of Little Bear Ridge Road, but also Death of a Salesman. I would have thought if he's doing any sizable campaigning, it's for Death of a Salesman.

[Erin James]

I think I could see it being fear 13, but I also can see a world where Little Bearage Road gets in just because of that award winning stuff coming in the period.

[Mickey Jo]

Finally. Then, before we move on to talking about creatives, let's talk about play revivals.

[Erin James]

So here we've got more. We've got five.

[Mickey Jo]

Five nominees.

[Erin James]

We have five to do.

[Mickey Jo]

How exciting. But that comes with its own challenges because it means there are so many eligible shows and there's going to be.

[Erin James]

Not going to get in.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. So what's a lock then for best revival of a play?

[Erin James]

Oedipus.

[Mickey Jo]

Oedipus, certainly. Yes.

[Erin James]

Death of a Salesman.

[Mickey Jo]

I think Death of a Salesman will come into this conversation.

[Erin James]

Joe Turner's come and gone.

[Mickey Jo]

Sure. I do also think that Becky Shaw does.

[Erin James]

Yeah. So we've got one slot left between

[Mickey Jo]

Proof and Art and Marjorie Prime. Yep. Bug.

[Erin James]

Yep. Every brilliant thing.

[Mickey Jo]

Oh, that's hard. Every brilliant thing. I wonder if that gets amounted to Daniel's performance. Contrastingly, I wonder if Art gets nominated because the performing category is going to Be twofold. I know this is not actually how it works. And people don't like. Well, that's nice to do that over there. If I'm thinking back over the season, I have more of a recollection of that than of Bug, but people like different things. What do you think takes this fifth slot?

[Erin James]

I might go Fallen Angels.

[Mickey Jo]

Okay. Okay. This is going to be a really interesting one to watch on Tuesday.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

And it could be very different. There could be a big snub here for something that we thought was definitely going to get in. Who knows? Let's talk about creatives, and let's begin with directors of plays and musicals. The expectation here would be to see the directors of kind of the top shows of the two categories that we just mentioned reflected here. Robert Icke for Oedipus. Nicholas Heitner for Giant. Whitney White for Liberation. Probably Joe Mantello for Death of a Salesman. Hard to say because we didn't see it. But based on what we're hearing, who gets that fifth space? Who is in contention?

[Erin James]

So it's interesting because it's like, if Berg gets in, then David Cramer could be there for Berg. Yeah, but it's like that.

[Mickey Jo]

I don't know how much Bug love there's gonna be. Yeah, Bug was divisive, but kind of

[Erin James]

at the time felt like it was like this big moment of revival. But then I've heard hardly anybody mention it since. Yeah, I could see Trip Corman getting in for Becky Shaw. Currently, this seems to be a big moment with Becky Shaw. Or could there be the love there for the Ballisters?

[Mickey Jo]

Could it be for Kenny Leon?

[Erin James]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

I mean, it's not inconceivable that a play does very well, wins Best New Play without its director being nominated. It's a rare thing, but we saw it with purpose, which was a big surprise. So anything can happen at this point. Meanwhile, then talk me through musical directors.

[Erin James]

The only director in a musical that has been nominated by all is Leah Debassoner for Ragtime.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

So it's like a given. Lear is gonna get the nomination.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. I would be staggered if previous winner Michael Arden wasn't nominated for his direction of the Lost Bo.

[Erin James]

Winning and being nominated so consistently, it kind of feels given in many ways. But he will return again with this show.

[Mickey Jo]

I also think Zaylon and Bill Rauch both will be nominated for their direction of Catch the Jellicle Ball.

[Erin James]

And I can see Sam Pinkleton getting in for Rocky Horror Show.

[Mickey Jo]

I hope so.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

I really hope so. If we're talking about, like, really vibrant, exciting direction, then. Yeah, that would be great to see as well. Fifth spot.

[Erin James]

I mean, I feel like this is between Tim Jackson for Two Strangers Carry Cake Across New York and Christopher Gattelli for Schmigadoon. Because if we're looking at two of the other new musicals that are fighting for a spot, I feel like the strongest is in that category. And one of them, I agree, should have the love. What's interesting is this could lean towards Two Strangers with Christopher Catelli, because also having. Being the choreographer.

[Mickey Jo]

They're both choreographers, but that's the interesting thing. But Schmigadoon really dances.

[Erin James]

That has more of a focus on there compared to the acting side, which is more of a focus.

[Mickey Jo]

Let's hope for that then, because then

[Erin James]

everyone gets recognition, I think. So. That would be nice.

[Mickey Jo]

Then let's hope that Tim Jackson gets that fifth spot. And let's immediately segue into choreography, where I think it's fair to assume that Christopher Catelli is actually guaranteed a nomination and is one of, I would argue, two frontrunners for the win here. Because I think it's really between the Schmigadoon choreography, very classic, very traditional, and something completely different, which is the choreography for Cats, the Jellicle Ball. Definitely going to get nominated here. Arguably, depending on how much love we see for that production, could win.

[Erin James]

Yeah. I feel like Eleanor Scott is most likely going to get a nomination, but it'll be interesting which show, because Eleanor Scott is both on Ragtime and on Titanique.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Which, by the way, just like, fascinating variety of work across the season.

[Erin James]

I feel like we'll be nominated for Ragtime. Sure. But I can see that again, classical style. A show that's not got much set, so is focused more on the performances.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Taking us again into a very different kind of a place stylistically. And having snubbed them in our last conversation, I do think that Chess will get a choreography. Yeah. We've already said there are fewer musicals this season. There are also fewer shows that are really dancing. So there's nothing that many that can really enter into this conversation.

[Erin James]

We will see the Lost Boys, because in the drama desk nominations, it was clearly stated that flight choreography. Aerial choreography was also part of that nomination and consideration and pointed out, and I feel like that this is the campaign across the board, is that aerial work is going in choreography.

[Mickey Jo]

Yes, I could see that happening.

[Erin James]

So I think that will be another double bill thing where it's like the two together helps push that show through.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. As sort of like the Outsiders being a recent example.

[Erin James]

Exactly.

[Mickey Jo]

Of something like that. Okay.

[Erin James]

There's also fight choreography probably works into that section, too.

[Mickey Jo]

Sure. We're going to stay in the world of musical theatre and we're going to talk about the potential nominees for best Original Score, as well as best book and orchestrations. So the big score news with the most recent eligibility announcement is that Cinco Paul will be eligible for best Score for Schmigadoon, which. Which I think really changes the trajectory of this category. Certainly it's guaranteed for a nomination. Best score is interesting this year. Would you like to tell us why?

[Erin James]

So there are five eligible slots.

[Mickey Jo]

Yes.

[Erin James]

But there are only five eligible slots because a lot of plays have been deemed eligible for their incidental music. The school that goes through the show, but not necessarily being sung, which I

[Mickey Jo]

will say is really incidental this year. Occasionally there's a play and you're like. And not just like a stereophonic, but even those that have, like, released their incidental music in the past, and you're like, that's actually some great composition. I can't tell you how many of these. I even really noticed all that these you.

[Erin James]

You hear just in the transitions.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

But I feel like this has been an attempt or an eligibility thing that the committee went through to try and get more noms.

[Mickey Jo]

Well, the thing is, there are so few new musical theater scores this year because we've said already there are so few new musicals. Titanique is not an eligible new score because it's a jukebox show. We didn't think Schmigadoom was going to be. But it is alongside that we are expecting to see nominations for Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York. We will probably see a score nomination for. Oh, definitely. For the Lost Boys.

[Erin James]

Lost Boys? For Rescues. The other two slots. It could literally be the other two new musicals.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

Which Venus Beaches in the Queen of Assize. But it could go rogue. And you could see a playscore like For Proof or for the Fear of Thirteen get through. Those two seem to be the two plays I've heard the most for music. Get close to it.

[Mickey Jo]

I wouldn't be shocked if Beaches got snubbed.

[Erin James]

Interestingly, the fear of 13 got an orchestrations nomination from the Drama desk.

[Mickey Jo]

Wow.

[Erin James]

So there's already been a sign of a play getting through into a nomination.

[Mickey Jo]

I think the Schwartz of it all gets one for Versailles. But if two plays got in over Beaches and Versailles, that would be a very big statement. The current position of the new Broadway musical at Least for this season. Next season it will revert. I don't want this to be like any kind of a doomsday prophecy. Meanwhile, that would be the lineup for Score. Do we expect the lineup for best book of a musical to look particularly different if we'd said in that one it was going to be what, Schmigadoon, Two Strangers, Lost Boys, and then maybe Versailles, maybe Beaches. Is this going to be as simple as the four shows we predicted for best new musical are all going to get nominated for their books?

[Erin James]

Basically, that's what I think is going to happen.

[Mickey Jo]

Sure.

[Erin James]

I don't think. I think they're all the strongest books. They're all eligible, so there's no reason they shouldn't be there. And essentially the other two shows, one of their big issues were both books, so.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Yeah. And it's not the like. If Fear of 13 gets nominated, that's something of a consolation for book writer of the Queen of Versailles, Lindsay Farentino.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

Finally. Then, orchestrations pursuant to scores and what you just said about the fear of 13, you would assume this is also going to be five slots based on the eligible plays. So again, Schmigadoon for sure.

[Erin James]

What's interesting here is a show like Titanique would be eligible in this category.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

And as will the revivals. Oh, of course there's new orchestrations. So we can. Because they recently said that Andrew Lloyd Webber and his collaborators were eligible for orchestrations for Cats, the Jellicable, in which

[Mickey Jo]

case I think that appears in this as well.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

Ragtime is not using new orchestrations. So then Schmigadoon, Cat's the Jellicle Ball. Do we think Chess gets in for its new orchestration?

[Erin James]

Possibly.

[Mickey Jo]

Wouldn't shock me. Lost Boys. And then does it become a question of Titanique or two strangers?

[Erin James]

Two strangers.

[Mickey Jo]

I sort of think Titanique will actually get nominated in this category almost because it can't for Score and because there's something about a jukebox show and bringing. Yeah.

[Erin James]

The music that feels like that might

[Mickey Jo]

make sense to me. That category.

[Erin James]

I think so. Unless, again, a plague randomly breaks for who?

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[Erin James]

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[Erin James]

guys.

[Mickey Jo]

Let's talk about all of the different designers for musicals, set, costume, sound and lighting. Let's start with set designs and the shows that we think are definitely going to appear here. It's interesting to see maximalism versus minimalism and on stage bands and sort of sparser set designs versus over the top. Even some like very traditional classic design in there. With a show like Schmigadoon, I think we might see some examples of all of the above alongside each other.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

Which could theoretically be the Lost Boys. Schmigadoon.

[Erin James]

I hope two strangers carry a cake across New York because it's so intuitive.

[Mickey Jo]

I really hope that one gets in. Maybe we don't see either of the minimalist choices which would be your Ragtime or Chess. Maybe this is the rare entry point for a largely snubbed show. Which is the Queen of Forsai.

[Erin James]

Quite possibly the set was its moment.

[Mickey Jo]

If we're being completely fair, I think that show deserves to be remembered for its set design.

[Erin James]

I mean it will be that or it'll be Rocky Horror.

[Mickey Jo]

Oh, I forgot about Rocky Horror.

[Erin James]

I think those two are the ones. I think. I really hope two strangers gets into that category. And I think one of those two

[Mickey Jo]

I could see being in into costume. Is this going to be similar or different? This is where Rocky Horror I think definitely gets nomination.

[Erin James]

Cat's Agency Ball has this one locked 100,000%.

[Mickey Jo]

I think Schmigadoon as well.

[Erin James]

Quite possibly Ragtime 2. I think it's classic ragtime of the four.

[Mickey Jo]

I think yeah, this is going to be one for ragtime. And then is it gonna be Lost

[Erin James]

Boys or is it gonna be a show like Titanique?

[Mickey Jo]

Interesting.

[Erin James]

I could see it in the Lost Boys Lost Boys has probably the most extravagant costumes out of the ones we've

[Mickey Jo]

just mentioned that could get in the thing with Versailles. I do keep thinking back to Redwood for obvious reasons. And that show got no nominations and had much more recently been poorly received. Like that was still open where the Tony nominations were happening. And so this theoretically is at even more of a disadvantage lighting design then Lost Boys 100,000%. And Michael Arden is co lighting designer on this production. So he could become a nominee again twice on Tuesday.

[Erin James]

I think Ragtime's been clever with this move with this change that I think Ragtime probably will get in because it's lighting and projection.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah, I would like to see a nomination for Titanique's lighting design. Yes, I think that's a great lighting design. Perhaps in lieu of one for the set or maybe against both then perhaps

[Erin James]

I want to lean towards Cat's vagina ball. Sure. And maybe then for Rocky Horror.

[Mickey Jo]

I was gonna say we're then in a very like Rocky Horror or Schmigadoon. Completely different vibes.

[Erin James]

Schmigadoon's very classic lighting design choices. Whereas Rocky Horror, their utilization of through the auditorium and.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah, yeah, I would hope for a Rocky Horror lighting nomination.

[Erin James]

Yeah, there's lighting that goes all the way up to the back of the mezzanine.

[Mickey Jo]

Final category, sound design of a musical. Are there any you feel real strongly about? The moments that I can recall noticing in sound design, One of them was in the Lost Boys. I also think Cat's the Jellicle Ball has like more to say for itself in the world of sound design than most. You end up then thinking about like the Ragtimes and the Schmigadoons where it's just like a very gorgeous sound balance. But it's nothing sort of specific in terms of the creative sound choices that are noticeable to an audience necessarily.

[Erin James]

My other main goes to Titanique and their use of switching as well between microphone choices with Celine and through auditorium and creating a pop concert esque vibe for a musical in a Broadway house.

[Mickey Jo]

Sure. Well, one way or another we've just named five. Yeah, maybe those will be five.

[Erin James]

Although I do love the soundscape of two strangers. But I think this is. That's like. That's my personal. That's my personal.

[Mickey Jo]

We would see two strangers nominated in every single category. But we will see. We will see moving onwards to those same four categories.

[Erin James]

But in plays now I do have stronger feelings.

[Mickey Jo]

Okay, let's begin with set design. And I am going to talk about Bug having not really brought Them up previously. I think that is a set that ought to be nominated.

[Erin James]

I think both the Ballisters and Dog Day Afternoon both deserve certain.

[Mickey Jo]

Absolutely. Sure.

[Erin James]

Both gorgeous for very different reasons.

[Mickey Jo]

Waiting for Godot had that famous tube.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

Something for the tube, maybe.

[Erin James]

I think the issue that that show has is if it's not remembered in one way, will it be remembered?

[Mickey Jo]

I remember the visual. I remember the production images.

[Erin James]

That's very true. It was very striking and memorable, which does help. Fifth slot, then Becky Shaw.

[Mickey Jo]

I think proof probably stands a little above Becky Shaw in terms of set design.

[Erin James]

See, I agree. The only thing with Becky Shaw is it does multiple states.

[Mickey Jo]

It does.

[Erin James]

It does a set reveal.

[Mickey Jo]

That'll be interesting to see, I suppose. Oh, there's also Giant Liberations was.

[Erin James]

Liberations was a very set design.

[Mickey Jo]

It was.

[Erin James]

And it was a clever use of scoreboard. Yeah. Things like that in the show.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. It was meaningful. This is just going to be really difficult.

[Erin James]

Please, please, this year. Difficult.

[Mickey Jo]

Okay, let's just move on and talk about costume, where I do hope we see Liberation nominated.

[Erin James]

Yes. Great use of Ero.

[Mickey Jo]

Are there that many more plays whose costumes really caused a conversation? Because for something like Becky Shaw and the Ballisters, you know, you're costuming these characters, but they're both sort of some version of somewhat contemporary. Joe Turner's Come and Gone, I think probably gets a costume nomination.

[Erin James]

Oh, we didn't mention this. Just the set. But possibly Fallen Angels. That's period.

[Mickey Jo]

Oh, Fallen Angels. Yes. Okay. Yes. I mean, Dog Day Afternoon. Yeah. Could get in for costume design. We've not spoken about Oedipus in these categories either.

[Erin James]

This is the issue. This is normally the issue we have for both categories where it's. There's so many shows to think through at one point, but because musicals, there's so few this year. Yeah. It's quite quick to define. Whereas with plays. Yeah, it's. It's tricky.

[Mickey Jo]

It is lighting design of plays. What's coming to mind?

[Erin James]

Gog Day Afternoon.

[Mickey Jo]

Sure. Oedipus.

[Erin James]

Oedipus. Trying to remember the lighting states for Liberation.

[Mickey Jo]

We've had that thing with the lighting in the house. I know it malfunctioned the night we saw it, but it was there.

[Erin James]

That is true.

[Mickey Jo]

I liked the transition lighting moments in the balusters, but for the majority of the scenes, it was sort of what felt like a fairly constant.

[Erin James]

I liked the lighting design for Becky Shaw.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

I did like the lighting side for Becky Shaw. We obviously don't know the situation for Death of a Salesman.

[Mickey Jo]

No. Or that fear of 13 that we didn't see. Yeah.

[Erin James]

Perhaps Joe Turner's coming gone.

[Mickey Jo]

Joe Turner, Yeah. I wonder if in some of these categories we see a little momentum for just very strong shows that are. If they really love Salesman or if they really love Giant. It's hard to know how much passion there is behind some of these productions and how much that's going to carry them through multiple nominations. Finally, then, sound design.

[Erin James]

Sound design, I think a lot for me will be every brilliant thing for having the microphones throughout the whole theater, I think should stick with people.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. That's a play that really has to think about that.

[Erin James]

Then I think there's a world where, like, a show like the Ballisters could maybe appear, because it's a lot of. A lot of performance, actually. I think, again, dog captioning is quite interesting that it feels like a lot like a play, like Stranger Things, where it feels like it should appear in these categories more because the sound design was really.

[Mickey Jo]

The creative work on it is different. Yeah.

[Erin James]

That's the thing.

[Mickey Jo]

I'm. I'm thinking maybe Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

[Erin James]

Maybe Liberation. I'm really trying to remember it from the specificities.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah, perhaps.

[Erin James]

Probably fear of 13, where we didn't see it first time.

[Mickey Jo]

Maybe. Could be. Who knows? Which brings us to the acting categories. So beginning with Best Leading Actress in a Play, across all of these, there ought to be five nominees. I put to you that we're gonna suggest six, because there's. There's too many. I need for there to actually be six in some of these, because they could be.

[Erin James]

I'm very stressed. There could be six. There have been six before. If there's a tie, it can go up to six.

[Mickey Jo]

I think there are three Locked and Best Leading Action to Play. I think Carrie Coon gets one. I think Susanna Flood gets one for Liberation. Carrie Kun for Boxes on the Flow for Liberation. I think Leslie Manville gets one for Oedipus.

[Erin James]

There's a world that people keep saying, and so I believe at least one of Roseburn and Kelly o' Hara will get through.

[Mickey Jo]

Yes.

[Erin James]

It'll be both of them or it'll be one of them.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Anika Noni Rose is in this conversation as well for the Ballisters. Yes.

[Erin James]

Anika's one that I really want to get in. When a show feels like such an ensemble piece, you don't know how many performers will break through.

[Mickey Jo]

Would that reflect the nominations that you've been seeing for other awards thus far?

[Erin James]

The only question Mark. One is Laurie Medca for Little Bear

[Mickey Jo]

Ridge Road, who's leading in this category,

[Erin James]

and she's supporting in Further Salesman. And so she has the whole narrative come through of could she be one of the first people to be nominated in lead and featured for the same year?

[Mickey Jo]

Has that never happened before?

[Erin James]

I don't know if it ever has. They've done a lot less of often.

[Mickey Jo]

Meanwhile, leading actor in a play might be this year's toughest category, actually, both to break into it and in terms of the competition and in terms of the status of the competition. A lot of star names, I feel

[Erin James]

like the titans of this that are kind of, like, guaranteed, like, just say they're nominated now is John Lithgow and Nathan Lane.

[Mickey Jo]

Well, I think it's once again going to be a fight between John Lithgow, Adrien Brody and Mark Strong. As it was, those three were all nominated against each other at the Oliviers. John won, but I think Nathan Lane is then also thrown into the mix. Does the fifth slot go to Daniel Radcliffe?

[Erin James]

That's who I think every brilliant thing would make sense for. It's starry, It's a moment. It's done so well already.

[Mickey Jo]

There's no leading actor in Proof. There's no leading actor in Becky Shaw. There's no leading actor in the Ballisters. There's no leading actor in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, but there are three leading actors in Art. They were all deemed leading.

[Erin James]

And then you've got Will Harrison for Punch.

[Mickey Jo]

You do.

[Erin James]

And John Bernthal as the lead for Dr. Afternoon and Namirsh Smallwood for Bug. I think Daniel Radcliffe, I. I think. I feel like the narrative, and it feels like the. The way to celebrate every brilliant thing as a show is to nominate Daniel Radcliffe.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Then we get to the category that's been keeping me awake at night, and that is Best featured actress in a play. I need six nominations to happen here because of a tie. Ideally, I'd like seven. Actually. Mary Louise Burke from the Ballisters is on my list. If you've seen it, then you know Kari Young, a frequent Tony Award nominee and a winner, is on my list for Proof. What are you gonna say?

[Erin James]

She has a big arc because this year, if she gets nominated this year, she will be the first person in history to get five nominations in five years. In five years, she has been doing

[Mickey Jo]

back to back, and she wasn't meant to be on Broadway this season. She stepped into this. Notice.

[Erin James]

This is the other thing. There's the joining the production last Minute and saving it added with this nomination will break history for. For an actor. The big thing is will June Squibb get a nom as the oldest person on Broadway, as a performer on Broadway to then have this narrative and then she gets interesting. The Tony nomination for Marjorie prime. And I've seen it and I've seen her name covered a lot because of that fact.

[Mickey Jo]

There's so much we didn't see Marjorie prime, but there is so much competition because I do think Laurie Metcalfe will get nominated for Death of a Sale.

[Erin James]

And I think Betsy Aiden has the highest chance for Liberation.

[Mickey Jo]

There can't be no featured actress in a play nomination for Liberation when that entire company was brilliant. And there's four or five of them who really ought to be able to get recognized for their work in any other year. But Betsy Adam, I think among those would be the nominee Jessica Hecht must get nominated surely for her work in Dog Day Afternoon.

[Erin James]

Linda Emmond for.

[Mickey Jo]

I would like to see a spot then for Linda Emmett. But already we're beyond five. And then before I found space for

[Erin James]

June Squib and then Aya Cash for like that role in Giant is known to be the nominated role. But we'll. But with it being.

[Mickey Jo]

You say it's known to be the nominated role.

[Erin James]

Well, it was when it was in London. But when, when, when the award winning play comes over, you kind of look at what, what feels guaranteed as the roles from that show.

[Mickey Jo]

It does though set us up quite nicely for our featured actor in a play conversation. Because Elliot Levy won, I believe.

[Erin James]

Yes.

[Mickey Jo]

For Jarvis.

[Erin James]

He did.

[Mickey Jo]

He is now appearing again on Broadway. Do we think he gets a nomination? We have seen with this category specifically Actors go from London to New York. I believe it was with. Oh, the name of the play is Escaping Me.

[Erin James]

Patriots.

[Mickey Jo]

Patriots. Thank you, Patriots. I don't think he got a Tony nomination after winning the Olivier.

[Erin James]

I think Elliot will get one. I think because like shows like art have put everybody in leading. I feel like there's less competition in some ways.

[Mickey Jo]

Sadly. I think James Corden would be a shoe in in this category if he were deemed featured. But he was leading.

[Erin James]

I think Alden for Becky Shaw is a guaranteed nomination.

[Mickey Jo]

Yes, yes, instantly. As soon as we saw it. Ruben Santiago Hudson from Joe Turner's Come and Gone even though Cedric the Entertainer is now also deemed featured. Oh, we didn't say Taraji P. Henson in the last one.

[Erin James]

Oh, yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

This is a mess. His featured categories are a mess this year. There are so many actors to choose from.

[Erin James]

There's also Joshua Boone for Joe Tanner's Come and Gone as well.

[Mickey Jo]

I think it's Ruben Santiago Hudson.

[Erin James]

I think Ruben's. Ruben's a guaranteed law.

[Mickey Jo]

It's whether they get a second one

[Erin James]

and then it's whether the Sons get him for Death of a Salesman, because they usually do. Yeah, one of them.

[Mickey Jo]

One of them usually does.

[Erin James]

It would be Richard Thomas for the Ballisters. And that role basically feels like it's leading even though it's been classed as

[Mickey Jo]

features, which is a good place to be.

[Erin James]

And then Danny Burstein for Marjorie prime is him and keeps getting talked about. Him and June Squib are like the two from that show. Yeah, for that liberation, I'll be really excited to see that people remember shows from earlier, but then in the past Frances Jew won't and for Yellowface. So that was earlier on in the season.

[Mickey Jo]

True. Having suffered through that particular anxiety, let's move on to talk about performers in musicals.

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[Mickey Jo]

So are these categories, to your mind, easier or harder to predict than their counterparts in plays?

[Erin James]

Easier, yeah, just smaller amount of shows and you can see through kind of past things who is likely to. There's more clear definitions, but there are

[Mickey Jo]

still some question marks. So let's begin with leading actresses. This conversation has been had in many a bar around Manhattan.

[Erin James]

I feel like we can say, guaranteed that Marla Mindel is most likely to appear in this category.

[Mickey Jo]

Who among all of these? There's going to be a lot of like career Broadway actress names in this category, but Marla is the only one who has previously won an award for this role.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

That will be nominated. So that's worth paying attention to.

[Erin James]

And then Casey Levy is also kind of basically guaranteed to be in this category.

[Mickey Jo]

Yes.

[Erin James]

Then it becomes a little bit like these other slots could be here. And then.

[Mickey Jo]

Well, it's. Here's what's really interesting about leading Action the musical this year is you have the shows that are still running. You have the two that conspicuously were not well received, one of which has closed, which is Beaches and the Queen of Versailles. Both of those were real female led star vehicles for Jessica Vosk and Kristin Chenoweth. Big roles for big actresses versus Sarah Chase and Schmiga June, who I think is terrific, but it's more of a kind of a baker's wife level of lead than Evita, for example, same with Stephanie Hsu, has been deemed leading in the Rocky Horror show for a role where we were like, is it leading or is it featured?

[Erin James]

That bump up for Janet is the one that I feel like might have been a risk too far. The thing that I think is fascinating when looking at like a show like with Christiani for two Strangers, I so

[Mickey Jo]

desperately hope that she breaks into this category. I really do.

[Erin James]

The thing that's been interesting so far in all the awards nominations that have already come out is they have jumped between nominating one or the other. Yeah, Cristiani or Sam. But pointing out all of those previous categories were genderless.

[Mickey Jo]

Sure.

[Erin James]

And had off Broadway shows involved as well.

[Mickey Jo]

I think she does get nominated. I think Sarah Chase does. And then maybe it's Vosk over Stephanie Shue. Stephanie Shu is fantastic in the Rocky Horror Show. It just feels a little bit more like a featured term.

[Erin James]

That's my, that's my concern.

[Mickey Jo]

I don't see a world in which Jessica Vosk doesn't get nominated. I understand why Chenoweth may not.

[Erin James]

And there's a big thing as well of like, this could be the year where every single nominee is a fan. Has never been a nominee.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. We didn't even mention Lea Michele.

[Erin James]

Oh, no.

[Mickey Jo]

At the last turn, which could be something of an upset. But I'm also. I wouldn't have put her in the

[Erin James]

final mix, but the thing with Leah is I keep wondering whether she'll get the nom for Chess, but actually it's the funny girl.

[Mickey Jo]

Meanwhile, in leading actors, two of the men from Ragtime we absolutely expect to see here who have been consistently getting nominated. Joshua Henry and Brandon Uranowitz.

[Erin James]

And then Nicholas Christopher for Chess. I feel like this is the most easiest category because then I feel like it's. Then Luke Evans feels a lot in a given.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

And then Santa T is like the new. The new boy gotta be. And I feel like Santa T has that more than, like, LJ and Lost Boys. I think Sam has this, like.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah, he's got more material. He's probably got better material.

[Erin James]

And it's like coming to the. Coming to the US for the first time. It's. He's got that cheeky chappy. Charming.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Best featured actress in a musical. There's quite little to go on here.

[Erin James]

Yeah. And, like, looking at the other awards, there's not really much to see there either.

[Mickey Jo]

No.

[Erin James]

I feel like somebody from Schmigadoom will get in.

[Mickey Jo]

I think somebody from Schmigadoon gets in. I think somebody from Cats gets in.

[Erin James]

I think Shoshana Bean's a lock.

[Mickey Jo]

Shoshana bean, absolutely. And 100% from Schmigadoon. I think Hana Gasteyer, that's who I

[Erin James]

feel like has the most material and reason.

[Mickey Jo]

We could see a couple.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

We could see two from Schmigadoon and two from Cats.

[Erin James]

The dramatists nominated Mackenzie Kurtz. Yeah. I feel like she's got the strongest chance after Styr.

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Sure.

[Erin James]

And then I feel like there's Temperis and Emma Sofia are the two more likely people from.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

Cats.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. I mean. And normally you would say Grizabella is. Absolutely. I think because of the nature of that revival, I'm reminded of Elizabeth Davis being nominated for once.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

And it kind of being indicative of the ensemble company. And I think Emma Sophia's nomination would be kind of.

[Erin James]

Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

A version of that. She also performed at Miscast alongside a lot of other people.

[Erin James]

All of whom there's been a lot

[Mickey Jo]

of campaigning around tone nominees. It was interesting that she was performing. I was like, our cats are where our cat's pushing her. As somebody who could Be about to become a Tony nominee. That would be delicious. I would love that, actually.

[Erin James]

I think then we've got to look over to a show like Rookie Horror where you've got Rachel Dratch. Yeah, there's Rachel and Amber Gray. Yeah.

[Mickey Jo]

Rachel has the most obvious material and was unanimously praised in the reviews for that production. I can only assume that pushing Stephanie Hsu into leading was to then make it rage, but also, like, try and have their cake and eat it too. Whether they get more nominations but fewer wins for doing that, I don't know. Because if Stephanie Shue was in this category, she'd have been potentially one final slot then. Unless we see two nominees from any of the previously mentioned shows. Is a role like Emma Goldman in Ragtime big enough?

[Erin James]

Or Sarah or.

[Mickey Jo]

Oh, sorry, Michelle Lewis. Yeah. Okay, well, no, then that. Yeah, done fine.

[Erin James]

Sarah's kind of bat role.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

One of the big roles of the Staple.

[Mickey Jo]

Audra won the Tony. In fact, I don't know that Stephanie was nominated at the last revival. But then Broadway seems to have forgotten about the last revival because a lot of people are acting like Ragtime has just been written. So we'll see. Final category, then. Best featured actor in a musical.

[Erin James]

There's a lot of Titanique people that could come into this category. It's kind of. It's kind of amazing just how across the board they've been nominated.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah.

[Erin James]

Because it could be Constantine. It could be Jim Parsons. Yeah. It could be Leighton.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Who won the Olivier.

[Erin James]

It could be John. Like, there's four different ways it could go in that future. I think it's more likely to be between Jim and Layton.

[Mickey Jo]

You think Constantine and Layton. That's what I took away from seeing the show as well.

[Erin James]

I know. I don't know whether Constantine gonna be. Is being eligible for lots of other categories as well. Changes.

[Mickey Jo]

We saw Paddington and you were like, on paper, it's Bonnie and Victoria. And I was like, yeah, but you walk away from that theater thinking about Amy Booth Steel.

[Erin James]

No, it's true.

[Mickey Jo]

That's how I felt about Constantine and Leighton. More so than what it might be on paper.

[Erin James]

And Constantine has to do that improv every show.

[Mickey Jo]

Yeah. Yeah. And I just think it's. Again, it's one of. It's one of the larger featured roles of the season.

[Erin James]

There are three that. From different shows that I think are all kind of guaranteed. Okay. So Andre de Shields.

[Mickey Jo]

Oh, yeah.

[Erin James]

Cats. Chella Kobor.

[Mickey Jo]

100%.

[Erin James]

I guaranteed Ali. Louise Borsky from the Lost Boys. Yes. Better be very strongly as does Max Clayton for Schmigadoom. If there's anybody that's going to get a nomination for featured, it will be Max.

[Mickey Jo]

And that would be a really lovely moment.

[Erin James]

The one I wanted to get a nomination. I know I'm really campaigning for Ben Levi Ross in Ragtime. Yeah, I think he already got a Drama Desk nomination for it and it feels like one of those performances from this, from this production that's sticking with people. So I've. I really hope that Beni by Ross gets enough.

[Mickey Jo]

Sure. No, me too. Well, this began as a very concise delivery of our thought out predictions and it devolved into us realizing how complicated this always is. We mercifully don't have that long to wait until we find out.

[Erin James]

Not long at all.

[Mickey Jo]

Tuesday, the Tony Award nominations for this year are going to be announced. We will be live here on YouTube reacting to them for you all and with you all. Make sure you tune in, make sure you subscribe and turn on notifications. It's the button that looks like a bell so you don't miss it. In the meantime, please let us know if we neglected to mention anyone who you think should be nominated, any actor, creative or production in the comments down below. Feel free to share your predictions for now. Thank you so much for listening to our thoughts and as always, we hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey day. Bye for 10 more seconds. I'm Mickey Joe Theater. Oh my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stagey day. Subscribe.

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