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Who we WANT to win the Tony Awards | The Broadway stars, plays & musicals we're rooting for in 2025
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- [00:00]
Mickey Jo
Oh, my God. Hey. Hello. Welcome back to my theatre themed YouTube channel. Or hello to you if you're listening on podcast platforms. My name is Mickey Jo. And I'm Maren James, my stagey fiance. And today we are going to be talking once more about the Tony Awards. Once more, we're again talking about the Tony Awards, not for the last time. The ceremony is set to be broadcast in a couple of weeks. And today, what we're going to do, rather than give you our full predictions for who we think is going to win the Tonys, we're going to talk about who we want to win. Like, in our heart of hearts.
- [00:34]
Maren James
I'm going to struggle with this.
- [00:36]
Mickey Jo
I think there's going to be more difference here because I think we come to the same sort of industry decision about who we objectively think is going to win or what show we think objectively is going to win. But I think in terms of what we really want, if we're honest about it, I think that may differ. So we're going to talk through every single category. We're talking performances, creative elements, direction, writing, as well as, of course, the eligible new and revival plays and musicals. And on the count of three, without swaying each other whatsoever, we are going to say who or what we think should win. Okay, we are each wearing a little bow tie, and we are allowed one tie at some point during this. So you are allowed to in one category at one moment and not once more say, I would like to see a tie. Here I am manifesting a tie. And at that point, we will remove the ties from around our necks and throw. Throw them to the ground. Podcast listeners, the dramatic impact of that may be a little lost on you, but we'll. We'll do our best to subtitle it with some stage directions. In the meantime, are you ready to talk about the Tonys?
- [01:38]
Maren James
Let's go.
- [01:38]
Mickey Jo
Just before we start, though, if you do enjoy this coverage, make sure to subscribe here on YouTube or follow on podcast platforms. Turn on notifications so you don't miss the rest of the Tonys coverage before the ceremony. And to all of the show's performers and creatives who we don't necessarily talk about today, it doesn't mean that we don't still love and respect your work very much, but it's a challenging time. It is. Choose. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to be a Tony voter this year.
- [02:02]
Maren James
So difficult.
- [02:03]
Mickey Jo
This season's a nightmare.
- [02:04]
Maren James
Very different shows as well. How do you compare shows from comedies to a drama Exactly. What? What works?
- [02:11]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. We're about to find out because this is who we want to win the Tonys. Let's start with one where I think we're going to be in agreement, which is Best New Musical. Who are the nominees?
- [02:24]
Maren James
Aaron James, Buena Vista Social Club, Dead Outlaw, Death Becomes Her. Maybe Happy Ending and Operation Mincemeat.
- [02:31]
Mickey Jo
And, you know, looking back. Well, I'm not gonna say it yet. We're just gonna do comparing stuff. I know, I know.
- [02:37]
Maren James
We are not in that video.
- [02:39]
Mickey Jo
Okay. Three, two, one. Maybe Happy Ending. We're on the same page. As I suspected that we would be. We love those robots.
- [02:46]
Maren James
It's just so heartwarming. It's beautifully done.
- [02:50]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [02:50]
Maren James
It kind of feels like it's moving theater in a direction, but we've not seen where a show that's so small and intimate and packs an emotional punch. It's allowing a lot more musicals to be seen as Broadway shows.
- [03:05]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. But also on, like, a more personal, emotional level. We were so taken with this the first time we saw it. We queued up to get Rush tickets again. A couple of days later, we've been back to see it for a third time. We love this show and the success that it's had. You know, it didn't have the easiest start on Broadway, and who knew that we would be able to legitimately consider it maybe a Tony's front runner this many months later? Who knew we'd get to this point and be emotionally rooting for anything other than Operation Mincemeat, which we do love. We've jumped up and down at the Royal Albert hall when they won the Olivier, but Heart of Hearts, it's going to the robots.
- [03:41]
Maren James
It might be a happy ending. Yeah.
- [03:43]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. So the nominated best new plays are English Purpose, John Proctor as the villain, O Mary and the Hills of California. I'm thinking about it. I'm thinking about it. No, I'm not thinking about it. I have my answer. Are you ready?
- [03:53]
Maren James
Yeah.
- [03:54]
Mickey Jo
Three, two, one. John Proctor is the villain. It's so good.
- [03:58]
Maren James
When we saw it at the end, I was like, I could watch that again easily. Yeah, easily watch it again. It's. I want to talk about it to people straight after. And I'd gone in a bit nervous because all of our friends were talking about it. What about if that means that I'm the one that goes, this is not justified? So I'd got nervous and then just the energy and the. Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh. At the end, it's the way it.
- [04:18]
Mickey Jo
Resonates with young audiences. And can you imagine, because this play I've mentioned before has done a little quirky little thing where it's licensed itself before making it to Broadway, which is very unusual, but it means a bunch of schools have done it. Schools have already performed it around the country. Can you imagine those kids watching the Tonys and then John Proctor wins the Tony? How excited they would be? I think it's too close to call.
- [04:39]
Maren James
It is too close to call. Let me know. Mary's just won awards already.
- [04:44]
Mickey Jo
We're not actually predicting it yet, but my point is I will jump up and down if John Proctor is called because I think that will be exciting and still somewhat surprising.
- [04:52]
Maren James
Yeah. The nominees for best revival of a play are Eureka Day, Romeo and Juliet, Our Town and Yellowface. Three, two, one.
- [05:02]
Mickey Jo
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's not what you think should. It's not like intellectual and like, objectively it is subjective. It is personal. It is like. I'd love that. Right? Right. I feel like we're having psychic conversations without having conversations here. We keep agreeing on these prediction videos. I was really hoping that this one from Heart of Heart would. Would see us in slightly different directions, but I feel like I know exactly where you are all the time. Three, two, one. We're then Juliet. Oh, it happened. We differed. We differed. What's your thought process here, watching it?
- [05:37]
Maren James
I think it did a really good job of explaining different viewpoints. And that scene where the whole community's on the board, on the projection and the whole audience are just freaking out. And I thought it was such a clever way of writing, but you can write a whole scene that performers are doing, but actually it's the dialogue that's been written for the projections that are having an impact. I just thought it was so clever.
- [06:03]
Mickey Jo
I do still think Eureka Day is the stronger and should win, but something about how Romeo and Juliet engaged with young audiences, I'm such a sucker for that. And, you know, I just thought it was fun and it really charmed me. And again, a lot of young people will be really excited and I think in many ways it represents the future. We have so many of these, like stunt cast shows to cater to older, wealthy audience demographics. It was cool to see something that brought record breaking young audiences into the theatre that is the future of Broadway. Finally. Then we have best revival of a musical, where the nominees of course are Gypsy Sunset Boulevard, Floyd Collins and Pirates. The Penzance musical.
- [06:44]
Maren James
Three, two, one.
- [06:45]
Mickey Jo
Sunset, Sunset Boulevard. It's gotta be Sunset Boulevard.
- [06:48]
Maren James
It is always gonna be Sunset.
- [06:49]
Mickey Jo
It's gotta be Sunset. Again. Going back to that conversation of like, as a revival, like, I think it's the stronger productions of the two out of four that we've seen.
- [06:57]
Maren James
I will say if it's a musical that's been really well received and it's being revived, then I wanna know why now. Why has it been revived? It's already been loved. It's already been acclaimed. So what's the purpose? What's the meaning? What's the reasoning? On the opposite side is her revival of a musical where it's, we are finally doing justice to a musical that was not given its dues before or solving issues with musicals that were not the best for first time around. And it's because they needed a new book writer and they needed a revision or they needed changes. Then the revival transforms that musical into what it is. Jamie Lloyd found a way to make it work for today's audiences, for younger audiences to relate to Norma Desmond and to see and understand it in a world that. That normal wouldn't have really worked. Now, right, let's start with best direction of a play.
- [07:49]
Mickey Jo
Best direction of a play.
- [07:50]
Maren James
We have Knud Adams for English, Sam Mendes for the Hills of California, Sam Pinkleton for Omari, Daniel Taymor for John Proctor is for villain, and Kip Williams for the Picture of Dorian Gray.
- [08:05]
Mickey Jo
I know what I want. I don't think it's what I think, but it's what I want.
- [08:08]
Maren James
I know what I want.
- [08:09]
Mickey Jo
It's the same thing. Okay. Three, two, one. Adams for English.
- [08:15]
Maren James
It's all to do with the accent work. Yes. I don't think any of the others like the others direction, beautiful. But to work accents and make it so clear for anybody when they are speaking in English and not like they are being their true self, and then when there's a barrier and explaining it so pertinently through that direction like that, that's what makes that production.
- [08:41]
Mickey Jo
I think clarity is really the guiding light of all of the work that was done in that direction. Because also to know exactly where these relationships were and where the characterizations were as they're talking about, struggling to articulate themselves and for us to understand where each of them is so clearly throughout, that was brilliant. So, yeah, I'd love to see that. That would make me happy. Then we have direction of a musical. Oh, this is really hard. This is really hard. Okay, Sahim Ali for Buena Vista Social Club. Michael Arden for maybe Happy Ending, David Cromer for Dead Outlaw, Christopher Gatelli for Death becomes her. And Jamie Lloyd for Sunset Boulevard. What do you want?
- [09:20]
Maren James
I will preface this by saying we haven't watched Dead Outlaw.
- [09:24]
Mickey Jo
We haven't watched Dead Outlaw yet. No.
- [09:26]
Maren James
I am stuck between two.
- [09:27]
Mickey Jo
I'll remind you that you have a tie around your neck. And this might be the category.
- [09:31]
Maren James
I am actually gonna use my tie.
- [09:33]
Mickey Jo
He's using the tie. He's using the tie.
- [09:36]
Maren James
This is the one that I would use it for.
- [09:38]
Mickey Jo
Okay. Do you wanna play 3D chess about this? And when we do 3, 2, 1, try and start with the person you think I'm gonna say, and then say your second one separately. Okay. Three, two, one.
- [09:50]
Maren James
Jamie Lloyd and Michael Arden.
- [09:52]
Mickey Jo
There you go.
- [09:53]
Maren James
Jamie Lloyd. I feel like this is a moment where it's like, Jamie Lloyd, your direction. Like, we see it, we understand it, we value it.
- [09:59]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [10:00]
Maren James
And let's not deny Sunset has had such a massive zeitgeist moment, and that is because of his direction.
- [10:05]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [10:06]
Maren James
But Michael Arden succeeds in making a show that is so intimate work for so many people. I think. Yes, the performances are incredible in that, but it's the direction as well, of making that comedy land. Making the heart knowing when to pull and push.
- [10:23]
Mickey Jo
And, yeah, I'd be thrilled. I'd be really thrilled if Michael won for maybe Happy Ending. I think my heart can't argue with my head here about Jamie Lloyd with Sunset. It's been so talked about because of Jamie. He's at the center of all of this, as is Michael with maybe Happy Ending. And it's really hard, but that's still what I want. So the bow tie has been thrown down.
- [10:47]
Maren James
I'm happy with using it for that one.
- [10:50]
Mickey Jo
I'm holding on to it. I don't know what for. I haven't thought ahead.
- [10:53]
Maren James
So best choreography. We have Joshua Begasse for Smash, Camille A. Brown for Gypsy, Christopher Gattelli for Def Becomes Her, Jerry Mitchell for Boop for Musical, and Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck for Buena Vista Social Club. I don't know what my heart wants on this one. I might just let fate decide what I say, because I really stuck. I've got three that I'm between.
- [11:17]
Mickey Jo
I've got three. You just threw away your tie, and now you're stuck between three.
- [11:22]
Maren James
Because I don't. It wasn't one that I felt as strongly like, you know, there I was like, evenly the two, whereas now I'm like, I like all three. But I don't think I'd be sad if two didn't get it, because I got the Noms. Three, two, one.
- [11:37]
Mickey Jo
Christopher Gattelli. You didn't say anything. You didn't say anything. That's cheating. Christopher Catelli. Death becomes her. I don't know at this moment if it's what I think or if I think Buena Vista or if I think Jerry Mitchell or if I think Smash even. It's really hard. There's a lot of terrific work.
- [11:52]
Maren James
Christopher Catelli, I've loved his choreography since Newsies like the Ages. And I think that was what I first was gonna say. My frame of mind was with Joshua Bagasse. I was thinking about my connection to the smash of the thing of the choreography being one of the best things about from the City, the series. So it's kind of. It's kind of that feeling of like, would I feel really happy? Because it's honoring his work that's been for this long on the show. And he's like, true. And he's like one of the few creatives, one of the only creatives really, that's being honored for. For work on the TV show as well as the musical.
- [12:25]
Mickey Jo
I'm still voting for, but I'm gonna go.
- [12:30]
Maren James
And Chris Figatelli. I'm just like, for the gays is a moment and a half. And actually I know hands down do Catelli because we don't see same sex partnerships in dance so willingly and going through and just so genderqueer. I was like, perfect.
- [12:45]
Mickey Jo
That was a surprisingly emotionally draining category, huh?
- [12:48]
Maren James
I don't never realize I have such strong feelings about Choreo until we talk about him and I'm like, who knew?
- [12:55]
Mickey Jo
The nominees for best orchestrations are Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber for Just in Time, Will Aronson for maybe Happy Ending, Bruce Coughlin for Floyd Collins, Marco Paguilla for Buena Vista Social Club, and David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Sunset Boulevards.
- [13:08]
Maren James
I feel strongly about this.
- [13:10]
Mickey Jo
3, 2, 1.
- [13:12]
Maren James
Bundetti has a social club.
- [13:13]
Mickey Jo
Oh, yeah. I think I stand by it. Just the musicianship in Buena Vista. And I know they're already getting.
- [13:20]
Maren James
They're getting the special Tony, the band.
- [13:22]
Mickey Jo
Are getting a Tony. But I just think it's one of the few shows this season that talks about its orchestrations. In the show because of the flute.
- [13:31]
Maren James
Moment, the big moment of maybe Happy ending is the string quartet. The reveal of them and this feeling of like suddenly going. The power of like the emotions that a band, that the orchestra are able to do.
- [13:44]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [13:44]
Maren James
And the fact that it's the. Those orchestrations are beautiful and impact with the melodies reappear through the orchestrations and how they go from the mix between Gil and then the characters and how actually the very different orchestration styles.
- [14:00]
Mickey Jo
Well, it's that. That string moment. It's so alive and real, and it's gorgeous away from, like, the synthetic sound.
- [14:06]
Maren James
And it's meant to be fireflies because that's the sound of, like, fireflies with the wings and the strings. And just how I think every time when I see that moment, it just gets me. And it's not even just the emotions of them. It's the emotions of. I used to play in an orchestra. I was a clarinet.
- [14:23]
Mickey Jo
You were a clarinet.
- [14:24]
Maren James
That's why I was like a woodwind moment. Woodwind with moments of my wand.
- [14:28]
Mickey Jo
But you know what? I was a classical guitarist, which is why I love Buena Vista so much. Do you know what's hilarious? We've just talked about orchestrations and we haven't talked about score yet. Let's talk about best original score. Music and lyrics.
- [14:39]
Maren James
So it is between Dead Outlaw and Music and lyrics by David Jarlsberger. Eric Della Penna. Death Becomes Her. Music and lyrics by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey. Maybe Happy Ending, music by Will Aronson and lyrics by Will Aronson and Hugh Park. Operation Mincemeat, A new musical. Musical, lyrics by David Cummings, Felix Hagen, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts. Real women have curves for musical Music and lyrics by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez. 3, 2, 1, maybe happy end Zone.
- [15:10]
Mickey Jo
And I thought you might ask me, like, at any other moment and I could go in that direction. I'm so torn between the two, and they're both great scores in different ways. And we could talk. We could extol the virtues of maybe Happy Ending as a score. I think there is a deceptive cleverness. Two Mincemeat. I think Dear Bill is the reason for the season. I just really want Spit Lip to win one of their categories. And maybe we'll get to book and I'll think, oh, actually, that's the one that I want. I just want to see them on stage at some point. I don't know if it's what my head thinks, but it's what my heart wants. And there's such cleverness and wit in those lyrics as well. Like, I keep coming back to Fortune favors bravery, and a fortune's what I've got.
- [15:51]
Maren James
With score especially, I often go, which musical of the season do I actually listen to? Do I actually. Sure, like, genuinely, like, sticks with me. And in honesty, I don't listen to minceme that often.
- [16:06]
Mickey Jo
No, I'd listen to maybe Happy More, but I think that's also the style of the thing.
- [16:10]
Maren James
The score for that musical is that they're my top schools of all time.
- [16:13]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [16:14]
Maren James
And I'm like, I can't. I can't go against that.
- [16:16]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [16:17]
Maren James
That's my. Like, my heart is with maybe happy endings.
- [16:19]
Mickey Jo
I respect it. I respect it. It would also make me very happy. Sorry. There's a lot of win. Wind noise coming from outside. If you're wondering why my face is reacting. If a young woman from Kansas with a dog flies past in the house at any moment, don't be surprised. Okay, best book of a musical. So we have Marco Ramirez, Buena Vista Social Club, Itamar Moses for Dead Outlaw, Marco Pernett for Death Becomes Her, Will Aronson and Hugh park again for maybe Happy Ending. And also David Cumming, Felix Hagen, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoe Roberts for Operation Mincemeat, a new musical. See, what's interesting here is this is sort of what I wanted because I think when I come to predicting and when I come to saying, like, what I think should, like, academically and objectively should, it's not the choices I'm making here necessarily, but I am ready.
- [17:03]
Maren James
Yeah, I'm ready.
- [17:04]
Mickey Jo
Okay. Three, two, one.
- [17:06]
Maren James
Death Becomes Her. Oh, I feel really bad because I've not said split lip for either. But I think the thing with split lip for me is, like, my heart's like. I think they probably. I think. Here we go. Academically, I think. I already think they're gonna win one.
- [17:21]
Mickey Jo
Of them, I think.
- [17:22]
Maren James
And that means that they're not an underdog for me.
- [17:25]
Mickey Jo
I think there's a whole shift here because I said I wanted Death Becomes her to win book. And I'll talk about why in a moment. But I think Mincemeat will win book.
- [17:34]
Maren James
I agree.
- [17:35]
Mickey Jo
Or should win book, even. I think they should win. I think they should win book. And I think. I think that maybe happy ending should win score. But Death becomes Her. Having watched the film, I think this is the thing.
- [17:46]
Maren James
You don't realize that so many of those moments, because of the book writing, that they've. Like the m. That they've done for everything.
- [17:54]
Mickey Jo
So all of the character stuff and so many of those great, really delicious lines.
- [17:59]
Maren James
It's witty, it's iconic. It's gonna stay there. Like Madeleine's moments, her asides. And, like, they're so theatrical.
- [18:05]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [18:06]
Maren James
And like, this is. We don't get comedy musicals on stage of that caliber. We haven't in a long time. For A bit of a big musical comedy that actually sticks the landing on the comed. How often do you get roles that you're really excited to see different divas perform?
- [18:24]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. And I'll be really sad if death becomes her, doesn't walk away with something.
- [18:28]
Maren James
Yeah, agreed.
- [18:29]
Mickey Jo
Although I think they have a better chance in a different category. But we'll get on to that because we're going to carry on talking about the rest of the creatives.
- [18:34]
Maren James
Yeah. Let's do best scenic design of the play.
- [18:42]
Mickey Jo
Let's do it.
- [18:42]
Maren James
So we have Marcia Ginsburg for English, Rob Howell for the Hills of California, Marge Howell and David Bergman for the Picture of Dorian Gray, Miriam Buford and 59 for Stranger Things for First Shadow and Scott Pask for Good Night and good luck. 3, 2, 1. The hills of California. It was just really clever. The staircases was just iconic. It was like. I love when set designs actually build a full house.
- [19:14]
Mickey Jo
Same.
- [19:14]
Maren James
My first Western show was Mary Poppins when it was the full house on stage. And it's just when you're doing a really realistic play, in many ways, you fully believe and you fall into that world. And when a lot of people talk about Hills of California, they talk about Laura Donnelly and the staircase moment.
- [19:32]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. Also, I think, again, the Hills of California is another one because it started here and we saw it here twice. First before New York. It would be really lovely to see them walk away with something. And there's something about seeing a show in London first and then seeing that same set on Broadway. We haven't had that experience many times at all, other than in two other plays in this category, Dorian Gray and Stranger Things.
- [19:56]
Maren James
But, I mean, Stranger Things has changed.
- [19:58]
Mickey Jo
Stranger Things has changed. So there you go. Let's do set design musicals. So we have Rachel Hawke for Swept Away, Dane Laffrey and George Reeve for maybe Happy Ending, Arnulfo Maldonado for Buena Vista social club, Derek McLean for death becomes her, and also Derek McLean for Justin time. Three, two, one.
- [20:16]
Maren James
Swept away.
- [20:18]
Mickey Jo
You as well, because I was shocked. I was shocked even by myself.
- [20:22]
Maren James
I'm not. I'm not actually by me. Because I always love a big swing with set. And I'll always say that wasn't a.
- [20:28]
Mickey Jo
Swing, it was a boat. It was a boat.
- [20:30]
Maren James
I actually swung up. You're confused. But I think the one thing that stuck with me the most about that show was the set design.
- [20:38]
Mickey Jo
And I love that it's nominated. I love a nomination for a closed show.
- [20:42]
Maren James
People respect. People know that was where they're like, you name it.
- [20:46]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [20:46]
Maren James
It's undeniably ridiculously high quality. Like I love the maybe happy ending set. But I do and I love the.
- [20:53]
Mickey Jo
Death becomes her set again. Yeah. They gorgeous staircases.
- [20:56]
Maren James
Staircases. Beautiful. I sometimes go, what's moving theater forward?
- [21:01]
Mickey Jo
Sure.
- [21:02]
Maren James
And like innovation.
- [21:04]
Mickey Jo
Where's the innovation?
- [21:04]
Maren James
Innovation. And this is the thing spoke to weight is. Well that was so innovative.
- [21:09]
Mickey Jo
Sure.
- [21:09]
Maren James
To do it that I'm like, I would like it to win in my heart because then I know that people are voting for innovation. It's quite, quite important.
- [21:18]
Mickey Jo
Let's talk about lighting.
- [21:19]
Maren James
I was gonna do costume.
- [21:20]
Mickey Jo
Let's talk about costume.
- [21:22]
Maren James
Cool. Let's do costume design of a play. The nominees are Brenda Abandonedolo for Good Night and Good Look. Marge Hallwell for the picture of Dorian Gray. Rob Howell for the Hills of California. Holly Pearson for O Mary. And Brigitte Riefenstruhl for Stranger Things for First Shadow.
- [21:38]
Mickey Jo
Three, two, one. The Dorian Gray. Interesting. I would just quite like to see Australians on stage at the Tony Awards. I don't think it happens very often. I've almost slipped into an Australian extra.
- [21:48]
Maren James
Yes. Or that happened.
- [21:50]
Mickey Jo
It's happened. Just sort of crept in there. I think it'd be fun. I think, you know, we don't recognize international theatre makers enough. It's very American accent and British accent dominated at these things.
- [22:02]
Maren James
The costume design in that show, it's gorgeous. It is interesting how many of them appear on stage versus on camera.
- [22:09]
Mickey Jo
But it's still essentially designed.
- [22:12]
Maren James
The work still happened. And even the costume design that's on stage is very where I felt like Omari. The important thing about Omari was kind of like how you see iconic characters like Disney characters that you see and you instantly see them and you know straight away who they are, what they did. What you need with Omari is costumes that instantly, no matter who's playing them and taking over them. And I guess because we've seen it that you like. That's merry.
- [22:39]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [22:40]
Maren James
And I feel like with that they. With that costume design, all of those characters have become like caricaturesques.
- [22:46]
Mickey Jo
But there's a whimsical and campy quality to the design.
- [22:49]
Maren James
This is what I like. I think they've done a very good job in making Omari and the image of Omari iconic costume design for a musical.
- [22:59]
Mickey Jo
Meanwhile, DDI Tay for Buena Vista Social Club. Greg Barnes for Boop. Clint Ramos for maybe Happy Ending. Paul Tazwell for Death Becomes her and Catherine Zuber for just in time. 3, 2, 1. Death becomes her. Paul Tazwell it has to happen.
- [23:12]
Maren James
Yeah.
- [23:12]
Mickey Jo
It has to happen. My head says it, my heart says it, Everything says it.
- [23:15]
Maren James
I love a show where the ensemble all have iconic looks, but I find you do uniquely for them. Hey. And also because it is gender aware, there are non binary members of that cast who everything's been created for them to feel. Very valid.
- [23:32]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [23:32]
Maren James
And very. And like.
- [23:34]
Mickey Jo
No, gorgeous.
- [23:35]
Maren James
Exactly.
- [23:35]
Mickey Jo
Sexy.
- [23:36]
Maren James
And know that their costume designer cares about them and gives each. And each person on that stage. I feel like has. Can feel glamorous. Can feel on it. I mean, I'm sorry, but like the looks in for the gays iconic. Figuring how to make costumes with acrobats also very difficult. And we're not even mentioned. I was not even mentioning, like the special effects looks that like the two.
- [23:58]
Mickey Jo
Divas have it all and then the gowns that like toy with that with the diamante epicenter's neckline and yeah.
- [24:06]
Maren James
Like you've got these two moments there when the Madeleine and the Helen come out and you're like, I can't wait to see this.
- [24:12]
Mickey Jo
And if we're talking heart more than head with this one, or disembodied head, as the case may be with Death Becomes Her. I also just think with the success that Paul has had with his first Academy Award win for Wicked, I think that that would be. You'd almost be celebrating that as well.
- [24:30]
Maren James
So best lighting design of the play. Natasha Chivers for the Hills of California. John Clark for Stranger Things, the First Shadow. Heather Gilbert and David Bengali for Good Night and Good Luck. Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski for John Proctor as the villain. Or Nick Schleiper for the Picture of Dorian Gray. Three, two, one. John Proctor is the villain. Natasha Katz doesn't mess.
- [24:54]
Mickey Jo
Not to be. And I agree and not to be the MC in the second act of Cabaret, but I'm just not sure that I care much.
- [25:00]
Maren James
I think they're just moments of John Proctor that stayed with my name's lighting.
- [25:03]
Mickey Jo
Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's great lighting moments in all of those plays that we've seen. Yeah. Not to diminish the work of lighting designers. I just don't feel. Feel passionately in any particular direction. Meanwhile, lighting design of a musical. Let's see if I have stronger thoughts about this one. The nominees here are Jack Knowles for Sunset Boulevard, Tyler Michelo for Buena Vista Social Club, Scott Zielinski and Ray Horn soon for Floyd Collins, Ben Stanton for maybe Happy Ending and Justin Townsend for Death Becomes Her. I. I know what I want.
- [25:31]
Maren James
Yeah. I think I do.
- [25:32]
Mickey Jo
I know what I want. If we're in a restaurant right now, I am ready to order because I know what I want. And here is what I am ordering. 3, 2, 1.
- [25:41]
Maren James
So happy. Oh.
- [25:44]
Mickey Jo
Oh.
- [25:45]
Maren James
Do you know what I thought? Both.
- [25:48]
Mickey Jo
It's the fireflies. Those damn fireflies got me.
- [25:51]
Maren James
Do you know what it is? I think it's that Sunset Boulevard. The lighting makes up for a lot of the fact that there's no set.
- [25:57]
Mickey Jo
But like the red moment when it's.
- [25:59]
Maren James
The red light moment. And just I remember watching when we watched Sunset for the first time and I walked in and the lights come on. I was like, yeah. At the end, especially with the lighting.
- [26:12]
Mickey Jo
Oh, yeah, I'm back in the fireflies.
- [26:13]
Maren James
I want it back to fire.
- [26:17]
Mickey Jo
Too late, you've said it now.
- [26:18]
Maren James
Best hands on of a play. We have Paul RDT for Stranger Things, the First Shadow, Palmer Hefferan for John Proctor as the villain, Daniel Kluger for Good Night and Good Luck, Nick Powell for the Hills of California and Clements Williams for the Picture of Dorian Gray. Do I have strong feelings?
- [26:34]
Mickey Jo
I know, right? And there's brilliant work and you could pull different things out of each of them, but then it's very academic. Just what do you want? Which person here do you want to win this award for their work?
- [26:46]
Maren James
I think I've got one. It's really difficult. It is so difficult to break away heart and like. Logical.
- [26:53]
Mickey Jo
Isn't it, though? Yeah.
- [26:55]
Maren James
But I think I know what with my heart I'd want.
- [26:58]
Mickey Jo
I have an answer.
- [27:00]
Maren James
I know what I get happy for.
- [27:01]
Mickey Jo
It's a weird, fudgy little answer, but it's an answer. 3, 2, 1. Is the villain interesting? No, because my answer's terrible. My answer is literally, I was like, I want Hills of California to do well. But the more Tony's John Proctor wins, the more likely it is to come to the UK and I get the chance to see it again. That's literally all I'm doing right now.
- [27:20]
Maren James
No, I just remember Green Light.
- [27:21]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [27:22]
Maren James
And that section at the end is one of my favorite elements.
- [27:24]
Mickey Jo
You're thinking that's academic, that's technically John Proctor.
- [27:28]
Maren James
But I think Hills, California, and just like the music and we have to.
- [27:32]
Mickey Jo
Look for a home crowd occasionally.
- [27:33]
Maren James
But yeah, this houndscape just. I think it. I think it does really well. It's a long. It's a long play and they do very well with the memories and how it.
- [27:42]
Mickey Jo
If you're going to talk about Green Light, then you have to talk about the rescued me. But not the Rescue Me.
- [27:46]
Maren James
The. Yeah. When. When it's the scene transitioning. When Joan's about to appear and they play the music and it's Give Me Shelter.
- [27:53]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [27:53]
Maren James
Yeah.
- [27:54]
Mickey Jo
Finally. Then, sound design of a musical. We have Jonathan Deans for Buena Vista Social Club, Adam Fisher for Sunset Boulevard, Peter Helenski for Just Time, Peter Hylansky for maybe Happy Ending, and Dan Moses Schreier for Floyd Collins. Two of these. We haven't seen three of them. We have.
- [28:10]
Maren James
My logical brain. My logical brain.
- [28:12]
Mickey Jo
I've got an answer.
- [28:13]
Maren James
I think I do. Straight away.
- [28:15]
Mickey Jo
I have an answer. What do you want? 3, 2, 1. Sunset Boulevard. Because, and I've said it before, they managed to achieve what Zoom can't and you can. He is being transmitted, and he is in time with the orchestra, and it's just so much. It's just stunning. The sound on that is stunning, and I want that.
- [28:37]
Maren James
And the fact that the microphone doesn't pick up the street and they're able to just focus in on his singing voice.
- [28:43]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. And do you remember at the Watson Stage Awards when Nicole was like. Adam Fisher made his speech first, and he said. He was rattling through everything. He says, nicole, you're gray. And then she made her speech because she said, adam Fisher, you're great too. And I think even then I thought, like, he could end up winning a Tony. That speech could make it. I hope he wins a Tony and he tells Nicole that she's great on stage. Of the Tonys. And half the people, more than half the people around, most of the people in that room don't know why, but we laugh about it. That's what I want.
- [29:11]
Maren James
I wanted to. My little bit was like fireflies. But then I was like, you don't.
- [29:15]
Mickey Jo
Get to play both sides.
- [29:17]
Maren James
No, no, no. But my heart is with. You have not used your tie yet.
- [29:23]
Mickey Jo
I still haven't used my tie.
- [29:24]
Maren James
I haven't used the actors.
- [29:26]
Mickey Jo
I'm starting to think I know when I'm gonna use my tie, but I could make it the whole way through and just be really decisive.
- [29:38]
Maren James
Let's go to leading actor in a musical.
- [29:41]
Mickey Jo
We've arrived at the world of performances. This feels even more personal. And again, we celebrate all of these talents, all of these performances. That being said, who are our nominees?
- [29:51]
Maren James
Darren Criss for maybe Happy Ending, Andrew Durand for Dead Outlaw. Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard. Jonathan Groff for Just In Time, James Monroe Iglehart for A Wonderful World, and Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins. Three, two, one. Darren Criss.
- [30:08]
Mickey Jo
And we haven't seen the Show. I haven't seen this performance yet. I haven't seen it. I don't know if I just really want him to do the two year in a row thing. I just think he's such a. A beacon of joy in the community.
- [30:20]
Maren James
I see that.
- [30:21]
Mickey Jo
And he's so well loved and respected that I just. It would make me really happy. And yeah, for some reason that's just. That's just what my heart wants at this time.
- [30:32]
Maren James
Do you know, that's kind of like a bit of how I feel. Why? I think Darren Criss, if Darren Criss went on the stage for Oliver, I'd like be beaming because he's also a producer on the show. He's put so much into this show to try and get this theater to succeed. He loves theatre. I just think he's doing such great work and watching him again in it, I was just like, oh, this is such a great performance.
- [30:54]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. So, yeah, let's jump over to leading actors in a play. We have George Clooney for Goodnight and Good Luck. Cola Scola for o' Mary. John Michael Hill for Purpose. Daniel Dae Kim for Yellowface. Harry Lennox for purpose. And Louis McCartney for Stranger Things. The first shadow. Three, two, one. Cole and Scola for Omari. Yeah. Deserves it. Would be fantastic. Would be fun to see, you know, that Cole is going to be wearing the best outfit out of anyone in this category.
- [31:23]
Maren James
And Cole, just like the second we're on stage, just, oh, all the hilarity.
- [31:29]
Mickey Jo
It's so genius. It's so unhinged.
- [31:30]
Maren James
It's so clever. It would just make me happy. And it also, like, I didn't have to think I was just like Cole.
- [31:38]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [31:39]
Maren James
Now let's see. Leading actress in a play.
- [31:40]
Mickey Jo
Let's do it.
- [31:41]
Maren James
So we have Laura Donnelly for the Hills of California.
- [31:44]
Mickey Jo
The Hills of California.
- [31:45]
Maren James
Mia Farrow for the Roommate. Latanya Richardson Jackson for Purpose. Sadie Sink for John Proctor as the villain. Sarah Snook for the Picture of Doraine Gray.
- [31:56]
Mickey Jo
I have my answer.
- [31:57]
Maren James
I have mine.
- [31:59]
Mickey Jo
3, 2, 1. Laura Donnelly for the Hills of California.
- [32:03]
Maren James
She just does a great job.
- [32:04]
Mickey Jo
I was rooting for her at the Oliviers as well. It's such a great performance.
- [32:09]
Maren James
There's two characters and it's the through line, the acting, the accent work. Power on the stage when she's on.
- [32:17]
Mickey Jo
There and she's been very celebrated for it, but it's still, you know, not quite enough. I don't think necessarily has been said about how captivating her performance, her dual performance is in that show. It really haunted me for a long time after I saw it. Then we have the big one, the category that people have been asking us about, the category that people have been discussing over cocktails in Manhattan and indeed around the world.
- [32:42]
Maren James
And this is what our heart wants.
- [32:44]
Mickey Jo
Not who we think should, not who we think will. And it's, you know, it's almost impossible to call. This is what we want. This is what our heart wants to happen. The nominees for best leading actress in a musical include Megan Hilty for Death becomes her, Audra McDonald for Gypsy Jasmine, Amy Rogers for Boop. Nicole Scherzinger for Sunset Boulevard, and Jennifer Simard for Death Becomes Her. Three, two, one.
- [33:11]
Maren James
Jasmin.
- [33:11]
Mickey Jo
Amy Rogers.
- [33:12]
Maren James
I get that she's a phenomenal.
- [33:15]
Mickey Jo
I. I'm. I. I didn't like the show that much, but I went to see it, and I was like, what comes so naturally, so effortlessly to her? And it's not effortless at all because she's working incredibly hard, but it's mesmerizing. It's really, really. It's just. It's just star power. You just can't put a name on that. And that is. I mean, everyone in this category brings that to the stage. But I would be delighted if she managed to make it through all of the brilliant diva heavyweights around her.
- [33:45]
Maren James
I agree. I think it would be.
- [33:47]
Mickey Jo
You're wishing that you hadn't thrown your tie away and you could have said Megan and Jen, aren't you?
- [33:52]
Maren James
No.
- [33:52]
Mickey Jo
Okay.
- [33:53]
Maren James
I feel like she's been very underestimated or not valued as much for what she does, which is this comedic, clever, slightly dark, slightly, like, nuanced performance. I just think. I feel like in five to 10 years, we're gonna look back on her performance and be like, that was, like, this iconic diva moment when Megan Hilty was in this that so many people are gonna try and replicate or are gonna look up to. So let's start with featured actor in a musical. Where does our heart Go? We have Brooks for Shmanskas for Smash, Jeb Brown for Dead Outlaw, Danny Burstein for Gypsy, Jack Malone for Operation Mincemeat, a new musical, and Taylor Trench for Floyd Collins.
- [34:35]
Mickey Jo
I mean, three, two, one. Jack Malone for Operation Mincemeat.
- [34:40]
Maren James
Jack's performance at Darebell, that was.
- [34:42]
Mickey Jo
I almost don't want to get too confident it's gonna happen, because it would be devastating if it didn't. But, I mean, I really. I just. I really want it to happen.
- [34:50]
Maren James
That's just what I want.
- [34:51]
Mickey Jo
Like, that would, like, offset a bunch of really disappointing outcomes in other categories for me, because it would make me so happy. As long as that happens.
- [35:00]
Maren James
I agree. It's one of those things where I'm like, that's a definite. And then if it didn't happen, I'd be like, what's going on?
- [35:06]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [35:06]
Maren James
All the other performances are amazing. Dibel, like, is just. This is just a moment in musical theater. I think I just want, like, when the Olivier happened and it was like, yes. Yeah. Like, let's acknowledge this and let's acknowledge.
- [35:20]
Mickey Jo
Everything in the characterization of the grace and the comedy and everything with which Jack plays the multiple roles in the show. It's fantastic. Then we have best featured actor in a play. We have Glen Davis for Purpose, Gabriel Ebert for John Proctor as the villain, Francis Jew for Yellowface, Bob Odenkirk for Glengarry Glen Ross, and Conrad Rickamora for O Mary.
- [35:45]
Maren James
I know. I want.
- [35:46]
Mickey Jo
I know what you want as well. I know what you're gonna say on this one. We're gonna say the same thing. Count me in. Let's see.
- [35:52]
Maren James
3, 2, 1. Francis Jew from Yellowface.
- [35:56]
Mickey Jo
Thrilled to see the nomination again. It was a show from earlier in the season, and, yeah, that would be so lovely. It was a brilliant performance.
- [36:04]
Maren James
So deserved.
- [36:05]
Mickey Jo
Yeah.
- [36:06]
Maren James
Like, kind of ended it and was just like, oh, my gosh.
- [36:10]
Mickey Jo
This character that started as sort of a comic aside and then took on so much sort of ironic serious weight, but was still charming throughout.
- [36:20]
Maren James
And he just got this weird, like, clearness of how much he loved theatre through a performance. And I was like, you don't often get to see that. Your heart to it.
- [36:31]
Mickey Jo
And he'd played the role before. Right. In an off Broadway version.
- [36:34]
Maren James
This is a long history with this show.
- [36:36]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. Two categories left, and I'm still wearing a bow tie.
- [36:39]
Maren James
So we got best performance by a featured actress in a play. Okay, we've got Tala Ash for English, Jessica Hecht for Eureka Day, Marjane Neshat for English, Finostrasa for John Protras for Villain, and Karioung for Purpose. I think I know what I would be really happy to see, and I hadn't got then until just reading it out.
- [36:59]
Mickey Jo
It's still hard to even narrow it down to two, but I am gonna throw the tie down so that I can have a tie in this category. Having said that, have we ever seen a tie for best director? When you used yours earlier, has that ever happened in the history of the world?
- [37:13]
Maren James
I don. Know.
- [37:14]
Mickey Jo
You just go first, I think. Three, two, one. Tyler Ash Tala Ash and Jessica Hecht.
- [37:21]
Maren James
Oh, yeah.
- [37:22]
Mickey Jo
I can't choose. I can't choose.
- [37:23]
Maren James
I love Jessica Hacht.
- [37:24]
Mickey Jo
They would both make me really happy.
- [37:25]
Maren James
I loved Jessica Hat's performance, but because I'd already only got one, I think.
- [37:29]
Mickey Jo
If I couldn't have a tie, I think maybe I would have said Tala Ashe there. It would just make me really happy. And there was a fear that again.
- [37:36]
Maren James
That I magnificent nobody from English would be remembered.
- [37:38]
Mickey Jo
Not because they weren't fantastic, but because there were so early. I'd say, well, it's so early and so many great featured actress performances. I mean, the John Proctor cast and the purpose cast. All of these other plays were opening subsequently and we were fearful that they wouldn't be remembered. And then when they both were, we were so thrilled. And she was so good in it.
- [37:58]
Maren James
You know when somebody's on stage and you just believe them and you just really care about them and you really, like, really feel all the emotions.
- [38:06]
Mickey Jo
We were invested. We were so invested in that character.
- [38:09]
Maren James
She unlocks everything about that play.
- [38:12]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. Then we have one final category to decide on and that is best performance by featured actress in a musical.
- [38:18]
Maren James
Yes.
- [38:19]
Mickey Jo
The nominees are Natalie Venetia Belcon for Buena Vista Social Club, Julia Knightle for Dead Outlaw, Gracie Lawrence for Just In Time, Justina Machado for Real Women have Curves and Joy woods for Gypsy. In fact, we've only seen one of these because we didn't see Joy in Gypsy.
- [38:33]
Maren James
No.
- [38:34]
Mickey Jo
So we have literally only seen one out of five.
- [38:37]
Maren James
But what I will say is that my heart is with that one person of the five. Natalie's just a force. And I also, like, I think she was one of those people that came on stage and I was in awe. Yeah, I was just in awe of her.
- [38:53]
Mickey Jo
She hasn't necessarily had the recognition and this is. This should be like that career defining.
- [38:59]
Maren James
Moment when I looked at her afterwards and realized she was the Gary Coleman in Avenue Q when it was one and I was like, how many people from that cast, does everybody remember? Like, how did. Were there not more opportunities given to her from the success of the show that you normally see with people, but just in general on this stage, I was just like, I am in awe what you're doing right now. And it's hard to be a formidable character in terms of the power that you have, but then have such delicate.
- [39:27]
Mickey Jo
It's a lightness of touch, for sure.
- [39:29]
Maren James
Yeah. Just this underlying, like, you can see there's brokenhearted and there's sadness. It was just beautifully done.
- [39:36]
Mickey Jo
Yeah. So that is what we want to happen next month at the Tony Awards, we think. But we would also love to know what you want to happen. So let us know in the comments about any particular category which ones you feel the most strongly about. Or feel free to list all of the ones for every single category who you want to win at the Tony Awards next month. Also, as we mentioned before, those are not our full predictions on whom we think actually will win or even should win. So stay tuned for those coming much nearer to the subscription ceremony so you don't miss those. Make sure that you're following along on podcast platforms or subscribed right here on YouTube with the notifications turned on so that your mobile telephone device lets you know every time there is a new video right here. In the meantime, thank you so much for joining us for listening to us chat about the Tony Awards and we both hope that you are staying safe and that you have a stagey day.
- [40:24]
Maren James
Bye bye bye.
- [40:26]
Mickey Jo
For 10 more seconds, I'm Mickey Jo Theater. Oh my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stage day. Subscribe.