2018 Tony Nominations React

Hamilton Tony-winner Leslie Odom, Jr. and current Waitress star Karen Cartwright Katherine McPhee announcing the 2018 Tony Award nominees.

And just like that, Tony season has officially begun! The nominees for the 72nd Annual Tony Awards were announced this morning (sometimes quite creatively by presenter Katherine McPhee), and as the dust settles we have time to take stock and celebrate those illustrious artists who will now always be able to use the phrase "Tony nominee" in their future bios.

Looking at the list, the nominations largely went as expected. There are no huge surprises, either among those nominated or those excluded. Overall I agree with the nominations committee, although there are a few oversights I might quibble with. They were perhaps a tad generous to Carousel, but I suspect that has a lot to do with the smaller number of eligible productions this season in comparison to last year. Here are some more specific thoughts:

The Good

It was truly the "Best Day Ever" for Ethan Slater (center) and the entire cast and creative team of SpongeBob SquarePants, nominated for 12 awards total.

-Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of SpongeBob SquarePants, which is tied with Mean Girls for the most nominations this season (12 total). It's easy to be cynical about this show (produced by a corporation, based on a major brand, featuring a score cobbled together from various pop artists), but I honestly found it to be one of the more charming productions of the season and deserving of all the accolades it's received. Tina Landau really made sure artistry and craft took center stage, and the results speak for themselves.

-I'm thrilled to see My Fair Lady so well represented among this year's nominees, especially in the acting categories. Top to bottom, it is some of the best acting on Broadway at the moment, musical or otherwise. And Bartlett Sher has outdone himself when it comes to direction; his subtle but distinct slant on the material goes a long way towards keeping the show relevant for contemporary audiences.

-I am pleasantly surprised to see Alexander Gemignani among the Best Featured Actor in a Musical nominees for his work in Carousel. Enoch Snow isn't the showiest role, but Gemignani is sensational with what material he has.

-There was some truly jaw dropping design work on Broadway this year, and I'm glad to see so much of it rightfully recognized in this year's nominees. My Fair Lady, Once on this Island, SpongeBob, and Carousel are all stunning, and from the pictures I've seen Angels in America and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are just as impressive (I look forward to seeing both this summer).

The Questionable

Jessie Mueller continues her Tony hot streak, nominated for her 3rd performance in a row (and scoring her 4th total nomination in just 6 years).

-Don't get me wrong, I *love* Jessie Mueller. But Julie Jordan is probably my least favorite performance of hers, and I think the Tony nominators may have chosen her more out of habit than merit. (For the record, I like her much better as Carrie Pipperidge in the 2013 concert staging starring Kelli O'Hara as Julie.)

-I can't say I'm surprised The Band's Visit did as well as it did (11 nominations total). It's probably the most critically lauded musical of the season, but I have not met many audience members who share the critics' enthusiasm for the show. I don't begrudge anyone who worked on it their nomination - and I'm actively rooting for David Yazbek to win Best Score - but I must admit it left me rather cold. Perhaps it worked better in the intimacy of Off-Broadway, like last year's often nominated but seldom victorious Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.

-The Drama Desk and Outer Critics' Circle noms indicated Alex Newell was unlikely to be recognized for his performance as Asaka in Once on this Island, but that doesn't make the omission sting any less. Best Featured Actor in a Musical is loaded with scene stealers this year, and in my opinion Newell ranks right there with the best of them.

The Bad

Don't cry, Anna (Patti Murin). The Tony nominators may have left you out in the cold, but your warm and utterly charming performance has certainly warmed my heart.

-Like the Tony voters, I liked but wasn't obsessed with Frozen. But to me, the single best aspect of Disney's big budget film adaptation is Patti Murin's performance as Anna, and I think it is a shame she was not included among this year's Best Actress in a Musical nominees. I have always maintained it's only a snub if you can point to a nominee you feel the unrecognized performer is unequivocally better than. And Patti Murin was snubbed (I will let you figure out who I think took her spot).

-I wouldn't call her snubbed per se, but I am deeply disappointed Kate Rockwell didn't get nominated for her side-splitting work in Mean Girls. Just like Amanda Seyfried in the film, Rockwell's Karen is quietly the funniest person in the entire show. "Sexy," her ode to slutty Halloween costumes, is one of the most hilarious musical comedy moments in years.



And for those keeping score at home, my Tony predictions were particularly accurate this year. I completely nailed the Best Musical, Best Musical Revival, and Best Play Revival categories, and got an almost perfect score on Best Play. The only nominee I didn't see coming was Latin History for Morons, which also scored its creator and star John Leguizamo a special Tony Award this year.

Those are my feelings on this year's nominees; let me know yours in the comments! And keep an eye on this space for more Tony predictions in the coming months!