2014 Tony Predictions: Best Featured Actor

Today marks the first round of predictions for what I call the Big 12 categories (the 4 production and 8 acting Tonys handed out each year).  The reason I call them the Big 12 is they are generally seen as the most prestigious of the various Tony awards, and are the ones that are most likely to be bragged about in marketing materials and future Playbill bios.  In short, they seem to be the awards people care about the most, perhaps because they are the easiest ones for non-industry people to assess. 

 

Now normally at this point I would say "ladies first," but the fact of the matter is that the Best Actress and Featured Actress races this year are just more interesting and exciting, so I am saving those for later.  So without further ado, let's talk about this year's Featured Actor contenders!

Best Featured Actor in a Play

Actor Mark Rylance has publicly stated he doesn't believe in the use of microphones during live theatre, probably because he gets tired of doing a mic drop after every sensational performance.

 

Nominees:  Reed Birney, Casa Valentina; Paul Chahidi, Twelfth Night; Stephen Fry, Twelfth Night; Mark Rylance, Twelfth Night; Brian J. Smith, The Glass Menagerie

The obvious choice in this category is Mark Rylance.  A two-time Tony-winner who consistently receives critical raves, Rylance's take on Twelfth Night's love-struck Olivia was the talk of the town during the fall and winter months.  Rylance, choosing to emphasize Olivia's petulance and childishness rather than her regal nature, was responsible for more laughs per minute than any other performer this season, with a performance completely supported by Shakespeare's text while still feeling fresh and original.  Rylance certainly has my vote, and for months I've been convinced that this race was his to lose.

However, the fact that two of his hilarious costars also received nominations may cause vote splitting among Tony voters trying to choose their favorite actor from that all-male production.  If too many Twelfth Night fans decide to vote for Paul Chahidi (arguably the best Maria every) or Stephen Fry (a very funny Malvolio), it may allow Brian J. Smith to sneak in a surprise win for his portrayal of the pivotal Gentleman Caller in last fall's critically lauded The Glass Menagerie.  If Casa Valentina had more momentum behind it then Reed Birney might have a chance as a dark horse candidate, but I think critical affection for both Twelfth Night and Menagerie is simply too strong for Birney to overcome.  I'm still predicting a win for Rylance, but I won't be completely shocked if Smith is called up to the podium instead.

Will and Should Win:  Mark Rylance, Twelfth Night

 

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

You ain't never had a friend like Aladdin's James Monroe Iglehart, who has been bringing the house down 8 times a week during his showstopping rendition of the Oscar-nominated "Friend Like Me." 

 

Nominees: Danny Burstein, Cabaret; Nick Cordero, Bullets Over Broadway; Joshua Henry, Violet; James Monroe Iglehart, Aladdin; Jarrod Spector, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

This race is much closer than Featured Actor in a Play, and there are several ways I can imagine it going.  I personally would consider Jarrod Spector the least likely winner, but at the same time the Tony voters clearly have a lot of affection for Beautiful.  As a two-time nominee Joshua Henry is automatically a more competitive than he would be otherwise; being nominated twice proves that the first time wasn't a fluke, and shows Tony voters clearly respect the up and coming performer.  But I just don't think this is Henry's year, which leaves us with three equally compelling candidates.

Aladdin's James Monroe Iglehart is one of the breakout stars of this Broadway season, stopping the show nightly with his fantastic rendition of "Friend Like Me."  Scene-stealing turns do quite well in the Featured categories, and the fact that Iglehart has made the role his own after Robin Williams' iconic work in the film version is mighty impressive.  But Bullets Over Broadway's Nick Cordero has been a consistent figure in every awards race this season, and has even won a couple of the guild awards for his gangster with a heart of gold (Cordero is also the center of his own big production number).  I wouldn't be surprised if he won, but I also have to handicap him since Tony voters are clearly less enamored with Bullets than some of the other awards-granting bodies.

And then there is the reliably great Danny Burstein, a Broadway stalwart who despite 5 career nominations has yet to actually win a Tony Award.  Burstein was robbed (ROBBED!) when Once's Steve Kazee won for his merely adequate Guy over Burstein's revelatory Buddy in Follies, and there is a building consensus among the Broadway community that it's about time the hardworking Burstein got his moment in the sun.  But Tony voters are even cooler towards Cabaret than they are towards Bullets, and I fear Burstein will be passed over once again.  I will give the edge to Iglehart, but Cordero is a strong possibility as well.

Should Win:  Danny Burstein, Cabaret
Will Win:  James Monroe Iglehart, Aladdin (which for the record would not be nearly as egregious as picking Kazee over Burstein in 2012)


Be sure to check back daily over the next two weeks to get all the latest Tony coverage.  Next up are the ladies competing for Best Featured Actress, followed by the Lead Actors and Actresses.  And you can catch up on the rest of my Tony coverage by checking out the links below:

2014 Tony Nominations React
Best Direction and Choreography
Best Book and Score



Disney Works Its Magic Again

Review:  Aladdin

Rumor has it that there is one sequin in the Genie's costume for every million dollars Disney expects to make off this show.

After adapting Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King into stage musicals with varying degrees of success, Disney has finally gotten around to giving Aladdin, the sole unadapted film of it's early 90s renaissance, the Broadway treatment.  And in a feat of theatrical magic, this new musical comedy manages to strike the perfect balance between honoring its source material and reinventing it for the stage.  Moreso than any previous Disney musical, Aladdin's additions to the source material feel organic and necessary rather than tacked on and superfluous, meshing seamlessly with everything that made the film an instant classic.  The slick, sparkling production currently wowing audiences at the New Amsterdam Theatre is guaranteed to make you feel like a kid again, with the kind of eye-popping production values only Disney-level money can buy.

For those who have somehow avoided the Oscar-winning film these past twenty years, Aladdin tells the story of the titular "street rat" who steals to survive while dreaming of something more.  A chance encounter with the strong-willed Princess Jasmine leaves Aladdin head over heels in love with her, but the law of the land states that only a prince may marry the princess.  When Aladdin comes into possession of a magic lamp, the wisecracking Genie who lives inside promises to grant him three wishes, giving Aladdin everything he needs to make his dreams come true, provided he can keep the lamp out of the evil Jafar's power hungry hands.

The musical adheres closely to the film's structure, while also incorporating material that was cut during its development.  Aladdin is now accompanied by three fellow thieves named Babkak, Omar, and Kassim, who serve as both sidekicks and foils for our hero while providing plenty of comic relief.  (Unfotunately, Aladdin's simian sidekick Abu hasn't made the transition from screen to stage, although he is cleverly referenced during one of the show's many production numbers.)  The stage show also attempts to beef up Jasmine's character with a few extra songs and some token dialogue about strong, independent women, although this material doesn't add any layers to the character that weren't already present in the film.  All of the changes and additions to the narrative are well-realized and cleverly integrated in Chad Beguelin's well-written if workmanlike book, which also faithfully recreates all of the film's most iconic moments.

The movie's songs by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman are all present, often in expanded arrangements that sound fantastic.  "Arabian Nights" has been transformed into a magnificent choral number that sends chills down the spine, while "Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali" have been given swinging jazz makeovers.  The show also includes the beautiful ballad "Proud of Your Boy," originally written for the film but cut from the finished feature, which acts as a constant touchstone for the character of Aladdin during its many reprises.  There's also a rollicking production number called "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim" and thrilling swashbuckling tune called "High Adventure."  All of the new music by composer Alan Menken (with additional lyrics by bookwriter Beguelin) meshes perfectly with the pre-existing tunes, even if none of them quite reaches the heights of the film's original seven.

While the material for the show is strong, the direction and production values are stronger, and they are what truly propel Aladdin into must-see territory.  Director/choreography Casey Nicholaw helms the production with an unbridled joy for the material that is positively infectious, with choreography and staging to match.  As he proved with his work on The Book of Mormon, Nicholaw knows his way around a production number, and his continually slick choreography builds each dance to an ecstatic crescendo.  His playful work on the aforementioned "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim" turns a number obviously created as filler into an early highlight, and Act II opener "Prince Ali" is equally sumptuous.  But the crowning jewel of this production is Nicholaw's elaborately staged "Friend Like Me," a legitimate showstopper with a dazzling array of inventive dancing, magic tricks, sight gags, and even fireworks (that's right, fireworks).   The thunderous applause that greeted this number on the night I saw the show was wholly earned, and it simply must be seen to be believed.

Of course, Nicholaw isn't working in a vacuum, and the resplendent production design goes a long way towards making Aladdin such a beauty to behold.  Gregg Barnes' costumes contain an entire season's worth of beading and sequins, and his saturated color pallet perfectly encapsulates the show's exotic locale.  Barnes' work is so strong that Nicholaw is able to structure "Prince Ali" around a literal parade of costumes, and the multiple costume reveals throughout the show are a joy to behold.  Set designer Bob Crowley takes something of a back seat to Barnes, but his work is equally impressive, especially in conjunction with Natasha Katz's lighting design.  The particular combination of lighting and set design during "A Whole New World's" iconic magic carpet ride is stunning in its simplicity and beauty.  All told, the production design of Aladdin is the most outright gorgeous of any musical of the past five years.

Performance-wise the show is more of a mixed bag, with the slickness of the production and the acting sometimes hindering the expression of genuine emotion.  Adam Jacobs makes for a dashingly handsome Aladdin, with a golden voice that sounds particularly lovely on "Proud of Your Boy."  He has the character's roguish charm down pat, but unfortunately he isn't given a lot to work with by the beautiful but sometimes wooden Courtney Reed as Princess Jasmine.  Their chemistry is decidedly lopsided in Jacobs' favor, although they sell the Oscar-winning duet "A Whole New World" with aplomb.

The supporting characters are another story entirely, bringing down the house thanks to the artistic freedom of not having to carry an entire show.  James Monroe Iglehart's riotous performance as the scene stealing Genie provides the evening's biggest belly laughs, and his high energy charisma gives the enormous production numbers a much-needed jumping off point.  Jonathan Freeman, the original voice of Jafar from the film, recreates the villain for the stage with the kind of gleefully bad behavior and shameless scenery chewing that is the hallmark of a good Disney villain.  Freeman is ably matched by his cohort in crime, Don Darryl Rivera's hilarious Iago (who is no longer a parrot, but still Jafar's abrasive sidekick), and the duo's comic timing is impeccable.  It's a shame the pair doesn't have more stage time, but they make what they have count.

Few shows arrive on Broadway with such lofty expectations as Aladdin, and thankfully the production delivers on almost all fronts.  Alan Menken's Oscar-winning score sounds more glorious than ever, and Chad Beguine's book recreates all of the iconic moments from the film while seamlessly adding a plethora of new material.  Expertly staged by the preternaturally gifted Casey Nicholaw, the game cast turns out showstopper after showstopper, although occasionally the show's heart gets lost in the shuffle.  Furthermore, the show is unabashedly, breathtakingly gorgeous in a way few shows are allowed to be anymore, making it a feast for the eyes and ears.  Aladdin is a surefire blockbuster, and will make even the most jaded of theatregoers feel like a kid again, if only for a few fleeting hours.