TONY NOMINATIONS 2017
By: Emma Schulze
The 2017 Tony Award nominations came out Tuesday, May 2 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. According to E! News, Kevin Spacey will host the 71st annual event, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. It will air live from Radio City Music Hall on CBS June 11 at 8 p.m. ET.
E! States that James Earl Jones will receive the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. The actor, who was recognized in 1969 for The Great White Hope and in 1987 for Fences, has also performed in Broadway productions of The Best Man, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Driving Miss Daisy, The Gin Game, On Golden Pond and You Can't Take It With You. Actress, choreographer and director, Baayork Lee, meanwhile, will be honored with the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award.
The way the Tony’s are broken up are by play, musical, musical revival, and play revival. The Musical with the most nominations is Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812, with 11 nominations, including Best Musical. This show is about Natasha, a beautiful, young woman who visits Moscow while waiting for her beloved fiance to return from war. While on her visit, she is seduced by the married Anatole. Her only hope to keep her position in society alive, lies with Pierre, “the lonely outsider whose love and compassion for Natasha may be the key to her redemption.”
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Dear Evan Hansen received 9 nominations, also including Best Musical. This musical was a break out moment for Pitch Perfect star, Ben Platt. Ben Platt plays the role of Evan Hansen, who is a high school senior that struggles with social anxiety. He has a few acquaintances but no real friends, although he desires to have them because he feels lonely.
The Play with the most nominations is A Doll's House, Part 2. Nominations including Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Costume Design. According to playbill, In the final scene of Ibsen's 1879 ground-breaking masterwork, Nora Helmer makes the shocking decision to leave her husband and children, and begin a life on her own. This climactic event — when Nora slams the door on everything in her life — instantly propelled world drama into the modern age. In A Doll’s House, Part 2, many years have passed since Nora’s exit. Now, there’s a knock on that same door. Nora has returned. But why? And what will it mean for those she left behind?
For this year’s nominees, starting May 3, it’s going to be a busy season! Nominees will talk to media outlets from around the world at the Sofitel New York, according to E! News. “Next, they will celebrate each other's achievements and receive nomination certificates at a Rainbow Room luncheon May 23. Finally, Special award recipients will enjoy a cocktail party at Sofitel New York June 5.”
Works Cited:
http://greatcometbroadway.com/
http://www.eonline.com/news/847364/tony-awards-2017-complete-list-of-nominations
http://www.playbill.com/production/dear-evan-hansen-music-box-theatre-2016-2017
http://www.playbill.com/production/a-dolls-house-part-2-john-golden-theatre-2016-2017