Year End: Ten Best Plays & Musicals of 2007

All this week I'll be listing my favorites in the different areas of pop culture that Idol Thoughts covers. Now up: plays and musical!

1. The Coast of Utopia
2. Spring Awakening
3. In The Heights
4. Frost/Nixon
5. Scarcity
6. Speech and Debate
7. Legally Blonde: The Musical
8. Gypsy
9. Journey's End
10. The Farnsworth Invention

Click for the Ten Best Reality Shows of 2007

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Tony Award Predictions Part 3: The Plays

For theater fans and those that work in the industry, the Tony Awards are the culmination of the entire season's worth of fun, excitement, and yes, sometimes disappointment. Since the awards are just about 4 days away (they will be broadcast live on June 10th, from 8-11PM on CBS), I thought I would add my $.02 as to who will take home the big prizes.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have seen about 90% of the shows that opened on Broadway this season (among the shows I missed: Translations, 110 in the Shade, Pirate Queen, Inherit the Wind, A Moon for the Misbegotten and Heartbreak House).

I've taken a look at the design awards and the musical awards -- this time, it's the prizes for the plays. Here goes...

Best Play
The Coast of Utopia
Little Dog Laughed
Frost/Nixon
Radio Golf

Should Win: The Coast of Utopia -- yes, I'm a bit biased, but there is a reason the Lincoln Center Theater production of the Tom Stoppard trilogy has been called "the theatrical event of the season." If a dazzling production of a great play with a fantastic cast isn't enough to grab the top prize, what is?
Will Win: The Coast of Utopia
Possible Spoiler: Frost/Nixon

Best Revival of a Play
Journey's End
Talk Radio
Inherit the Wind
Translations

Should Win: Journey's End -- this was one of the best reviewed plays of the season, and likely the only shot it has at taking home an award. Probably a shoo-in.
Will Win: Journey's End
Possible Spoiler: Talk Radio


Best Director of a Play
Jack O'Brien, The Coast of Utopia
Melly Still, Coram Boy
Michael Grandage, Frost/Nixon
David Grindley, Journey's End

Should Win: O'Brien -- three parts and 44 actors -- who else could have staged such a mammoth project with such theatrical magic? He should win the award for the curtain call alone.
Will Win: O'Brien
Possible Spoiler: Grindley

Best Performance by an Actor in a Play
Brian F. O'Byrne, The Coast of Utopia
Christopher Plummer, Inherit the Wind
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Liev Schreiber, Talk Radio
Boyd Gaines, Journey's End

Should Win: Langella -- much more than an impression, Langella sometimes brashly and sometimes hearbreakingly summons the soul and spirit of Richard Nixon. A brilliant performance.
Will Win: Langella
Possible Spoiler: Schreiber -- theater folk love Schreiber (he won the Tony two years ago for Glengary Glenn Ross and picked up the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance this year), so there is a small chance he could sneak in and grab the prize.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Play
Eve Best, A Moon for the Misbegotten
Julie White, Little Dog Laughed
Angela Lansbury, Deuce
Vanessa Redgrave, A Year of Magical Thinking
Swoosie Kurtz, Heartbreak House

Should Win: White -- I didn't see Best's performance, but White was hilariously on-point as a maniacal agent.
Will Win: Best -- this performance has been acclaimed right and left, so even though I haven't experienced it myself, I'm guessing she's gonna walk away the victor.
Possible Spoiler: Lansbury -- will voters be able to avoid the temptation to give Lansbury her fifth award?

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Billy Crudup, The Coast of Utopia
Ethan Hawke, The Coast of Utopia
Anthony Chisolm, Radio Golf
John Jelks, Radio Golf
Stark Sands, Journey's End

Should Win: Crudup -- both comically brilliant and devastatingly sad, Crudup gives, in my opinion, a career-best performance as the tortured Belinsky. Hawke has the bigger part, but Crudup leaves the more indelible impression.
Will Win: Crudup
Possible Spoiler: Chisolm -- his presence alone is enough to lift the quality of Radio Golf, and those voters who avoided Coast of Utopia will likely check his name off.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Jennifer Ehle, The Coast of Utopia
Martha Plimpton, The Coast of Utopia
Xanthe Elbrick, Coram Boy
Jan Maxwell, Coram Boy
Dana Ivey, Butley

Should Win: Ehle -- playing three incredibly different women, Ehle makes sure that the boys don't steal the show. My favorite of the three? Her complex, sensual Natalie Herzen.
Will Win: Plimpton -- she doesn't really get to flaunt her stuff until Part 3, but once she gets the spotlight, she dazzles. She's also picked up the Outer Critics' Circle and Drama Desk Awards, so a Tony victory would seem appropriate.
Possible Spoiler: Ehle -- I think it will come down to the two Coast women -- which will prevail?

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Tony Award Predictions Pt 1: Design Awards

For theater fans and those that work in the industry, the Tony Awards are the culimination of the entire season's worth of fun, excitement, and yes, sometimes disappointment. Since the awards are just about 10 days away (they will be broadcast live on June 10th, from 8-11PM on CBS), I thought I would add my $.02 as to who will take home the big prizes.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have seen about 90% of the shows that opened on Broadway this season (among the shows I missed: Translations, 110 in the Shade, Pirate Queen, Inherit the Wind, and Heartbreak House).

First up, the design awards (acting, directing, and the big prizes will follow in the next several days).

Best Scenic Design of a Play
The Coast of Utopia
Journey's End
Coram Boy
Radio Golf

Should Win: The Coast of Utopia -- The barricade? The ice skating? The Vivian Beaumont stage has never looked better.
Will Win: The Coast of Utopia
Possible Spoiler: Coram Boy

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Mary Poppins
High Fidelity
Spring Awakening
Grey Gardens

Should Win: Mary Poppins -- Some of the most high-tech stagecraft ever seen on the Broadway stage (the moving house is breathtaking)
Will Win: Mary Poppins
Possible Spoiler: Spring Awakening

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Coram Boy
Journey's End
Inherit the Wind
The Coast of Utopia

Should Win: The Coast of Utopia -- whether it's a dream sequence, a revolutionary struggle, or a simple domestic scene, the lighting design was always incredibly evocative
Will Win: The Coast of Utopia
Possible Spoiler: Journey's End

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Spring Awakening
110 in the Shade
Mary Poppins
Grey Gardens

Should Win: Spring Awakening -- some of the most inventive lighting on Broadway (those hanging flashlights? Genius.)
Will Win: Spring Awakening
Possible Spoiler: Mary Poppins

Best Costume Design of a Play
Coram Boy
Heartbreak House
Inherit the Wind
The Coast of Utopia

Should Win: The Coast of Utopia -- Decades worth of Russian period garb? Tailor-made for a Tony Award.
Will Win: The Coast of Utopia
Possible Spoiler: Heartbreak House

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Legally Blonde
Mary Poppins
Spring Awakening
Grey Gardens

Should Win: Grey Gardens -- in the most open of all of the design categories, I would give the award to Grey for making the costumes a part of the show
Will Win: Spring Awakening -- if a Spring sweep is in the works, you can expect this award to be along for the ride
Possible Spoiler: Mary Poppins -- the most "period" and flashy of all the nominees

Next up...the acting awards!

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Spring Awakening, Coast of Utopia Lead Tony Nominations

Spring Awakening and The Coast of Utopia led the Tony nominations, with 11 and 10 nods respectively. (Go Coast!!)

A few surprises:
-The Little Dog Laughed getting a Best Play nom instead of Coram Boy
-Mary Poppins and Curtains grabbing the Best Musical slots instead of Love/Musik and Legally Blonde
-Debra Monk and Laura Bell Bundy sneaking into the Best Actress in a Musical Category instead of Tony fave Kristin Chenoweth
-Marian Seldes losing out on a Best Actress in a Play slot to Swoosie Kurtz
-Ethan Hawke grabbing a nod for Best Featured Actor in a Play (go Ethan!)

Here is the full list of nominations:

PLAY
"The Coast of Utopia, " Author: Tom Stoppard
"Frost/Nixon, " Author: Peter Morgan
"The Little Dog Laughed, " Author: Douglas Carter Beane
"Radio Golf, " Author: August Wilson

MUSICAL
"Curtains"
"Grey Gardens"
"Mary Poppins"
"Spring Awakening"

BOOK OF A MUSICAL
"Curtains, " Rupert Holmes & Peter Stone
"Grey Gardens, " Doug Wright
"Legally Blonde The Musical, " Heather Hach
"Spring Awakening, " Steven Sater

ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE
"Curtains, " Music: John Kander; Lyrics: Fred Ebb, John Kander & Rupert Holmes
"Grey Gardens, "Music: Scott Frankel;Lyrics: Michael Korie
"Legally Blonde The Musical, "Music & Lyrics: Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin
"Spring Awakening, " Music: Duncan Sheik;Lyrics: Steven Sater

REVIVAL OF A PLAY
"Inherit the Wind"
"Journey's End"
"Talk Radio"
"Translations"

REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
"The Apple Tree"
"A Chorus Line"
"Company"
"110 in the Shade"

SPECIAL EVENT
"Jay Johnson: The Two and Only"
"Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway"

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Boyd Gaines, "Journey's End"
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Brían F. O'Byrne, "The Coast of Utopia"
Christopher Plummer, "Inherit the Wind"
Liev Schreiber, "Talk Radio"

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Eve Best "A Moon for the Misbegotten"
Swoozie Kurtz, "Heartbreak House"
Angela Lansbury, "Deuce"
Vanessa Redgrave, "The Year of Magical Thinking"
Julie White, "The Little Dog Laughed"

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Cerveris, "LoveMusik"
Raúl Esparza, "Company"
Jonathan Groff, "Spring Awakening"
Gavin Lee, "Mary Poppins"
David Hyde Pierce, "Curtains"

PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Bell Bundy, "Legally Blonde The Musical"
Christine Ebersole, "Grey Gardens"
Audra McDonald, "110 in the Shade"
Debra Monk, "Curtains"
Donna Murphy,"LoveMusik"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anthony Chisholm, "Radio Golf"
Billy Crudup, "The Coast of Utopia"
Ethan Hawke, "The Coast of Utopia"
John Earl Jelks, "Radio Golf"
Stark Sands, "Journey's End"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jennifer Ehle, "The Coast of Utopia"
Xanthe Elbrick, "Coram Boy"
Dana Ivey, "Butley"
Jan Maxwell "Coram Boy"
Martha Plimpton, "The Coast of Utopia"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Brooks Ashmanskas, "Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me"
Christian Borle, "Legally Blonde The Musical"
John Cullum, "110 in the Shade"
John Gallagher, Jr., "Spring Awakening"
David Pittu, "LoveMusik"

PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Charlotte d'Amboise, "A Chorus Line"
Rebecca Luker, "Mary Poppins"
Orfeh, "Legally Blonde The Musical"
Mary Louise Wilson, "Grey Gardens"
Karen Ziemba, "Curtains"

SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
Ti Green and Melly Still, "Coram Boy"
Jane Greenwood, "Heartbreak House"
Santo Loquasto, "Inherit the Wind"
Catherine Zuber, "The Coast of Utopia"

SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Bob Crowley, "Mary Poppins"
Christine Jones, "Spring Awakening"
Anna Louizos, "High Fidelity"
Allen Moyer, "Grey Gardens"

COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Ti Green and Melly Still, "Coram Boy"
Jane Greenwood, "Heartbreak House"
Santo Loquasto, "Inherit the Wind"
Catherine Zuber, "The Coast of Utopia "

COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Gregg Barnes, "Legally Blonde The Musical"
Bob Crowley, "Mary Poppins"
Susan Hilferty, "Spring Awakening"
William Ivey Long, "Grey Gardens"

LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Paule Constable, "Coram Boy"
Brian MacDevitt, "Inherit the Wind"
Brian MacDevitt, Kenneth Posner, and Natasha Katz, "The Coast of Utopia"
Jason Taylor, "Journey's End"

LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Kevin Adams, "Spring Awakening"
Christopher Akerlind, "110 in the Shade"
Howard Harrison, "Mary Poppins"
Peter Kaczorowski, "Grey Gardens"

DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Michael Grandage, "Frost/Nixon"
David Grindley, "Journey's End"
Jack O'Brien, "The Coast of Utopia"
Melly Still, "Coram Boy"

DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
John Doyle, "Company"
Scott Ellis, "Curtains"
Michael Greif, "Grey Gardens"
Michael Mayer, "Spring Awakening"

CHOREOGRAPHY
Rob Ashford, "Curtains"
Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, "Mary Poppins"
Bill T. Jones, "Spring Awakening"
Jerry Mitchell, "Legally Blonde The Musical"

ORCHESTRATIONS
Bruce Coughlin, "Grey Gardens"
Duncan Sheik, "Spring Awakening"
Jonathan Tunick, "LoveMusik"
Jonathan Tunick, "110 in the Shade"