Who Will Nab a Nom?! Broadway.com Weighs In On the Top Tony Award Play Categories

It’s our favorite time of the year: Tony time! We’ve spent the last few weeks making detailed spreadsheets, graphs and extremely complicated ven diagrams (remember those?) about all of our favorite plays of the year. After hours of deliberation, we’re finally ready to reveal our Tony forecast, including frontrunners, hopefuls and a Broadway.com Shout Out to one show we hope the Tony nominators will remember. Check out our Tony cheat sheet for the top play categories!



BEST PLAY

FRONTRUNNERS

Left: Act One — The beloved autobiography of theater legend Moss Hart springs to life in James Lapine’s heartfelt and funny new stage adaptation. A nod is very likely.
Right: Mothers and Sons — Four-time Tony winner Terrence McNally’s new drama about a mother coming to terms with her son’s death will be tough to beat.

IN THE MIX

Left to Right:
All the Way — The star-studded political drama by Robert Schenkkan is a definite contender, but not a guaranteed nomination.
Casa Valentina — Harvey Fierstein’s cross-dressing ensemble drama has heart, but can it bring home the gold?
The Realistic Joneses — This polarizing black comedy by Will Eno is the wildcard: It’s not your typical Broadway fare, but it sure stands out from the crowd.

BROADWAY.COM SHOUTOUT

Outside Mullingar — John Patrick Shanley’s delightful Irish love story about two middle-aged farmers won our hearts, and we're hoping it will win the hearts of the Tony committee, too!

ALSO POSSIBLE
A Time to Kill, Bronx Bombers, The Snow Geese, The Velocity of Autumn



BEST PLAY REVIVAL

FRONTRUNNERS

Left to Right:
The Glass Menagerie — This haunting new take on the Tennessee Williams classic was both a critical darling and a crowd favorite.
Twelfth Night — Audiences and reviewers alike went gaga over this all-male production of Shakespeare’s classic comedy. It’s a total lock.
Waiting For Godot — Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen made this acclaimed revival one of the season’s highlights.

IN THE MIX

Left to Right:
A Raisin in the Sun — Kenny Leon directed Raisin 10 years ago and got a nomination, but a nod for the new production isn’t guaranteed.
Machinal — An inventive new staging of Sophie Treadwell’s 1928 drama has a decent shot of snagging a nom.
Richard III — It’s more of a downer than its repertory partner Twelfth Night, but the stellar Shakespeare production still has a shot at some Tony love.
The Cripple of Inishmaan — Martin McDonagh’s tale of an outcast who makes it big in Hollywood (or does he?) has a chance to win big on nomination day.

BROADWAY.COM SHOUTOUT

Of Mice and Men — In this extremely crowded race, we’ve got our fingers crossed that the starry mounting of John Steinbeck’s tender tragedy won’t be overlooked.

ALSO POSSIBLE
Betrayal, Macbeth, No Man’s Land, Romeo and Juliet, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, The Winslow Boy




BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

FRONTRUNNERS

Left: Tim Carroll, Twelfth Night — This unforgettable mounting is the British director’s Broadway debut (along with Richard III in rep), and it’s sure to get some Tony love.
Right: John Tiffany, The Glass Menagerie — A dark and dreamy take on Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece is likely to score the Tony-winning Once director another nod.

IN THE MIX

Left to Right:
Sam Gold, The Realistic Joneses — The young but prolific director has yet to score a Tony nod, and this might just be his year.
James Lapine, Act One — The multitalented writer/director has a chance of nabbing Best Play and Best Director nominations this season.
Joe Mantello, Casa Valentina — Will the two-time Tony-winning director’s take on cross-dressing culture be a hit this year? It could happen, but it’s not a lock.
Sean Mathias, Waiting For Godot — A nod for Godot will be the first Tony nomination in 19 years for this British director.
Mike Nichols, Betrayal — This EGOT-winning director is an awards magnet. He’s likely to be recognized again, but it’s not a guarantee.

BROADWAY.COM SHOUTOUT

Lyndsey Turner, Machinal — Featuring an inventive rotating set that upped the ante of the intense drama, Turner’s Broadway directing debut not only deserves a mention, it deserves a nomination.

ALSO POSSIBLE
Anna D. Shapiro, Of Mice and Men; Michael Grandage, The Cripple of Inishmaan; Ethan McSweeny, A Time to Kill; Sheryl Kaller, Mothers and Sons; Doug Hughes, Outside Mullingar; Daniel Sullivan, The Snow Geese; Molly Smith, The Velocity of Autumn; Sean Mathias, No Man’s Land; Tim Carroll, Richard III; Kenny Leon, A Raisin in the Sun

Stay tuned for more Tony cheat sheets!