Broadway.com is celebrating its 15th birthday on May 1 by bringing us the 2015 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards. The nominations are in, and I’m surprised, horrified, and dismayed with the list—well, some parts of the list. The two shows of the season that were big starry overstuffed disappointments were the leaders of the nominations! The shockingly terrible new musical Finding Neverland led the pack with 11 nominations. It’s followed closely by the very unfunny It’s Only a Play, which took in 10 nods.
Ross says: Curious Incident…, Hand to God, Fun Home, and Side Show were well represented, thankfully, as was my other favorite: Constellations. Also, because of the unique categories, I was able to vote for Kelli, Kristin, and Chita, which made me very happy. ‘Cause all made me very happy that I’m a frontmezzjunkie.
Loren says: Who came up with these nominees? Some of them are baffling! No Fun Home songs? Why are all the songs from that hot mess of a show Finding Neverland? No Beth Malone? I’m not so sure about Laura Michelle Kelly or Lisa Howard getting a nod over Beth’s extraordinary performance in Fun Home. No Robert Fairchild as lead actor? I went to see An American in Paris again this weekend and the house was sold out and people were on their feet before the curtain dropped. Similarly, Fun Home is making box office records and sitting at 102% capacity. The people are voting with their pocketbooks and this list of nominees doesn’t represent what’s really happening out there. Something stinks about this.
Ross says: Totally agree with Loren. Don’t really understand who or how they came up with this list, but I guess this isn’t the Tonys, but more about the audience and what’s exciting them; bringing them to the box office and getting them in their seats.
Voting begins now and will end on May 10 at 11:59 PM. Winners will be announced shortly after.
Favorite New Musical
Ross says: Fun Home
Loren says: Fun Home
Ross says: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Favorite Play Revival
Ross says: You Can’t Take It With You
Favorite Long-Running Show
Ross says: Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Favorite Leading Actor in a Musical
Ross says: Michael Cerveris, Fun Home
Favorite Leading Actress in a Musical
Ross says: Kelli O’Hara, The King and I
Favorite Leading Actor in a Play
Ross says: Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Favorite Leading Actress in a Play
Ross says: Carey Mulligan, Skylight
Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical
Ross says: Andy Karl, On the Twentieth Century
Favorite Featured Actress in a Musical
Ross says: Victoria Clark, Gigi
Favorite Featured Actor in a Play
Ross says: Bryce Pinkham, The Heidi Chronicles
Favorite Featured Actress in a Play
Ross says: Annaleigh Ashford, You Can’t Take It With You
Favorite Diva Performance
Ross says: Chita Rivera, The Visit
Favorite Funny Performance
Ross says: Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century
Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Male)
Ross says: Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Female)
Ross says: Emily Skeggs, Fun Home
Favorite Replacement (Male)
Ross says: John Cameron Mitchell, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Favorite Replacement (Female)
Ross says: Emma Stone, Cabaret
Favorite New Song
Ross says: “God, I Hate Shakespeare,” Something Rotten!
Loren says: “A Musical,” Something Rotten!
Shows with multiple nominations:
Finding Neverland – 11
It’s Only a Play – 10
Gigi – 6
It Shoulda Been You – 6
On the Twentieth Century – 6
Hedwig and the Angry Inch – 5
The King and I – 5
Something Rotten! – 5
You Can’t Take It With You – 5
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – 4
Fun Home – 4
On the Town – 4
Wicked – 4
An American in Paris – 3
The Audience – 3
The Book of Mormon – 3
The Elephant Man – 3
The Heidi Chronicles – 3
Constellations – 2
Hand to God – 2
The River – 2
