Tony season drawing near
April 22, 2014
It has been an above-average season on the Great White Way and this year’s Tony Awards are sure to be a hit.
June 8 marks the 68th year of the ritzy and glamorous awards for Broadway’s brightest stars and hottest shows.
The show will be hosted by Hugh Jackman. Jackman has theater experience himself, staring in last year’s hit movie-musical “Les Miserables.”
Though official nominees don’t come out for a couple of weeks, these are my top picks for this Broadway season.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch holds a special place in some hearts. The show isn’t new, it was off-off-Broadway (that’s actually a thing) back in the 90s. No one thought it would be “Broadway-worthy” because it’s a little on the edgy side. This is, however, the first Broadway production. The story follows a rock star who is the victim of a botched sex change. The musical has themes of not knowing one’s place in the world, true love, and epic rock ballads. This production stars Neil Patrick Harris in all-out drag. I nominate this for Best New Musical.
Cabaret, another one of my personal favorites, has been revived on Broadway. This eerie show follows several people living in Berlin on the brink of World War II. The show takes place in a sleazy cabaret known as the “Kit Kat Club.” It’s been on Broadway several times and gets better with every production. This production stars Michelle Williams (Dawson’s Creek, Shutter Island) and Alan Cumming. This is Cumming’s second time playing the role of the Emcee, and he looks better than ever. Cabaret is a fabulous musical that would be perfect for the CAT (cough cough, hint hint), and I nominate it for Best Revival of a Musical.
Other notable musicals from this season are “Aladdin,” “Violet,” “If/Then,” and “First Date.”
“Aladdin” is your standard Disney musical: big cast, bright lights, and huge sets. The music is good, and the movie will always be one of my favorite Disney classics, but we’ve seen Disney in too much lately.
“Violet” is new on Broadway and shows potential, the show follows the story of a girl riding a Greyhound bus in the 1960s. The show has not yet let out many details, but will begin previews soon.
“If/Then” is being hailed as the new “Next to Normal” and follows the story of a woman’s quest to start a fresh life in New York City. Reviews have said the show has potential but is a bit confusing due to the fact it follows two story lines. The show stars the one and only Adele Dazeem, you know, the one who sings ‘Let it Go.’
“First Date” was a short lived, charming musical that came and went earlier in the year. The production looked great, but did not last very long. It followed the story of two people who were set up on a blind date. The music was fun and the production was light, reviewers said that the show was a bit too simple for Broadway.
All in all, it’s been a big year for Broadway. Not as epic as last year, but still big. I can’t wait to see what this year’s Tony Awards have in store.