Blame the coronavirus for this year’s drastically reduced roster of eligible Tony Award nominees, and Tony nominators for overlooking at least a few possibilities. Even with only 18 Broadway productions in the running for a 2020 award, feelings were bound to be hurt.
Let’s start with the good news: The list of nominees for the 74th Annual Tony Awards is a solid one, with no noticeable contenders – at least to my eye – sneaking in due to the decreased competition. Good luck to voters parsing their choices for one castmate over another – Sea Wall/A Life‘s Jake Gyllenhaal or Tom Sturridge? Slave Play‘s Ato Blankson-Wood or James Cusati-Moyer, and Chalia La Tour or Annie McNamara? Jagged Little Pill‘s Kathryn Gallagher, Celia Rose Gooding or Lauren Patten?
Of course we’ll never know how the list would be different if Six, West Side Story...
Let’s start with the good news: The list of nominees for the 74th Annual Tony Awards is a solid one, with no noticeable contenders – at least to my eye – sneaking in due to the decreased competition. Good luck to voters parsing their choices for one castmate over another – Sea Wall/A Life‘s Jake Gyllenhaal or Tom Sturridge? Slave Play‘s Ato Blankson-Wood or James Cusati-Moyer, and Chalia La Tour or Annie McNamara? Jagged Little Pill‘s Kathryn Gallagher, Celia Rose Gooding or Lauren Patten?
Of course we’ll never know how the list would be different if Six, West Side Story...
- 10/15/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The nominations for the 2020 Tony Awards announced on October 15 honor the best of the shortened Broadway season. Plenty of theatre artists had much to celebrate as James Monroe Iglehart reeled off the roster of nominees. But while expected names like Adrienne Warren (“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”) and Tom Hiddleston (“Betrayal”) were cited, the results also provided several jaw-dropping surprises and snubs.
Below, the top 5 most shocking moments from the Tony nominations announcement.
Discuss the Tony nominations with Broadway insiders in our notorious forums
The Lightning Thief gets zapped
Tony nominators issued a strong rebuke of “The Lightning Thief,” which failed to earn a single nomination. Pundits were worried that this would happen. The Broadway outing earned a chilly critical reception, especially compared to the original intimate Off-Broadway staging, and the show is squarely aimed at teens. Still, the failure to nominate Ryan Knowles, who gave the funniest musical performance of the year,...
Below, the top 5 most shocking moments from the Tony nominations announcement.
Discuss the Tony nominations with Broadway insiders in our notorious forums
The Lightning Thief gets zapped
Tony nominators issued a strong rebuke of “The Lightning Thief,” which failed to earn a single nomination. Pundits were worried that this would happen. The Broadway outing earned a chilly critical reception, especially compared to the original intimate Off-Broadway staging, and the show is squarely aimed at teens. Still, the failure to nominate Ryan Knowles, who gave the funniest musical performance of the year,...
- 10/15/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
With the 2020 Tony Awards delayed by the global pandemic, it’s been months since nominators have seen this season’s contenders. So here’s a last minute Tonys wish list. A reminder of outstanding performances that deserve to be recognized when nominations are unveiled on Thursday October 15. Let’s cross our fingers for these underdogs.
Featured Actor in a Musical: Ryan Knowles, “The Lightning Thief”
“The Lightning Thief” is squarely aimed at young theatergoers, and in that realm it greatly succeeds. The teens sitting around me in the audience had an absolute blast cheering on the heroes of this musical. Thankfully, Ryan Knowles burst onto the stage as a multitude of characters to provide humor for the adults in the room. I guffawed as he swished across the moody underworld as a pitch perfect Paul Lynde impression escaped his mouth. I doubt any of the kids knew of Lynde, or...
Featured Actor in a Musical: Ryan Knowles, “The Lightning Thief”
“The Lightning Thief” is squarely aimed at young theatergoers, and in that realm it greatly succeeds. The teens sitting around me in the audience had an absolute blast cheering on the heroes of this musical. Thankfully, Ryan Knowles burst onto the stage as a multitude of characters to provide humor for the adults in the room. I guffawed as he swished across the moody underworld as a pitch perfect Paul Lynde impression escaped his mouth. I doubt any of the kids knew of Lynde, or...
- 10/14/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
With the 2020 Tony Awards going virtual this fall, all eyes are on the prospective nominees. Just four musicals were able to open before the newly announced February eligibility cutoff, so these tuners could wind up with massive nomination tallies. In order to help you sift through the possible outcomes before nominations are announced, I’ve offered my best insights to each of the musical categories below.
See 2020 Tony Awards: Every eligible contender from the shortened 2019-2020 Broadway season
Best Musical
With four eligible musicals there will only be three nomination slots in the top category this year. “Moulin Rouge!” is a big fat hit, and its sumptuous escapism makes it the frontrunner for now. “Jagged Little Pill” will make the cut for its heart. “Tina: The Tina Turner” musical should find a spot as a pure crowd pleaser. That leaves “The Lightning Thief” as the one tuner left behind. The...
See 2020 Tony Awards: Every eligible contender from the shortened 2019-2020 Broadway season
Best Musical
With four eligible musicals there will only be three nomination slots in the top category this year. “Moulin Rouge!” is a big fat hit, and its sumptuous escapism makes it the frontrunner for now. “Jagged Little Pill” will make the cut for its heart. “Tina: The Tina Turner” musical should find a spot as a pure crowd pleaser. That leaves “The Lightning Thief” as the one tuner left behind. The...
- 10/13/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Good News: The 2020 Tony Awards will be held virtually this fall, giving the shuttered Broadway industry a desperately needed shot of good will. Bad news: Only four new musicals opened before the new eligibility cut off date of February 19, 2019. The limited number of contenders has industry insiders scratching their heads as to what the musical categories will look like.
The four new musicals competing for the coveted Best Musical prize are “Jagged Little Pill,” “The Lightning Thief,” “Moulin Rouge!,” and “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.” Under the usual Tony Awards rules for show categories, there can only be three nominees for categories with four or five eligible contenders. So one of these four musicals will be left in the dust unless there is a tie for third place.
See 2020 Tony Awards: Which 18 plays and musicals are eligible for the autumn ceremony?
A huge question mark hangs over the Lead Actor in a Musical category.
The four new musicals competing for the coveted Best Musical prize are “Jagged Little Pill,” “The Lightning Thief,” “Moulin Rouge!,” and “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.” Under the usual Tony Awards rules for show categories, there can only be three nominees for categories with four or five eligible contenders. So one of these four musicals will be left in the dust unless there is a tie for third place.
See 2020 Tony Awards: Which 18 plays and musicals are eligible for the autumn ceremony?
A huge question mark hangs over the Lead Actor in a Musical category.
- 8/30/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
If you’re confused as to who is actually able to compete for the newly announced virtual Tony Awards this fall, you’re not alone. The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced a new cut off date of February 19, 2020. That means that the 2019-2020 Broadway season was cut incredibly short.
Musical races are most heavily affected by the shortened season. “West Side Story” will have to wait until next year to compete as it opened after the February 19th eligibility cutoff date. Other scheduled revivals of “Caroline, or Change” and “Company” were postponed due to the Broadway shutdown. As such there will be no Revival of a Musical category this year. Other categories, like Best Musical and Director of a Musical, will likely see their number of nominees reduced to three due to a limited number of contenders.
Luckily, there are plenty of plays in contention since many of these non-musical outings premiere in the fall.
Musical races are most heavily affected by the shortened season. “West Side Story” will have to wait until next year to compete as it opened after the February 19th eligibility cutoff date. Other scheduled revivals of “Caroline, or Change” and “Company” were postponed due to the Broadway shutdown. As such there will be no Revival of a Musical category this year. Other categories, like Best Musical and Director of a Musical, will likely see their number of nominees reduced to three due to a limited number of contenders.
Luckily, there are plenty of plays in contention since many of these non-musical outings premiere in the fall.
- 8/29/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
The Tony Awards Administration Committee met for the second time during the 2019-2020 Broadway season to discuss eligibility of eleven productions for the 2020 American Theatre Wing’s 74th Annual Tony Awards.
The productions considered were: “The Great Society,” “Slave Play,” “Linda Vista,” “The Rose Tattoo,” “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical,” “The Sound Inside,” “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical,” “The Inheritance,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Jagged Little Pill” and “My Name is Lucy Barton.”
The following determinations were made:
David Weiner (lighting designer) and Victoria Sagady (projection designer) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Lighting Design of a Play category for their work on “The Great Society.”
Joaquina Kalukango will be considered eligible in the Lead Actress in a Play category for her performance in “Slave Play.”
Ian Barford will be considered eligible in the Lead Actor in a Play category for his performance in “Linda Vista.”
Marisa Tomei...
The productions considered were: “The Great Society,” “Slave Play,” “Linda Vista,” “The Rose Tattoo,” “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical,” “The Sound Inside,” “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical,” “The Inheritance,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Jagged Little Pill” and “My Name is Lucy Barton.”
The following determinations were made:
David Weiner (lighting designer) and Victoria Sagady (projection designer) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Lighting Design of a Play category for their work on “The Great Society.”
Joaquina Kalukango will be considered eligible in the Lead Actress in a Play category for her performance in “Slave Play.”
Ian Barford will be considered eligible in the Lead Actor in a Play category for his performance in “Linda Vista.”
Marisa Tomei...
- 1/31/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Last season, director Stephen Brackett and librettist Joe Tracz teamed up for the musical “Be More Chill,” which found much favor with the teenage demographic of Broadway theatergoers. Just two months after that show shuttered, Brackett and Tracz return to the Great White Way with another teen-oriented tuner, “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical,” which officially began its limited run at the Longacre Theatre on October 16.
Featuring a score by Broadway newcomer Rob Rokicki, “The Lightning Thief” hews closely to the popular young adult novel by Rick Riordan (which also inspired a movie franchise). Set present day, the musical follows the titular demigod Percy Jackson, played by Chris McCarrell, who attends Camp Half-Blood after he learns of his parentage to hone his skills and ward off the demons of Greek mythology.
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“The Lightning Thief” received mostly negative reviews from critics.
Featuring a score by Broadway newcomer Rob Rokicki, “The Lightning Thief” hews closely to the popular young adult novel by Rick Riordan (which also inspired a movie franchise). Set present day, the musical follows the titular demigod Percy Jackson, played by Chris McCarrell, who attends Camp Half-Blood after he learns of his parentage to hone his skills and ward off the demons of Greek mythology.
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“The Lightning Thief” received mostly negative reviews from critics.
- 10/17/2019
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
If Percy Jackson’s bright and lively Broadway adventure tosses a bit of deja vu your way, I’d guess the creeping sense of vague recall has little to do with that gang of Greek gods down the block belting out tunes from Hadestown, and even less to do with Percy’s plodding 2010 film. I’d smell a Squip.
Sharing some of its creative team with Broadway’s recent (and brighter and livelier) Be More Chill, the newly arrived The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, can seem like a warm-up for that musical. Both shows begin with their young, charmingly sheepish male protagonists introducing themselves in opening big-number songs that draw in the rest of the cast, both give...
Sharing some of its creative team with Broadway’s recent (and brighter and livelier) Be More Chill, the newly arrived The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, can seem like a warm-up for that musical. Both shows begin with their young, charmingly sheepish male protagonists introducing themselves in opening big-number songs that draw in the rest of the cast, both give...
- 10/17/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
A new Broadway season is gearing up, and there are currently three productions of musicals (all new) set to open this fall. Could we be seeing any of them contend at this year’s Tony Awards? Below, we recap the plot of each musical as well as the awards history of its author, cast, creative types, the opening, and (where applicable) closing dates.
“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” (previews begin October 12; opens November 7)
This jukebox/biomusical follows the life and career of legendary recording artist Tina Turner from her humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, through her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner, to her transformation into the global queen of rock ‘n’ roll.
With a book by Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins, this production is coming in from London’s West End where it received three Laurence Olivier Award nominations (including Best New Musical). The cast includes Tony nominee Adrienne Warren Daniel J. Watts,...
“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” (previews begin October 12; opens November 7)
This jukebox/biomusical follows the life and career of legendary recording artist Tina Turner from her humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, through her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner, to her transformation into the global queen of rock ‘n’ roll.
With a book by Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins, this production is coming in from London’s West End where it received three Laurence Olivier Award nominations (including Best New Musical). The cast includes Tony nominee Adrienne Warren Daniel J. Watts,...
- 9/26/2019
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
It's time to head to Camp Halfblood As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Percy, Annabeth, and all the demigods of The Lightning Thief The Percy Jackson Musical are heading to Broadway this fall To prepare you to bring on the monsters, we're getting to know the show's cast members. Get a peek at Chris McCarrell,Jorrel Javier, Kristin Stokes, and more with these videos...
- 8/20/2019
- by Linnae Medeiros
- BroadwayWorld.com
The full touring cast of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is going to Broadway, producers announced today. The young company – all but one of the 10 actors will be making their Broadway debuts – will be headed by Chris McCarrell in the title role.
McCarrell originated the role of Percy Jackson in the 2017 Off-Broadway production of Lightning Thief (he’s the one with the Broadway credit – he played Marius in Les Misérables in 2014).
In addition to McCarrell, the cast, announced today by producers TheaterWorksUSA and Martian Entertainment, are all coming off the recently wrapped 2019 tour. They are Izzy Figueroa, Jorrel Javier, Ryan Knowles, Sam Leicht, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, James Hayden Rodriguez, Jalynn Steele, T. Shyvonne Stewart, and Kristin Stokes. The cast plays a total of 47 characters.
As previously announced, The Lightning Thief begins previews Friday, September 20, at the Longacre Theatre, with an official opening of Wednesday, October 16. The holiday engagement...
McCarrell originated the role of Percy Jackson in the 2017 Off-Broadway production of Lightning Thief (he’s the one with the Broadway credit – he played Marius in Les Misérables in 2014).
In addition to McCarrell, the cast, announced today by producers TheaterWorksUSA and Martian Entertainment, are all coming off the recently wrapped 2019 tour. They are Izzy Figueroa, Jorrel Javier, Ryan Knowles, Sam Leicht, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, James Hayden Rodriguez, Jalynn Steele, T. Shyvonne Stewart, and Kristin Stokes. The cast plays a total of 47 characters.
As previously announced, The Lightning Thief begins previews Friday, September 20, at the Longacre Theatre, with an official opening of Wednesday, October 16. The holiday engagement...
- 8/19/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The cast of the national tour of The Lightning Thief The Percy Jackson Musical brought on the monsters during its June 25th performance as thedrama students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School join Chris McCarrell, Kristin Stokes, JorrelJavier, and morefor a special encore performanceat the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Check out the full video...
- 7/1/2019
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
The Lightning Thief The Percy Jackson Musical is the exciting musical adaptation that features a thrilling original rock score of the New York Timesbest-selling novel written by Rick Riordan is playing the Fisher Theatre from February 26th through March 9th in Detroit. The book series has sold more than 100 million copies of book series sold worldwide and the theatrical production had a sold-out run in New York City where it earned three Drama Desk Award nominations including Best Musical. As the son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can't control, monsters on his trail, and is on a quest to find Zeus' lightning bolt to prevent a war between the Greek gods. BroadwayWorld Detroit had a chance to speak with Chris McCarrell, who originated the role of Percy Jackson and is currently touring with the show as him, about why fans of the book will loveThe Lightning...
- 2/27/2019
- by Katie Laban
- BroadwayWorld.com
Percy Jackson has hit the road The National Tour of The Lightning Thief The Percy Jackson Musicalhas already visited cities across the country, and this March it returns to New York City for a six-performancerun at the Beacon Theatre. Below, we chat with the show's three stars, Kristin Stokes, Jorrel Javier, and Percy Jackson himself, Chris McCarrell. Watch as they talk about slaying monsters onstage, why their fanbase is so special, and so much more...
- 2/23/2019
- by Backstage With Richard Ridge
- BroadwayWorld.com
This week the Broadwaysted crew is thrilled to be welcoming back Chris McCarrell to talk all about the amazingThe Lightning Thiefnational tour We're pouring out Hudson Manhattan Rye, Montelobos Mezcal, and cider while Chris answers Bryan's mythology-themed 'Would You Rather' questions, dishes about his favorite book he never read, and shares his excitement for the national tour his first ever tour ofThe Lightning Thief.
- 1/30/2019
- by Broadwaysted
- BroadwayWorld.com
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