NYC Trip, Tonys, and Summer Plans

Well, well, well...long time no write! As you could probably guess, the end of the semester/beginning of the summer semester is a very busy time when one works in a Financial Aid office. Add in my star turn as Nancy in "Oliver!" *cue shameless plug* and you can probably understand why I haven't had much time to write. Oh, did I mention that I just got back from my first trip to New York City in 6 years? Because I did. And yes, darlings, it was simply fabulous.

Obviously, I spent my 4 days in the Big Apple wisely and took full advantage of the Great White Way. I saw five spectacular shows and will be posting my reviews as soon as I have the opportunity. I hope to write at least 2 reviews this weekend; we'll see how ambitious I get. I may even get in all five! Not to mention that I still have my notes from the production of "The Tempest" that I saw at Wichita Center for the Arts last month. Long story short, this blog will stop being a holding place and start becoming quite prolific in the upcoming weeks and months. In addition to the 6 shows I have already seen, there is also the entire 5 show season for Music Theatre of Wichita beginning next month as well as the production of "You Can't Take It With You" being co-directed by my best friend at Wichita Community Theatre in July.

Enough of the previews; anyone who knows me will probably know exactly what takes place next Sunday. It is the glorious evening known as the Tony Awards and I fully intend to be glued to my television. Well, probably not my television. Seeing as my parents have a wide screen high-definition television with surround sound and a kegarator, it's a good bet that I will commandeer their basement for the evening festivities. And who would blame me?

I have many fond memories of the Tony Awards through the years; how else is a girl growing up in Kansas going to see performances from her favorite shows? There was the year that I threw my hairbrush at the television and stormed down the hall after "Ragtime" lost the Best Musical award to "The Lion King." The year that The Producers won every Tony Award under the sun. The year that I spent the ceremony in a chat room commiserating when "Sweeney Todd" lost Best Revival to "The Pajama Game." And then last year when I was moved to tears by the ferocity of Patti LuPone...yes, many memories indeed.

With Neil Patrick Harris acting as host, this year promises to be a good time if nothing else. Plus there is the added benefit that I have actually seen 5 of the nominated shows this year with their original Tony-nominated casts. If that doesn't engender at least some level of excitement, I don't know what does. Being an award show junkie, I would be remiss if I didn't already have my ballot filled out and ready to gloat over. I am coming off a very successful year with my Oscar ballot (I won 4 movie passes, a $100 gift card to Target, and a subscription to Marie Claire from the Wichita Eagle for getting 11 out of 12 categories right) and I have a reputation to uphold.

So here, for all the interweb to behold, are Katie's Official Tony Award Predictions. For each category I have listed who I want to see win and who I feel will win. All things are subjective...I will check back in Sunday night and we will see how my winning streak is holding up.

Best Play
Will Win: God of Carnage
Should Win: reasons to be pretty

Best Musical
Will and Should Win: Billy Elliot

Best Book of a Musical
Will Win: Billy Elliot
Should Win: [title of show]

Best Score
Will and Should Win: Next to Normal

Best Play Revival
Will and Should Win: The Norman Conquests

Best Musical Revival
Will and Should Win: Hair

Best Special Theatrical Event
Will and Should Win: Liza's at The Palace

Best Actor (Play)
Will and Should Win: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King

Best Actress (Play)
Will Win: Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Should Win: Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart

Best Actor (Musical)
Will and Should Win: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish; Billy Elliot

Best Actress (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Alice Ripley, Next to Normal

Best Featured Actor (Play)
Will Win: Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Should Win: John Glover, Waiting for Godot

Best Featured Actress (Play)
Will Win: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Should Win: Marin Ireland, reasons to be pretty

Best Featured Actor (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot

Best Featured Actress (Musical)
Will Win: Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Should Win: Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal

Best Scenic Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King

Best Scenic Design (Musical)
Will Win: Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot
Should Win: Mark Wendland, Next to Normal

Best Costume Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King

Best Costume Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Tim Hatley, Shrek the Musical

Best Lighting Design (Play)
Will and Should Win: David Hersey, Equus

Best Lighting Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Kevin Adams, Next to Normal

Best Sound Design (Play)
Will Win: Gregory Clarke, Equus
Should Win: Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King

Best Sound Design (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot

Best Direction (Play)
Will and Should Win: Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

Best Direction (Musical)
Will and Should Win: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot

Best Choreography
Will and Should Win: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot

Best Orchestrations
Will and Should Win: Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal

So there you have it! And for anyone wondering how I make my predictions, I can promise you that it is far from scientific. It's a combination of reviews/predictions from The New York Times, BroadwayWorld.com, Entertainment Weekly, talking to friends in the theatre, and a dash of good old fashioned gut instinct and prejudice.

Well darlings, the students are waiting and I must away. Stay glued to your monitors for my forthcoming reviews! First up: "Exit the King."

~Katie