Next month, when the 2024 Tony Awards for excellence in Broadway theater are handed out, hair and wig designer Nikiya Mathis will be honored with a Special Tony for her work on the acclaimed play Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Jocelyn Bioh’s seriocomic celebration of West African immigrant hair braiders in Harlem who create masterpieces atop the heads of the neighborhood woman.
Anyone who saw Mathis’ marvelous wig creations will understand immediately why she is one of three recipients this year of Special Tony Awards, non-competitive honors bestowed by Tony organizers for productions, artists and organizations who do not fall into any of the competitive categories.
But what many in the theater community don’t understand is why Mathis or any of her design colleagues in wig, hair and makeup can’t simply compete in a category devoted to their artistry and work. And some of those designers, along with...
Anyone who saw Mathis’ marvelous wig creations will understand immediately why she is one of three recipients this year of Special Tony Awards, non-competitive honors bestowed by Tony organizers for productions, artists and organizations who do not fall into any of the competitive categories.
But what many in the theater community don’t understand is why Mathis or any of her design colleagues in wig, hair and makeup can’t simply compete in a category devoted to their artistry and work. And some of those designers, along with...
- 5/20/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
In the final two months of the 2023-2024 Broadway season, seven new plays and play revivals join a slate of 15 total dramas eligible for the 77th Tony Awards. With so many buzzy revivals and new works set to begin performances in the few weeks before the Tony nominations are announced on April 30, our users have been busy updating their choices for the most likely nominees in seven of the 11 play categories. See below for a breakdown of how our official odds have changes in the top categories since our last predictions center update on March 12, according to the 800 users currently making their picks. Scroll to the bottom of the article for a tall of nominations by show in seven of the 11 play categories.
Up
“Prayer for the French Republic” — Although this critically-acclaimed production closed on Broadway on March 3, it has been gaining momentum in our predictions center. We had previously...
Up
“Prayer for the French Republic” — Although this critically-acclaimed production closed on Broadway on March 3, it has been gaining momentum in our predictions center. We had previously...
- 3/22/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
The Tony Awards Administration Committee met for the first time during the 2023-2024 Broadway season on November 30, to discuss eligibility of 10 productions for the 77th Annual Tony Awards in 2024.
The productions discussed were: “Grey House,” “Once Upon a One More Time,” “Here Lies Love,” “The Cottage,” “Back to the Future: The Musical,” “The Shark is Broken,” “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch,” “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Gutenberg! The Musical!”
See‘Here We Are’ reviews: Stephen Sondheim’s final musical is ‘enchanting,’ ‘compelling’ with ‘exceptional’ cast
The following determinations were made:
Briga Heelan and Justin Guarini will be considered eligible in the Lead Actress/Actor in a Musical categories for their respective performances in “Once Upon a One More Time.”
Anna Fleischle (scenic design) and Sven Ortel (projection design) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical...
The productions discussed were: “Grey House,” “Once Upon a One More Time,” “Here Lies Love,” “The Cottage,” “Back to the Future: The Musical,” “The Shark is Broken,” “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch,” “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Gutenberg! The Musical!”
See‘Here We Are’ reviews: Stephen Sondheim’s final musical is ‘enchanting,’ ‘compelling’ with ‘exceptional’ cast
The following determinations were made:
Briga Heelan and Justin Guarini will be considered eligible in the Lead Actress/Actor in a Musical categories for their respective performances in “Once Upon a One More Time.”
Anna Fleischle (scenic design) and Sven Ortel (projection design) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical...
- 12/1/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Daniel Radcliffe won’t be competing against his Merrily We Roll Along Broadway co-star Jonathan Groff for a Tony Award next June, and the reason has nothing to do with performance quality: The awards administration committee ruled today that Radcliffe will be eligible in the featured performer category, apparently leaving the lead category to Groff.
Lindsay Mendez, who plays Mary Flynn, the musical’s most prominent female character, will, like Radcliffe, who plays Charley Kringas, be eligible in the featured slot (the Tony’s equivalent to Oscar’s “supporting” categories).
While Groff’s character of Franklin Shepard has traditionally been considered the main character of the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical, this year’s hit Maria Friedman-directed revival included the three stars’ names above the title, leaving some wiggle room with regard to the category decisions.
Indeed, audience members might be hard-pressed to decide which actor goes where: While...
Lindsay Mendez, who plays Mary Flynn, the musical’s most prominent female character, will, like Radcliffe, who plays Charley Kringas, be eligible in the featured slot (the Tony’s equivalent to Oscar’s “supporting” categories).
While Groff’s character of Franklin Shepard has traditionally been considered the main character of the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical, this year’s hit Maria Friedman-directed revival included the three stars’ names above the title, leaving some wiggle room with regard to the category decisions.
Indeed, audience members might be hard-pressed to decide which actor goes where: While...
- 11/30/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
A stage musical adaptation of The Queen’s Gambit, Walter Tevis’ best-selling novel which became a hit series on Netflix, is in the works, with Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter Mitski attached to write the music & lyrics, playwright Eboni Booth (Primary Trust) writing the book and Obie Award-winner Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding) set to direct.
The project was announced today by producers Level Forward, Tony-winning Tina star Adrienne Warren, Lawryn Lacroix, and Tony Award-winning producer Mara Isaacs (Hadestown).
“Before Level Forward even brought the idea of making a musical of The Queen’s Gambit, I was a fan of the Netflix show, and an even greater fan of the original novel,” said Mitski in a statement. “So I was already determined to be a member of this team. And then I met Eboni and Whitney, and my determination grew tenfold!
The project was announced today by producers Level Forward, Tony-winning Tina star Adrienne Warren, Lawryn Lacroix, and Tony Award-winning producer Mara Isaacs (Hadestown).
“Before Level Forward even brought the idea of making a musical of The Queen’s Gambit, I was a fan of the Netflix show, and an even greater fan of the original novel,” said Mitski in a statement. “So I was already determined to be a member of this team. And then I met Eboni and Whitney, and my determination grew tenfold!
- 11/15/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadway box office held fairly steady heading into trick or treat season, with receipts for the week ending Oct. 29 at $26,480,578 (about 6% down from the previous week) and attendance at 218,581 (a slip of just 3%).
Staying strong was Merrily We Roll Along, enjoying another sell-out week, with the roster’s top average ticket price of $238.20 pushing the weekly gross to a new Hudson Theatre house record of $1,840,835.
Notable too was I Need That, the new Theresa Rebeck comedy starring Danny DeVito and daughter Lucy DeVito. At 94% of capacity at American Airlines Theatre, the non-profit Roundabout Theatre Co. production grossed $608,910 for seven previews. Opening night is Nov. 2.
Non-prof, subscriber-based Manhattan Theatre Club’s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding filled 99% of seats at the Friedman, grossing $351,235 with an average ticket of $68.95.
Other shows hitting the 99% (or above) capacity mark were Hamilton and The Lion King. Other shows...
Staying strong was Merrily We Roll Along, enjoying another sell-out week, with the roster’s top average ticket price of $238.20 pushing the weekly gross to a new Hudson Theatre house record of $1,840,835.
Notable too was I Need That, the new Theresa Rebeck comedy starring Danny DeVito and daughter Lucy DeVito. At 94% of capacity at American Airlines Theatre, the non-profit Roundabout Theatre Co. production grossed $608,910 for seven previews. Opening night is Nov. 2.
Non-prof, subscriber-based Manhattan Theatre Club’s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding filled 99% of seats at the Friedman, grossing $351,235 with an average ticket of $68.95.
Other shows hitting the 99% (or above) capacity mark were Hamilton and The Lion King. Other shows...
- 10/31/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony winner Kenny Leon will direct a new Broadway production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the fall of 2024, the first revival of the classic play since the 2002 production that starred Paul Newman as the stage manager.
The production dates, cast, and venue will be announced at a later date.
Leon’s many Broadway directing credits include Ohio State Murders, Topdog/Underdog, A Soldier’s Play, American Son and the current Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch starring Leslie Odom Jr. at The Music Box Theatre. He won the 2014 Tony for Best Direction for A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington, Sophie Okonedo, Latanya Richardson Jackson and Anika Noni Rose.
“Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in my mind stands at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre,” said Leon in a statement. “I feel blessed and fortunate to have gained the trust...
The production dates, cast, and venue will be announced at a later date.
Leon’s many Broadway directing credits include Ohio State Murders, Topdog/Underdog, A Soldier’s Play, American Son and the current Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch starring Leslie Odom Jr. at The Music Box Theatre. He won the 2014 Tony for Best Direction for A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington, Sophie Okonedo, Latanya Richardson Jackson and Anika Noni Rose.
“Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in my mind stands at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre,” said Leon in a statement. “I feel blessed and fortunate to have gained the trust...
- 10/27/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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