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That includes our very ownSara HoldrenandJackson McHenry.
Go ahead and call it the Phonys.
Mary Todd wins points for not trying.
The nominees includeThe Great Gatsby,Spamalot, andThe Wiz.
Sara:I believe inThe Great Gatsbyfor this category.
But I think its actually because theyre being eaten by the backgrounds.
Nothing is lifting up the human body.
Everything is competing with it.
IfGatsbys set looks like a simulator,The Wizs looks like a video-game loading screen.
Youre waiting for it to boot up so you might enter a level.
There are these beautiful moments in the choreography where they kick it toward the audience, creating clouds.
Jackson:For themostelements, the rain inThe Notebook.
Theres a lot of wet.
No, but its here anyway in shows such asThe Great Gatsby,The Outsiders, andLempicka.
The Bright Spot Award
In not-great productions, these performers outshine their surroundings.
Jackson:I would give it toMia Katigbak inUncle Vanyabecause shes just wonderful despite the show.
I do think the way that she does it is really impressive because she doesnt overplay it.
Shes not doing the tears and snot.
You know what I mean?
She can always fit herself into the world shes acting in.
The rest feel so, Hello, everyone!
And hes like, Im here to play a psychologically complex role.
),How to Dance in Ohio(duh), andDead Outlaw(Oklahoma but eventually California).
Sara:Illinoisereally is a show based entirely in the body.
Its got so much great movement and this kind of open-sky vastness.
Best Stage Drugs
For when part of your job is pretending to be high.
Nominees:Stereophonic(cocaine),Lempicka(opiates, etc.
),Tommy(acid)
Jackson: I mean,theStereophoniccoke bag.
How can you not?
The nominees:Merrily We Roll AlongandStereophonic.
Hes playing an artist who was the real-life father of futurism, historically shoehorned into the play.
Whereas Redmaynes Emcee is just a mess, wiggling his fingers.
Jackson:He totally tips his hand.
Its odd to watchCabaretand never feel like youre being seduced by the Emcee.
Redmaynes Emcee is just going, Welcome to Berlin, itsevil, and hopping around.
It seems un-thought-through and un-nuanced.
Abud is much more convincing.
A story based on Fleetwood Mac makingRumoursis material for great drama.
It is undeniably dated, and yet theres something thats still exciting there.
Theres something about both the Whos music and Ali Louis Bourzguis central performance as Tommy that weirdly holds up.
Lets talk about her work!
Sara:Its spectacular.
Watching that happening on stage was incredible, but so was seeing what happened backstage.
Sara:Its clearly his favorite moment in the entire show.
