By Savanna New

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this year’s Tony Awards is the fact that the silver Tony statuette has actually increased in both height and weight for the first time in four decades.  Unfortunately, the trophy’s new and improved physique can’t compensate for a Broadway season that was decidedly dull, featuring no new hit shows and little for the average theatregoer to get excited about.  The ceremony this Sunday night – hosted by Promises, Promises star Sean Hayes (who is, of course, best known for his role as Jack on Will & Grace) – should still prove entertaining, however, as a star-studded host of exciting presenters and performances await us.  But will Glee cast members and Green Day be enough to increase a viewership that has always been at the bottom of the awards shows barrel?

Unlike film and television, it is difficult to remain abreast of what is going on in the theatre community unless you work in the industry or live in New York. In an effort to make the Tony Awards a bit more accessible for those that might not be as inclined to watch, I have written a two-part Tony Awards preview and broken down the “Big Four” categories – Best Play, Best Musical, Best Revival of a Play, and Best Revival of a Musical – and briefly detailed each of the nominated shows.

First up are the musicals! Stay tuned for my second installment on the plays.

Best Musical

American Idiot: Although many would consider it an upset, if Green Day’s American Idiot is the next Spring Awakening (as many are calling it), wouldn’t it seem appropriate for it to follow in its predecessor’s footsteps and win Best Musical?  Like Spring Awakening, which won the award in 2007, American Idiot is a daring, experimental rock musical featuring some of the same original cast as well as the same director: the talented Michael Mayer, who also won for Best Direction in 2007 and was nominated in 2002 for his work on Thoroughly Modern Millie. Surprisingly, Mayer is not nominated for Best Direction this year, which could be a hint that American Idiot is not the one to beat here. Idiot is also nominated for Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design but probably only stands a chance to win the latter.

Summary: American Idiot could surprise everyone and win Best Musical and might win Best Lighting Design of a Musical.

Fela!: Although Fela! is a shoo-in for Best Choreography (thanks to Bill T. Jones, who won for his choreography in Spring Awakening in 2007), I’m not sure if it will win Best Musical.  It’s considered a frontrunner, though, along with Memphis, and is nominated in ten other categories. Fela! is based on the life of Nigerian composer and human rights activist Fela Kuti, who wrote the inspiring Afrobeat score that supports this high-energy, thought-provoking musical.  In addition to Best Musical, Fela! could certainly win for Best Direction of a Musical (Bill T. Jones) and Sahr Ngaujah could very well bring home the statuette for Best Leading Actor for his role as the title character.  Look for Fela! to also take home awards for Marina Draghici’s costumes and scenic design (the Off-Broadway production won Lucille Lortel Awards in both of these categories).

Summary: One of two frontrunners for Best Musical, Fela! will likely win Best Direction of a Musical, Best Leading Actor in a Musical, and Best Costume Design of a Musical.  Fela! could also bring home Best Scenic Design of a Musical.

Memphis: Memphis, slightly trailing Fela! in nominations, also has a great shot at Best Musical this year.  Set in the 1950s, Memphis tells the story of Huey Calhoun, a white disc jockey who falls in love with a black singer, Felicia Farrell, and makes the controversial decision to bring African-American rock and roll music out of the segregated clubs and onto mainstream radio.  Memphis should easily claim the prize for Best Original Score (music by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan) and Best Book of a Musical (Joe DiPietro), as it is really the only traditional “book musical” up for the award.

Summary: If Fela! doesn’t win Best Musical, Memphis probably will.  Memphis should win Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical.

Million Dollar Quartet: Where else can you see Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins – or at least their likenesses – all on the same stage?  Million Dollar Quartet transports us back in time to December 4, 1956, when those four performers met for a jam session at a recording studio in Memphis.  The show is what is referred to as a “jukebox musical” and features music from the quartet’s collective oeuvre, from “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Blue Suede Shoes” to “Great Balls of Fire” and “Hound Dog.”  Million Dollar Quartet won’t win Best Musical (or Best Book of a Musical), but it’s possible that Levi Kreis could win for his dead-on portrayal of Jerry Lee Lewis.

Summary: Million Dollar Quartet likely won’t bring home a Tony unless Levi Kreis pulls one in for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.

Best Revival of a Musical

Finian’s Rainbow: This is not the first time that Finian’s Rainbow has been revived on Broadway.  Originally opening in 1947, it reappeared briefly in 1955 and was also revived in 1960 and 1967.  A spirited comedy imbued with a hint of political satire, Finian’s Rainbow follows the life of Irish immigrant Finian McLonergan as he settles into Rainbow Valley in the fictional state of Missitucky.  His mission?  Plant a pot of gold he has stolen from a leprechaun, believing it will grow.  Finian’s has a fun and at times very beautiful score with Irish, jazz, and gospel influences.  Sadly, the luck of the Irish was not on its side this time around, and the Rainbow faded after a mere 15 weeks due to slumping ticket sales.

Summary: Despite its three nominations – Best Revival, Best Leading Actress, and Best Featured Actor – Finian’s Rainbow will not bring home any awards.

La Cage aux Folles: The revival of La Cage aux Folles has been hugely successful and will almost definitely win Best Revival of a Musical.  Based on the 1973 French play (which inspired the 1978 French film), La Cage aux Folles originally appeared on Broadway in 1983.  With a score by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein, La Cage aux Folles is a brilliant farce of a comedy that tells – as the show’s website perfectly summarizes – “a tuneful and touching tale of one family’s struggle to stay together…stay fabulous…and above all else, stay true to themselves.”  In addition to Best Revival, La Cage will also likely see wins by Kelsey Grammer for his performance as Georges, and Robin De Jesús for his turn as the “maid,” Jacob.

Summary: La Cage aux Folles will win Best Revival of a Musical and cast members Kelsey Grammer and Robin De Jesús will probably bring home the awards for Best Performance by a Leading Actor and Featured Actor in a Musical, respectively.

A Little Night Music: Surprisingly, this is the first revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, which originally opened on Broadway in 1973. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s film Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music is a peek into the intertwined romantic lives of two families. Many have criticized the show’s minimalist sets and weak 8-piece orchestra, but I wouldn’t rule it out as being a possible winner in this category. I would love to see Angela Lansbury (who is nothing less than perfection as Madame Armfeldt) pick up an award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, but with five statuettes at home already (and one of these won as recently as last year), that might be overkill. Although Catherine Zeta-Jones is exquisite as Desiree Armfelt and certainly deserved the nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, I believe (and hope) the award will go to Christiane Noll for Ragtime.

Summary: A Little Night Music likely won’t win Best Revival over frontrunner La Cage aux Folles, but Angela Lansbury may add to her stash and bring home the award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.

Ragtime: If it were up to me, Ragtime would win all of the awards for which it is nominated, including Best Revival of a Musical.  Based on E.L. Doctrow’s novel of the same name, Ragtime follows the lives of several characters from three very different worlds in turn-of-the-century America: the mother of a white, upper-class family from New Rochelle, a Jewish immigrant traveling with his young daughter, and an African-American musician living in Harlem.  The original production of Ragtime premiered on Broadway in 1998 to critical and popular praise and ran for two years.  The revival wasn’t as commercially successful, closing a mere two months after its official opening despite a tidal wave of online petitions.  The ever-lovely Christiane Noll will undoubtedly win Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role as Mother, and I think that Bobby Steggert has a good chance at taking home the award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.  He was captivating as Mother’s Younger Brother and brought a beautiful subtlety to the role that really made him stand out.  I would also like to see Ragtime win Best Scenic Design; I was absolutely blown away by the show’s skeleton of a set, constructed of multiple levels of bare platforms that brought the show’s rich, emotional story to the forefront.

Summary: I think that Christiane Noll will win Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a musical.  Bobby Steggert should win Best Featured Actor (but probably won’t) and the show could get the award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical.

Savanna New is an associate editor at Picktainment. Email her at savanna@picktainment.com.