Hamilton is gearing up to have an epic Tony Awards this Sunday.
The Broadway phenomenon will likely win between 10 and 12 of the record-breaking 16 nominations it has received at Broadway’s equivalent of the Oscars being held at Manhattan’s Beacon Theater.
‘Sure thing’ wins include Best Musical, Featured Actor in a Musical (Daveed Digs) and Featured Actress in a Musical (Renee Elise Goldsberry) and Best Score for creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda.
But Miranda faces a close three-horse race in the Best Lead Actor in a Musical category where he is up against fellow cast member Leslie Odom. Jr., who plays Aaron Burr, and Danny Burstein, nominated for his performance as Jewish milkman Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.
Odom Jr. is the narrow favorite to win, yet the two Hamiltonians could end up splitting the vote, which would mean Burstein walking away with the award.
Odom Jr. told Heat Street the key to Hamilton’s Tony mindset is not getting too competitive: “The vibe is there’s more than enough to go around. The vibe is generosity. That’s at the heart of our show and it has connected with people since the beginning. That’s the vibe with the Tonys as well.”
He added of Miranda: “Lin sets the tone so the spirit of generosity comes from him. It’s top-down.”
Best Lead Actress in a Musical is likely to go to Cynthia Erivo for The Color Purple rather than Hamilton‘s Phillipa Soo. Should Soo win though, Hamilton will likely eclipse The Producer’s record 12 Tony wins in 2001.
TOMORROW: The ladies of @HamiltonMusical @Phillipasoo, @reneeelisegolds and @JasCephasJones ahead of #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/mL39krRY9G
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) June 7, 2016
In two of the tightest Tony Award races, Hamilton’s choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler is likely to prevail over Savion Glover, nominated for Shuffle Along, but David Rockwell, set designer of She Loves Me, could end up beating Hamilton‘s David Korins for Best Scenic Design of a Musical.
Hamilton director Tommy Kail joked of his approach to the Tony Awards :”The cast are so much more stylish and cooler than me that my Tony strategy has been to try not to embarrass them.”
The Hamilton team will celebrate their Tony haul at Manhattan restaurant Tavern on the Green (good luck crashing that venue).
Sunday’s Tonys will be presented by James Corden, host ofThe Late Late Show (CBS will also broadcast the event).
In a 2012 Tony Award shock, Corden beat acting greats Philip Seymour Hoffman, James Earl Jones, Frank Langella and John Lithgow to win Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in One Man Two Guvnors.
Hoffman, whom Corden considered the “finest actor alive,” walked out of the awards ceremony at the Beacon Theater as soon as he heard he had not won for his performance in Death of a Salesman.
Now Corden is hosting the awards at the Beacon, and Hoffman is no longer with us. That’s showbiz.
