Tony Talk: Plays ‘Oh, Mary!’ and ‘The Hills of California,’ actor Kit Connor are on track for nominations
Welcome to Tony Talk, a column in which Gold Derby contributors Sam Eckmann and David Buchanan offer Tony Awards analysis. With only three months to go until the 2025 nominations are announced, we’ve reconvened for a retrospective on the plays from the first half of the Broadway season, during which a total of 14 new works and revivals have premiered of the anticipated 21 total that will be eligible.
SIGN UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
David Buchanan: Hi Sam! Last time we spoke, we talked about the embarrassment of riches of Broadway musicals and revivals that opened in recent months — from new works like Maybe Happy Ending to revivals Gypsy and Sunset Blvd. — and I feel like that’s equally if not more true for the plays from the fall. Although there are many more to come in March and April, we’ve already had blockbuster hits like Oh, Mary! and the Broadway debuts of Hollywood stars Robert Downey Jr. and Kit Connor. What were the brand new productions that most stood out to you which you think will be remembered as nominees come May?
More from GoldDerby
Sam Eckmann: The other day I realized that we have already seen the majority of plays that will premiere this season, so we have an excellent outlook on these races even at this early stage. Of course, we can’t talk about the Best Play race without discussing Oh, Mary! When I saw this show downtown at the Lucille Lortel, never in a million years did I imagine it would enjoy such a successful run on Broadway. I think the production’s ability to defy expectations is its secret weapon. It’s uber-gay camp at the highest level, it’s blasphemous and outrageous, and somehow even your quiet aunt from Ohio is very much on board with it. If it only enjoyed a limited run, perhaps more “important” fare from the spring would steal its spotlight, but Oh, Mary! has remained the event of the season. I can see one potential stumbling block on the way to claiming the Tony if voters feel that the show is mostly special because of Cole Escola‘s unhinged performance as Mary Todd Lincoln, rather than the script itself. Playwrights accept the Best Play trophy alongside producers, and it’s good to remember that voters have chosen more “writerly” scripts as recent winners. That element could pave the way for something like Jez Butterworth‘s magnificent The Hills of California to ultimately snatch the crown. I know you’re quite the fan of that one, so I’m sure that outcome would make you happy!
David Buchanan: You’re right, I absolutely adored The Hills of California and I think it would make a terrific Best Play winner. But there’s no question that Oh, Mary! has riveted Broadway in a way that doesn’t happen very often, especially for a play. It doesn’t hurt the latter’s case that it will still be running in June, so Tony voters will have the chance to (re)visit it right before or while they’re voting, whereas Hills of California and other shows, like Pulitzer Prize-winning English, will have closed by then. Back to Butterworth’s play, what made it so spectacular to me was just how profoundly evocative its plot and all of its elements were: an engrossing family drama draped in an eerie, uncanny setting with breathtakingly spectacular production design and brilliant performances. Despite its three-hour run time, I could have sat there for three more hours to see how this quartet of discontented sisters would continue to get along, or not, and process their family trauma. I think these three shows we’ve mentioned so far are out front for nominations, but what about shows like Job and Cult of Love? Are there others you think are in the conversation, but perhaps on shakier ground?
Sam Eckmann: I loved the way Job pulled the rug out from the audience at the end with perhaps the most shocking twist I’ve ever experienced in a play. But I’m nervous that its summer run means that the thrill of the epic twist will fade from nominators’ minds by voting time. Cult of Love likely stands a better shot at a nomination. Leslye Headland crafted a family dynamic that was instantly recognizable to many in the audience, and a stacked cast helped sell all the uncomfortable squabbling. Whether or not Job and Cult of Love make the final lineup likely relies on the quality of the spring plays. Stranger Things: The First Shadow has the potential to be the popular effects-heavy juggernaut that plows through the Tonys in the same vein as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Sarah Snook will deliver her acclaimed one-woman version of The Picture of Dorian Gray, which has already won over British audiences and nabbed the Succession star the Olivier Award. George Clooney will make his Broadway debut in a stage adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck. Then, there’s Branden Jacobs-Jenkins‘ new work Purpose, which features Kara Young and Harry Lennix. Jacobs-Jenkins is enjoying a sweet spot in his career after becoming a Pulitzer Prize finalist and winning a Tony for last season’s Appropriate. So there’s a great deal of anticipation within the industry for his latest work. Regardless of how any of these spring debuts turn out, I do think the recently opened English will be able to secure a nomination despite a winter limited run. Playwright Sanaz Toossi has already won the Pulitzer for this script, which is often good enough to at least bag a Best Play nomination. But what will really seal the deal for this play is the author’s tender depiction of the internal culture struggle that lives inside those learning a second language, especially at a political moment where immigration will be at the forefront of voters’ minds. All the actors in English will be vying for the featured categories at the Tonys. But is there any performer who you feel is a shoe in for one of the lead acting races so far?
David Buchanan: Aside from Cole Escola, I’ll mention two performers who I think should absolutely land nominations. The first is Laura Donnelly for Hills of California, who truly performs a magic trick in that show. In the first two acts, we come to know her as this fiercely determined mother and seaside innkeeper training her four young daughters to be a performing quartet à la the Andrews Sisters, only to fail her eldest in a spectacular manner; I’ll never forget the look on Donnelly’s face at the end of Act 1 when she realizes the gravity of what she’s let happen. But come Act 3, she transforms into that very daughter when the siblings reunite decades later, and it is such a convincing evolution into this aloof, faded California rock star that many folks in the audience didn’t even realize that the two characters were played by the same actress. I also have to single out Kit Connor for Romeo + Juliet. I know we haven’t debated play revivals yet, but to me, Connor was far and away the standout of that Sam Gold production. He has that rare ability to make Shakespeare’s language sound as gloriously as it reads on the page, and there were few moments this fall as joyous and infectious as watching his ebullience during the balcony scene opposite Rachel Zegler, a scene which not only played to his strengths as an actor, but also the unique space of the Circle in the Square Theatre. What performers who we’ve seen do you think are ahead of the pack in the lead categories?
Sam Eckmann: Laura Donnelly is a superstar. Her role is such a perfect actor showcase, that I genuinely believe she can take home the award even though her show will have been closed for months. It’s a rare feat, but Kara Young just pulled it off last season. And there will be voters who can’t resist rewarding her for creating those totally opposite dual roles. I also believe that both Mia Farrow and Patti LuPone will join Donnelly in the lead actress race for their dynamite performances in The Roommate. Farrow perfectly charted a tricky character arc and made the audience fall in love with her quirky widow. A highly emotional phone call near the end of the show brought the whole house to tears and cemented a nomination for the acting icon. Then LuPone had the opportunity to play against her usual type, embodying a free-spirit individual who was a captivating bag of contradictions and mysteries. I agree with you about Kit Connor: Shakespeare’s language feels effortless as it leaves the young star’s mouth. There were quite divisive takes on that revival of Romeo + Juliet, but even the haters agreed that the Heartstopper star was an absolute delight. Speaking of revivals, Jim Parsons could manage a nomination for a heartfelt interpretation of the stage manager role in Our Town. The stage manager is the last image audiences have in their heads as they exit the theater, thanks to his final monologue. And though I know the lead actor race will become more crowded this spring, I still can’t count out Daniel Dae Kim, who clearly had an absolute ball playing a fictionalized version of playwright David Henry Hwang in Yellow Face. Now can these men from fall revivals fend off the incoming star wattage of George Clooney, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Denzel Washington this spring? That’s the big question. We’ve mentioned so many revivals but have yet to talk about that race! Do you think we’ve already seen the eventual winner there?
SEE Will Robert Downey Jr. earn a 2025 Tony nomination for ‘McNeal’ following 2024 Emmy and Oscar wins?
David Buchanan: I’m so glad you mentioned Farrow and LuPone. While I don’t think there’s room for the show itself in Best Play, I would love to see them nominated. If I had to pick only one who I think will ultimately be remembered, I would bet on Farrow. It was such fun watching her character “break bad” under the influence of LuPone’s, and she does have that emotional wallop at the end, as you’ve said. As for Best Revival, I’m not quite sure we’ve seen the winner yet, but we have seen some solid productions. Our Town and Yellow Face are both solidly in the conversation for nominations, and it seems likely that Eureka Day could break through there, too, after it was (somewhat) surprisingly deemed a revival. To your point about Romeo + Juliet, I think it ultimately misses out on the top category. The exceptionally youthful aesthetic of that production may not sit well with the demographic of the Tony nominators, not to mention that many of Tony-winning director Sam Gold‘s productions are divisive. Speaking of Shakespeare, I’m most anticipating Othello from the crop of shows still to come. Washington in the title role promises to be a rare theatrical experience, and after seeing Gyllenhaal in Stephen Sondheim‘s Sunday in the Park With George, I’m a fan for life. It’ll be interesting to see if Kieran Culkin will parlay his recent Emmy win and likely Oscar victory into a Tony nomination for Glengarry Glen Ross, too. Recent controversies of playwright David Mamet‘s own making didn’t stop his American Buffalo from getting nominated three years ago, after all, and this cast has even more star-wattage with Bill Burr, Bob Odenkirk, and Michael McKean joining Culkin. The Real Pain star’s role as Richard Roma has nabbed two featured actor Tonys already for Joe Mantegna and Liev Schreiber, so he could be the third.
Sam Eckmann: Yes, Culkin could easily complete the acting triple crown this year, assuming nothing goes wrong with his Oscar bid for A Real Pain. I do think both Glengarry Glen Ross and Othello have the potential to turn into true theatrical events this spring, which could give them an edge in the revival race. If we assume that those two productions live up to the high potential of their A-List casts and creative teams, figuring out which shows join them gets tough considering there will only be enough eligible candidates for the Best Revival of a Play category to yield four nominees. Eureka Day should be able to stay competitive here considering it explores the timely topic of vaccinations in a humorous and accessible manner. Another feather in its cap: unlike the other contenders, playwright Jonathan Spector will appear on the ballot since Eureka Day is one of those quirky productions eligible in the revival category despite making its Broadway debut. This air of newness could help the play stand out among the nominees. Though, I will point out that Othello hasn’t been seen on Broadway since the 1982 revival starring Christopher Plummer. So ironically, this Shakespeare script could also feel fresh for many voters. It’s too soon to tell if that novel feeling will propel Eureka Day or Othello to the win, or if the stacked cast for Glengarry Glenn Ross will turn it into an unstoppable force at the Tonys.
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
