Our 2018 Tony Predictions: Technical Categories
About a month from now, Broadway will descend on Radio City Musical Hall for the 2018 Tony Awards. While this year doesn't feature the crossover hits such as Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen, it should still be an exciting evening with many of the award categories without a clear front-runner.
So who is going to take home a trophy? Who really deserves it? And who should have been invited to the big night and wasn't? Here are our picks for the technical categories.
Sound Design in a Musical
- Kai Harada, “The Band’s Visit”
- Peter Hylenski, “Once on This Island”
- Scott Lehrer, “Carousel”
- Brian Ronan, “Mean Girls”
- Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Will Win: Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Should Win: Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Missing from the Category: Peter Hylenski - "Frozen"
Technically Hylenski isn't missing from this category, since he's nominated for his work on "Once on this Island" but given his excellent work on "Frozen", we thought he should have been nominated for that instead. With the absence of "Frozen" from many of the technical categories, we do expect that this will be one of the multiple wins for "Spongebob".
Sound Design in a Play
- Adam Cork, “Travesties”
- Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Angels in America”
- Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
- Tom Gibbons, “1984”
- Dan Moses Schreier, “The Iceman Cometh”
Will Win: Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Should Win: Tom Gibbons, “1984”
We are thrilled that Sound Design is back as a Tony Category because the choices were particularly strong this year, especially with plays. With the choices above, we could easily three people taking home the award, but Fry gets our pick. However, Gibbons should be recognized for his chilling work on "1984." While we don't think there is someone missing from the category, we certainly expected Obadiah Eaves' work on Saint Joan would be included.
Best Orchestrations
- John Clancy, “Mean Girls”
- Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
- AnnMarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin, “Once on This Island”
- Jamshied Sharifi, “The Band’s Visit”
- Jonathan Tunick, “Carousel”
Will Win: Jonathan Tunick, “Carousel”
Should Win: Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
We don't see "Carousel" hearing their name called a lot on June 10th, but it's likely this will be one of them. Tunick's work enhancing an already brilliant score has been noteworthy. Although Kitt's achievement in the blending of all the music "Spongebob" features, deserves an award as well.
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
- Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
- Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Once on This Island”
- Donald Holder, “My Fair Lady”
- Brian MacDevitt, “Carousel”
- Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”
Will Win: Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Should Win: Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
Missing from the Category: Natasha Katz - "Frozen"
We don't see any reason why Adams will be looked over for this award. From a technical design aspect, nothing has been better than what "Spongebob" has been this year. While she has six Tonys along with fourteen nominations, Katz definitely deserved to be included, as well as Kenneth Posner for "Mean Girls".
Best Lighting Design of a Play
- Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
- Paule Constable, “Angels in America”
- Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “The Iceman Cometh”
- Paul Russell, “Farinelli and the King”
- Ben Stanton, “Junk”
Will Win: Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Should Win: Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Missing from Category: Natasha Chivers - 1984
While Constable's work was excellent, alng with Stanton, we don't see a pathway past the technical wonder that is Harry Potter. With all due respect to Paul Russell, the fact that he's on this list and not Natasha Chivers for her work on 1984 is a mistake.
Best Costume Design of a Musical
- Gregg Barnes, “Mean Girls”
- Clint Ramos, “Once on This Island”
- Ann Roth, “Carousel”
- David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”
- Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”
Will Win: Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”
Should Win: Clint Ramos, “Once on This Island”
Zuber is a legend in the field and we expect her to win her seventh Tony Award for the incredible work she did on "My Fair Lady". Having said that, Ramos' work on "Once on this Island" is revelatory and deserves a trophy in its own right. We wouldn't be surprised if either took home the award.
Best Costume Design of a Play
- Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and the King”
- Nicky Gillibrand, “Angels in America”
- Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
- Ann Roth, “Three Tall Women”
- Ann Roth, “The Iceman Cometh”
Will Win: Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
Should Win: Ann Roth, “Three Tall Women”
Missing from the Category: Constance Hoffman - M Butterfly
The Harry Potter dominance train will continue with Lindsay taking home the prize but Roth's double nominations and excellent work in "Three Tall Women" shouldn't be overlooked. It's a shame "M Butterfly" was received so poorly and closed so early because Hoffman's work was deserving of recognition.