This season did not feature a talk-of-the-town starmaking performance like those of Cynthia Erivo in “The Color Purple” or Ben Platt in “Dear Evan Hansen” in recent seasons. But the nominators gave nods to performers well known from television and film, including Bryan Cranston, as a decompensating television anchor in “Network”; Annette Bening, as the determined mother trying to hold a troubled family together in “All My Sons”; Adam Driver, as the wild-eyed suitor of his recently deceased brother’s roommate in “Burn This”; and Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”Laurie Metcalf will be up for her third Tony in three years for her fierce-yet-fragile performance as Hillary Clinton in “Hillary and Clinton.” Also noteworthy: Elaine May, 86, the beloved comedian and director, was nominated for portraying a woman losing her memory in “The Waverly Gallery” — her first time appearing on Broadway in 50 years. Many of the acting categories appear to be hotly contested — the featured performances were especially strong this season — so watch for a lot of campaigning, Tonys-style, over the next few weeks. The nominees will be showing up for gala dinners and fancy luncheons and giving a lot of interviews as they try to remind voters of their charm and skill.

Source: New York Times April 30, 2019 09:40 UTC