Tony Awards: Unusual productions are leading contenders
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
Nominees at the Tony Awards, which will be held on June 7, include classic musicals and revivals but also include some unusual contenders that show different can flourish on Broadway.
Some of the productions that got nods this year include 鈥淎n American in Paris,鈥� 鈥淔un Home,鈥� 鈥淭he Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,鈥� 鈥淭he King and I,鈥� and 鈥淪kylight.鈥澛�
One of the biggest showdowns at the Tonys this year, the Best Musical prize, comes down to a traditional show versus one that is anything but. 鈥淎n American in Paris鈥� is based on the classic 1951 musical starring 鈥淪ingin鈥� in the Rain鈥� actor Gene Kelly and directed by Vincente Minnelli of 鈥淢eet Me in St. Louis.鈥� The plot follows a World War II veteran living in Paris who unknowingly falls in love with an acquaintance鈥檚 girlfriend. The production has been praised for its dancing and the called the show 鈥済loriously inventive and balletic.鈥�
What many view as the biggest threat to 鈥淎merican鈥� taking the Best Musical prize, the show 鈥淔un Home,鈥� is a very different animal. 鈥淔un鈥� is based on writer Alison Bechdel鈥檚 memoir of growing up with a gay father. critic Ben Brantley wrote that 鈥淔un鈥� 鈥減umps oxygenating fresh air into the cultural recycling center that is Broadway.鈥澛�
Another unusual production, 鈥淭he Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time,鈥� is viewed by many as the frontrunner for Best Play. It centers on a boy with Asperger鈥檚 Syndrome who has an affinity for numbers and who believes a dog in his neighborhood has been murdered. He decides to track down the culprit.
Adapting protagonist Christopher鈥檚 work with numbers was no doubt a daunting task, but writer Marilyn Stasio said the production more than pulled it off with its 鈥渋nventive designers.鈥� Stasio wrote that the show is 鈥渟pectacular鈥� a brilliant design team allows us to inhabit the boy鈥檚 consciousness on a terrifying journey.鈥�
"Fun Home" is viewed as a strong contender for the Best Musical prize, and if "Fun" and "Dog" both take the big prizes on June 7, then the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League will be rewarding some of the most inventive shows on Broadway in years.
