A Tony Voter Goes Off-The-Record On Who They Will Be Voting For This Year

Today is a very important day because not only are we just two days away from the 78th Annual Tony Awards, all voting must be completed via an online portal by Noon, ET. So in just a few hours, the Awards will be locked and the waiting begins!

There are just over 800 voters this year, and I recently sat down with one of them earlier this week, off the record, to pick their brain on how they think they are going to cast their votes, and where the industry is landing. Our conversation has been edited for clarity and length. 

Let's just hop into it. We are pretty close to the big day, and let’s start at one of the biggest awards of the night. Where is your brain in regards to Best Musical? 

Yeah, this is one of few categories that I actually don't even know exactly how I'm gonna vote; I am so torn. I have really always been a fan of Dead Outlaw but I've really enjoyed Buena Vista Social Club after seeing the transfer. I liked it Off Broadway, but I really was pretty moved by it on Broadway. And Maybe Happy Ending is another one that I really enjoyed in the moment, but it hasn't been living with me since. And, you know, I just went back to Death Becomes Her on Friday for the first time in a while... and I was like, wait, is this, is this incredible? Like, I don't even know where I'm landing. My sense of the business is that this is going to land with a win for Maybe Happy Ending or Buena Vista Social Club.

And if you were voting today…

Probably Buena Vista. Ask me tomorrow, it'll be Dead Outlaw, but just something about Buena Vista Social Club that has continued to stand out for me.

And for Best Play?

If you'd asked me a week ago, I probably would say I'm voting for Oh Mary, then I saw Purpose last week for the first time and I have to say, I think Purpose is going to take it for me personally.

And let's just do a Revival of a Play since we are here. Because all four are closed, where does your vote go?

That is an interesting category. I feel like it's going to Yellowface personally. Yeah, I think I can pretty confidently say that's got my vote.

Revival of a Musical certainly seems to be the talk around town. How are you feeling about it?

Uh, I have drank the Sunset Kool-Aid from the start and I will continue to vote for it. I just also saw Gypsy again for the first time in a bit since opening and I appreciated it so much more the second time, but I still ultimately think what I feel like Sunset is a full revival of a musical. It has truly brought a new life to it, whereas Gypsy has, in my opinion, only provided a revival in terms of casting choices. And, for me, that doesn't necessarily make a revival no matter how wonderful those people might be.

So does that mean your vote will go to Nicole Scherzinger for Leading Actress?

Yeah, my vote will go to Nicole for leading actress. I think Megan [Hilty] and Jen [Simard] are fantastic. I've always been a fan of Jen in the show, but this last time I went, I was even more of a fan of Megan than I had been before. I think Jasmine is fantastic. A theme you'll probably hear from me a bit is like, what are the performances that are just sort of sticking on me? And what has been living in my brain and it's Nicole for me. I think what Audra's doing is incredible but it's Nicole for me all the way. I do think Audra is going to win however, I think the business is going to rally around her. And I don’t think it would be undeserved by any means, but it would still be Nicole for me. 

And if you're going to skip to the next category, it is Tom for me.

Let’s hope over to Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical! 

Ooh, it's so tough! I'm very confused why Chris Seiber is not on this list. I would have voted for Chris Seiber if he was on this. I think I will probably vote for Jeb Brown. It's a feat in its own way being essentially a full member of the band and also singing and acting the way he does in a way that could feel so cheesy and frankly annoying but doesn't.

And Featured Actress in a Musical?

I'm torn, I'm so torn, I'm, so torn! I think Natalie is amazing. I think she is just so captivating. Like what she does is incredible. So moving. Gracie Lawrence is another one that just for a moment has stuck with me for so long. Like what she does in that song is just kind of breathtaking. And I think Justina has probably one of my favorite full performances of the season in this category. She gives you so many layers, her comedic timing is excellent without being in your face, she also breaks your heart.

I think I would vote for Natalie today and I think that's probably where the business is skewing.

Is it fair to say for a Leading Actor in a Play, you're going to go with Cole Escola?

Yeah, it is.

And then for Leading Actress, Sarah Snook?

I think it is safe to say Sarah Snook is winning this award. If I had to vote in this moment right now, I'd probably vote for Sarah, but I would say Latonya has been on my mind a lot since I saw the show, so I wouldn't rule out voting for her when the time comes.

How about Featured Actress in a Play?

You know I really loved English a lot. I thought it was another one in the moment for me that was just so impressive. It left me speechless at times, because I don't know if I've ever been more attentive in a theater. You have to be. Once you realize, whether you realize it two minutes in or 10 minutes in, what's going on there, you just kind of can't not hear every word. And I think I got so fixated on the text versus some of the performances, even though I think that whole cast was amazing, it wasn't a show that I left thinking about the individual performances. I think Jessica Hecht was fantastic. I'm such a fan, but I do think she does her thing, and it works really well for her. I think, I will probably vote for Kara Young, who also does her thing and it works well for her. I was just really taken by her performance. I would guess that this is probably between Kara and Jessica to lose.

Last category for actors is Featured Actor in a Play.

For me, it would probably be Francis Jue in Yellowface. I think he's just great. One of the individual performances of that play that I can remember well and remember how I felt watching it. I would be curious if Conrad Ricamora snuck in here as a part of being in the hit show of the season. And let's be honest, it is a memorable performance for people and a performance that you do laugh at in a fun, good way, but I do think ultimately it would be Francis for me and I could see that happening as well. Like it's something that I can see going for him.

I want to pick your brain on Best Book of a Musical for a moment. 

For me, it would be Death Becomes Her. I think he has done comedy so, so well. It is a very high, excellent form of musical comedy. I really don't know who's taking this, to be honest. I would like to think it could be Death Becomes Her, and I actually do think it stands a good chance, because I do think Best Book of a Musical is one of the few categories where comedy does typically get recognized more so than others. I feel like comedy gets recognized in Best Book of a Musical and Best Featured Actor performances at the most. I don't think it tends to get recognized as much for best overall musicals and plays and best lead actors in musicals and plays.

When will you cast your votes?

Probably in the next two days or so!

To leave you on something, is there one specific category that you hope a certain individual wins; something that will make you very happy at the end of the night?

That's a great question. I... because I'm still a bit torn in this category, I would say if Natalie or Justina win Featured Actress, either of those, I would be so thrilled. I think they're both so deserving in such different ways. That would be very thrilling to me. And if Sunset won Best Revival, I'd feel a little bit vindicated in some of my social circles!