Tony Nominations: “Gentleman's Guide” Leads the Way, But Stars Fail to Shine

The dark comic musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” where vicious slayings are played for laughs in Edwardian England, nabbed 10 Tony nominations Tuesday morning, including honors for top musical, three of its actors and director.

Close on its heels -- and those are gold platform heels -- was the Broadway transfer of “Hedwig & The Angry Inch,” which picked up eight nominations, including one for musical revival and a pair of nods for actors Neil Patrick Harris and Lena Hall.

In a year crowded with new tuners, the Tony nominating committee only recognized four out of a possible five for best musical: “After Midnight,” “Aladdin,” “Beautiful” and “Gentlemen’s Guide.” That left several musicals that received mixed reviews out of competition for the evening’s biggest prize, among them “The Bridges of Madison County,” “If/Then,” “Bullets Over Broadway” and “Rocky.”

The nominating committee also chose to keep the category of best revival of a musical to only three nominees: “Les Misérables,” “Violet” and Hedwig.” The Roundabout’s “Cabaret” restaging, deemed eligible for best revival, was not included.

Alongside Harris as nominees for lead actor in a musical are Andy Karl (“Rocky”), Ramin Karimloo (“Les Misérables”), and Jefferson Mays and Bryce Pinkham, both of “Gentleman’s Guide.”

Mary Bridget Davies surprised some with a nomination as top actress in a musical for her turn in “A Night with Janis Joplin.” Sutton Foster (“Violet”), Idina Menzel (“If/Then”), Jessie Mueller (“Beautiful”) and Kelli O’Hara (“The Bridges of Madison County”) filled in the remaining slots, as expected. This is Foster’s sixth nomination and O’Hara’s fifth, although O’Hara has never won.

Five new works earned nominations for best play: “Act One,” “All the Way,” “Casa Valentina,” “Mothers and Sons” and “Outside Mullingar.” Bryan Cranston, above, went all the way to his first Tony nomination for his debut as LBJ in the Robert Schenkkan drama “All the Way,” while Mark Rylance was tapped for both "Richard III" and "Twelfth Night."

As expected, Audra McDonald scored a nomination as lead actress in a play for “Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill,” setting her up for a possible record-breaking sixth acting Tony Award, and her first in that category. If she wins, she’ll become the first actress to take home a statue in all four female acting categories.

Many of Hollywood’s best were left out in the cold. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen failed to pick up nods for their acclaimed turns in “No Man’s Land” and “Waiting for Godot,” a surprise to industry observers. Daniel Radcliffe (“The Cripple of Inishmaan”), Daniel Craig (“Betrayal”) and Denzel Washington (“A Raisin in the Sun”) were passed over, as was three-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams, now starring in “Cabaret.”

“Bullets Over Broadway,” the highly anticipated collaboration between Woody Allen and Susan Stroman, failed to pick up a nomination for top musical, or its stars, Zach Braff and Marin Mazzie, but counted a featured actor nod for Nick Cordero among its six nominations. Stroman was also recognized her choreography.

A quartet of well-reviewed musicals and plays each had seven nominations: “After Midnight,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and “The Glass Menagerie.” “Bullets” and “Inishmaan” each had six.

To read a full list of Tony nominees, head to www.tonyawards.com.

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