This is how out of the loop I’ve been with moving – I had no idea the Tony nominations came out today. Some fairly big shockers here. Go to BroadwayWorld.com for the full list.
BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL: Cry-Baby, In the Heights, Passing Strange, and Xanadu. Notice something missing? Its called this little – as in huge – Mel Brooks musical called Young Frankenstein. Wasn’t nominated! I can’t believe Cry-Baby got in there above YF. reviews were so mixed on that.
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL - Grease, Gypsy, South Pacific, Sunday in the Park with George – The last three aren’t surprising but you’ve got to be joking with Grease. From everything I’ve heard and read, it is the worst show on Broadway right now. I think the two Sondeim shows will cancel each other out and South Pacific will take it.
Other notable items:
- South Pacific did really well. Not only is it nominated for Best Revival but it has an acting nom in all of the four categories.
- YF got noms in the Featured Actor and Actress categories for Christopher Fiztgerald (the original Boq in Wicked) and Andrea Martin. I think that means for the first time since becoming a name, Sutton Foster wasn’t nominated for a Tony.
- I think I only see Little Mermaid nominated for one category – original score
- If Patti LuPone doesn’t win a Tony this year for Gypsy, the world will have to end. She has stiff competition from Kelli O Hara (South Pacific) Kerry Butler (Xanadu) Faith Prince (A Catered Affair) and Jenna Russell (Sunday in the Park).
You can go read the rest of the list yourselves. I am still in shock that Grease got nominated for anything. What a disgrace!
ETA: I just saw that Stephen Sondheim is getting the lifetime achievement award. It will be worth watching the ceremony just for that.
ETA 2: Also I just noticed that David Javerbaum was nominated for original score for Cry-Baby. Javerbaum is, believe it or not, a writer if not the head writer on The Daily Show! So whether it deserves the nomination or not, I like that he was nominated. 
I read in a New York Times article that Grease only was nominated because there were four nomination slots and only four eligible musicals (including Grease) so it was essentially nominated by default. It was supposed to be pretty horrible!
Yeah I read that also. This is a good reason why that rule should be changed. I don’t think a show should be nominated just to fill a spot.