When the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards are staged Sept. 19 on CBS, the competition will feel like a Tony Awards evening because of a range Broadway stars dominating the list of nominees. A few already have claimed a Tony.
“Hamilton,” the mega-hit musical on the Great White Way, nabbed 12 nominations for the widely applauded televised reboot of a filmed performance streamed on Disney+ earlier this year.
Notable previous Tony winners are among the top nominees, as the taped movie of a stage production has been deemed worthy of consideration in the limited or anthology series or movies.
Thus, key “Hamilton” talent, most of them original cast members of the Broadway hit, are vying for Emmys:
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom.
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in Anthology or Movie: Renee Elise Goldsberry and Phillipa Soo.
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in Anthology or Movie: Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff and Anthony Ramos.
- Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded): “Hamilton” and “David Byrne’s American Utopia” (released on HBO/HBO Max
- Among other Broadway troupers in contention:
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Porter in “Pose.”
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Mj Rodriguez in “Pose.” (The first trans woman nominated).
- Outstanding Drama Series: “Pose.”
- Guest Appearance in a Series: Bernadette Peters, on “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.”
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology: Cynthia Erivo, for “Genius,” portraying Aretha Franklin.
- Uzo Abuda, “In Treatment.”
- Allison Janney, in “Mom.”
- John Lithgow, in “Perry Mason.”
- William H. Macy, in “Shame.”
- Ewan McGreggor, in “Halston.”
- Phyllicia Rashad, in “This Is Us.”
- Josh O’Conner, in “The Crown.”
- Ashley Park, in “Emily in Paris.”
- “Tina,” HBO’s documentary, with clips from the Broadway musical on Tina Turner’s life, for Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Special.
- Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, for Original Music and Lyrics for “WandaVision.”
- David Rockwell, for Outstanding Production for a Variety Special, for his work on the televised 2020 Academy Awards.
Numerous Broadway talent also performed on “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square,” vying for Outstanding Television Movie. And Marc Shaiman provided an original song in “Soundtrack of Our Lives.” …
To reiterate, this is not a full compilation of nominees; the focus here is on the community of Broadway troupers in contention for Emmys; if some or many win, Tony wins, too. …
Make your own ‘A Chorus Line’ playbill
If you’re attending the opening performance of “A Chorus Line,” or any of the shows through Aug. 8 at Diamond Head Theatre, I suggest you make your own playbill and bring it with you.
The pandemic has eliminated hand-out playbills that list songs, production credits, and cast list with photos to help identify the performers and backstage artists.
I know, DHT should have published the usual program as a salute to its cast and an amenity to its playgoers, but throughout this coronavirus cloud, we’ve all have had to do what we need to do to enjoy the disruptions and challenges of getting through this malady.
How to create your own playbill? Go to the DHT website; if you ordered tickets, you should have received a note about downloading the credits. Do so; print out the pages, then assemble in the sequence required. I stapled the pages and cut off unwanted borders, and covered the stapled edge with washi tape (Scotch tape will do), mostly to avoid knicks from the pointy metallic staples on the spine, Voila, you’ll have a playbill to peruse.
You’ll likely have the urge to peek to see who’s who and when; you’ll sure to be curious about an actor, singer, or dancer.
Additional advice: “A Chorus Line” runs 2 hours, without an intermission (the show is programmed that way) so do your bathroom before curtain or afterwards. Social distancing protocols are in place, mandating seats and empty spaces. But for all practical purposes, each show will be “sold out.”
To director-choreographer Greg Zane and his cast, “break a leg!”…
And that’s “Show Biz.” …