2024 Tony Awards: Notable Snubs and Surprises Featuring Hell’s Kitchen, Maria Friedman, and More
The 2024 Tony Awards brought a mix of surprises and expected moments, leaving fans and industry experts perplexed by some outcomes as reported by the Hollywood Reporter. From unexpected defeats to highly anticipated victories, let’s explore the standout snubs and upsets of the evening.
Hell’s Kitchen: Leading in nominations, lagging in wins
Hell’s Kitchen came into the 2024 Tony Awards with 13 nominations, raising expectations, but ultimately falling short in winning the top prize.
Alicia Keys’ semi-autobiographical musical, where she played a crucial role in composition and production, only secured two wins out of nine nominations. Despite a stellar performance by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z in Empire State of Mind, the musical lost the coveted Best Musical award to The Outsiders, who claimed the night’s top honor.
Maria Friedman, the frontrunner for Best Direction of a Musical with Merrily We Roll Along, faced an unexpected defeat. Despite being favored to win for her transformative revival of the 1981 production, Friedman lost to Dayna Taymor for her work on The Outsiders. Taymor’s direction, praised for its cinematic flair and dynamic fight scenes, resonated with Tony voters, causing an unexpected upset in this category.
David Byrne’s Here Lies Love: A scene set for disappointment
Despite its innovative immersive elements, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s Here Lies Love left audiences disappointed. The show, which recreated a disco dance floor in the Broadway Theater, was expected to win the Best Scenic Design award.
On the other hand, Cabaret continues to mesmerize audiences with its immersive theatre experience at the Kit Kat Club. The timing might have been crucial, as Here Lies Love had concluded its run in November, potentially fading from Tony voters’ minds in comparison to the ongoing allure of Cabaret.
Several other major upsets unfolded during the evening. Jeremy Strong’s win in the Lead Actor in a Play category surprised pundits, overshadowing Leslie Odom Jr.’s anticipated victory. Similarly, Will Brill unexpectedly clinched the Best Featured Actor in a Play award for his role in Stereophonic, adding to the evening’s list of surprises.
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