Broadway’s Death of a Salesman will not get a Tony nomination in the leading actress category, it turns out. The Tony Awards Administration Committee ruled today that the production’s Laurie Metcalf will be eligible in the featured actress in a play category.
The committee does not explain the reasoning behinds its rulings – the season’s fourth and final batch of rulings were made today – but despite her prominence in the revival’s marketing campaign her role as the wife of Nathan Lane’s Willy Loman apparently was deemed a supporting character.
The determination means Lane will be the show’s only potential leading performer in this year’s Tony race. Christopher Abbott, who has the substantial role of Biff Loman, will be considered eligible in the featured actor/play category.
The Rocky Horror Show, on the other hand, will have two eligible leading actors: Both Luke Evans, who plays Frank-N-Furter and Andrew Durand, as Brad, were slotted into that category.
Nominations will be announced next Tuesday, May 5.
The committee also determined today that Becky Shaw is eligible in the play revival category even though the 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner is new to Broadway. Classic or often-staged works can be deemed revivals for Tony purposes. This year’s revival potentials include Robert Ickes’ modern-dress adaptation of Oedipus.
Other eligibility rulings today:
- Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder, and Doug Schadt will be considered eligible in the Best Orchestrations category for their work on Cats: The Jellicle Ball;
- Marla Mindelle will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category for their role as Céline Dion in Titaníque;
- Don Cheadle will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play category for Proof;
- Cinco Paul will be considered eligible in the Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre category for Schmigadoon!
- Alex Brightman will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category for Schmigadoon!;
- Sara Chase will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category for Schmigadoon!;
- Anika Noni Rose will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play category for The Balusters;
- Jessica Vosk will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category for Beaches, A New Musical;
- Kelli Barrett will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category for Beaches, A New Musical;
- James Noone (Scenic Design) and David Bengali (Video Design) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical category for Beaches, A New Musical;
- Stephanie Hsu will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category for Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show;
- LJ Benet will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category for The Lost Boys.
All other eligibility will be consistent with the opening night credits.
The Tony Awards, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will return to Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 7. Hosted by Pink, the ceremony will broadcast live to both coasts on CBS and stream on Paramount+, 8–11 p.m. ET/5–8 p.m. PT.
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