8 Jews to Watch Out For at the Tony Awards
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With the 70th annual Tony Awards taking place this Sunday, Jewish actors, writers and choreographers are up to win many of the awards celebrating the Great White Way.
Nominated for Best Revival of a Musical, “Fiddler on the Roof” is up for a wide range of awards. Danny Burstein, who plays the lead role of Tevye, is up for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
Sheldon Harrick, who wrote the play’s original songs, will be receiving the non-competitive Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre along with theater director Marshall W. Mason. “Fiddler” choreographer Hofesh Shechter is also up for the Best Choreography Award.
Daveed Diggs, who plays Thomas Jefferson in “Hamilton”, is up for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. With its record-breaking 16 nominations, “Hamilton” will be the performance to beat at this year’s awards ceremony.
“School of Rock” is another musical with a large Jewish presence. Alex Brightman will be competing with “Fiddler’s” Burnstein and “Hamilton’s” Lin-Manuel Miranda for Best Performance by an Actor in Leading Role in a Musical. Well-known lyricist Glenn Slater is up against music directors and lyricists from “Bright Star”, “Hamilton” and “Waitress” for Best Original Score Written for the Theatre.
Sophie Okonedo, who plays Elizabeth Proctor in “Arthur Miller’s The Crucible”, is competing against Lupita Nyong’o, Jessica Lange, Laurie Metcalf and Michelle Williams for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play.
Do not forget to look out for Natasha Katz, whose lighting design in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” has also earned her a Tony nod.
Seth Gelblum, Loeb & Loeb partner and theater department chair, is set to receive the non-competitive Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre.
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