“Shuffle Along” was not included in today’s Outer Critics Circle nominations. That’s because producer Scott Rudin told the group the multi million dollar musical directed by George C. Wolfe is not ready. The show opens on April 28th, in 9 days.
The Drama Desk was told the same thing, for “Shuffle Along” not be included in their awards too.
Basically no nominators have seen the musical starring Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Billy Porter.
The show “locks” on April 25th for press, and opens three days later. The Tony voters will have just a couple of days to see it and decide what to do.
“Shuffle Along” certainly wasn’t ready when I saw it on April 1st. It lacked a cohesive second act and an actual ending. The show’s whole point was delivered in Act 1.
A week later, on April 8, nothing had changed according to observers. It’s been ten days since then. Maybe there have been a lot of improvements. But the show I saw, and was seen on April 8th, ran three hours including a 15 minute intermission.
On top of that, Audra McDonald will leave the show after six weeks. She had already agreed to perform “Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill” in London for three months. Who’s going to replace her for ticket buyers? That’s a tough job.
Not being ready on April 19th for awards nominations is like saying My dog ate my homework. This doesn’t bode well for what is otherwise a buoyant celebration of Eubie Blake’s famed 1921 musical.
The OCC voted “Hamilton” Best Musical last year when it was off Broadway, so the show wasn’t eligible again.
The complete list of 2015-16 Outer Critics Circle Asards Nominations follows.
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans
King Charles III
Therese Raquin
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
American Psycho the Musical
Bright Star
On Your Feet!
Tuck Everlasting the Musical
Waitress
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
The Christians
Familiar
Gloria
Hold On to Me Darling
The Legend of Georgia McBride
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Cagney
Daddy Long Legs
Dear Evan Hansen
Lazarus
Southern Comfort
OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Bright Star
Daddy Long Legs
Dear Evan Hansen
Lazarus
On Your Feet!
OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
American Psycho the Musical
Bright Star
Daddy Long Legs
Dear Evan Hansen
Waitress
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Blackbird
The Crucible
Fool for Love
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
A View From the Bridge
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The Color Purple the Musical
Dames at Sea
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Evan Cabnet Gloria
Mike Donahue The Legend of Georgia McBride
Rupert Goold King Charles III
Joe Mantello The Humans
Ivo van Hove A View From the Bridge
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Michael Arden Spring Awakening
Walter Bobbie Bright Star
Scott Ellis She Loves Me
Rupert Goold American Psycho the Musical
Michael Greif Dear Evan Hansen
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Joshua Bergasse Cagney
Spencer Liff Spring Awakening
Josh Rhodes Bright Star
Randy Skinner Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo On Your Feet!
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Beowulf Boritt Therese Raquin
David Korins Misery
Mimi Lien John
David Rockwell She Loves Me
Walt Spangler Tuck Everlasting the Musical
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (Play or Musical)
ESosa On Your Feet!
Jane Greenwood Bright Star
Katrina Lindsay American Psycho the Musical
Jeff Mahshie She Loves Me
Tom Scutt King Charles III
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Donald Holder She Loves Me
Natasha Katz Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Kenneth Posner On Your Feet!
Ben Stanton Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING PROJECTION DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Lucy MacKinnon Spring Awakening
Peter Nigrini Grounded
Peter Nigrini Dear Evan Hansen
Finn Ross American Psycho the Musical
Tal Yarden Lazarus
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Reed Birney The Humans
Gabriel Byrne Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Frank Langella The Father
Mark Strong A View From the Bridge
Ben Whishaw The Crucible
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jayne Houdyshell The Humans
Jessica Lange Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Lupita Nyong’o Eclipsed
Nicola Walker A View From the Bridge
Michelle Williams Blackbird
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Alex Brightman School of Rock the Musical
Danny Burstein Fiddler on the Roof
Robert Creighton Cagney
Ben Platt Dear Evan Hansen
Benjamin Walker American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Benanti She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo The Color Purple the Musical
Jessie Mueller Waitress
Ana Villafañe On Your Feet!
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Sanjit De Silva Dry Powder
Matt McGrath The Legend of Georgia McBride
Jim Norton The Crucible
Robert Sella Sylvia
Michael Shannon Long Day’s Journey Into Night
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Pascale Armand Eclipsed
Zainab Jah Eclipsed
Judith Light Therese Raquin
Saycon Sengbloh Eclipsed
Myra Lucretia Taylor Familiar
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Nicholas Barasch She Loves Me
Roger Bart Disaster!
Michael Esper Lazarus
Christopher Fitzgerald Waitress
Terrence Mann Tuck Everlasting the Musical
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Danielle Brooks The Color Purple the Musical
Andrea Burns On Your Feet!
Sophia Anne Caruso Lazarus
Jane Krakowski She Loves Me
Helene Yorke American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Mike Birbiglia Thank God For Jokes
Kathleen Chalfant Rose
Anne Hathaway Grounded
James Lecesne The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Daphne Rubin-Vega Empanada Loca
JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Lindsey Ferrentino Ugly Lies the Bone
Lauren Gunderson I and You
Martyna Majok Ironbound
Marco Ramirez The Royale
Anna Ziegler Boy
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
James Houghton Signature Theater Company
