This image released by Boneau/Bryan-Brown shows a scene from the production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” in New York. The Tony Awards race is dominated by big established brands, including Disney’s “Frozen,” J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” franchise, Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls” and Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants.” The nominations for the 72nd Tony Awards will be announced on Tuesday, May 1. (Photo by MATTHEW MURPHY / Boneau/Bryan-Brown via AP)
NEW YORK — Whichever show garners the most Tony Award nominations on Tuesday will very likely sound familiar.
That’s because most of the leading candidates on Broadway stages these days are derived from a film, TV or music, including “Harry Potter,” “Mean Girls,” “Frozen,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Summer,” “Escape to Margaritaville” and “The Band’s Visit.”
Best new musical nominations are expected for “The Band’s Visit,” based on a 2007 Israeli film about an accidental clash of cultures, and Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls,” which she adapted from her much-beloved and oft-quoted 2004 high school comedy movie.
Other shows hoping to score a nomination in that category are the goofy undersea adaptation “SpongeBob SquarePants,” Disney’s retelling of “Frozen,” the Hal Prince revue “Prince of Broadway,” the Jimmy Buffet musical “Escape to Margaritaville” and “Summer,” about disco diva Donna Summer
Most observers believe J.K. Rowling’s latest “Harry Potter” offering will lead the best new play nominees.
The two-part “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” which picks up 19 years from where Rowling’s last novel left off and portrays Potter and his friends as grown-ups, won nine Olivier Awards in London before coming to America and bewitching critics and audiences alike.
Other best play candidates include “Farinelli and the King,” “The Children,” “Junk,” “Meteor Shower,” “Latin History for Morons,” “John Lithgow: Stories by Heart” and “The Parisian Woman.”
“Carousel,” “My Fair Lady” and “Once on This Island” will make up the best musical revival category, mostly because they’re only eligible nominees. The best play revival will probably be led by “Angels in America,” “Three Tall Women” and “The Iceman Cometh.”
Plenty of nominations don’t necessarily lead to actual wins on Tony night. While “Hamilton” was nominated for 16 awards in 2016 and went on to win 11, just last year “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” earned a leading 12 nominations but got just two technical awards on the big night.