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Reactions to the Drama League Award Nominations

Last week the Drama League Award nominations were announced. Now, this is always a fun award that doesn't really mean anything because they seem to play by their own rules and basically nominate anyone who was merely competent on stage during the season (except bizarrely Ethan Slater, Denise Gough, and Carrie Coon. What's up with that?) And the award is usually given out as some kind of Lifetime Achievement Award.

So this year I suspect Glenda Jackson will win it for Three Tall Women. Which is...fine. I think it's an overrated performance in an overrated production but she's back on Broadway and she's had a storied career and this will probably be the last time she's on a New York stage. She's basically going to win the Tony for just showing up for a show that isn't a complete inessential bore (unlike the other potential Best Actress in a Play nominees) so why not give her the Drama League. (I think there are quite a few better performances from actresses in a play this season: Denise Gough, Carrie Coon, Billie Piper, Christine Lahti, Saycon Sengbloh, just to name a few.)

But who do I think should win?

Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke.

Of course the Drama League isn't going to go for someone in an off-Broadway show, let alone an off-Broadway play. But Billy's performance is terrific, and he is the show. The play isn't that strong or surprising but Billy makes it into great theater. Harry Clarke was a sold out hit at the Vineyard and was able to move to another theater for an extended run. This could be a lifetime achievement award of sorts, or rather a thank you, similar to when Liev Schreiber won it. Billy has been dedicated to the theater throughout his entire career, and no matter how much film and TV he does, it seems to be his first love. And he does it so well. And he's not like Denzel Washington who just comes back every few years and does a dusty old play that has no business being revived. Billy almost always does new works. What better person to celebrate this season?

And just for good measure, because we can't talk about 2017-2018 season without this man, I really do think Michael Urie is very deserving as well. He's nominated for two amazing (and two of the strongest of the season) performances for The Government Inspector and Torch Song. I would argue that those shows, both of which received raves and extensions and new lives beyond the originally scheduled runs, only really succeeded because of the terrific performance at the center. I didn't love The Government Inspector (it was too long and one-note) but I can't deny that Urie was hilarious and carried the show. And what more can be said about him in Torch Song? We should all feel lucky that we all get to see again when it transfer to Broadway in the fall.

But if these awards hardly ever acknowledge an off-Broadway performance, they're not going to recognize an actor who has some name recognition but is basically "oh, right, that guy" to the majority of America. Almost every winner is either a movie star or someone who has major crossover appeal.


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