SubscribeHorror! 'Frankenstein' snatches most Outer Critics' noms
"Young Frankenstein" saw its prospects for the Tony Awards improve dramatically Monday when it led nominations for the Outer Critics Circle prizes with 10 nods, including best Broadway musical. While the critics were less than impressed with the show when it opened last November, they sure showered it with love today. But perhaps that deluge of nominations says more about the competition than it does this Mel Brooks tuner.
Also up for best musical are "A Catered Affair," which got mixed reviews, the campy "Xanadu," and the yet-to-open "Cry Baby." While off-Broadway transfer "In 
the Heights" was ineligible for consideration as was the yet to open "Glory Days," "Passing Strange," which earned rave reviews, received only one nod -- best score.
As expected, Tony front-runner and Pulitzer Prize winner "August: Osage County" got a nod for best Broadway play, but among the cast of 13, only one was singled out for an acting nomination –- Deanna Dunagan as the play's pill-popping matriarch. Among her competition is Laura Linney who stars in the revival of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." That show, which has yet to open, earned nine nods, including best revival and three other acting nominations.
However, the hottest race has to be best actress in a musical, which pits ingénue Kelli O'Hara ("South Pacific") against Broadway vet Patti LuPone ("Gypsy"). With only four nominees per performance category, there was only room left for Faith Prince ("A Catered Affair") and off-Broadway sensation Alice Ripley ("Next to Normal"). However, come Tony time, Jenna Russell should be among the five in the running for recreating her Olivier award-winning performance in "Sunday in the Park With George."
And though there was lots of love for "Frankenstein," voters snubbed two of its standout performances: Sutton Foster and Megan Mullally. Expect at least one of those two to compete in the featured actress race at the Tonys.
Among the other bold-faced names snubbed were Claire Danes ("Pygmalion"), Jennifer Garner ("Cyrano de Bergerac"), Nathan Lane ("November"), and Rufus Sewell ("Rock 'n' Roll").
This year's winners will be announced May 12 (the day before the Tony nominations) and feted at the legendary theater district restaurant Sardi's on May 22.
These awards are frequently pooh-poohed by many kudos-watchers due to the lowly media credentials of voters. (CLICK HERE to see a list of circle members.) Normally, I would dismiss that criticism as arrogance of uppity journos who are lucky enough to have better jobs, but I fear that these OCC folks may be as rinky-dink as accused. It's been several hours since these nominations were unveiled and they still can't be found at the circle's own website (CLICK HERE).
However, they can be found below! CLICK HERE to See List of Nominees!
Outstanding New Broadway Play Outstanding Director of a Play Outstanding Director of a Musical Outstanding Actor in a Play Outstanding Actress in a Play Outstanding Actor in a Musical Outstanding Actress in a Musical Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
"August: Osage County"
"Rock 'n' Roll"
"The Seafarer
"The 39 Steps"
Outstanding New Broadway Musical
"A Catered Affair"
Cry-Baby The Musical"
"Xanadu"
"Young Frankenstein"
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
"Dividing the Estate"
"The Drunken City"
"From Up Here"
"The Receptionist"
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
"Adding Machine"
"The Glorious Ones"
"Make Me a Song —T he Music of William Finn"
"Next to Normal"
Outstanding New Score
"Adding Machine"
"Next to Normal"
"Passing Strange"
"Young Frankenstein"
Outstanding Revival of a Play (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
"Come Back, Little Sheba"
"Cyrano de Bergerac"
"The Homecoming"
"Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
"Gypsy"
"South Pacific"
"Sunday in the Park With George"
"Take Me Along"
Maria Aitken, "The 39 Steps"
Rupert Goold, "Macbeth"
Rufus Norris, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
Anna D. Shapiro, "August: Osage County"
David Cromer, "Adding Machine"
Arthur Laurents, "Gypsy"
Bartlett Sher, "South Pacific"
Susan Stroman, "Young Frankenstein"
Outstanding Choreographer"
Rob Ashford, "Cry-Baby"
Graciela Daniele, "The Glorious Ones"
Christopher Gattelli, "South Pacific"
Susan Stroman, "Young Frankenstein"
Outstanding Set Design (Play or Musical)
David Farley, Timothy Bird, "Sunday in the Park With George"
Scott Pask, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
Robin Wagner, "Young Frankenstein"
Michael Yeargan, "South Pacific"
Outstanding Costume Design (Play or Musical)
David Farley, "Sunday in the Park With George"
Katrina Lindsay, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
William Ivey Long, "Young Frankenstein"
Jessica Jahn, Michael Bottari and Ronald Case, "Die Mommie Die!"
Catherine Zuber, "South Pacific"
Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical)"
Kevin Adams, "The 39 Steps"
Ken Billington, "Sunday in the Park With George"
Donald Holder, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
Peter Kaczorowski, "Young Frankenstein"
Kevin Anderson, "Come Back Little Sheba"
Ben Daniels, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
Kevin Kline, "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Patrick Stewart, "Macbeth"
Eve Best, "The Homecoming"
Deanna Dunagan, "August: Osage County"
Laura Linney, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
S. Epatha Merkerson, "Come Back, "Little Sheba"
Roger Bart, "Young Frankenstein"
Daniel Evans, "Sunday in the Park With George"
Boyd Gaines, "Gypsy"
Paulo Szot, "South Pacific"
Patti LuPone, "Gypsy"
Kelli O'Hara, "South Pacific""
Faith Prince, "A Catered Affair"
Alice Ripley, "Next to Normal"
Raul Esparza, "The Homecoming"
James Earl Jones, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
Jim Norton, "The Seafarer"
David Pittu, "Is He Dead?"
Jessica Collins, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
Jayne Houdyshell, "The New Century"
Laurie Metcalf, "November"
Sian Phillips, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
Danny Burstein, "South Pacific"
Christopher Fitzgerald, "Young Frankenstein"
Shuler Hensley, "Young Frankenstein"
Tony Yazbeck, "Gypsy"
Laura Benanti, "Gypsy"
Harriet Harris, "Cry-Baby The Musical"
Sherie Rene Scott, "The Little Mermaid"
Amy Warren, "Adding Machine"
Outstanding Solo Performance
Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood"
Stephen Lang, "Beyond Glory"
Chazz Palminteri, "A Bronx Tale"
April Yvette Thompson, "Liberty City"
John Gassner Award
(Presented for an American play, "preferably by a new playwright")
Bob Clyman, "Secret Order"
Liz Flahive, "From Up Here"
Michael Hollinger, "Opus"
George Packer, "Betrayed"
how Rufus Sewell was not niminated is beyond belief. He was the play. And turned in one of the most outstanding performances on Broadway in the past year. Outrageous.
Posted by: Lori | April 25, 2008 at 07:54 PM
Young Frankenstein is the worst thing I've seen on Broadway (and I saw "Carrie: The Musical"). Mel Brooks owes me $750 (that was for only TWO tickets)! It can't close too soon... to prevent others from wasting their hard earned money on this dreck. Go rent the movie instead.
Posted by: Dave | April 22, 2008 at 03:56 PM
The only possible explanation is that Mel either bribed or blackmailed the nominators. The Tony nominators will be harder to reach. Costumes? The designer has stated privately that he doesn't even like them. Roger Bart? He's terrible. No Andrea Martin? She's the best thing in the show. And only three nods for "August: Osage County"? Perplexing? They just don't get it.
Posted by: Brian | April 22, 2008 at 09:52 AM