Taking a deeper dive into the Drama Desk nominations ...
Congrats to David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's ''Soft Power.'' Their satirical musical about East-West relations topped the list with 11.
But it's baffling to see Conrad Ricamora put in the Featured Actor category, while Francie Jue is placed in Leading Actor. As Xue Xing, the Chinese producer, Conrad had more stage time and more songs to sing than Francis (who played DHH, a fictionalized version of Hwang). Xue Xing is the show's romantic leading man and does duets with Hillary Clinton (!). Variety raved that Conrad gave ''a star-making performance.'' Interestingly, the Lucille Lortel Awards nominated both Conrad and Francis for Leading Actor. But I still believe Francis, who was also wonderful, belongs in Featured.
Anyway, ''Soft Power'' will be one of the five Off-Broadway shows vying for Best Musical. In the 45-year history of the Drama Desks, this is the first time the nominators have shut out Broadway. A Broadway show has always won this category, except twice: ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1983) and ''Hamilton'' (2015). Given that critics usually sneer at jukebox musicals, it's probably no surprise that the Drama Desk panel stiffed ''Moulin Rouge!,'' ''Jagged Little Pill'' and ''Tina'' for the big prize. Last year, there was ''Ain't Too Proud,'' the Temptations bio-musical. At the Tonys, it nabbed 11 nominations, including Best Musical. At the Drama Desk, it was not only shut out of Best Musical, it got only one nomination: for its Book.
Before Broadway shut down, there was only one new musical on the Great White Way with an original score, ''The Lightning Thief.''
It was rounded panned by critics. But Off-Broadway, ''The Lightning Thief'' got 3 Drama Desk nominations, including Best Musical. Go figure. |
