BRYCE PINKHAM GILMORE FULL

REVIVAL-MUSICAL Will win: “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” Should win: “Les Miserables.” The breathtaking 90-minute revival of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is full of energy and bravado, with a leading transvestite in Neil Patrick Harris who sings with real feeling and saucily spits up at the audience. No one should have to choose among these standout productions. And “The Cripple of Inishmaan” is an ensemble, sets and a playwright firing on all four cylinders. “Twelfth Night” with Mark Rylance was Shakespeare at its best. “A Raisin in the Sun” with Denzel Washington is powerful and resonant. “The Glass Menagerie,” with Cherry Jones and Zachary Quinto, was dreamy and sublime. Want great acting in brilliant works? Step right down to the best play revival category. REVIVAL-PLAY Will win: “The Glass Menagerie.” Should win: Any of the four. The other contestants – “Act One,” ”Casa Valentina” and “Outside Mullingar” – are delightful without leaving a lasting impression. And in its subtle dialogue, McNally’s play often seems more authentic than Schenkkan’s. Terrence McNally’s “Mothers and Sons” is gentle in a way “All the Way” is showy. But the play is bloated and gets bogged down in the second half. BEST PLAY Will win: “All The Way.” Should win: “Mothers and Sons.” The first turbulent year of Lyndon Johnson’s presidency is the gripping focus of Robert Schenkkan’s play and it owes its likely win to Bryan Cranston, who is spellbinding in the lead role. Who could ask for anything more? Actually, we could ask for more nominations: “The Bridges of Madison County,” ”If/Then,” ”Bullets Over Broadway” and “Rocky” – though each was somewhat flawed – all deserved to be here, too. But “Aladdin” has everything a big musical should have – humor, high-step dancing, big sets and costumes, a bona fide leading man in James Monroe Iglehart and tried-and-tested songs. BEST MUSICAL Will win: “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” Should win: “Aladdin.” “A Gentleman’s Guide” is the only one of the four nominees to have all original music and is a hard-working, witty, fun work that deserves its win. So, into the breach, The Associated Press handicaps some of this year’s messy races. To make matters worse, the telecast faces off against Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs. CBS won’t be too happy that the likes of Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, James Franco and Rachel Weisz didn’t get nominations. That has led to uncertainty in most of the categories, and the nominating committee made no friends with choices that left many scratching their heads. In fact, the best revival categories this year easily overshadow anything new. There have been no clear juggernauts – although some wonderful performances – and critics have largely bemoaned the lack of strong new good musicals and plays. NEW YORK (AP) – It’s been a year on Broadway so unpredictable that the only thing for certain at the Tony Awards on Sunday is that Hugh Jackman will be the host.

Bryce pinkham gilmore