The 2016-17 Broadway season will come to a close Sunday night with the 71st Annual Tony Awards.
The winners of the ceremony, named for actress and American Theatre Wing co-founder Antoinette Perry,are determined by about 846 eligible voters who are members of theatrical trade organizations.
And one of those voters sits behind a desk— flanked by photographs from a Broadway production of "A Chorus Line" — in hisoffice on Riverside Drive in Binghamton.
Albert Nocciolino is thepresident andCEO ofNAC Entertainment, which has brought touring Broadway productions to Binghamtonfor more than 35 years, as well as Elmira and other upstate cities.
A Broadway producer and co-producer,Nocciolino is behind seven productions currently onBroadway: "Hello, Dolly!," "Dear Evan Hansen," "A Doll's House, Part 2,"
"Groundhog Day The Musical," "Kinky Boots," "Cats" and "On Your Feet!"
Four of these productions have earned him Tony Award nominationsthis year, withNocciolino nominated personally as a producer for "Hello, Dolly!"and "A Doll's House, Part 2," as well aswith the Independent Presenters Network for "Dear Evan Hansen"and "Groundhog Day The Musical." IPN is made up of about 45 members of around the country that present Broadway in different markets and communities.
Since the nominations were announced on May 2,Nocciolino has been busily seeing shows to cast his votes for the coveted awards. Nominees can vote only in categories in which they have seen all of the productions—logging this in an online portal—and Nocciolino has seen some of the productions more than once in order to cast a well-educated vote.
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We sat down withNocciolino to learn his thoughts for the season and future of Broadway, both on the Great White Way and the road. While he is not allowed to reveal his votes, he divulged his predictions for who will take home the trophy on Sunday.
QUESTION: You have money in some of these nominated productions. How do you remain unbiased? Orcan you not be unbiased?
NOCCIOLINO: That’s a fair question. We vote personally, and with the organization that I represent, the Independent Presenters Network,some of them present in multiple markets like we do. We invest in shows and sometimes we invest in multiple shows that are nominated. So, for instance, this year the IPN is in “Groundhog” and in “Dear Evan Hansen.” They’re both nominated for best new musical.
Everybody will make their own decision. You try to be as fair as you possibly can. You look at the show with your own eyes. Nobody tells you how to vote. There’s no lobbying internally.
Because the shows are so expensive to produce and be capitalizing, it requires so many more people being involved in raising money, producing andinvesting thanever before.It’s not uncommon to have multiple producers and for those multiple producers to be involved in multiple shows. It’s just a way of life in the industry. You try to be as fair as you possibly can.
Q: During the 2004 Tony Award season, “Avenue Q” produced a song to tell voters to “Vote Your Heart.” Do you get a lot of material from shows trying to sway your vote?
NOCCIOLINO: [gestures around his office]Behind my desk are a pile of CDs. Every single show. It’s every day. It’s program books, it’s scripts, it’s everything. They just keep coming. Every producer is promoting their show.
Q: Do you haveany overall takeaways of the season. What stood out? Can you characterize the season?
NOCCIOLINO: I think what stood out this season that’s really interesting is how much business the musicals are doing, as we have more musicals that are open this year than probably ever, and how it's impacted the plays. Nobody is doing the dynamic they should be doing.
There’s a dynamic happening on Broadway right now, with a lot of the big musicals doing so much business, because the price of the tickets are higher and they’re doing that fairly and smartly as a reaction to the secondary market, [what] the scalpers have done to show.
Q: Like the ticket botsand all that.
NOCCIOLINO: Exactly. Take “Hamilton”: You’re Lin-Manuel Miranda and you’re getting 10 percent of every $200 ticket because you created the show but [a scalper] is selling it for $2,000 and you’re not getting 10 percent of the $1,800.
So, I’m the producer and I say, “I want you to get more money, so we’re going to bang that $200 ticket up to $800. [Ascalper] is not going to make that whole $1,800, so we’re going to go to $800. What happens, then, is people who are spending $800 for a “Hamilton” ticket, which is a legitimate price for a premium seat, might now see two or three other shows. So, our aggregate business, our gross sales business as an industry on Broadway, is still the same. We’re still grossing $33 to $34 million a week, but the way that it spread out is different as a result of the ticket pricing.
And we’re all a little concerned about how that’s going to impact the plays because the plays just aren’t doing the business that they used to do. Unless, of course, you have a big name in it like Kevin Kline. That show ["Present Laughter"]is doing business. And “A Doll's House, Part 2,” all four of our actors, there’s only four onstage, have been nominated for Tony Awards. And we’re barely breaking even.
Q: Do you have any final thoughts on the Tony Awards or this season?
NOCCIOLINO:Those of us like us who present Broadway across America havebeen given another great season of wonderful shows that will find a way across the country. And they’re not always shows that are nominated. So, for instance, “Finding Neverland” didn’t do so well on Broadway, didn’t get great reviews, but they fixed it before it went out on the road and it’s doing huge business on the road. “Something Rotten!” is one of the best productions, didn’t recoup but it’s a fabulous show, it’s out on the road. We will see “Charlie[and the Chocolate Factory]," we will see “Anastasia,” neither one of those were nominated [for “Best Musical”].
We will see “Comet” ["Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812"], we will certainly see “Groundhog,” we will see “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Come From Away,” so we’ve got six musicals that are going to find their way on the road. We’ve got “Miss Saigon” that’s going to go out, we’ve got “Hello, Dolly!” that’s going to go out, we’ve got “Cats” that’s going to go out, and maybe one or two of the plays might find its way out.
So, as an industry, we’re the benefactors and the theater community, the theater-going community around the country, we’ll be the benefactors of wonderful new shows that are going out that will find their way on the road touring.
So, for me, that’s selfishly great. Because we have developed and nurtured and audience that’s really growing. We’ve had another record year on the road, as well as Broadway, so it’s good for everyone.
Nocciolino's Predictions
Best performance by an actressin a featured role in amusical: Kate Baldwin (Hello, Dolly!"), Stephanie J. Block ("Falsettos"), Jenn Colella ("Come From Away"), Rachel Bay Jones ("Dear Evan Hansen") and Mary Beth Peil ("Anastasia").
NOCCIOLINO:Ihaven’t made a decision yet. I’m going back to see “Dear Evan Hansen” because I haven’t seen it since October. It’s such a long time, you know, seven or eight months. That’s why I’m going back to see it. Just to get refreshed.
This is tough. Stephanie J. Block was pretty good in “Falsettos.” Rachel Bay Jones is really great. My guess would be between Stephanie and Rachel.
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical: Denée Benton ("Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812"), Christine Ebersole ("War Paint"), Patti LuPone ("War Paint"), Bette Midler ("Hello, Dolly!") and Eva Noblezada ("Miss Saigon")
NOCCIOLINO: Bette Midler.
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical:Gavin Creel ("Hello, Dolly!"), Mike Faist ("Dear Evan Hansen"), Andrew Rannells ("Falsettos"), Lucas Steele ("Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812")and Brandon Uranowitz ("Falsettos")
NOCCIOLINO: That’s another good one. You’re giving me all the tough ones.
Brandon was so good in “Falsettos.” It could be Gavin Creel in “Hello, Dolly!” That’s my prediction.
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical: Christian Borle ("Falsettos"), Josh Groban ("Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812"), Andy Karl ("Groundhog Day The Musical"), David Hyde Pierce ("Hello, Dolly!")and Ben Platt ("Dear Evan Hansen")
NOCCIOLINO: I think it’s Ben Platt.
Best Direction of a Musical: Christopher Ashley (“Come From Away”), Rachel Chavkin ("Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812"), Michael Grief (“Dear Evan Hansen”), Matthew Warchus (“Groundhog Day The Musical”), Jerry Zaks (“Hello, Dolly!”)
I think Michael Greif will get it for “Dear Evan Hansen.” It wouldn’t surprise me if Christopher Ashley got it for “Come From Away.”
Best revival of a musical: “Falsettos,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “Miss Saigon”
NOCCIOLINO: I think it’s a slam dunk for “Hello, Dolly!” Whether I was involved or not involved, it’s just a magnificent production. She’s [Midler] great, the company is great, David Hyde Pierce is great, every part of it is great. It’s just beautifully produced, it’s a lot of fun. She [Midler] just brings the whole cast with her and there’s not enough superlatives to describe the evening. It was like a throwback, it was just fabulous.
So, whether I was involved or not I would be saying that, too.
Best musical: “Come From Away,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Groundhog Day The Musical” and “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
NOCCIOLINO: I think it’s a horse race between “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Come From Away” and I would be completely satisfied with seeing either one win. They’re both fabulous productions.
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play: Johanna Day ("Sweat"), Jayne Houdyshell ("A Doll's House, Part 2"), Cynthia Nixon ("Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes"), Condola Rashad ("A Doll's House, Part 2"), Michelle Wilson ("Sweat")
NOCCIOLINO: I think Cynthia Nixon will win.
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play: Cate Blanchett "The Present"), Jennifer Ehle ("Oslo"), Sally Field ("The Glass Menagerie"), Laura Linney ("Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes") andLaurie Metcalf ("A Doll's House, Part 2")
NOCCIOLINO: Laurie Metcalf
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play: Michael Aronov ("Oslo"), Dannt DeVito ("Arthur Miller's The Price"), Nathan Lane ("The Front Page"), Richard Thomas ("Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes") andJon Douglas Thompson ("August Wilson's Jitney")
NOCCIOLINO:Abstain. Didn't see all of the performers.
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play: Denis Arndt ("Heisenberg"), Chris Cooper ("A Doll's House, Part 2"), Corey Hawkins ("John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation"), Kevin Kline ("Present Laughter") and Jeffreson Mays ("Oslo")
NOCCIOLINO:It's awfully close. Kevin Kline.
Best direction of a play: Sam Gold ("A Doll's House, Part 2"), Ruben Santiago-Hudson ("August Wilson's Jitney"), Bartlett Sher ("Oslo"), Daniel Sullivan ("Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes"), Rebecca Taichman ("Indecent")
NOCCIOLINO:Bartlett Sher, "Oslo."
Best Revival of a Play: "August Wilson's Jitney," "John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation," "Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes" and "Present Laughter"
I liked "Present Laughter" the best.
Best Play: "A Doll's House, Part 2," "Indecent," "Oslo" and "Sweat"
NOCCIOLINO:I think it's a horse race between "Oslo" and "A Doll's House, Part 2."
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Coming up this season
NAC Entertainmentprograms the touring Broadway productions at the Forum in
Binghamtonand the Clemens Center in Elmira. Here's what they have slated for the 2017-18 season.
Binghamton
- "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder," Oct. 29.
- "Kinky Boots," Nov.14-25
- "A Chorus Line," Feb. 14-15, 2018
- "Jersey Boys," March 19-22, 2018
- "Dirty Dancing," April 15, 2018
Elmira
- "A Gentleman's Guide To Love andMurder," Sept. 27-28
- "A Christmas Story: The Musical," Nov. 14-15
- "A Chorus Line," Feb. 27-28, 2018
- "Kinky Boots," March 27-28, 2018
- "Beautiful - The Carol King Musical," May 15-16, 2018
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