Tony Award Watch: For the Love of Jeremy Jordan

This tony awards are on tomorrow.  I love the Tonys as its the outside-NYC-worlds opportunity to glimpse Broadway in full, and oft times, fantastic performances.  Big name stars have taken to Broadway and break out singers are discovered.  The show is always funny and is being hosted again this year by Neil Patrick Harris. He is the host with the most...an award show host extraorinaire.  But, my favorite Tony host will always be Hugh Jackman and last years 'host off' between the two  (Harris and Jackman) of 'Anything you can do I can do better" was hilariously fun!

This year I feel I have less investment in any of the nominated shows than ever before - Last year was the year of The Book of Mormon (too much to say - not enough hours in the day to tackle this topic).  This year - seems more broad - less specific.  Save one show:  Newsies.  Who doesn't love this Christina Bale classic film?  I love that they made this in to a musical - I would love, love, love to see it.  I can't believe it took them so long.  Jeremy Jordan plays the Christian Bale - lead role from the film and is nominated for a Tony for it.  I'm pulling for him here's why:

1.  His name.  Jeremy Jordan has some amazing namesakes.  A porn star...and a mid-90s pop star that I fondly remember singing 'Right Kind of Love" over the end credits of Beverly Hills, 90210 one season. Love that this Tony nomination has given him the celebrity edge in the most famous Jeremy Jordan competition.

2.  His voice. Perhaps this should be number one.  Love the soundtrack, loved his performances I've seen on talk shows with this Newsies company.

3.  Joyful Noise.  I just watched this stinky, stinkety, stinker this week - not realizing he was in it.  Oh, boy did I hate this movie.  Cloying and intent on ruining some perfectly good pop songs, this movie felt incredibly long and Dolly Partons fitted choir robes were the topic of discussion for most of it.  The one saving grace: Jeremy Jordan.  You would think among Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton, that his vocals and acting performances would not be noteworthy - but they were.  If he can rise about this material and shine - he is a star.

4.  Newsies.  What a great show.  What a great idea to make this into a Broadway musical.  A win for him would mean more positive attention for the show and I'm all for that.

5. Bonnie and Clyde.  He actually starred as Clyde in the Tony nominated Bonnie and Clyde this season as well.  The show closed after only 30 days  - but it was still nominated for 2 awards.  So, he is doubly present in the nods this year.

I just reviewed the nominee list and there are a lot of big names up for Tonys: Audra McDonald, Stockard Channing, Cynthia Nixon, Linda Lavin, Judith Light and Andrew Garfield.  I'm pulling for Andrew Garfield or Christian Borle from Smash to take home their category.

I do so love the production that is the Tonys...and for the love of Jeremy Jordan - I really hope its his year.