Looking Ahead to the 2011 Tonys

The Tony Awards are coming up, and I'm hoping to avoid the technical difficulties that I experienced last year when watching them. The list of nominees are available on the New York Times' website (as well as other sites), and while it was an excellent year for straight plays (new shows like War Horse, The Motherfucker with the Hat, and Jerusalem had some great reviews), the musical categories aren't nearly as exciting.

I really don't have a lot to say about the nominated shows this year, since I've been out of the theater loop (due to lack of time and some lack of interest). Barring any unforeseen technical issues on my end, I will do my usual roundup/critique of the show after the event. In the meantime, to get you (and me) geared up for the Tonys, here are some suggested sources:

BroadwayStars.com/ This Week on Broadway: To get more information and thoughts on the Tony Award nominees, as well as predictions of who will win, you should head over to BroadwayStars.com for the This Week on Broadway podcast, where some very thoughtful contributers (including Peter Filichia and Jan Simpson) talk about theater. It is becoming one of my favorite podcasts because the people involved are very knowledgeable and passionate about theatre; even when I don't necessarily agree with their reviews for a show, I admire their insight.

DidHeLikeIt.com: Ben Brantley might not be everyone's cup of tea, but his website, which features reviews (his and others) on shows is a lot of fun. For an extra dose of Ben, be certain to read his thoughtful article at the Times on the 2011 nominees: "This Time, the Tonys Grow Up and Get It Right."

The New York Times Live Blog of the Nominations: Say what you will about the New York Times and their pay wall (which I have managed to avoid thus far). I love the live blog that they do for different events like the Tony Nomination and the Tony Awards. Even when the awards aren't that exciting, I can count on the live blog for snarky insight and analysis.