Commentary: Tony nominations reflect a Broadway year in which long shots eclipsed safe bets
"Nobody knows anything."
William Goldman's refrain in "Adventures in the Screen Trade," his classic dissection of the movie business, has always held true for Broadway, but never more so than in a season in which long shots overshadowed safe bets.
The Tony nominations, announced in New York on Tuesday, paint a portrait of another year of transition on Broadway. Artistic frustration with the status quo continues to bump up against unyielding economic realities. Yet the old producing playbooks no longer reap dependable harvests.
Not even touted London imports, such as the Eddie Redmayne-led revival of "Cabaret," or "Patriots," Peter Morgan's historical drama about the rise of Vladimir Putin, can count on Americans rolling out the red carpet. Reviews for both productions were mixed to the point that the Tony nominations for these shows (nine for "Cabaret," one for "Patriots") carry all the euphoria of a consolation prize.
On paper, a three-hour, 20-minute drama by an experimental off-Broadway playwright in a production lacking marquee
