Emmy Nominations!

Today, the Television Academy released the nominations for 2017 Emmy® Awards. This year is the 69^th award show that honors excellence in television and has recently extended to recognize other digital platforms such as streaming and web programs. The Television Academy was established in 1946 with a small number of members. Now, the Academy consists of nearly 27,000 members who represent various peer groups of the television industry. The newest peer group is choreography and I find this incredibly amazing because as a dancer, I love to see choreographers getting the recognition they deserve! This year the nominations were presented by Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington, Anna Chlumsky, and Shemar Moore.

There is a tie for most nominations this year: Saturday Night Live and Westworld. Both programs earned 22 nominations. Other top contenders include Stranger Things, FEUD: Bette and Joan, and VEEP.

I decided to post here some of the nominees for what I believe to be the "most popular" categories.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Better Call Saul (AMC)
• The Crown (Netflix)
• The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
• House of Cards (Netflix)
• Stranger Things (Netflix)
• This Is Us (NBC)
• Westworld (HBO) 

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Atlanta (FX)
• black-ish (ABC)
• Master of None (Netflix)
• Modern Family (ABC)
• Silicon Valley (HBO)
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
• Veep (HBO)

Outstanding Limited Series

• Big Little Lies (HBO)
• Fargo (FX)
• Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
• Genius (National Geographic)
• The Night Of (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)
• Claire Foy, The Crown (Netflix)
• Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
• Keri Russell, The Americans (FX)
• Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld (HBO)
• Robin Wright, House of Cards (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us (NBC)
• Anthony Hopkins, Westworld (HBO)
• Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Matthew Rhys, The Americans (AMC)
• Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan (Showtime)
• Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix)
• Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us (NBC) 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Pamela Adlon, Bad Things (FX)
• Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie (Netflix)
• Allison Janney, Mom (CBS)
• Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
• Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish (ABC)
• Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Anthony Anderson, black-ish (ABC)
• Aziz Ansari, Master of None (Netflix)
• Zach Galifianakis, Baskets (FX)
• Donald Glover, Atlanta (FX)
• William H. Macy, Shameless (Showtime)
• Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

• Carrie Coon, Fargo (FX)
• Felicity Huffman, American Crime (ABC)
• Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies (HBO)
• Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
• Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
• Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

• Riz Ahmed, The Night Of (HBO)
• Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: The Lying Detective (PBS)
• Robert De Niro, The Wizard of Lies (HBO)
• Ewan McGregor, Fargo (FX)
• Geoffrey Rush, Genius (National Geographic)
• John Turturro, The Night Of (HBO)

 Watch the Emmy’s live September 17 on CBS! The show will be hosted by Stephen Colbert. I’m excited to see who wins! View the complete list of nominees here! 

Looking Ahead to the Oscars

Every year, typically in February, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences holds the Academy Awards. It is one of the biggest nights in Hollywood and entertainment magazines and websites have already started speculating who could be a contender in this year's awards.  One source that I like to keep up with is Variety. At my internship for an independent film company, they told me to constantly check in with this site to stay updated on news. I also had to keep a look out for mention of any films they were co-producing or financing. So that is why I thought it would be fun to share their “Midway Oscars Forecast: A Cluttered Landscape for Indies and Streamers.”

I know it’s early to be thinking about the Oscars but this article is a great read (especially if you love indie films and are looking for recommendations of which ones to see). As the article states, “just eight short weeks from now, the season will purr right back to life at the Venice and Telluride film festivals.” I will definitely keep an eye on these film festivals to see which films win and create buzz.

Reading the article, it’s apparent that there are a lot of great indie films that could be considered for an award. Personally, I hope The Big Sick manages to get some recognition. In the article, major indie film companies’ slates for the year are detailed. Some stand out films include Darkest Hour, Mudbound, The Current War, and Okja. Kristopher Tapley does a great job of providing a detailed list of possible contenders. But, as he says,

 This is not, by any means, a set of Oscar predictions. Rather, it is an attempt to fix the landscape from afar. There will be plenty of time for the usual guessing games in the fall.

Indie film companies always impress me with the films they create. Some of the best films I have seen came from an independent company. I feel it’s fitting to end this post with one of my favorite lines from Tapley in this piece: 

“It’s a dense and vibrant landscape for the little engines that could.” 

I can't wait to see which indie films earn a nomination this year.

Academy Invites

You are cordially invited to the Academy!

Earlier this week, the list of invitees to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was released. An invitation to the Academy means that you get to join the association and vote in the Oscars. In recent years, the Oscars have faced a lot of backlash and negativity, especially following the #OscarsSoWhite fiasco a few years ago. 

The Academy extended invitations to an all-time high number of invitees: 774! According to the Academy's website, this list consists of 57 countries, 39% female, and 30% minorities. These numbers are an increase from previous years and show the Academy is working towards their previously stated goal of a more inclusive list of members. 

However, not all critics are a fan of this list of invitees. Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter states,

The bottom line is that the Academy cannot fix the industry's diversity problems any more than a tail can wag a dog. This is not a problem that can be reverse-engineered.

While it is great that the Academy is trying to be more inclusive with their membership, what's important is the type of films being made. If the Oscars nomination committee is diverse that's great, but the films need to also be diverse. Personally, I am curious too see what slate of films are released for Oscars season. I hope there are some really good and interesting ones.

So, who got an invitation? 

Below I put together a list of some of the notable invitees that various articles, websites, etc. have pointed out. (Something I found interesting, was the amount of primarily television actors or actors that are fairly new to Hollywood films). 

Actors:

Gal Gadot, Naomie Harris, Donald Glover, Chris Hemsworth, Riz Ahmed, Dwayne Johnson, Priyanka Chopra, Leslie Jones, Betty White, Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt, Anna Faris, Margot Robbie, Channing Tatum, and Rupert Grint.

Directors:

Barry Jenkins, Jordan Peele, David Ayer, Theodore Melfi, Jessica Hausner, Joanna Hogg, and the Russo brothers

All of the nominees can be found HERE 

A Night For Theatre Kids

Last night, my inner theatre geek was screaming for joy as thousands gathered in New York City for the 71^st annual Tony Awards. In honor of the awards show, I decided to write about all the little fun facts I learned over the years about Broadway and the Tony’s.

Broadway, or “The Great White Way” has been around since the 18^th century and continues to draw people from all over the world. The nickname, “The Great White Way” refers to Broadway’s being one of the first streets to be completely lit up with lights in the US. The famous song doesn’t lie when it says, “the neon lights are bright on Broadway.” To be considered a Broadway show, a production must take place in one of the 41 professional theatres. Shows are usually categorized as a musical or a play (though there have been shows that are a hybrid). Loosely the main distinction between the two is that musicals integrate the plot into songs and dances whereas plays typically tell the story through spoken dialogue. Whether you prefer one over the other, Broadway is guaranteed to deliver a stellar show.

The Tony Awards began in 1947 by the American Theatre Wing to praise and acknowledge excellence in Broadway theatre. Each year, a Nominating Committee of about 50 professionals in theatre see all the new shows on Broadway and decide which shows and artists should be recognized. The Tony Awards are presented by two companies that come together: The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League.

Who votes for the winners, you may be asking? Well, the voters come from many companies and organizations dedicated to Broadway, theatre, and the arts in general. As a former intern of one of these companies, I can vouch for them and say they are extraordinary people who are fighting to keep the arts alive.

Antoinette Perry was an actress, stage director, and philanthropist who founded the American Theatre Wing. The Tony’s were named in honor of her and the first award ceremony was held the year after she passed away. From the beginning, this night has been about celebrating all of those who dedicate their lives to theatre. It has grown into one of the most highly anticipated events for the theatre community.

So, who won last night?

·       Best Play: Oslo

·       Best Musical: Dear Evan Hansen

·       Best Revival of a Play: August Wilson’s Jitney

·       Best Revival of a Musical: Hello, Dolly!

·       Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: Kevin Kline (Present Laughter)

·       Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play: Laurie Metcalf (A Doll’s House, Part 2)

·       Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen)

·       Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!)

·       Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Michael Aronov (Oslo)

·       Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Cynthia Nixon (The Little Foxes)

·       Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!)

·       Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen)

·       Best Book, Musical: Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hansen)

·       Original Score: Dear Evan Hansen music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

·       Best Scenic Design for a Play: Nigel Hook (The Play That Goes Wrong)

·       Best Scenic Design for a Musical: Mimi Lien (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812)

·       Best Costume Design for a Play: Jane Greenwood (The Little Foxes)

·       Best Costume Design for a Musical: Santo Loquasto (Hello, Dolly!)

·       Best Lighting Design for a Play: Christopher Akerlind (Incedent)

·       Best Lighting Design for a Musical: Bradley King (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812)

·       Best Direction for a Play: Rebecca Taichman (Incedent)

·       Best Direction for a Musical: Christopher Ashley (Come From Away)

·       Best Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler (Bandstand)

·       Best Orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire (Dear Evan Hansen)

·       Special Tony Award: Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin’ sound design for The Encounter

A total of 12 productions (13 including the special award) accepted a Tony Award last night. It’s incredible how many productions got recognition for their outstanding work. I cannot wait to see some of these productions.