2017 Tony Awards Odds: Hello Dolly? Hello Drama!

An award show celebrating the best in Broadway theatre really should have some drama.

At last year’s Tony Awards, there weren’t any dramatic twists as “Hamilton” did what many predicted it would do: rapped its way to 13 nominations and 11 awards.

This year’s show (June 11 from Radio City Music Hall in New York) should offer more surprises. While this year’s buzzy hit, “Dear Evan Hansen,” is the front-runner for Best Musical and a few other categories, and “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” received an impressive 12 nominations (including the first for international singing star Josh Groban), the favorites are not so cut and dry. Many different and deserving shows are in the running for some of the major categories.

One of the most fascinating races is for Best Actress (Musical) where three titans of Broadway are going head to head to head. The legendary Bette Midler (“Hello Dolly”) is up against Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, who are both nominated for their leading roles in “War Paint.”

The tough decisions started long before the nomination process this year, as it seemed to be equally tough picking a host for the evening.

Although former Tony winner Kevin Spacey has been given the well-deserved hosting duties, the announcement came later than normal as the Tonys had trouble finding a ringleader after James Corden’s fantastic performance last year. There were rumors of Tina Fey joining Corden this time around, but that fell through. Of course, the likable Spacey made light of being a last-minute decision.

“I was their second choice for Usual Suspects, the fourth choice for American Beauty and 15th choice to host this year’s Tony Awards. I think my career is definitely going in the right direction … Maybe I can get shortlisted to host the Oscars if everyone else turns it down.”

How will the 71st Tony Awards go down? That’s my cue to enter from stage left, step into the spotlight at center stage, and provide some odds on this year’s thespian faves in 17 of the major categories in Musicals and Plays.

71st Tony Awards Odds

MUSICALS

BEST MUSICAL
“Dear Evan Hansen”: 3/7
“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”: 17/3
“Come From Away”: 9/1
“Groundhog Day”: 19/1

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
“Hello, Dolly!”: 1/4
“Falsettos”: 17/3
“Miss Saigon”: 19/1

BEST ACTRESS (MUSICAL)
Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!”: 1/4
Christine Ebersole, “War Paint”: 19/1
Patti LuPone, “War Paint”: 19/1
Denee Benton, “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”: 20/1
Eva Noblezada, “Miss Saigon”: 25/1

BEST ACTOR (MUSICAL)
Ben Platt, “Dear Evan Hansen”: 1/3
Andy Karl, “Groundhog Day”: 17/3
David Hyde Pierce, “Hello, Dolly!”: 19/1
Josh Groban, “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”: 25/1
Christian Borle, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”: 50/1

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL)
Rachel Bay Jones, “Dear Evan Hansen”: 1/1
Stephanie J. Block, “Falsettos”: 3/1
Jenn Colella, “Come From Away”: 4/1
Kate Baldwin, “Hello, Dolly!”: 25/1
Mary Beth Peil, “Anastasia”: 100/1

BEST FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL)
Gavin Creel, “Hello, Dolly!”: 2/3
Andrew Rannells, “Falsettos”: 4/1
Lucas Steele, “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”: 9/1
Brandon Uranowitz, “Falsettos”: 19/1
Mike Faist, “Dear Evan Hansen”: 25/1

BEST DIRECTOR (MUSICAL)
“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”: 1/1
“Dear Evan Hansen”: 4/1
“Hello, Dolly!”: 9/1
“Come From Away”: 9/1
“Groundhog Day”: 10/1

BEST SCORE
“Dear Evan Hansen”: 3/2
“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”: 3/1
“Come From Away”: 4/1
“Groundhog Day”: 15/2

BEST BOOK
“Dear Evan Hansen”: 1/4
“Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”: 9/1
“Come From Away”: 19/1
“Groundhog Day”: 19/1

PLAYS

BEST PLAY
“Oslo”: 1/1
“A Doll’s House Part 2”: 4/1
“Sweat”: 17/3
“Indecent”: 17/3

BEST PLAY REVIVAL
“Jitney”: 1/1
“The Little Foxes”: 2/1
“Six Degrees of Separation”: 9/1
“Present Laughter”: 15/1

BEST ACTRESS (PLAY)
Laurie Metcalf, “A Doll’s House Part 2”: 1/3
Laura Linney, “The Little Foxes”: 9/1
Cate Blanchett, “The Present”: 19/1
Jennifer Ehle, “Oslo”: 19/1
Sally Field, “The Glass Menagerie”: 25/1

BEST ACTOR (PLAY )
Kevin Kline, “Present Laughter”: 1/4
Jefferson Mays, “Oslo”: 9/1
Corey Hawkins, “Six Degrees of Separation”: 19/1
Denis Arndt: “Heisenberg”: 50/1
Chris Cooper, “A Doll’s House Part 2”: 50/1

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY)
Cynthia Nixon, “The Little Foxes”: 1/3
Johanna Day, “Sweat”: 9/1
Condola Rashād, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”: 19/1
Jayne Houdyshell, “A Doll’s House Part 2”: 19/1
Michelle Wilson, “Sweat”: 25/1

BEST FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY)
Danny DeVito, “The Price”: 3/7
Michael Aronov, “Oslo”: 9/1
Nathan Lane, “The Front Page”: 9/1
John Douglas Thompson, “Jitney”: 19/1
Richard Thomas, “The Little Foxes”: 19/1