By Randy Gener

NEW YORK CITY |  What distinguishes the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards is that enthusiastic fans select their favorites — instead of grumpy critics or snooty industry insiders or know-nothing commercial producers.  Which means the method used takes the form of survey as opposed to mere ballot votes.

Ahead of a winners’ cocktail reception, which will take place Thursday May 25, the winners were selected by fans who voted in a comprehensive Broadway.com survey that included 22 competitive categories. In other words, this is a popularity contest.

This year, the winners came from this current season and the previous one.  DEAR EVAN HANSEN seems to be the most popular, winning eight awards including favorite new musical and favorite new song for “Waving Through a Window.”  Last year’s Audience Choice Award favorite HAMILTON snuck in to grab another award this year, stealing the title of “favorite long-running show” from WICKED and thus breaking the latter’s eight-year streak.

No surprise: Hollywood stars made out over the popular stage names.  Two wins for Bette Midler (favorite leading actress in a musical and favorite diva performance), as well as awards for Sally Field (favorite leading actress in a play), Mark Ruffalo (favorite leading actor in a play), and Danny DeVito (favorite featured actor in a play).

In other words, tough luck if you’ve never shot a Hollywood film or major TV broadcast. And tough luck if you are not Laura Dreyfuss, who had the most number of wins for DEAR EVAN HANSEN.

HAMILTON on Broadway

In its 17th year, the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards celebrate the fan favorites of the season by giving the vote to the people. A full list of winners (bolded) is included below. The voting period opened Monday, May 8th at 5pm and concluded on Wednesday, May 17th at 11:59pm. Voting was open to everyone through Broadway.com. Winners in each category will be invited to a private cocktail reception in celebration of the awards.

As you wade through the list of winners below, note the use of the word “favorite” as opposed to “outstanding” or “best,” which are the typical words of praise.  Not just that — replacement actors are rewarded here, and so are onstage pairs (as opposed to ensembles) and  favorite song (echoing the Oscars). These are what happens when there are way too many awards being handed out every spring, so the Broadway.com’s rule is take competitive advantage.  Agreed?

Winners for the 2017 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards

Favorite New Musical
Amelie
Anastasia
Bandstand
Come From Away
Dear Evan Hansen
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

Favorite New Play
A Doll’s House, Part 2
Indecent
Oh, Hello on Broadway
Oslo
The Play That Goes Wrong
Significant Other

Favorite Musical Revival
Cats
Falsettos
Hello, Dolly!
Miss Saigon
Sunday in the Park with George
Sunset Boulevard

The Glass Menagerie on Broadway | Photo Credit: Julieta Cervantes

Favorite Play Revival
An Act of God
The Front Page
The Glass Menagerie
The Little Foxes
Present Laughter
Six Degrees of Separation

Favorite Long-Running Show
The Book of Mormon
Hamilton
Kinky Boots
The Lion King
Waitress
Wicked

Favorite Tour
The Book of Mormon
Finding Neverland
Fun Home
Rent
Something Rotten!
Wicked

DEAR EVAN HANSEN on Broadway

Favorite Leading Actor In A Musical
Christian Borle, Falsettos
Corey Cott, Bandstand
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sunday in the Park with George
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

Favorite Leading Actress In A Musical
Christy Altomare, Anastasia
Annaleigh Ashford, Sunday in the Park with George
Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Laura Osnes, Bandstand
Phillipa Soo, Amelie

Favorite Leading Actor In A Play
Gideon Glick, Significant Other
Sean Hayes, An Act of God
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Nick Kroll, Oh, Hello on Broadway
Joe Mantello, The Glass Menagerie
Mark Ruffalo, The Price


PAST COVERAGE |  2016 Broadway Audience Choice Awards

Favorite Leading Actress In A Play
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Allison Janney, Six Degrees of Separation
Diane Lane, The Cherry Orchard
Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Favorite Featured Actor In A Musical
Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Ramin Karimloo, Anastasia
Derek Klena, Anastasia
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Will Roland, Dear Evan Hansen

Favorite Featured Actress In A Musical
Brittain Ashford, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Laura Dreyfuss, Dear Evan Hansen
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Jennifer Laura Thompson, Dear Evan Hansen

Ruffalo, DeVito, Shalhoub, Hecht star in Arthur Miller's THE PRICE, photo by Richard Phibbs 2017
Ruffalo, DeVito, Shalhoub, Hecht star in Arthur Miller’s THE PRICE, photo by Richard Phibbs 2017

Favorite Featured Actor In A Play
Michael Aranov, Oslo
Anthony Azizi, Oslo
John Behlmann, Significant Other
Danny DeVito, The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Finn Wittrock, The Glass Menagerie

Favorite Featured Actress In A Play
Rebecca Naomi Jones, Significant Other
Celia Keenan-Bolger, The Cherry Orchard
Lindsay Mendez, Significant Other
Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
Sherie Rene Scott, The Front Page
Cobie Smulders, Present Laughter

Favorite Funny Performance
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
John Bolton, Anastasia
Christian Borle, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Will Roland, Dear Evan Hansen

Favorite Diva Performance
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Kristin Chenoweth, My Love Letter to Broadway
Glenn Close, Sunset Boulevard
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Laura Osnes, Bandstand

Favorite Onstage Pair
Christy Altomare and Derek Klena, Anastasia
Annaleigh Ashford and Jake Gyllenhaal, Sunday in the Park with George
Denée Benton and Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Laura Dreyfuss and Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Christian Borle and Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Corey Cott and Laura Osnes, Bandstand

Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Male)
Jon Jon Briones, Miss Saigon
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Jake Ryan Flynn/Ryan Foust/Ryan Sell, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Will Roland, Dear Evan Hansen
Anthony Rosenthal, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Female)
Brittain Ashford, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Savvy Crawford, Amelie
Laura Dreyfuss, Dear Evan Hansen
Kristolyn Lloyd, Dear Evan Hansen
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon

Favorite Replacement (Male)
Will Chase, Something Rotten!
Brandon Victor Dixon, Hamilton
Jordan Fisher, Hamilton
Todrick Hall, Kinky Boots
Brian d’Arcy James, Hamilton
Javier Munoz, Hamilton

Favorite Replacement (Female)
Sara Bareilles, Waitress
Alysha Desiorieaux, Hamilton
Mandy Gonzalez, Hamilton
Heather Headley, The Color Purple
Lexi Lawson, Hamilton
Jenna Ushkowitz, Waitress

Favorite New Song
“Charming” – Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
“For Forever” - Dear Evan Hansen
“Only Us” - Dear Evan Hansen
“Requiem” - Dear Evan Hansen
“Waving Through a Window” - Dear Evan Hansen
“You Will Be Found” - Dear Evan Hansen

Shows with Multiple Wins:
Dear Evan Hansen: 8
Falsettos: 2
The Glass Menagerie: 2
Hello, Dolly!: 2
The Price: 2

Performers with Multiple Wins:
Laura Dreyfuss (Dear Evan Hansen): 3
Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!): 2
Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen): 2

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