This Year's Tonys

Here we go. It's Tony time, and as always--it's a mixed season. It's certainly been a killer season for leading male performances, shorter on thrilling female performances. New musicals have been anemic for a long time. But who cares? The thrills were all over the boards, and there's still nothing like it.

Herewith, my picks.

Best Play

Will win--Red

Should win--Next Fall

Criminally ignored--A Behanding in Spokane

Best Musical

Will win--American Idiot

Should win--Fela

Best Book of a Musical

Will win--Fela

Should win--Everyday Rapture

Best Original Score

Will win--Memphis

Should win--None

Best Revival of a Play

Will win--Fences

Should win--Fences

Best Revival of a Musical

Will win--La Cage Aux Folles

Should win--La Cage Aux Folles

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Will win--Denzel Washington (Fences)

Should win--Denzel Washington

Should have been nominated--James Spader (Red)

Gave incredible, bravura performances--Denzel Washington, Liev Screiber, Christopher Walken

Gave really terrific performance--Alfred Molina

Most thrilling category competition in a while!

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

Will win--Viola Davis (Fences)

Should win--Viola Davis

Um, no contest

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Will win--Douglas Hodge (La Cage Aux Folles)

Should win--Douglas Hodge

Should have been nominated: John Gallagher, Jr. (American Idiot)

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical

Will win--Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Little Night Music)

Should win--Sherie Renee Scott (Everyday Rapture)

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

Will Win--John Michael Hill (Superior Donuts)

Should win--Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences)

God, this one's close--I loved JMH only about 3 hundredths of a point less

Another thrilling category this season

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Will win--Scarlett Johansson (A View From the Bridge)

Should win--Scarlett Johansson

Who knew she had these kind of chops (we knew she had the other kind)

Best Direction of a Play

Will win--Gregory Mosher (A View From the Bridge)

Should win--Kenny Leon (Fences)

Best Direction of a Musical

Will win--Bill T. Jones (Fela)

Should win--Terry Johnson (La Cage Aux Folles)

Should have been nominated--Michael Mayer (American Idiot)

There it is!