THEATRE GOSSIP #353: "Will Santino's Tootsie Role Bring Him a Tony?" Edition

Who is the third besides Debbie and Marge?

I'm really curious if there will be a major league upset in this year's Tonys. Like, say, Glenda Jackson not getting nominated again.

But with five potential nominees, there's room for Glenda, isn't there? I mean, who would be squeezed in in front of her? I don't think she'll win, but would they really not nominate her?

Please, please tell me this is the official 353 thread!!!

Holy shit, Marge Champion turns 100 in September!

Helen Wood, r2......

I thought that was Helen Highwater.

[quote] Holy shit, Marge Champion turns 100 in September!

And she's still fresher than the stale shit title of this thread.

I like this title. In a field of weak titles (the last year or so) this is one of the better ones.

Marge Champion is a mean old count....she got Elaine Stritch fired! No one does that too Stritchy!

R10, you're the one who thinks he sees Matt the Loon lurking around every corner. Your opinion doesn't hold much clout.

Santino deserves the win....not a strong year for men in musical theatre, but Santino is a clear standout.

Santino is terrible. He doesn't even deserve a nomination. Only John Behlmann does, and even him I'm just okay on. I wouldn't piss on the rest of the cast if they burst into flames.

If Helen Wood, who wouldn't?

Helen Wood if she could.

Ink received positive review. Now we just need to learn the reaction to Beetlejuice.

Poor r14 is cranky because Tootsie is a big fat hit with great reviews and there’s not a thing he can do about it except whine on DL.

Well, what else would one do about it? Should we picket? Chain ourselves to the building? What a stupid comment.

Tootsie is rather the turd, isn’t it? And the hideous costumes say 1980s, but the playbill says “NYC today.” Uh, no.

Wow, there’s the stench of Aspie on this thread already.

Maybe this will act as a silver bullet and get rid of it.

It wouldn’t be the first time someone chained themselves in protest in front of the site where that turd of a hotel/theater known as the Marriott Marquis squats. Losing those three theaters was a tragedy. Thank you, Ed Koch.

So, come Tuesday, the Best Musical nominees?

THE PROM, HADESTOWN, and TOOTSIE seem to be locks.

AIN'T TOO PROUD, BEETLEJUICE, BE MORE CHILL all have a real shot? THE CHER SHOW, HEAD OVER HEELS, KING KONG, PRETTY WOMAN are all probably "snowball's chance in hell" category?

Santino will win because you can't beat someone with no one. Laura B should have done She Loves Me this year!

[quote] It wouldn’t be the first time someone chained themselves in protest in front of the site where that turd of a hotel/theater known as the Marriott Marquis squats.

This is true. Though from what I've read, the Bijou was a disaster of a house that no one booked anymore unless they were desperate. It would have been perfect for the latter seasons of Tony Randall's National Actors Theater.

[quote] Santino will win because you can't beat someone with no one. Laura B should have done She Loves Me this year!

This is the second time you've tried to raise some sort of grassroots support for a retroactive Tony for "Laura B" for She Loves Me.

No one's biting.

Santino will win because the truly brilliant performances being given by Andre De Shields and Patrick Page in HADESTOWN will be acknowledged as Best Supporting Roles, unless there is a Tony Administration Committee ruling in the next two days, which could happen.

I generally like Benanti, but her brittle-in-dialogue/stilted-while-singing Amalia really tested me. And her terrible MFL accent did it again.

Is it at all possible that Reeve Carney could pull a Tony Shalhoub and get carried along with Hadestown's sweep like last year?

Boy, Ethan S. should have done Spongebob THIS year!

Benanti was miscast in She Loves Me almost as badly as Cheno in Promises, Promises. Or....Gavin Creel in She Loves Me.

That whole production was a disaster outside of Zachary Levi.

It’s possible Glenda Jackson will miss out on a nomination. Lear is terrible. That’s mostly Sam Gold’s fault, but her main competitors are all in better shows. I think Metcalf, May, Donnelly and Schreck are all nominated before her. That fifth spot could go to Annette Bening.

The other eligible candidates are Kerry Washington, Kristine Nielsen, Janet McTeer, and Keri Russell, and all but Russell have an outside chance at that final slot.

I would say Russell has a better shot than McTeer. Does anyone remember Bernhardt/Hamlet?

I still think Schreck doesn't belong in there. It's not a play, it's what they used to call a "special theatrical event." She's playing herself. But then, this isn't the first time the committee has played fast and loose with the rules.

What gimmicks will producers use ( star presenters, etc) to get anyone to watch this year's show?

[quote]Reeve Carney could pull a Tony Shalhoub

Pics please.

Amazon Prime is streaming all four seasons of Elaine Stritch's 1970s britcom "Two's Company." I've always wanted to see it, and had been considering importing the DVD. Glad I didn't. it's fun-adjacent, and Stritch is game, but I don't buy the relationship between her and her butler. He's such an asshole, she should have fired him three episodes in.

The theme song, however, is pure HEAVEN!

Two's Company???

Can good reviews and some awards do anything against the Marriott curse?

How about having the cast of Endgame -- all 500 of them -- present awards for no good reason?

Maybe Disney should commission a new musical that pays homage to various parts of their catalog.

As classic as something like Snow White is, there's maybe two songs that are well known.

Johnnie Fedora, r39!!!

[quote]As classic as something like Snow White is, there's maybe two songs that are well known.

"Snow White" was the first commercially released movie soundtrack. Several of its songs were in the top 10 in 1938.

The Marriott Marquis Theater is ugly and boring and a pain to get to via escalator. Has it not had a long running show?

The 90's Damn Yankees ran for a good while. And Drowsy Chaperone. But I detest that barn.

Thoroughly Modern Millie was at the Marquis, no?

A little show called "Me and My Girl" also played there.

^^Yes.

Is this the new theater thread?

It seems to be, yes.

I’ve been avoiding the theatre threads because I don’t know which one to click on. Could someone tell me why there are three or four floating around?

R49, we could... but then we would have to kill you.

Ink opening last night was phenomenal. Weird response from the critics. The NY Times loved it (and all the Brit critics who came over acted like it was the second coming) but a few of the minor critics were vicious.

A lock for Tony noms, best play and best supporting actor I reckon. Miller should get a Tony nod but won't.

[quote] "Snow White" was the first commercially released movie soundtrack. Several of its songs were in the top 10 in 1938.

Yes, because teenagers are definitely going to beg their parents to spend hundreds of dollars to hear Whistle While We Work and When You Wish Upon a Star sung live on stage.

The recent spate of multiple theater threads is the result of the epic failure of the new DL search engine.

This is the only 353 though isn't it?

R52 must be one of those hip teenagers or else he would have known that "When You Wish Upon a Star" is from "Pinocchio."

There were two #351s and then someone started #352 which took, but now people are posting in the second #351.

There's an announced new show off-Broadway (or off-off) called "Camp Morning Wood" about something like the Woods, a naked gay campsite opening at the end of May, but with no cast members (sorry! hehe) announced yet. Anyone know about this show or perhaps someone knows someone who's auditioned for it? There weren't audition notices, so probably not an Equity show.

Why didn't they ever musicalize Who Framed Rodger Rabbit.

R58 they would have to bowderlize it for modern audiences. Lots of complaints on the YouTube clips about it being too sexually suggestive for children, particularly Jessica Rabbit and her lines/scenes.

Instead of a group being called N Sync, today they'd have to call it N Censed.

The Marriott is historic because Reba gave the greatest replacement performance in Broadway history there in AGYG.

R56

That is fine as long as no one starts a second #353.

Has the search feature been fixed?

No, it still sucks.

Why did they alter the search function? It was working fine for me.

Paging Muriel! Please fix search engine. Muriel, hear our plea!

The Marriot Marquis is infamous for the biggest flops of the 90's - Nick & Nora, The Goodbye Girl, and The Capeman.

I'm still shaking my head over why they thought Shogun would make a good musical.

[quote]Paging Muriel! Please fix search engine. Muriel, hear our plea!

Aw fuck off you bunch of theatre major sissies!

[quote]This is the only 353 though isn't it?

Would you like me to start another one?

Oh for chrissakes......

Paging Muriel? Muriel Puce?

I was surprised to see while using the bathroom (and cruising) at the Marquis that they took down all the posters that used to line the entrance.

Oh, did Joe Allen's need to update their decor?

Wow Pretty Woman is toast.

Drama Desk going hard for the OB stuff.

Nice to see Fiddler get some award recognition.

Hmmm ... maybe Pretty Woman will earn the first post-nominations closing notice honor?

I don't think Snow White really works well as a full blown musical. There was a live action version I saw as a kid with Diana Rigg as the evil queen, which was actually a much better adaptation of the story itself than the Disney movie and it had a few cute songs, but the story itself can't sustain more than 80-90 minutes. They'd have to come up with an extra subplot or two which would probably just slow the pace down. Plus, the character of Snow White is such a big bore. Even as a kid, I was always rooting for the evil queen.

Can't do Snow White in this culture. Snow in coma, having to be saved my a man's kiss. No way.

]quote]Even as a kid, I was always rooting for the evil queen.

Because you are an evil queen! How many tots root for the bad guy?

Crazy- the one halfway decent thing in Tootsie gets snubbed.

Yet Denis Jones and his garbage "choreography" is now 2 for 2.

The Mariott Marquis restrooms used to be notorious for cruising. They now keep them locked except during showtimes.

[quote] They now keep them locked except during showtimes.

Girl, that ain't true.

Dame Di as Wicked Queen as Geisha......

R79, its a ripoff of a Woody Allen line in Annie Hall. Ironic because everyone knows now he'd go for the virginal pubescent Snow White.

I just used the Marriott Marquis bathroom (to pee, not cruise) during the Tootsie intermission this week. There’s still a wall of play posters next to the men’s room. Oddly, most of the shows never played at the Marquis.

I think that wall of posters has been there for a while. There also used to be one directly above the bar when you enter the theater. Is that one still there?

Who else wants to see BEETLEJUICE get ripped to shreds tonight?

Honestly, screw Avengers, that's the review I'm most waiting for.

I feel bad enjoying others’ suffering, but I am looking forward to the reviews. I saw it in DC and was actively loathing it by the time the little girl started What kind of show has Leslie Kritzer getting no laughs? Beetlejuice and Honeymoon in Vegas are 5 hours I will regret for a long time.

I'm surprised that Adele Nazeem and the actor who played her son in Skintight are not getting any awards recognition. I thought both were excellent.

Is Idina old enough to be a mother to a young man? Doesn't she have a toddler in real life?

Now that Univision has a telenovela of Doña Flor Y Sus Dos Maridos running, do we think there will be enough interest that we’ll see a Saravá! revival?

Idina’s son, Walker Diggs, is almost 9. But she is about to turn 49. She’s certainly old enough to have a grown son.

[quote]I feel bad enjoying others’ suffering, but I am looking forward to the reviews. I saw it in DC and was actively loathing it

But will they be bad reviews? DL’s own theatre pundits had Tootsie set up as the flop of the year, and look what happened.

No, r94. Sarava was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen, although it admittedly did not have a very good cast.

[quote]Could someone tell me why there are three or four floating around?

There aren’t, not active ones. Because of the nightmare of the broken DL search engine, there wound up being four different #351s. After three of them were finally filled, someone started a 352, and now a 353. All that’s still “floating” is the fourth, unused 351. The others are all full at 600 posts.

[quote]Can't do Snow White in this culture.

How would you feel about "Snow White-Adjacent?"

I hope the idiots who thought that Jeff Daniels was going to win the Tony will shut up now. It’s Cranston’s, end of story.

Drama Desk: No Cranston, no Hadestown. What gives?

Looks like a lotta love for off-Broadway, r101.

I'm not surprised that Pretty Woman was shut out of the DDs. Although it wasn't the worst musical I've ever seen, there is absolutely nothing in it that merits recognition.

bump

Which one's Donna?

R83, I'd love to see them recreate that on Broadway in this day and age! The cultural appropriation! Hide the children!

I still think Brooks could win the Tony over Santino, and I think he deserves it. Voters will probably want to throw at least one Tony to The Prom. Best Actor and Best Choreography seem like their strongest chances.

Best Musical = Hadestown. Tootsie is fun but shallow and the score sucks.

God I hope so. I hated Tootsie so fucking much.

Yes, so you keep telling us, r110.

And I'll keep doing it all throughout Tony season, so if it's a problem, you'd better numb your asshole.

Riedel really has his head up THE PROM's ass. They don't have any money to pay him for the positive press so I assume he genuinely likes the show.

What a pleasant person r112 is! I’ll bet he has tons of friends!

R112 is just reacting to the fact that Tootsie got near-raves and has scored well in both the OCC and DD nominations, and will undoubtedly come out big with the Tony nominations. It’s a hit, and that chaps r112’s hide.

r112 is all.....

Rex strikes again:

(1st paragraph) If you’re a fan of the 1982 movie with Dustin Hoffman (and who isn’t?) then don’t bother to check out the new Broadway musical Tootsie. Numbingly directed by the usually astute Scott Ellis—with appallingly ugly sets and costumes, atrocious jokes masquerading as a “book,” and a trunk full of dopey, derivative songs that all sound alike but pass for a “score”—it does nothing to remind you that it was once an original film that revitalized movie comedy except resuscitate the premise.

(Last paragraph) Hard work shows, and this show has a lot of energy, but in the final analysis, Tootsie ends up being the same kind of vulgar, tasteless, cartoonish Broadway musical it sets out in vain to satirize. Toot-toot, Tootsie, goodbye.

Donna is the one leaning on the large sign that says "Donna." She start with her trademark head snap, and then winds up, after some Chenez turns, sitting on the ground and watching Michael Bennet dance.

Where are the tapes of Bennet's work on the Milliken Breakfast show?

Oooh, how edgy and daring of Rex Reed to be such a refiexively nasty bitch, shitting on Broadway in (checks notes) Jared Kushner's New York Observer.

Did any of you bitches see Victoria Clark in Lady in the Dark tonight? City Center was Show Queen Central tonight!

[quote] [R112] is just reacting to the fact that Tootsie got near-raves and has scored well in both the OCC and DD nominations, and will undoubtedly come out big with the Tony nominations. It’s a hit, and that chaps [R112]’s hide.

Yes, and? This is the 2nd time you've typed this, as though you've made some amazing discovery and have played some sort of sick burn. Tootsie is a complete piece of shit. I have nothing personal against it. No one in the cast or crew wronged me. I didn't audition for a role and not get in. And no one stole the idea from me. I simply bought a ticket and had the misfortune of sitting through one of the worst evenings in the theater in my 30+ years of theatergoing. I'm reacting to that, and I've said as much already. So I hate to break it to you, but you've discovered nothing.

Rex Reed? Is that still a thing?

I mean, I didn't like Tootsie either. I'm not losing sleep over it or anything, but the other poster complaining isn't alone. It's very dated, the score is mediocre (and I'm a Yazbek fan) ... It really didn't need to be musicalized.

If Santino loses the Tony, I volunteer to be the person who gets to personally soothe his wounds.

R121, I see two or three shows a week, and many more at certain times of the year (like now, awards season) and in London and Edinburgh, and if TOOTSIE is one of the worst things you've ever seen in all your years of theatergoing, you've been majorly blessed. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the show (especially after all the bad-mouthing here on DL), and the reviews and award nominations seem justified to me. You're entitled to your opinion, but I don't get your hate for this particular show. I loathed SPONGEBOB last year, but I wouldn't have called even that one of the worst evenings of theater I've ever seen. Just misguided, and not for me.

At least it wasn't overly indulgent or pretentious, like that Cate Blanchett travesty from last season (already forgotten the title), or this year's KING LEAR, which is mostly unbearable despite a top-flight cast. And how about Off-Broadway, which is SO focused on identity politics right now (almost everything at The Public) or brings in a star to sell a shit show (THE MOTHER)? Not fun, most of it.

Tootsie, like all the recent musicals based on movies, is the same shitty, lazy show with the same awful songs they all come up with.

What happened to songwriting? Did all the good songs get written? Or, are modern songwriters just terrible at writing a catchy tune and pairing it up with some clever lyrics?

[quote]I'm reacting to that, and I've said as much already.

The problem is you can’t shut up about it. So clearly, you think you can accomplish something by repeating yourself time and again. You don’t even come up with a new angle, or new information, or even, really, anything interesting to say about why you hated it. It almost sounds like you didn’t actually see it, so what you can say is limited. And that’s why you’re boring.

[quote] The problem is you can’t shut up about it. So clearly, you think you can accomplish something by repeating yourself time and again. You don’t even come up with a new angle, or new information, or even, really, anything interesting to say about why you hated it. It almost sounds like you didn’t actually see it, so what you can say is limited. And that’s why you’re boring.

Nope, I have accomplished something- I've annoyed you. And you're an asshole. So something good came out of Tootsie after all.

There's an asshole calling an asshole "asshole" at r128.

Who will be nominated from Pretty Woman?

Vicky Clark did Lady in the Dark.? Where? I'm getting so old and uninformed, I like her very, very much but she really hasn't ever displayed the sophistication that part requires. I'd love it if she did.

From the movie musicals dance sequences thread, here is Ginger Rogers, who also didn't have the required sophistication but did her best, in The Saga of Jenny. Best part of a film directed by Mitchell Leisen, one of my favorite directors. Rogers and Leisen hated each other and the film's producer hated Kurt Weill and his music. That must have been a very interesting film set. For whatever reasons, the film sat on the shelf for over a year and a half and by the time it was released, Rogers' pompadour hairstyles were out of fashion, embarrassing for a film about fashion.

Don't get me started on how Edith Head tried to steal the credit for Leisen's design of the mink dress. It is a long, detailed and delicious story but has been reported on other threads.

Drama Desks also ignored Skintight?

So the Times gives "Beetlejuice" a semi-good review, positive comments among a lot of negatives. I think it falls off the grid for Best Musical. Is it four or five in that category? If it's four, The Prom, Tootsie, Hadestown, Ain't Too Proud, probably.

Wow, that red dress that Ginger's wearing in Lady in the Dark is stunning.

Did she refuse to sing the lyric about "wives who shot their husbands"? When she sings the altered lyric ("there were libel suits in 40 of the 48 states"), I thought it was censored, but a minute later, two chorus people sing "there were wives who shot their husbands in 33 states" so it couldn't have been a censorship issue.

Weird interviews in relation to "Lady in the Dark" with Vicky Clark this weekend. (It opened last night). Ted Sperling talks as if he's unaware that Encores! did Lady in the Dark over 20 years ago with Christine Ebersole, and it certainly had a full orchestra. This isn't the show's first time on the City Center stage.

R134, that dress is famous, or perhaps "infamous" is a better word. The lining of the mink skirt was originally rhinestones and crystal. It was so heavy, that Ginger Rogers could not lift it. It had to be remade at the very last minute with sequins. I forget how many people had to work 24 hour shifts to have it ready in time and not hold up the shooting schedule.

[quote] The dead lead lives of noisy desperation in “Beetlejuice,” the absolutely exhausting new musical that opened on Thursday at the Winter Garden Theater.

This is a “semi-good review,” r113? There may be some pull quotes, but those aren’t going to fool enough people to keep this running.

[quote] I forget how many people had to work 24 hour shifts to have it ready in time and not hold up the shooting schedule.

Were they by any chance Hungarian virgins?

r104=moron

Reviews for Beetlejuice were all over the map, though I'd say NY Times, NY Post, Daily News and Newsday are all negative, which is never a good position to be in. It basically leaves you relying solely on the tourist dollar, and who knows if a musical of Beetlejuice is at the top of the must-see list for most tourists. It has had a very low average ticket price during previews, and without reviews or much love from award season, it really has an uphill battle.

I have this bizarre feeling that Head Over Heels might slip into a few categories.

R117 Whether you like Tootsie or not, Reed's review is pretty (metaphorically) tone deaf. The lyrics he quotes from the show within the show are supposed to be bad, not the result of Yazbeck suddenly having a 180-degree lapse of talent or taste. Has Reed ever been relevant? Not that I can recall.

No, I think Reed has always been something of a joke. I guess he's not in on it.

No, Vicki Clark has never played sophisticated, because she can't.

Whether or not we have virulent anti-Tootsie troll, we have to admit that it's a dazzlingly sad year for songwriting - enough to make one wonder if the art is truly dead. Many musicals, too many with repurposed pop songs, and the new scores barely seem to do any of the things that good theater songwriting can do - rhymes that are actually fun, melodies that actually delight or engage, overall I'm depressed.

The Drama Desk awards are pretty crazy, but the OCC awards seem rather reasonable. I get the love for Lewiston/Clarkson which was probably the best theatrical experience of the last year, but Rags Parkland?! that shitfest Merrily? and Rebecca Naomi Jones?! Being left out of both DD and OCC is a pretty clear sign that Laura Donnelly has been forgotten, but there still seems to be some love for Ferryman generally.

Tony nominations are likely to be all over the map. Somebody above said Head over Heels might sneak into nominations. Let's hope. It probably does deserve noms for Bonnie M and choreo. I could live with it getting nothing else though.

Yeah, I don't get how Laura Donnelly has been virtually ignored. She ought to be taking home the Featured Actress Tony this year (even though I know they're pushing her for lead, which she isn't). The Ferryman should be one of those shows that has an overabundance of nominations.

I was happy to see Russell Harvard remembered for I Was Most Alive With You. I thought it was a gorgeous play and he was heartbreaking (and a few others in the cast did lovely work, as well).

I am hoping Jay O. Sanders wins for his Vanya, which might have been a career-best performance from him.

R141, HOH deserves a nom for choreography and I wouldn't mind at all if it snuck into the costume and book categories.

R145 is spot on, unfortunately. The art of songwriting for musical theatre is having its last gasps. When Jerry Herman, Sondheim, and John Kander are gone (and Herman is the youngest at 88) what’s left? David Yazbeck has written some great songs (“Invisible,” and “Model Behavior” and “Answer Me” anyone?) but he’s wildly inconsistent. And he’s the best of the crop.

The original Beetlejuice is available for free on Amazon Prime, if anyone is interested

Dopey songs do not a canon make.

Great scores and great songs ARE being written, trust me. But they can't be heard in a vacuum. They need the support of discerning producers of taste and intelligence, who are willing to take risks rather than playing it safe by pandering to audiences with the familiar and pre-digested pap.

Producers have the opportunity to spend many millions of dollars on new musicals (even based on old ideas, like TOOTSIE, KING KONG, PRETTY WOMAN)...

And they hire songwriters like Eddie Perfect. Who? What are his credits? WTF?

Well, he currently has two shows running on Bway. KING KONG and BEETLEJUICE.

[quote]Great scores and great songs ARE being written, trust me.

Okay. But how do you know? Are you hearing them somewhere? Are you writing them yourself?

I share your dismay about Eddie Perfect having two shows on Broadway, but what great composers are not being hired to write shows?

[quote]Well, he currently has two shows running on Bway. KING KONG and BEETLEJUICE.

Almost makes you miss Frank Wildhorn.

BMI, ASCAP, NYU and other programs/workshops are filled with great composers and lyricists looking for a break, R154.

Frank Wildhorn's arrival marked the beginning of the end.

I wonder if Guettel has thrown in the towel. I think the work he's done so far has been extraordinary, but there's not much of it and I suspect the Princess Bride fiasco sent him off the rails.

Well, R157. They are filled with people.

I always heard Guettel had a big drug problem. Don’t know if that’s true, but he wouldn’t be the first trust-funder who did. Pity if it’s true; a real waste of talent.

Most great composers and lyricists don't want to come to Broadway. More money in having a hit record and Broadway produces very few of those.

He did for many years, r161. Don't know whether he's backslid. Last fall he had a rant on twitter and then deleted all his social media accounts....around the time his marriage broke up.

JRB and Jeanine Tesori are capable of really great work, as is Steven Lutvak.

R161 How do you know Adam Guettel has a trust fund?

R165 -- He's Richard Rogers' grandson.

Beetlejuice opens to terrible reviews:

“A Jaw-Dropping Funhouse.” – Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“Stripes and spirals and sandworms, oh my! BEETLEJUICE, the rowdy musical adapted from Tim Burton’s 1988 horror-comedy, is loud, cheeky, and all about excess. It’s also — thanks in large part to ALEX BRIGHTMAN’s spot-on performance as the incorrigible titular ghoul — a pretty fun time. Gleefully irreverent and decently smart. EDDIE PERFECT’s power-poppy score and impish, up-to-the-minute lyrics suits BEETLEJUICE.” – Sara Holdren, New York Magazine

“A Spectacular Production, with huge laughs, full-throttle performances and a mischievous sense of fun that literally seems to drip from the ceiling.” – David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

“It’s SHOWTIME. BEETLEJUICE has never felt so LIVELY with CLEVER NEW TWISTS while staying true to what fans love about the original films spirit.” – Jessica Derschowitz, Entertainment Weekly

“BEETLEJUICE is a loopy, nutty, loud, winning hoot. SCOTT BROWN and ANTHONY KING’s book is full of snark, spark, and wit.” – Tim Teeman, Daily Beast

“This HILARIOUS and THRILLING new Broadway show brings with it a BIG, FANTASTICAL FUNHOUSE OF BURTONESQUE MAGIC!” – Dave Quinn, People

“BEETLEJUICE is a flashy and freewheeling visual treat.” – Matt Windman, AM New York

BEETLEJUICE, the new Broadway musical comedy presented by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures (Mark Kaufman) and Langley Park Productions (Kevin McCormick) has opened at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway) and the critics are raving about the ghost with the most!

“An irreverent, funny roller-coaster ride to hell and back. ALEX BRIGHTMAN is wonderfully larger than life—err death—part demon, part magician, part ghoul gone wild. ROB McCLURE and KERRY BUTLER are perfect. The hidden star in this show is SCOTT BROWN and ANTHONY KING’s book – clever, constantly surprising, and very, very funny.” - Joe Westerfield, Newsweek

“Screamingly good fun! KENNETH POSNER’s lightning and PETER HYLENSKI’s sound designs, as well as MICHAEL CURRY’s puppets, magic and special effects, all contribute to an overall eye and ear-popping experience.” – Frank Rizzo, Variety

“BEETLEJUICE on Broadway bombards you with manic energy with ALEX BRIGHTMAN leading a boffo cast, and director ALEX TIMBERS matches film director Tim Burton's ceaseless creativity.” – Roma Torre, NY1

“There’s plenty worth a haunt here, from DAVID KORINS’ off-kilter spook house set to ALEX BRIGHTMAN’s raspy-voiced title performance, and, most of all, the deliriously gorgeous singing of young SOPHIA ANNE CARUSO. LESLIE KRITZER is a stand-out as the unwelcome stepmom-to-be Delia.” – Greg Evans, Deadline

Any word on the two musicals Elton John is currently working on?

American self-loathing continues unabated.

R166 the cute guy who wrote Light in the Piazza is Richard Rodger's grandson? Oh, wow. I didn't know that.

R169 meaning?

so does r167 work for spotco or does he just want to

LOL at r167 trying to alter reality with very carefully chosen quotes.

The quotes are from all that chat.

Scott Frankel is very good - his score for GREY GARDENS is a masterpiece, and even though WAR PAINT was not as good, "Pink" is better than any song this season. Curious to hear how the "Flamingo Kid" is going in Philadelphia.

Yes R176, love Scott Frankel. I saw an early workshop of WAR PAINT with Donna Murphy (instead of Christine Ebersole) and Patti, and it was divine. Somehow the transition to stage ruined it.

Anyhow, looking forward to the next...

[quote]Somehow the transition to stage ruined it.

Just the transition to stage?

Ugh Scott Frankel wrote that excruciating Another Summer in a Winter Town that Christine Ebersole endlessly caterwauled through.

Is The Flamingo Kid really worthy of a Broadway musical treatment??

HADESTOWN is the only respectable choice for Best Musical. It will win. Santino WILL win. I just saw the promo for "OKLAHOMA!" on TV. It said: "Oklahoma! Reinvented for the 21st Century." Anyone else seen this?

[quote]Ugh Scott Frankel wrote that excruciating Another Summer in a Winter Town that Christine Ebersole endlessly caterwauled through.

Are you thinking of another song? Because there's nothing about "Another Winter in a Summer Town" (get the title right, fool) that could be described as caterwauling. It's a soft ballad, numbskull.

[quote]HADESTOWN is the only respectable choice for Best Musical.

Yet not even nominated for a Drama Desk.

[quote]Richard Rogers'

Oh, dear.

[quote]Richard Rodger's

And again.

[quote] Yet not even nominated for a Drama Desk.

The Drama Desks have already explained why Hadestown was left out- because it played the NYTW in 2016.

R181 how did they reinvent Oklahoma? By casting non-traditionally and serving chili? What's groundbreaking about that?

Wow to the poster upstream who doesn't like Another Winter in a Summer Town. I think that is one of the most beautiful songs from a musical in ages. I lived in Boston, and my family had houses on the Cape. Whenever I would spend time there out of season, I felt exactly like she felt. I think it is a wonderful and beautiful song about being at the right place at the wrong time, and not belonging at all. One of my other favorite songs from a musical of the last number of years is Dividing Day, from Light in the Piazza. How sad and true. And, hey, that's one example of Vicki Clarke being elegant, non?

They turned it into a pile of shit and the theater mavens scream how psychologically captivating it is,an exploration into the deeper inner workings of the dark mind. In other words, total bullshit. Typical of what's happening on Broadway now. The loons have taken over - social messages over substance.

Here is an example of the bullshit from a review on ATC:

Wow! Wow! Wow! When they promote this as an "Oklahoma! for the 21st Century," they ain't kiddin'. I really think it finds the soul of what Oscar Hammerstein was going for in his adaptation of the story. Folks trying to better their hardscrabble lives as 'immigrants' (of sorts, if you will) on hostile land governed by frontier justice. It is a very American microcosm of how this country was settled and is still being altered today actually, Mr. Trump notwithstanding. I'd wager the mold-breaking innovator that was Mr. Hammerstein would be applauding Mr. Fish pushing the envelope if he were alive.

R188, I imagine you're talking about Oklahoma! and not War Paint...

yep.

NYT reviewed Vicki Clark and LADY IN THE DARK....

Thumbs up.

Gertrude Lawrence was 42 when she originated the role. Why did they cast 60 year old Vicki Clark again?

I had my doubts about Vicki Clark being right for Lady in the Dark, but she was wonderful last night. Great singing and acting. The audience went wild for her Saga of Jenny. A huge choir must have brought the cast up to 150. And the orchestrations have been fully restored to Weill’s originals. How I would love a recording.

Addiction does run in the Richard Roger's family

Scott Frankel's score for "Finding Neverland" was pretty wonderful. That they dropped it for that crap is beyond me.

Unfortunate sleeves, r192.

Less than 72 hours until the nominations are revealed.

I'm lactating.

[quote]I'm lactating.

Pics please. TIA.

But only if you’re a man.

[quote]Richard Roger's

And again.

R189 is that an actual review from a real critic? Talk about laying it thick! It'a almost like they're trying to convince themselves.

It's an actual review from poster "Jesse21." He's been posting reviews on ATC forever, and he's generally improved, but he's not a "real" critic. I don't know what his bona fides are. The dish on him years ago was that he was a kept twink whose benefactor bankrolled his theater-going in the service of his career ambitions. Don't know whether or not that is/was true. Anybody?

Camp Morning Wood sounds dreadful and I expect the actors to all sport ridiculous pubic haircuts.

What planet are you on— of course Glenda Jackson will be nominated. Her performance is a lock

[quote] I don't know what his bona fides are

What are the bona fides of media critics?

Wow, looking at potential Tony nominees, we truly understand that this is the shittiest bway season in a long while.

It will break box office records, of course, guaranteeing that Bway transforms into the Las Vegas of the East

I meant bona fides in the sense of credentials, not integrity. Mainstream media critics generally have an association with a particular news outlet Jesse21, as far as I know, writes reviews in an online chat room. You or I could do the same.

I also noticed that Jesse21 is now styling his reviews as "My Comments On...." He used to title his posts "My Review Of....."

Excellent Greg Evans piece on Deadline about the run-up to getting GARY to opening night and worth particular attention for the genuine courage in nursing this brilliant and whacked-out play across the finish line, and in such tonally variegated and brilliantly achieved high (and also low, as required) style. Lane is right to invoke Waiting for Godot -- some will loathe GARY (I loved it), but it will endure.

You bitches will all remember I made my Broadway debut in Roger's and Heart's Babes in Arms.

Someone should tell this chappie that INK had nothing whatsoever to do with the National and began, in fact, at the Almeida !

https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeseymour/2019/04/26/2019-tony-awards-nominee-predictions/#53a14582379a

Someone should tell r212 how to post a link.

That fella from Forbes also thinks that RED began at the National Theatre -- which it did not. Oopsie. Maybe he should get a job at Fox News?

"Jesse21" is not a twink, though he might be fostering one.

That was very old gossip, and of course may not have been true even 10 years ago. ^^

Heard lee Seymour speak at an event. Seems like an asshole. Arrogant, smug and ill informed

Lee Seymour's website is quite extraordinary. If he is half as conceited as the website suggests, Forbes should be ashamed of itself. Hire Gordon Cox!

TONY voters like a musical that makes them laugh out loud and smile a lot. Using that criteria, Best Musical will come down to Tootsie vs. The Prom. Beetlejuice will win set design. Choreography probably goes to Ain't Too Proud. Best Play to Ferryman.

The idea of BEETLEJUICE winning anything except a Golden Raspberry makes my hair curl, which is no mean feat

I think “Another Winter in a Summer Town” is neither good or bad. It’s a mediocrity with a totally derivative melody.

What's derivative about it?

Beetlejuice could win for set design. And maybe lighting. I haven’t seen Hadestown yet, but none of the others offers much competition in that category.

Yes, I think Jesse21 has alluded to having seen a number of classic musicals that he couldn't have seen without a time machine.

He used to get a lot of shit on ATC for being pretentious (and maybe for the time machine), but at this point he seems to be accepted, or at least tolerated. I don't go to that site very often, but about a dozen years ago I did.

Like The Band's Visit, R219?

Grey Gardens was a show I looked forward to and when I finally saw it (not on B'way; professional regional production) I was completely underwhelmed. The first act was just dull and the 2nd act was a pale re-enactment of the documentary. The songs are meh and "Another Winter", the best of the bunch, is just the best of a bunch of meh songs.

Adam Guettel has written the score for a new show which just had a top secret reading with a starry Bway cast and it's quite good.

No kidding, r228? If it's even a fraction as good as Light in the Piazza and Floyd Collins......

Does anyone think that, with the complete absence of any competition in the category (really, not even enough viable nominees), Brandon Uranowitz has the lock on the Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play?

Bertie Carvel is going to get it for "Ink".

Why is he being considered in Featured?

[Quote] You or I could do the same.

Sure and some of us write out comments. I like his reviews and when I see shows I agree with much of what he says

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make, r233. I don't think anyone was suggesting that no one should like Jesse21's reviews. I frequently agree with posters here who discuss a play they've seen, but I don't think of them as drama critics, and I'll bet they don't either. Jesse21 has styled himself as a drama critic.

Don't underestimate HADESTOWN for Best Musical: it's woman-driven (the creative team) and it's "downtown" and "young" in the way some hoped BE MORE CHILL would be (and then they saw BE MORE CHILL).

It's forward-looking in ways that THE PROM and especially TOOTSIE are not. TOOTSIE, in particular, is a show about a man becoming a man while dressing as a woman--made pretty much entirely by men. THE PROM has its heart in the right place, but it's not "cool" like HADESTOWN.

I think TONY voters like to at least appear to care about these things, even when their loyalties lie elsewhere.

Their loyalties may lie elsewhere but where do their royalties lie?

[quote]Does anyone think that, with the complete absence of any competition in the category (really, not even enough viable nominees), Brandon Uranowitz has the lock on the Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play?

Why ever do you say there's a "complete absence of any competition in the category" and "really not even enough viable nominees? With all of the very good new plays and revivals of old ones on Broadway this season, and all of the excellent supporting performances in them? What off-the-wall commments.

Yikes, R235

Yes, Tootsie should be hurt by the fact the entire creative team is male and passing off their 1990s mansplaining as woke but that isn't going to happen. The only thing possibly holding it back in terms of awards is that after winning so much last year with the interesting The Band's Visit, Yazbek has failed to follow up with another good set of songs. Tootsie is apparently very funny and well structured (not unlike 'Mean Girls') and Tootsie has a great Broadway pedigree (in terms of everyone having worked on Broadway for decades) but so far nobody cares for the songs. Will audiences want to spend musical comedy prices for a comedy with music? Will Tony voters be willing to reward a comedy with music after making such a point to humiliate Tina Fey last year for bringing Broadway exactly that?

You are correct to note that female audience interest is a big factor in how well a Broadway show will do and that an all male creative team reviewed by mostly male critics can even go on to win a lot of awards while turning off the same girls and women required for a show to recoup. But that isn't some conspiracy to punish old white guys. That is just the market.

The decision to make the show a comedy was a strong one. But besides being hilarious, comedy usually also must be specific -- which means that well done comedy has the ability to hit a big wall in terms of audience. The Prom hit that wall super hard, being designed to tickle a very small and informed theater audience (as if Glee was still on the air marketing theater as a central element to all high schoolers.) Maybe Tootsie is more universally hilarious.

TOOTSIE is so safe. Barely scratches the surface of non-traditional casting. Very pale.

The best performance I ever saw that no one else did? Elisabeth Welch in Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood. The bitch was 82 and she held the audience spellbound. You realized you were seeing an artist. She was nominated for a Tony but lost to Bebe Neuwirth for Sweet Charity. The show ran for less than a month but I'll never forget her.

TOOTSIE should win Best Musical of the Year.

If the year is 1982.

Seriously.... what, exactly, is the value of any musical if it doesn't have a great score? Sure, there are lots of elements at work. But the songs are a show's reason for being.

Oh come on, r241. It’s rare these days that ANY musical has a “great” score. Even Yazbeck’s Tony winner, The Band’s Visit, isn’t a great score - it’s a decent score with a couple of outstanding songs. That’s pretty much the best you can count on these days for the most part. “The Prom,” similarly, is hardly a great score. It doesn’t even have a couple of outstanding songs.

Let's changes the name of the Tonys to The 2019 Social Justice Female Empowerment Awards. Al winners must have non-traditional casting and feature, as the theme, some sort of female empowerment.

The score for Tootsie makes The Prom's sound like South Pacific. Just saw Hadestown and the score is pretty good all in all, but I never really invested in the story or the characters much. That said, it's directed and choreographed impecably and will probably win.

[quote]The score for Tootsie makes The Prom's sound like South Pacific

No it doesn’t. The Prom is mostly devoid of melody and has a couple of decent songs. What makes the show work is the cast and the book, not the score, and the book isn’t as good as Tootsie’s.

I saw Tootsie a week before it opened. The score is not dreadful at all. It’s just kind of so-so, and is a huge come down from his other scores. That’s all.

The Prom score is, at best, pleasantly generic. Tootsie's isn’t any more memorable, but at least it’s distinctive.

When I saw Tootsie, every time they starting singing I felt myself go "oh shit..." Because they've made the laugh-a-tat-tat book so strong the music feels entirely unnecessary. You wait for the song to end to back to the action, so to speak, which is the exact opposite of what a musical is supposed to do. It's really, really weird. I would love to see a run through where they simply skipped the songs.

So what's your argument, r242? That mediocrity should be awarded? Isn't the Tony purportedly given for "excellence" in the chosen field? Better to eliminate the category altogether than diminish standards. "So-so" doesn't--and shouldn't--cut the mustard at year's end.

There's the pull line every musical dreams of: "The score is not dreadful at all."

[Quote] The decision to make the show a comedy was a strong one.

Should they have made Tootsie a tragedy instead?

When have we had a Bway season when all the scores were just so-so??

Oh, last year!

The show that will do the best on your will likely win in this absolutely lackluster season.

I’m going with Tootsie because everyone is flyover land is stupid

Musical - Tootsie

Director - Hadestown

Score - Hadestown

Book - Tootsie

Maybe they’ll throw a Tony to Brooks so The Prom doesn’t go home empty handed.

[quote]The Prom is mostly devoid of melody and has a couple of decent songs.

Oh, please. I think we all agree it's not a great score, but to say it's "most devoid of melody" is a ridiculous exaggeration that makes you sound like you don't know what "melody" means. If you said "mostly devoid of memorable melodies," that would be another matter.

'...to say it's "most devoid of melody" is a ridiculous exaggeration that makes you sound like you don't know what "melody" means."

"Melody" is defined as "a sequence of single notes that is musically SATISFYING" (my caps)

That would make r245's observation perfectly correct.

[quote]So what's your argument? That mediocrity should be awarded?

No. How do you make that leap? I didn't say anything of the kind. You made a comment that "what's the point of a musical if it doesn't have a great score" as a specific reference to Tootsie, and I was pointing out that, for the most part, NO musical these days has a great score. It's not as though Tootsie came along and everyone went "Oh my God, it's a rotten score! We haven't heard something so awful since Buttrio Square!" In fact, the reviews were kind of mild about the score, there were even a couple that were positive. So it's hardly the big pile of shit on Broadway's plate that you want to portray it as.

You're mistaking me for r241, r256. But no matter....

BEST MUSICAL NOMINEES:

HADESTOWN (Winner)

TOOTSIE

THE PROM

BE MORE CHILL

HADESTOWN is also gonna take director, choreography, and score. If it doesn't take book, it will go to "TOOTSIE". BEST ACTOR is between Santino and Reeve Carney.

Reeve Carney? I thought DL fave Brooks Ashmanskas was Santino’s big competition.

We won’t settle for anything less than Brooks as a spoiler, if Santino’s bud is indeed to be spoiled.

Bid. If Santino’s bid is to be spoiled, sorry.

yawn

How many New Yorker have seen any of these shows?

[quote] "really not even enough viable nominees? With all of the very good new plays and revivals of old ones on Broadway this season, and all of the excellent supporting performances in them? What off-the-wall commments.

And they would be?

Here is your list of all the non-musical plays opened this season.

Boys in the Band (may not be eligible based on no tix for other awards, but we don't know for sure)

Straight White Men- not happening

Bernhardt/Hamlet- doubtful

The Nap- hahahahahahahahaha, next

The Lifespan of a Fact- I think both men are considered lead

The Ferryman- I think there is at least one nominee here, though OCC and DD were very sparing, too sparing to be sure of anything.

The Waverly Gallery- technically, yes, there are supporting roles here. No one did anything worthy and all have been ignored thus far.

Torch Song- Nope

American Son- Jeremy Jordan did not get the reviews

Network- No one but Cranston did any work in this that should be lauded (and hasn't been). Horrific cast.

To Kill a Mockingbird- I would have thought this would be a steamroller, but at this point, Jeff Daniels will be lucky to get a nomination.

Choir Boy- This could go the August Wilson route and garner nominations for performances no one remembers.

True West- no supporting

King Lear- Not with THOSE reviews

Burn This- Uranowitz

Hillary & Clinton/Gary- no featured

All My Sons- I saw that a cast member got a nomination for DD but I don't remember his name and I don't know who he played, so there's another possibility for you.

Ink- So I made the comment before I realized both guys were NOT eligible for lead. I thought the play was about Rupert Murdoch, so why is Carvel considered featured? The committee did not make a determination on Carvel, only Miller. I thought they were BOTH leads.

So I stand by my comment. Based on this anemic list and looking at how the OCC and DD went out of their way to find Off-Broadway candidates tells me this is a very weak year for this category. Will they nominate five actors? Probably. Yeah, there are enough physical bodies to do so, but in terms of worthy performances, not really. I'd say based on this list, it's Uranowitz's to lose. This will be his third nomination in under five years. If BITB is eligible, then Robin DeJesus could slip in and give him a run (and is also a former 2-time nominee), but my guess is that show will be way too far out of everyone's memory.

So it will probably be Uranowitz, Carvel (if he's not lead), maybe one of the Choir Boy guys, the other guy from All My Sons, and one of the Ferryman actors. It's a big shrug of a category .

[quote] if Santino’s bud is indeed to be spoiled.

Based on Santino's yawn of a performance, my guess is someone spoiled that bud in order for him to get the role.

[quote] So what's your argument, [R242]? That mediocrity should be awarded? Isn't the Tony purportedly given for "excellence" in the chosen field? Better to eliminate the category altogether than diminish standards. "So-so" doesn't--and shouldn't--cut the mustard at year's end.

I wish they would do that these days like they used to in the 80s/90s, however most of those times it was because there was a literal lack of productions. 1994-95 had no book musicals or original scores outside of Sunset Boulevard, but instead of killing the categories altogether, they just handed the awards to Sunset because they felt the quality was so good, they couldn't ignore it. (Give me a break.) And Glenn won with only one other actress eligible. Sunset only ran against one other musical. It was embarrassing.

But if they actually have the warm bodies, they would never dare be that radical and just say- fuck it, no one did anything of merit this year, so we're not giving the award- the way the Pulitzers will sometimes do for drama. I wish they would.

[quote]But if they actually have the warm bodies, they would never dare be that radical and just say- fuck it, no one did anything of merit this year, so we're not giving the award- the way the Pulitzers will sometimes do for drama. I wish they would.

They did in 1985 for Best Actor in a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical.

The anti-Tootsie Troll is back! Love him! His anger is so acute he can’t control himself, which is fun. He hasn’t had a good last few months, poor thing. The last time he got any joy was when Mary Poppins Returns fizzled out.

R262 - 90% of the posts are from New Yorkers. The rest of the country hasn't seen the shows or just doesn't care.

[quote] The anti-Tootsie Troll is back! Love him! His anger is so acute he can’t control himself, which is fun. He hasn’t had a good last few months, poor thing. The last time he got any joy was when Mary Poppins Returns fizzled out.

No, actually I'm the guy who's been called the anti-Tootsie troll and those recent anti-Tootsie posts were not mine. Sorry.

[quote] They did in 1985 for Best Actor in a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical.

I think if you look at the season, they did it because there was an actual lack of nominees. Remember back then they really stuck to the "if they're above the title, they're lead, otherwise they're featured." But even so, there were only 7 musicals that opened on Broadway in 1984-85, both new and revival. They probably could have squeezed out a Lead Actress category by moving Leilani Jones and Mary Beth Peil from featured to lead, and maybe shoved in the always awful Dinah Manoff to make it three. But that season was from hunger in terms of musicals.

I'm watching the Kennedy Center revival of Follies. But then, I'm sure at least half of you are doing the same.

Personally, I'm zipping through every rendition of Moon River known to man on YT, courtesy an article in the Financial Times. Morissey and Frank Ocean's really suck.

"How many New Yorker have seen any of these shows?"

It is imperative that this New Yorker stay on top of everything in musical theatre, but I have yet to see these (though I've heard the cast/demo/studio recordings):

Hadestown

Be More Chill

The Prom

Tootsie

King Kong

Pretty Woman

^ every one of those shows is pure unadulterated shit

I think you're all discounting Damon Daunno winning the Tony for Best Actor. I'm telling you, by the time of the ceremony, he will be the front-runner.

R268, you’re assuming that everyone commenting here has actually seen these shows

New Yorker here. I've seen all the big musicals except Hadestown. I usually try to go during late previews, but missed that. I'll go in the next couple of weeks. Oh, and Beetlejuice. That one got by me, too.

Wouldn't Benjamin Walker in All My Sons be the front-runner for Best Featured Actor in a Play?

Tootsie will be a major success with tourists, and rightfully so.

NYer here, but I don't want to pay full-price or even TDF sometimes for some of these shows. They add up over time and sometimes they aren't that good, even if they have nominations up the wazoo. I mean, I did see "Starmites" years ago and that had nominations too... !

R279 you're old enough to have seen Starmites?

Yeah, saw it as a kid, kiddo.

BE MORE CHILL deserves a nod for Best Score, as does HADESTOWN. More than any of the other shows named (and particularly more than TOOTSIE), both composers have created an original sound that Bway desperately needs. CHILL is not my kind of show, but it's actually a really tuneful and charming pop-infused score.

I will be seeing THE PROM in a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed. I really want to like the score, but I've been utterly underwhelmed by everything I've heard so far. Maybe the songs will sound much better in context.

LOL, Reeve Carney's award will be the nomination--IF he gets one. He's fine in the show but his costars are acting circles around him.

HADESTOWN will win Best Musical, Best Score. BEETLEJUICE's set design is great but the cast seems to get swallowed up in it at times. I thinK Santino has the best shot in his category, but I would love to see it go to Brooks. Honestly, there isn't really one show that ticks all the boxes this year; maybe they'll send each of the stronger shows home with something, spread the awards around.

Reeve Carney owes his entire career to his ability to make (and keep) Julie Taymor wet during SPIDERMAN. Just saying.

Well, that and the fact that his grandpa Art was Ed Norton on THE HONEYMOONERS.

"both composers have created an original sound that Broadway desperately needs"

As Charles Ives said, "What does sound have to do with music?

The DD nominations were a result of one committee member who pushed hard for "representation." This person had made his feelings about the very white and male shows (Lehman Trilogy, Mockingbird, Ink) known on social media and it was no secret these shows were ignored even though Lehman was probably the most spectacular piece of theater I've seen this year. It's not wrong to want representation but I think the Tonys may also overcompensate and reward shows to make a statement. BE MORE CHILL is utter shite, but it may sneak in ahead of the more deserving THE PROM or AIN'T TOO PROUD because I tihnk the Tony nominators will want to reward a show that young people are so passionate about. Joe Iconis is probably a lock to get a score nomination. I do hope they don't forget about Michael Urie, who was wonderful in TORCH SONG.

Agree that the Public's programming has become entirely agitprop and wholly uninteresting.

[quote]The DD nominations were a result of one committee member who pushed hard for "representation." This person had made his feelings about the very white and male shows

Let me guess: this person is a white SJW though not necessarily female? They are the worst!

Why not name him, if he made his feelings known on social media? The male members of the DD Nominating Committee are Peter Filichia, Charles Wright, Jose Solis, Zachary Stewart and Doug Strassler. Filichia has a huge social media presence, is that who you mean?

"The DD nominations were a result of one committee member who pushed hard for "representation." This person had made his feelings about the very white and male shows (Lehman Trilogy, Mockingbird, Ink) known on social media and it was no secret these shows were ignored even though Lehman was probably the most spectacular piece of theater I've seen this year. It's not wrong to want representation but I think the Tonys may also overcompensate and reward shows to make a statement. BE MORE CHILL is utter shite, but it may sneak in ahead of the more deserving THE PROM or AIN'T TOO PROUD because I tihnk the Tony nominators will want to reward a show that young people are so passionate about. Joe Iconis is probably a lock to get a score nomination. I do hope they don't forget about Michael Urie, who was wonderful in TORCH SONG"

In short, every consideration but quality and excellence.

The current Broadway situation. No excellence.

Both Adam Guettel and Scott Frankel were in Skull & Bones at Yale.

[quote] I do hope they don't forget about Michael Urie, who was wonderful in TORCH SONG.

If this is your idea of excellence, you should be more than pleased with everything this year.

I don't know the name, I think it's a journalist of color. I was at a dinner where one of the attendees is close to someone on the committee and was ranting about it - I suppose because the others might have felt pressured.

Even a worm will turn, as my grandmother used to say.

Hmm. Literally the only person of color among the eight DD nominators is Latino Jose Solis. He’s so funny and has a great sense of humor on his Twitter, it’s hard to picture him as an SJW.

Would Lehman have invited the Drama Desk voters? It was a very short run with very pricey tickets. I wouldn’t think they would give away a bunch to the Drama Desk voters when the show can make money selling them and the show might come back next year to Broadway, in which case they don’t want to use up their eligibility this year.

Hadestown is more of a slog than The Bands Visit. It’s not well paced and the story of the two leads doesnt draw you in emotionally. You appreciate the skill but it feels like you’re supposed to care for it more than you do. It’s the definition of a snob hit. It might still win Best Musical because the competition is quite flawed as well, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tootsie pull it off.

R263, even if you consider that list "anemic," it provides more than enough viable candidates for four or even five nominees for Best Supporting Actor in a Play. And there is no question that BOYS IN THE BAND is eligible for Tonys. They fulfilled all of the requirements in terms of inviting Tony nominators and voters. I don't know why you think otherwise.

[quote]The DD nominations were a result of one committee member who pushed hard for "representation." This person had made his feelings about the very white and male shows (Lehman Trilogy, Mockingbird, Ink) known on social media and it was no secret these shows were ignored even though Lehman was probably the most spectacular piece of theater I've seen this year.

I was told THE LEHMAN TRILOGY was not eligible for Drama Desk nominations because the production didn't invite voting members of the DD. Same situation with THE BOYS IN THE BAND, but again, that production did invite Tony nominators and voters.

[quote] Literally the only person of color among the eight DD nominators is Latino Jose Solis. He’s so funny and has a great sense of humor on his Twitter, it’s hard to picture him as an SJW.

Ummm....picture it.

Classic Stage Company announced they're revisiting ASSASSINS next season. Directed by John Doyle.

Fun! Wonder who'll they'll get in the cast?

Patti LuPone as Lee Harvey Oswald playing a tuba

[quote] And there is no question that BOYS IN THE BAND is eligible for Tonys. They fulfilled all of the requirements in terms of inviting Tony nominators and voters. I don't know why you think otherwise.

Because I fucking told you why. If you can't read, don't blame me.

Time for a sex change for the narrator in Assassins!

[quote]R7 Helen Wood, [R2]......

She later acted in porn, including DEEP THROAT, under the name Dolly Sharp.

Ugh. Why would Reeve Carney be a front runner for Best Actor? He barely makes an impression and the material doesn’t allow him to inhabit his own journey - it’s all done through the narration. The composer didn’t even right him the much referred to beautiful song that his character is meant to sing - they just keep referring to it and when the time comes he just sings a silly placeholder phrase. “La de dah de dah dah la la....!” It’s a ridiculous failure of imagination, composition and creativity.

His performance is not central to the way this story is told.

He's not, r304. Cranston and two or three others are before him.

r263, Ink is about the formation of the Sun newspaper, so the lead is Sun editor Larry Lamb, Miller’s character who is rarely offstage. Bertie’s Rupert Murdoch is basically a glorified cameo. He probably doesn’t have more than ten or fifteen minutes of stage time. It’s correct for Miller to be considered as lead and Carvel as supporting.

R303 WOW

Holy shit, r303. That's an amazing story. I couldn't find her on IMDB as Helen Wood (there are others with that name) - instead, they have her listed as Dolly Sharp. (In the case of her Helen credits, it says "Dolly Sharp (as Helen Wood)" which made me sad. I have a feeling she would have hated that.

I wonder what became of her son?

R302, why? Should there be a female Lee Harvey Oswald also? Are you suggesting this because it makes sense or because you believe every male role should be re-cast for a woman? How about Mark Poppins? My Fair Laddie?

Bingo. I'm sure (I hope) r302 was joking, but the whole concept of re-casting/revising in the name of equality is tedious as hell. Write new plays with more ethnically/racially/gender balanced characters and social justice-oriented themes, but this apparent push to do what r309 describes is just wrong. And so is eliminating the slap in Carousel; it's pivotal to the story. Don't like it? Write another play.

The Prom isn’t getting anything, and that includes DL overrated tub of lard Brooks.

The Prom is one of the most mediocre things I've ever seen on Broadway.

[quote]Boys in the Band (may not be eligible based on no tix for other awards, but we don't know for sure)

I was reacting to the statement above. BITB will be eligible for Tonys, because the producers invited the nominators and voters. Whether it get any noms or not, because had a brief run and closed so long ago, is another matter. But there are several potential possibilities for featured actor noms in that show.

[quote]R308 I couldn't find her on IMDB as Helen Wood - instead, they have her listed as Dolly Sharp. (In the case of her Helen credits, it says "Dolly Sharp (as Helen Wood)" which made me sad.

As you can see, she stayed limber ...

The cigarette is such a classy touch.

Brooks did what he was supposed to do very well, but what he was supposed to do was so cliche-ridden and borderline offensive, that I hope he isn't nominated.

R305 Not to mention that Carney would be up for Actor in a Musical, whereas Cranston would be up for Actor in a Play.

I saw him give the exact same performance last summer in “The Closet” at Williamstown. Apart from the funny hat and endlessly unfunny single entendre jokes, he did the same performance in “Something Rotten.”

Saw HADESTOWN last night. I enjoyed it, but the most impressive thing was the giant ripped body of Timothy Hughes.

R319, thanks!

Ohh r319 thank you for diverting the tedious subject of Tony prognosticating

[quote]The cigarette is such a classy touch.

If I recall correctly, the cigarette leads to the line "Mind if I smoke --- while you eat?"

[quote]He's not, [R304]. Cranston and two or three others are before him.

But no DD nod for Cranston?

Don’t be so literal, r309. As you should have been able to tell from the signature, it was a joke, riffing of a prior poster’s comment about Patti LuPone playing Lee Harvey Oswald.

But now that you mention it, I love the idea of Mark Poppins. I would pay good money too see that.

And as for My Fair Laddie ...

There's no real reason for the Narrator in ASSASSINS to be male, particularly since the wanna-be assassins include two females already.

No reason she can't be differently abled, either.

I'm just saying.

I wish I could have seen that brief Lady In The Dark production. Speaking of Weill, wasn't Audra supposed to his Seven Deadly Sins with the LA Phil next year? Now, I don't see the singer listed, so I assume she's no longer doing it? Anyone know for sure? I doubt anyone could do it as much justice as Teresa Stratas, though.

If you don’t really think much about Assassins, or if you don’t know that the “Narrator” is the Balladeer, it’s fine to make the role whoever you want. But since it is clearly written to represent the voice of Americana and traditional telling of history, greater care should be taken in casting the role.

R326 aren’t female assassins kind of anomalies?

Neither of the female assassins in Assassins were successful though.

Just sayin'.......

Could the narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat be a dude?

R331, the narrator in Joseph was written for a man and was not played as a woman till the 1980s.

"I doubt anyone could do it as much justice as Teresa Stratas, though."

Lenya, baby, Lenya.

Correcting a continuously repeated and mistaken fact on here -- Art Carney was Reeve's great uncle, not his grandfather.

In other words, his grandfather's brother...

[quote]My Fair Laddie?

What about MY FAIR LADYBOY and cast an Asian trans. Kill two birds with one stone!

Thanks for the clarification, R306. From the things that I've read about the show, it seemed Rupert was a major character in the play.

I think IMDB should correct that, r308. "Dolly Sharp (as Helen Wood)" ??? For chrissakes, she WAS Helen Wood!

I saw a production of Assassins with a female Balladeer. It worked. She sang the shit out of it. I don't see a problem with that. Casting a female Lee Harvey Oswald or a disabled former sex worker of color as Booth however...yeah, no thanks.

Is 'sex worker' the PC term for prostitute? Jesus Christ!

Settle down, R340. Synonyms are not here to ruin your life.

Is 'prostitute' the PC term for hooker? Jesus Christ!

Is 'hooker' the PC term for whore? Jesus Christ!

We Theatre Gossip regulars take offense at EVERYTHING!

Harrumph.

It just seems like the far left (aka SJWs) like to sweeten things to make them more palatable.

Are we sure BOYS IN THE BAND invited all the Tony voters? Cause one of my friends is a voter and a critic, and he bought his own ticket to the show cause he wasn't given a comp. And he never buys tickets. Ever. In any case, that run was fairly short and in the summer months when Tony voters are rarely in the city, so it's likely many didn't see the show. But if it is up for Tony nods, some of those cast members could definitely be considered for featured actor.

Peter Filichia was not the DD nominator who made those DD so crazy. And they were nutso, those DD nominations. Though I did laugh heartily at the omission of Glenda Jackson, mainly because it was so pointedly bitchy. And say what you want about that wretched production, she is fierce in it.

Jeff Daniels has gotten NO love from early award nominations. Bryan Cranston has this one in the bag. And at the recent Easter Bonnet, Cranston performed in a skit (as Jeff Daniels) then took the stage with Daniels and was the clear star of the day: funny, hilarious, charming. In terms of off-stage networking, Cranston is gold. And his performance is good too, so I've no issue with him being rewarded, even as the show overall is not. (And should not be.)

The most competitive race is going to end up being featured actress in a musical. I was hoping Amber Gray would be put into lead (where she would easily win), but nope. She'll compete against Ali S. from OKLAHOMA, and ANGIE S. from THE PROM, and... Mary Testa and Bonnie Milligan and Leslie Kritzer? Someone good is gonna be left out.

As for featured actor in a musical, there are actually three viable contenders from TOOTSIE alone. And surely Patrick Page will finally be nominated.

Reeve Carney makes almost no impression in HADESTOWN, but he's still miles better than the chap who played that role at NYTW, a man by the name of Damon Daunno. But no tears for Daunno, who will be nominated for OKLAHOMA. They will both lose to Santino. No contest.

AIN'T TOO PROUD has gotten far, far fewer pre-Tony nominations than expected. The jukebox musical formula is, thankfully, no longer being rewarded.

HEAD OVER HEELS was more fun than some of these spring shows.

I wonder if Ken Davenport is actually holding out hope that GETTIN' THE BAND BACK TOGETHER might snag a nod or two...

Bertie Carvel is definitely a supporting character in INK. But it's not a cameo! Puleez. He's in some major scenes, including the start and end of the show, and you can't take your eyes off of him when he is on stage. Great part, great performance, great show.

With Amber Gray now in the featured category, who does that leave for lead actress in a musical? I think Beth Leavel just got her second Tony with that determination. And good for her.

I wonder how many champions BE MORE CHILL has... I've yet to see that one and still feel no compulsion to do so.

And will GARY find its way to any nominations? I love how divisive the play is, and I understand those who hate it, though I am in the love camp. Divisive works typically don't fare well with award committees, so Scott Rudin may have a rough Tuesday morning this year.

Finally, for those who've seen it... Do I need to see ALL MY SONS?

If Lehman didn’t invite voters, how did they get two nominations? Plus, the Armory is huge. Maybe they squeezed in those bloggers.

HEAD OVER HEELS should have opened in the spring. It might actually have found an audience, and the critics might have been less vicious about it.

If BEETLEJUICE has opened last July, it wouldn't have survived until January. No way.

Head over Heels and Boys in the Band might surprise us on Tuesday. They were good but not great, but the spring shows were REALLY not great.

I would not be surprised to see Bonnie Millegan, Jim Parsons, Robin De Jesus, and possibly even Joe Mantello get nominated, all of which I would have thought to be impossible on January 1. Spencer Liff might get a choreography nod for Head over Heels, and HoH might sneak in as the fifth Best Musical nominee. And I think BitB is definitely getting nominated for Best Revival.

If nothing else GARY will be nominated and might very well win Best Set and Costume Design Tonys. I don't think there's much competition there except INK for Best Set Design. Oh, and I guess The Ferryman.

I haven't seen GARY yet but the design looks spectacular and hilarious and makes me want to see it.

HOH won’t be getting a Best Musical nod. It makes The Prom look like West Side Story.

While Jonny Lee Miller does indeed have more stage time in INK, there's just something off about his performance. Or maybe it's the lack of better writing of his character, whose motivations were never made very clear. I left the theater still not really understanding what drove Lamb or caring much about him.

Bertie Carvel as Murdoch has the showier and more memorable role. Like all great British actors these days, he's not afraid of being unlikeable on stage. Carvel could easily be a leading man but he seems to be more interested in character roles.

Yes, sex worker is now the PC term for hooker, gigolo, whore, etc. Apparently, they're our heroes. The most marginalized people in America right now are the disabled, trans sex workers of color. Y'know...all 6 of them.

Who is the white haired lady named Jamie de Roy who seems to get a lot of press coverage at all of the Broadway red carpets? Is she a producer or a rich lady who puts a lot of money into shows?

And cocksucker? What about cocksucker? Is there a PC term for that?

Cranston was funny AND hilarious ... he def deserves that Tony

[quote] I was hoping Amber Gray would be put into lead (where she would easily win), but nope. She'll compete against Ali S. from OKLAHOMA, and ANGIE S. from THE PROM, and... Mary Testa and Bonnie Milligan and Leslie Kritzer? Someone good is gonna be left out.

Wow, that’s going to be there killer category. Whom to honor? Mary Testa and Leslie Kritzer and Angie Schworer are longtime Broadway vets who deserve some love. Ali Stroker is the wheelchair “it” girl of the moment. Amber Gray is Amber Gray. I think Bonnie Milligan loses out on the nom. I mean, it’s Head Over Heels.

But as to the eventual winner, I wouldn’t place a bet.

Cranston was his usual blowhard self.

R355-Yes. Betty Buckley.

No, you don't get it, R359. The new, replacement term is supposed to be LESS pejorative, not more.

Carvel would kill his own mother for a leading role. I’ve never worked with a man more desperate to be famous. (Denise Gough had some very interesting things to say about him in a podcast a few years ago).

He doesn’t get bigger or better roles because of his unsavoury personal habits.

r354.........

Julie White can count on a nomination for Gary as well.

[quote]Denise Gough had some very interesting things to say about him in a podcast a few years ago).

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Denis Gough is a cunt of the first order.

What's Louise got against Alice?

Wow, what a lackluster Broadway season. Are all these shows getting standing ovations?

Timothy Hughes has an amazing body BUT too bad about all the ugly tatts he has now (not in the photo above). Stupid actors!

Does he have that many? In Hadestown, you can see he has a smallish word on his back but I didn’t see any others (and believe me, I was staring at his body a lot). He had tattoos in Frozen but I think those were applied for the show.

You didn't see tatts on his arms in HADESTOWN? They sure looked like tatts to me, even if they might have been somewhat partly obscured with dirt for the character. And why would he have had tatts applied for FROZEN?

R367 Ben Davis took me out of the time period of "Lady in the Dark" playing the movie star when he took off his shirt and was wearing a wife-beater, but with a big tattoo on one of his upper arms. It was a really good production on the whole, though didn't need such a big chorus, and the choreography was all over the place. Vicky Clark was very good on the whole, though Ann Sothern is even better on the tv version on DVD.

Well, apparently the tattoos aren't stopping their work. R338 I agree. Completely disrespectful. Her story is a sad one. I hate the injustice in this world. Someone as wickedly talented as her is reduced to porn/prostitution/waitressing while the subpar are shoved down our throats. Happens ALL the time. It makes my stomach sick.

However, r370.......

Gertie recorded most of her songs, but there aren't any film clips of her in the show, unfortunately.

But the role belongs to her.....

Even the music was glamorous....

Ms. Jane Krakowski was in the audience at HADESTOWN last night. Wonder if she liked it?

I wish that Julie Andrews had returned to Broadway to do "Lady in the Dark" in the 70s or 80s when she would have been really right for it. The songs she did in "Star!" are fun, though the choreography for the "Saga of Jenny" is pretty far-out. But she would have been terrific in the role.

I read somewhere that Kitty Carlisle (AKA the Widow Hart) turned down all requests for Lady in the Dark revivals. Rumor was that she had played the role at some point and didn’t want anyone else to do it

r357 You are also forgetting Sarah Stiles' turn in "Tootsie" which has garnered noms in everything else this season. That category is rough.

r276 I missed Beetlejuice but saw everything else. Hadestown and Tootsie best new musicals of the season hands down.

Victoria Clark gave one of the best musical lead performances of the year, IMHO.

I love Julie Andrews but cannot imagine an open-run revival of LADY IN THE DARK ever, much less in the 1970s. I'm so glad I caught this staging this weekend.

r346 yes All My Sons very very well done, Jesse Green blew it

[quote]He doesn’t get bigger or better roles because of his unsavoury personal habits.

Could you elaborate?

r365: Louise hates Alice because Alice is fucking Tony Martin, and Louise wants some of that.

SALLY, IRENE AND MARY (1938) is a very entertaining and cheerfully silly B-musical, though cast member Fred Allen always referred to it as SALLY, IRENE AND LOUSY.

There was also a silent film version with Constance Bennett and Joan Crawford.

[quote][R346] yes All My Sons very very well done, Jesse Green blew it

You mean Michael Mayer actually figured out how to direct plays? When the fuck did that happen?

No, Michael Mayer directed Burn/This, not All My Sons and he still hasn't figured it out.

"King Lear" tedious but Glenda was glorious. Second time meeting her and she is kind. My friend now has a Criterion Collection blu-ray of "Women In Love" signed by her.

Just saw Ben Brantley discussing Tony's on line with Jesse Green. Two things.

Ben "didn't hate" Tootsie. Oooph.

Ben has a fucking tooth missing. Meth?

Jack Obrien did all my sons and did a great job

"All My Sons" good, "Tootsie' bad, "The Prom" mediocre.

TOOTSIE was okay. I wonder who else they considered for the title role; Santino seems like a 3rd or 4th choice.

I want Brooks to win. And yikes, the featured actress/musical category will be tough. My money's on Amber Gray though.

I want Brooks to win, too.

Angela Lansbury did a concert revival of Lady in the Dark in the early 1970s. In fact, I think it might have been originally announced with Julie, but she had to withdraw.

Andrews did not have the sophistication to carry off Lady in the Dark, which is why they had to give her all the silly business and gimmicks to get her through the Star! numbers. She should have done a King and I revival in the 70s or 80s, when her voice could still handle it. Even by the early 90s, when she made the studio recording with the film orchestrations, her voice could no longer do it; she talk-sings through most of it. Maybe the Brynner revivals prevented her doing it. BTW, Angela was wonderful as Mrs. Anna when Brynner and Constance Towers went on vacation in 1978.

Am I the only one who doesn't care for Julie Andrews' voice? I find her clipped manner and over-annunciation to be incredibly annoying, I've seen her twice on stage: one was a Sondheim revue, and the other was Victor/Victoria. I appreciate that she has remarkable pitch, but I don't enjoy her tone or intonation.

R380 Be very glad you missed BEETLEJUICE. Ugh.

[quote]I love Julie Andrews but cannot imagine an open-run revival of LADY IN THE DARK ever, much less in the 1970s. I'm so glad I caught this staging this weekend.

What do you mean "much less in the 1970s?" Anyway, if Julie Andrews had done the show at any time after her movie stardom, I'm pretty sure it would have had a healthy open-ended run.

It’s Mark Poppins!

I think Julie Andrews' performance of "Without You" in "My Fair Lady" gives the distinct impression she could pull off sophistication. It's right at that point, she's really turned in an elegant, mature dame who "can do bloody well" without Higgins and gives him the heave ho, yelling for his Mother. Julie would have been a terrific Liza Elliott in "Lady in the Dark" too. I know some folks who don't care for her, but I think her clarity of voice is just loverly. She did get into the habit, perhaps from playing against and observing Rex Harrison for like 3 1/2 years, of speak-singing sometimes, but I like her very distinctive voice, speaking or singing, and for a while she was the biggest movie star in the world.

That is a great sketch at R92 but Nora Dunn's boobs are so distracting they almost kill the whole thing.

What is WRONG with them??

Lucy was going to do Lady in the Dark, but Gary...

r392 Amber Gray SHOULD WIN but Ali Stroker WILL win

r392 I am guessing Christian Borle or Andy Karl must have been in consideration. Maybe Zachary Levi. Though I think the right choice was Santino. If they had gone more the Dustin Hoffman route there are several character actors who could have done a remarkable job. I think Santino did an admirable job with what he was given though.

Because she's in a wheelchair.

R396, I feel the same way about Andrews. When she does that thing where she speak-sings up an octave, I lose my shit. Mannered and empty as a singer (but actually pretty strong as an actress when she is just talking).

I could see them being interested in Zachary Levi, but he was chasing his Shazam gig pretty heavily, and had it nailed in early 2018 - so he wouldn't have been available. I don't see them being interested in Christian Borle, who's too old (the character is specifically 40), and Andy Karl - they wouldn't have wanted him, because he would have been right for the part John Behlmann is playing (the way they have written it) - I don't think they would have been interested in another hunk for Michael as well.

Speaking of Behlmann, who's had him?

Levi is also eight feet tall and would lumber over the whole cast. Hoffman is short so he was shorter than the rest even in heels.

R408? Dolly Levi? Jackie Hoffman? Can we have some context?

What time are the Tony noms announced tomorrow?

Know who needs to be in good and successful show?

Andy Karl.

He’s one more bad show away from Palookaville.

Should he be given Miss Petina's title of Queen of the Floperetta?

Andy Karl is not a hunk.

r409 try to keep up, dear

R413 -- His individual features are not great, but there is something undeniably sexy about the whole package. The first time I saw him was in The Twentieth Century, and I was instantly smitten. He's got talent to spare, although he is showing none of it in Pretty Woman. He is sleepwalking through the entire show.

Andy Karl is eminently fuckable, and yes, a hunk.

Broadway needs more hot leading men.

Perhaps this has been covered but I saw Accidentally Brave, the Off Broadway show starring some actress who is married to Jane Alexander's child porn loving son.

She speaks A LOT about her "angel," a very wealthy and famous person who she didn't know who reaches out to her and counsels her through the ordeal. From the comments the "angel" gives it sounds as though said "angel" experienced some similar disaster. She doesn't name the angel. Any ideas?

Movie version of the musical version of Kiss of the Spiderwoman

Lady Gaga as Aurora

Eddie Redmayne as Molina

Is this really going to happen?

Eddie Redmayne?

I think Andy Karl is hunky.

How is the show, R417

I'd never been all that impressed with Andy Karl's looks until I found myself alone on an elevator with him. He is very well proportioned with great posture. Broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Great ass. He fills out a dress shirt very nicely. Masculine stern face like a hot cop.

Maybe it's seeing it all up close instead of at a distance?

R398, Lynn Redgrave played Liza in an early 1980s PBS special produced by Sylvia Fine Kaye, with Richard Crenna and husband Danny Kaye reprising his OBP role.

She didn't play the role, she just did the one number......

Thanks, R423, but that doesn't answer my question about the Julie Andrews comment above.

If you do a strict category by category analysis, I predict that HADESTOWN will have the most nominations tom'w. Not saying they will win, but if you look at eligibility and possibility, they are the strongest. TOOTSIE and PROM both lessen possibility in the direction, design and choreography odds. OK! will also get at least 5 noms, including Best Revival, Best direction. Best Orchdestrations, and at least two actors.

Accidentally Brave isn't bad, but there's something about her that no one in my party could place that makes you not like her. I was also surprised to read he Wiki bio after the show and find out she was married before the child porn guy.

The Inheritance is transferring and opens in NY in November.

R427 -- I have not seen accidentally brave, nor do I plan to. I read a few interviews with her, and she struck me as entitled and narcissistic. Perhaps that is what you and your group sensed? Then again, I could be wrong and she is a lovely person.

R427 here. Yes, she is very entitled and narcissistic and there's this feeling throughout that she's less hurt by what he did but annoyed with the crimp it puts in the perfect life she wanted. I honestly had never heard of her, but there's times where she's like crying that she got removed from the charity committee of the gala and it's very hard to sympathize. There's also a lot she doesn't address about her husband that leaves you wondering. She says that's "not her story" and whatever, but what exactly was he doing? Was he looking at 16 year olds fucking or babies? For me, it's a HUGE difference. And of course she doesn't leave him so, which at times she's trying to sell you on and then there's all this discussion of her kids and the impact it had on them and I can't help but wonder if maybe the best thing for their mental health IS NOT her mother turning this into a stage play a year or two later.

I didn't see ACCIDENTALLY BRAVE yet either.

I do admire her balls. She remained with her husband, the pedophile. And put on a show about it.

Anyone else think it's a bit weird that Jane Alexander attended AND was photographed at the Accidentally Brave opening?

[quote]Anyone else think it's a bit weird that Jane Alexander attended AND was photographed at the Accidentally Brave opening?

Should she have just showed up to be photographed and skipped the performance?

"Well, if we're done with the photos, I'm going to go have a dry martini at Sardi's. Enjoy the show!"

"And PS--sorry my son's a pedo!"

You do not need to pose for photos on a red carpet. I don't fault her for attending, but I think she could have skipped photos on the way in to the show about how her son's molestation turned him into a child porn watcher, but maybe that's just me.

At Fiddler in Yiddish I couldn't help feel ashamed that as a Jew I was SO hot for the Cossacks.

One of those "cossacks," in particular -- Cameron Johnson, the one who plays Fyedka -- is beautiful beyond belief. This is not a great pic of him, partly because it doesn't show his hot body.

Yes, he's fucking hot, although I didn't exactly understand why he'd take up with frump Khava. All of the woman playing Teyve's daughters seemed mismatched to their rebel suitors, although the nebbishy Motel made a WHOLE lot more sense than hottie Adam Kantor did.

[quote]She didn't play the role, she just did the one number......

No, she did more than that, she did a really long scene from Act One, I think it’s the second scene in the show. It takes place in her office, and Richard Crenna played Charley Johnson (the guy she winds up with). I was in the audience for the taping (it was taped at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre). The scene had no songs, but Redgrave and Crenna were really dazzling and had the quick, clipped dialogue down perfectly. Then they had a break while Lynn changed costumes and Danny Kaye told stories about the original and sang “Tchaikovsky” two or three times. Then they proceeded with the Circus Dream.

I've worked with Maddie, Jace and Jane on different projects over many years.

They're all great people and while Jace's addiction is not healthy, I admire him for getting help to rehabilitate and hopefully cure himself, even if that only came with his arrest. And it really says a lot about him and Maddie that they have somehow survived this huge issue and scandal and she's able to talk about it publicly and he's OK with that. She is in no way an "entitled" person other than being an actress and, like all actresses, is somewhat self-absorbed (I don't know any successful ones who are not). And actually, she's quite self-effacing and humble.

And Jane is an incredible woman and I admire her endlessly for being able to talk about Jace and his shortcomings to her friends and to also support Maddie and be a presence in her life. Jane has never been a publicity whore so posing for photos at the opening, I'm sure, was her way of saying: I'm here and I love and support my son and his wife. That IMHO is to be admired and we should all be so fortunate to have a brave mother like her. And you know if she'd ducked photographers she probably would have been criticized for that by someone here on DL as well.

R440 Did he fuck children himself, or just watch others do it? Was his 'cure' castration?

He had child porn on his computer. Whether that was teens or kids is unclear and according to Maddie "something happened to him when he was a kid" though she says "that's his story to tell."

So who's gonna be unhappy with the nominations tomorrow?

Interesting, r442. Sounds like we’re supposed to infer that he was molested himself. I wonder if his stepdad Sherin used to diddle him?

Back to Broadway gossip. Which major new incoming musical has its producers and creative team at total war? There may be no survivors.

[quote] Which major new incoming musical has its producers and creative team at total war? There may be no survivors.

When exactly is Lynn Nottage going to walk away from this fucking mess? Does she really need the money THAT bad to stake her reputation on a jukebox musical about a molester?

Andy Karl and his wife doing 2 for 1 botox specials. Yea, what a hunk! haha. R418 It better not happen. I WILL start an online war. Once again, no real Latinos.

Gee, r447, we've missed you.

Jo Sullivan Loesser is dead. Wasn't she a real see you next Tuesday?

[R447] what's your problem on colour-blind casting? You are obviously a racist and a bigot not progressive enough like the rest of us.

I believe she was, r449. Er, may she rest in peace.

[quote]Jo Sullivan Loesser is dead. Wasn't she a real see you next Tuesday?

You can take the showgirl out of the chorus, but you can't take the "see you next Tuesday" out of the gold digger.

Jo was no Pam.....

The last time I saw Jo she was appearing in a revue at The Cape Playhouse with Kitty Carlyle Hart and John Raitt.

Now we can see the film of WHERE'S CHARLEY?

I can’t find anything online for about a Kiss of the Spider Woman movie. Where did this rumor come from?

Not so fast, r455. Like mother, like daughter.

[quote]I can’t find anything online for about a Kiss of the Spider Woman movie. Where did this rumor come from?

My fevered imagination.

Re Nottage. I read an interview with her recently in, I think, the Times, and I thought it seemed like she was trying to defend her staying with the project, yet it also seemed like the interview was to placate investors, in order to insinuate that the show would probably not cover the molestation. After reading it, I though, well, she won't stay with the project for long.

I don't know her finanical situation but this is a very poor project to be attached to if it happens at all.

The compelling story is about him being a sex monster. There's no way the estate will allow that. So we're going to get a whitewashed catalog show a la Summer and all these shitty shows and her reputation is going to suffer.

Oh, I thought the BI was referring to Moulin Rouge, not the Michael Jackson thing.

[quote]The last time I saw Jo she was appearing in a revue at The Cape Playhouse with Kitty Carlyle Hart and John Raitt.

Well clearly that show was cursed. All three of them are dead now! John Raitt at the tender age of 88, Kitty Carlisle at 96, and now Jo at just 91. What is taking our young people like this?

It was Frank Loesser's first wife, not Jo Sullivan, who had the wretched rep.

Wasn't she referred to as The Evil of Two Loessers?

Elton John’s new musical (not the Devil Wears Prada one, the other one) apparently is shaping up to be amazing.

I’d love to see Gael Garcia Bernal as Molina and Oscar Isaac as Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

I knew the movie musical KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN was a prank.

But how about a stage revival?

Lynn Loesser, r454, and yes, that was her nickname. But Jo had her own rep, which started when she fucked her way into The Most Happy Fella and then into marriage with Frank.

Not a monster at all, but a tough old broad nonetheless:

Well, Oscar Isaac sings, but does Gael Garcia Bernal?

KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN starring Lin Manuel Miranda!

[quote]It was Frank Loesser's first wife, not Jo Sullivan, who had the wretched rep.

Let's not forget, wretched first wife brought Frank and Jo together.

[quote]’d love to see Gael Garcia Bernal as Molina and Oscar Isaac as Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

Who?

Hadestown won’t win shit. It has zero chance if doing well on the road.

Special Tony Award has been voted to Marin Mazzie in acknowledgment of her cancer support work. I hope they let Jason accept it on camera.

I wonder if it will be smooth sailing for the Britney Spears musical. I get the impression that as long as her handlers are pleased, everyone's happy.

Because, R474, everyone in flyoverland is too stupid and bucolic to appreciate it?

They better damn well let Jason accept Marin's award on camera. Skip the obligatory Carpool Karaoke number and let this happen.

Wow. I didn't know Jason and Marin were married for over 20 years! He must've been a baby when they hooked up.

[quote] Jo Sullivan Loesser is dead. Wasn't she a real see you next Tuesday?

Maybe she was, but to this little gayling, growing up in the suburbs of San Francisco, she was a goddess.

First aware of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA from I LOVE LUCY, I begged for the 3-LP set for my 10th birthday (and my parents were surprised when I came out!?!). I played the grooves off that album. I knew every note, every lyric, every lead-in and crossover. Susan Johnson was my favorite, of course, but it was Jo Sullivan who always made my cry (I was a real Mary, even then). I thought the best job in the world would've been in that cafe in San Francisco, working with those two gals.

After all it was Jo Sullivan's Amy who spoke for a whole generation of gay men when she mused..", I guess I helped a few fellas prove they were fellas, but they were guys I liked. And they thought I was something special. And they asked me nice."

oh, r480, you broke my heart (I identify with you COMPLETELY). And yet, I don't know whether to cry a bucket of tears or laugh hilariously!

R480 that was a sweet anecdote.

[quote]They better damn well let Jason accept Marin's award on camera.

And preferably in the nude.

R478 They didn't allow Alfred Drake, probably the First Man of the American Musical, to even get on stage when they gave him an honorary Tony -- they just gave it to him in the audience, which was rather insulting.

"Hello Everybody! This is ... Mister Marin Mazzie."

R484 and that was in 1990 when they still gave a damn! When I watch old Tony clips, I'm amazed by how much time the shows (even plays) were given to perform.

Was there outrage when they presented Drake's Tony like that? These days, people complain about someone not making it in the death reel at the Oscars.

It's really something to watch 1970s telecasts, when they could have cared less about showing nominated performances. They play like variety shows.

R487 He got it on stage, it was just cut, r484 is lying

I'm certain it's Elaine May's year.

R490 There's no question that Elaine may. She will! I'm hoping that she mentions Eileen Heckart in her speech. It would have been her 100th birthday.

Drake's Tony wasn't cut, it was presented before the televised ceremony. They did a stupid acknowledgement during the telecast.

Why didn't they just present it to him on the telecast like a normal person?

You do realize we're lucky that they even broadcast the Tonys on network television, right? It isn't like most of America has any clue about what is going on on Broadway. It makes sense they are going to not televise awards that won't appeal to many casual viewers.

Who could forget the year they gave Bonnie Franklin the bulk of the show? Poor bitch always talked about how she couldn't wait to get out of Hollywood and back to Broadway and they simply laughed at her. BTW, Sondheim was the president of Dramatist Guild at the time and he was so infuriated about Franklin's preferential treatment and because of it, the presentation of several awards off camera, that he wrote a devastating letter to the Committee about it.

Bonnie's IBDB page.....

Which award will Pete and Chasten be presenting?

I never saw this but they invited Franklin back in 1983 and she sang "How Long Has This Been Going On". I think they knew how horrible she would be and let her hang herself. Jeez, this is fucking terrible!

^^It's nor really a pretty sound, is it?

[quote]You do realize we're lucky that they even broadcast the Tonys on network television, right? It isn't like most of America has any clue about what is going on on Broadway. It makes sense they are going to not televise awards that won't appeal to many casual viewers.

Now that Les Moonves is no longer head of CBS, one wonders if we have to fear yet again that the Tonys will lose its perch on national television given that the only thing that reportedly kept it on CBS all these years was the fact Moonves is a major Broadway fan. Should ratings be down this year, next year it could be on Bravo between "Housewives" and "Watch What Happens Live."

It should be on Bravo, where it will get relatively great ratings. That makes a lot more sense than putting it on network TV.

R501 thought Project Runway would be so much better and higher rated on Bravo than Lifetime.

Plus, Bravo used to be about the arts.

Bonnie's turning herself on during that number, isn't she?

"It isn't like most of America has any clue about what is going on on Broadway. It makes sense they are going to not televise awards that won't appeal to many casual viewers.

So should we be content that America is culturally illiterate?

Broadway isn't culture anymore.

Want proof? Bonnie Franklin doing A Wonderful Guy.

Bonnie appears to be afflicted with St. Vitus Dance.

My Nellie Forbush suddenly doesn't seem so bad, does it?

When Sylvia Kaye Fine cast Franklin in those Broadway recreations, she said she would shock the world. Not a bad prediction.

[quote]r338 I think IMDB should correct that, [R308]. "Dolly Sharp (as Helen Wood)" ??? For chrissakes, she WAS Helen Wood!

I want this to become DL's mission: Return Helen Wood's name to its rightful place on IMDB ... and at the Internet Broadway Data Base too.

Just because someone innocently wanders into making 14 [italic]nudies[/italic] doesn't erase their achievements on BROADWAY!

She studied at Juiliard, for god's sake!

Am I the only person who likes Bonnie Franklin's voice? It's a pretty strong voice. I don't understand the hate she always gets. Is it her personality? Did she used to piss in people's drinks backstage or something?

Bernadette would have made a great April in a full production. Richard seems like he'd have been a great Bobby, too, but they didn't let him sing "Being Alive" which is the true test to see if someone can play that role.

[quote]Am I the only person who likes Bonnie Franklin's voice? It's a pretty strong voice. I don't understand the hate she always gets. Is it her personality?

It sure is.

Broadway is definitely not culture anymore.

Bonnie had a friend in Betty Bacall, so did Len.

John Davidson was just wonderful as Curly in the Oklahoma sequence. That was shocking.

R488, Kate's pre-recorded number from Coco in 1970 ran for over 15 uninterrupted minutes.

Who is that playing Aunt Eller?

Gee, Bonnie looks even more unfortunate than usual in r517

!!

[quote]Broadway is definitely not culture anymore.

Definitely not the way it once was.

Why were we denied Bonnie Franklin's Aunt Eller?

There is no justice.

A braless Aunt Eller, jogging to answer the door.

With a bowl hair cut.

Dammit, Curly.

... tap shoes ...

Mary Martin played Nellie in New York and then London. The London "South Pacific" is available on YouTube. Warning: London was recorded without an audience.

And yes, Sarah Stiles from TOOTSIE! Thanks for the reminder.

I somehow forgot her when making up that incredible list of possible featured musical actress nominees.

I think Bonnie Milligan will not make the cut given that her show is gone.

That category is by far the toughest.

These Tony nominations tomorrow are gonna be fascinating.

The complete "South Pacific," recorded at the Drury Lane Theatre in London in 1952.

[quote]didn't know Jason and Marin were married for over 20 years! He must've been a baby when they hooked up.

He’s about to turn 48, so he was around 26 when they first got together, so not quite as young as it may seem.

[quote]Mary Martin played Nellie in New York and then London

Mary NEVER played nellie. She was the butch one.

R531 he was 26 when they wed. How long had they been together?

[quote] You do realize we're lucky that they even broadcast the Tonys on network television, right? It isn't like most of America has any clue about what is going on on Broadway. It makes sense they are going to not televise awards that won't appeal to many casual viewers.

I'd say we'd be luckier if PBS took it on. Then we'd get to see all the awards and not have to pander.

[quote] My Nellie Forbush suddenly doesn't seem so bad, does it?- Glenn

Darling, your forbush dried up well before Sunset Boulevard.

They got married in late ‘97. They met in “Trojan Women” in late 96 when he was 25.

[quote]John Davidson was just wonderful as Curly in the Oklahoma sequence. That was shocking.

He was a musical performer before he started hosting hosting shows.

Len Cariou was hot

Holy shit TKAM didn’t even get nominated!

[quote]Holy shit TKAM didn’t even get nominated!

The King and Me?

To Kill a Mockingbird, which many had assumed was a clear winner.

Andy Karl is never going to happen.

LOL, wow Mockingbird denied. I love it.

Nominees

Ignore the previous post.

No Glenda?

Nope.

No Patrick Vaill. Jeez.

So what do we think will win Best Play now Mockingbird is out of the race?

Wow. Julie White AND Kristine Nielson for "Gary" - but no Nathan Lane. I'll bet that's not going to be a pleasant backstage tonight.

I think it's either Choir Boy or What the Constitution Means to Me for Best Play.

So HADESTOWN has 13 nominations, TOOTSIE has 11 nominations. BEETLEJUICE has 7.

R550 is Lane such an insecure diva?

Kong beats Lear in the Battle of the Kings 3-1.

The Temptations musical got 12! Is it really that good?

R 553, is Trump an asshole?

Are you kidding? Nathan Lane is the definition of insecure diva.

So The Prom has 7, Ain't Too Proud has 12, Hadestown has 13, Tootsie has 11, and Beetlejuice has 7.

Beetlejuice and alex brightman nominated. DISGUSTING.

R556/R557 I don't know much about theater actors. In fact, I've only known Lane as a film/TV actor and have enjoyed his performances and characters in those mediums. That's too bad that he's a diva.

I have a feeling Nathan will be THRILLED and AMAZED that so audacious a venture as GARY got so many nods -- no one expected BOTH Nielsen and White to make the cut, both richly deserved. Looks like winning last year was the curse of death this year - to wit no Glenda and no Nathan (tho' Glenda didn't deserve a nom anyway; this NY Lear not anywhere near the level of her London one. and that Godawful production deserves no love whatsoever. Not even Ruth.)

Strange snubs.

But poor Andy Karl. He deserves to happen.

EVERYONE knows about Miss Nathan Lane honey.

Beetlejuice....really

R561 NO he doesn't and that's why it hasn't happened. He was a joke as Rocky.

Doesn't Andy Karl have like three nominations already? I doubt Pretty Women was going to make him happen anymore than he already has...

So was Be More Chill totally shut out?

Who's the hottest Tony nominee? Have guys discussed Damon Daunno? He worth the hype? I barely payed attention to anything this season.

[quote]So was Be More Chill totally shut out?

It got one nomination: for Best Score!

R564

It was Rocky. It isn't his fault that making musicals out of movies is the only thing happening his whole career. Producers and audiences have made that decision. He has gotten work during a particularly bad trend. That is a shame.

I wouldn't want to be Leslie Kritzer's husband this morning.

They should announce the Tony noms on a Monday morning so that the poor losers don't have to go in and perform a show that night.

Andy looks like a shaved ape. Epitome of mook face.

He thought he was going to become a big teevee star via SVU but instead showed off his cheap dye job and fine wrinkles. His acting stunk so bad they killed off his character.

Would you have liked to be her husband yesterday morning r570?

Any genuine snubs?

Interesting that both ladies in Tootsie are in the supporting category. I wonder if Jessica Lange and Teri Garr have sent congratulatory texts.

They hated BMC so much that Salazar, a presumptive winner for some, did not even get a nom

Hahahaha to those of you who predicted that van Hove would be snubbed for Network.

And they hated Glenda so much that even with SIX nominees in her category they couldn't squeeze her in for playing only the most iconic male role in the Shakespearean repertoire. Her fault. She's a nasty cow and Broadway has realised it.

[quote]I have a feeling Nathan will be THRILLED and AMAZED that so audacious a venture as GARY got so many nods

You're joking, right? Nathan is a miserable human being.

Nathan is actually quite liked by his colleagues, at least these days (he's a lot mellower than he used to be). Ask any of the ANGELS company -- Denise Gough was the nightmare on THAT show. I gather he's been great to and with Julie and Kristine (both of whom are among the nicest actresses out there, so why shouldn't he be?)

By the way, since when did the verb "paid" turn out to be hard to spell? This board seems to prefer "payed" which is very odd indeed since it doesn't exist as a verb.

Oops from the NYT (see below) -- this is actually Laurie's fourth nom in four years. They must have forgotten MISERY in 2016

>> Laurie Metcalf will be up for her third Tony in three years for her fierce-yet-fragile performance as Hillary Clinton in “Hillary and Clinton.”

Link to new thread is here when this one is done

I don't think Beetlejuice deserves that spot. I think it should have been four Best Musicals.

Not a single nomination for Pretty Woman. Only one for Be More Chill for Iconis which is odd because I heard the music sucks.

Interesting that the Rudin show that is selling like crazy got snubbed but the Rudin show they can't beg people to see got surprise nominations....

Since when is the NYT interested in accuracy?

Precisely why does Judith Light deserve the ISA?

They should give a Razzie award to the shrill way Gayle King hosted the Tony Award nominations announcement. Something tells me that Bebe was out of there the moment it was over. She was the only shining grace of this morning's announcement where Gayle acted like a teenaged twitwit.

R585, here's why.

[quote] >> Laurie Metcalf will be up for her third Tony in three years for her fierce-yet-fragile performance as Hillary Clinton in “Hillary and Clinton.”

I took that to mean she could win her third Tony in three years, as she can't win for Misery. Hence the "will be up for." ()And I don't mean that snarkily.)

Shockers:

Gideon Glick, who gives the same performance in everything he does- queeny, shrill and not very accomplished

No Glenda in a field of SIX!

Laura Donnelly getting recognized (though she's in the wrong category)

No George Salazar. Boy, I'll bet that took the wind out of the rampant egos over there.

Andy Gross(whatever his name is. He is gross.) over John Behlmann- the only person giving a good performance in Tootsie- for Featured actor in a musical

No Leslie Kritzer

All the below the line nominations for Tootsie, which has hideous costumes, a terrible set, dull lighting and choreography even Ali Stroker could do.

I would say Torch Song is a surprise, but the fact that they went out of their way to make the determination that, and justify why, Harv would be eligible for a Tony for it pointed to it getting in. Worthless nom.

That there's someone out there with the unfortunate last name of Sickafoose and he hasn't changed it.

And I mean this with no snark, Judith Light has seamlessly taken on Isabelle (and Angela Lansbury)'s previous role of classy older woman extolling the benefits of theater.

Judith Light works tirelessly for BC/EFA and AIDS education. I've had several conversations with her about her work and it's something she is passionate about and wholly committed to.

I know this is sacrilege, but why is Marin Mazzie getting a Tony? That’s as strange to me as Judith Light getting one.

People feel bad about her tragic death and want to acknowledge her in some way?

I find it strange that you find it strange, r592.

Will she be present to accept?

Bebe Neuwirth the saving grace?? Huh? Not only did she clear her throat every three seconds (does she have nodes?) but the poor lassie couldn't pronounce HAMMERSTEIN or GUETTEL --- shades last year (or whenever it was) of the even dimmer Katherine McPhee, who could barely read.

Laura Donnelly won the Olivier for THE FERRYMAN and the role was written for her by her partner about her family. she and Paddy Considine are very much the leads in that play, and justly so -- or, now, were, since they have both been replaced.

Did anyone in DC see Tommy at the Kennedy Center? Peter Marks raved about it. Said it was ready to move as-is. I have a friend who thought the adult Tommy didn't quite have the high notes. Also commented on Wesley Taylor's weird accent, which someone on one of our threads also mentioned.

[quote]and choreography even Ali Stroker could do.

LOL

Link to new thread

The Tonys will be boring this year

R569 The material is bad. I'll give you that. However, if he was a true star he would have made it work. People would have been leaving the theatre saying, "The show wasn't that good but that andy karl is amazing! You have to go and see the show just for him". Said no one. haha. He belongs in community theatre with the majority of them. He sucks and he's not cute. He's gotten way more chances than he deserves to prove himself.

Why were Liza Elliott's two assistants, one Asian and one African-American, wearing spike heels in 1940's New York? And why was Vicky Clark wearing those Rockette t-strap dance shoes until the end of the show when she too showed up in spikes. Dame Wintour was the "fashion consultant" for the revival recommending a different young designer for each of the 3 dream sequences. Awful costumes. I saw Ebersole do it 25-years ago at Encores, but don't remember much about that revival of LITD. But I do have this lasting image of how chic she was. Victoria was not.