The Official 75th Annual TONY Awards Thread! Part Two

Link to Part One.

Ariana is killing it. She's the perfect host. The best in years.

Why the sheer dress Lea? No one wants to see them mosquito bites.

This....isn't good. At all.

Lea Michele is auditioning for the lead in the new Harry and Meghan musical for Netflix.

Did we really need a Spring Awakening number?

I’m guessing this Spring Awakening thing…you had to be there??

So it fits right in with the rest of the performances tonight?

They seem so earnest. Bless them.

Spring Asleepining

Where's the Mary Poppins tribute?

R2 = Rita Moreno

Yeah, Adriana certainly is killing this. She’s like the up and coming community theater star, constantly trying to show us how versatile and amazing and lovable she is. Which is why almost no one loves her.

We could use another dose of Patrick Wilson right about now.

[quote] you need to have a mind of your own and not count on the people in this thread who it seems just want to bitch and complain about everything.

Past telecasts of the Tony Awards have been nominated for the Emmy for "Outstanding Variety or Music Special" - and Tony Awards producers actually won the Emmy award in 1987 in that category

This telecast is a far cry from past Tony Awards presentations.

Earnest…and boring. Jesus, Spring Awakening was so fucking pretentious.

I thought Broadway was known for good singing and that it's very difficult to make it. I've seen high school kids from fly-over parts of Canada with more talent.

[quote]If Rent was the beginning of the decline of the Broadway musical, it was Spring Awakening that helped to nail the coffin shut.

Yeah, I never got all the SA hype either.

I was happy to see and hear John Gallagher Jr. again. The rest of them could have stayed home.

Does Jonathan Groff still have a small penis?

So far everyone but Bernadette and Patti should have stayed home.

r14, like this?

They should have had Kim Catrall present an award.

This Meta musical commercial makes me want to slit my throat. Sure - Facebook spying on you is worth it if it can recommend a vegan bakery!

Yes, R20, but quite thick legs and phat ass.

r15 Why are you talking about 1987 when the last time the Tonys won was 2017? And by the way, those winners are the same ones producing tonight

When Groff kissed Lea on the cheek it sounded wet… he must drench literally everyone in saliva.

I don’t think the show is a train wreck. It’s dignified and no one is acting the clown like they did at the Oscar’s.

I'm sorry, but that SPRING AWAKENING number than anything in A STRANGE LOOP or SIX.

He's such a spitter, R27. He's disgisting. Must be great at govong head, though.

*disgusting

So let me get this straight. Best score gets pushed to the first, non network hour, but best book gets into primetime? Do you think it might be because they knew a woke black gay nonbinery was a lock? Uh.

Eldergay here (for context, I saw both Evita and Sweeney Todd on their opening week - always Ethel Merman was too clownish). I was moved by the Spring Awakening number. So kick me out of the DL Club, go ahead.

I hate when the cast of a musical stands in a line facing the audience, singing meaningfully. The only time this has ever worked was the Die Hard/Working Girl musical mashup ‘Work Hard, or Die Trying, Girl’ on Bob’s Burgers. The facing-the-audience number had the lyric “Somewhere there’s a tower, somewhere up above, filled with bearer bonds and love, where we won’t die hard”. That. That was good.

No one is acting like a clown, R28, but the production value and the numbers are awful. Nothing I've seen tonight makes me want to go out and see a show. Nothing.

ben power has jacked teeth

Such dreariness has nothing to do with music, theatre, or musical theatre...IMO, of course.

No numbers like this one this year.

R16 Oh how dare you.

Andrew and Nathan, lookout!

r32 The year Mean Girls and The Band's Visit were nominated, they gave out best score during the commercial break, and then best book during the show because they clearly thought Tina Fey was going to win. Hilariously, she didn't

Garfield's winsomeness is so fucking contrived, he makes my skin crawl.

They fucked

I've liked Garfield ever since The Social Network.

r42 Especially when you consider he worked with and defended Mel Gibson

And an extra fuck him for his 'I'm basically a gay man (but without the sex) because I like pop music'

Woke Troll, perk up!

Is the Hangman good?

r32, nice conspiracy theory, but the main contenders for Best Score were the Black nonbinary one and the writing duo of a white woman and a nonbinary person (the latter pair won, so that was the first nonbinary winner). If they were really so concerned about being "woke," as some keep insisting, they would have kept that award on their main telecast.

Hung men are better, R47.

what the fuck was in DAG's mouth?

No clever opening number like this one either.

I was worried that Patti would rush the stage and viciously slap Bernadette.

[quote] Why are you talking about 1987 when the last time the Tonys won was 2017? And by the way, those winners are the same ones producing tonight

they won in 2017, it was because James Corden long-time producer (Ben Winston) produced that Tony Awards Telecast show (as Corden was hosting)

James Corden producer (Ben Winston) is NOT producing it this year -

DAG has really leaned into this beard in the past few years. He looks good.

DAG has gold teeth.

R54 I give it two Z formations and three snaps up.

DAG almost made that jacket work.

[quote]Do you think it might be because they knew a woke black gay nonbinery was a lock? Uh.

Michael R. Jackson is non-binary? I've never heard that before.

Is there a Patti/Bernadette feud?

This Let It Burn thing isn’t great. It’s too high for her and also too low. She’s just yelling,

Ok fine I'll let it burn.

Powerful but pitchy.

Let it BUURNNNNNNN!!!!

Patti didn’t mention Sondheim, who is responsible for two of her Tonys. She has always been bitter about Bernadette, so this is quite appropriate.

An Around the World and Back snap.

I defy anyone to tell me what any song in PS is about.

WOW.

Flat.

Best number of the night so far.

So all the numbers from the best musical nominees were selected to keep people out of the theaters?

Awful. Nobody can sing worth a damn on this.

She's no Kim Mazelle

Let it close…for god’s sake…let it close.

This is utter trash.

r53 So how do you explain the wins in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014? And that's just the 2010s.

You can't, of course. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss were in charge for all of them, including 2017, and including tonight.

NY Times' Maya Phillips complaining about every white win, naming the POC nominee that should have won. Exhausting.

R66, a wild guess? That song was about letting it burn.

A new maid for the ages has been born tonight!

This "Let it Burn" number would kitschy alt advertising for grills/grilling products

Let me yell...

Let me yell...

LET ME YEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLL

That performance sold some tickets

That Let It Burn was very well done.

This is why DL can't always be trusted.

The song Let It Burn refers to my ever hungry hole.

It's hard to appreciate these songs not having seen the musicals, they're presented with no context, so we're not "getting" the songs.

I thought that PS number was terrible and that the performer was likely upset with what I assumed was an off performance. But then the audience fucking exploded like they had just seen something legendary. I’m so confused.

Say what you will about the song, or lyrics but she brought it hands down. Not many did tonight. I know covid shut down Broadway for a couple years, but she was working on her craft the whole time. I'll buy a ticket.

[quote]NY Times' Maya Phillips complaining about every white win, naming the POC nominee that should have won. Exhausting.

In other words, she's the flip side of all the "woke" trolls on here complaining about any POC win? Both sides are equally tiresome.

[quote] Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss were in charge for all of them

As in Broadway - you are only good as your last show. This show is appalling. Once the scathing reviews come in - they will be replaced

Plus, while there have been some good performances, I agree with the other poster who said that the sound mixing seems off.

The singers were off too.

Not quite R75. Maya Phillips supported the Lehman win, but did not support Phylicia Rashad, the only BIPOC acting winner so far tonight

[quote]It's hard to appreciate these songs not having seen the musicals, they're presented with no context, so we're not "getting" the songs.

This is a fair point, R83, and I think that that's always been a problem with the performances we see on the Tony Awards.

Tony Goldwyn looks great for 62. Can I watch him blow Patrick Wilson?

Tony Goldwyn just gets more gorgeous with age.

Tony Goldwyn looks great! Maybe he went to Marcia Gay Harden's face tightener.

r87 Keep telling yourself that while you whine about "wokeness" and try and make believe James Corden is an example of excellence

I'm sad Charlie Bucket's daddy didn't win.

Tony Goldwyn is still a snack.

Remember when Simon Russell Beale supposedly had a crush on Mr. Groff when they were in a West End play . . . and Groff was skeeved out?

Simon Russell Beale wore his best black T-shirt.

Goldwyn is 62? Jesus. He’s the most edible dude on this show tonight. Garfield close second.

The audience in the front have to turn around constantly and crane their necks to see behind them. Horrible design.

Wonderful character actress Deidre O'Connell won!

She has paid her dues in this biz

^from the Gap.

Big upset in Best Actress!

someone give her a hairbrush

Uh-oh -- he said "Macbeth"; is anyone doing the de-cursing ritual?

Agree, R102.

[quote] Big upset in Best Actress!

Mary-Louise Parker already has two Tony Awards - spread the wealth around

Would Woke Troll have been upset with Ruth Negga? She's half white

[quote]Wonderful character actress Deidre O'Connell won!

She just played a fun role in Amazon Prime’s Outer Range.

OMG! Macbeth. Oh no.

Was that Mary-Louise Parker's child with Billy Cruddup sitting alongside her? The young man looked just like Cruddup; remember that scandal?

Billy's suit looks good.

Laurence Fisburne was once hot. Never hotter than as the dad in Boyz in the Hood.

Hope her performance can be seen somewhere. Was it filmed?

AND here we go with the applause rollercoaster.

These awards feel like The Rebukening.

Will the Times already be preparing a long thing piece on how reactionary it all is?

Memorial segment is great chance to go to the kitchen to grab more snacks

Fishburne has morphed into Dr. Evil.

Curious song choice.

Billy's voice is wonderful. What a wonderful song for the memorial segment.

Billy Porter is missing notes all over the place.

Is Billy playing the Tin Man in a revival of The Wiz?

I loathe Billy Porter.

No Anne Reinking?

I think Billy sang that beautifully.

Billy those closeups are doing you NO favors.

R122 But the notes he did hit made up for it.

Porter can be annoying, but I think he's doing really well with this. Sounds great.

Deirdre O'Connell play closed in NOVEMBER 2021, and Tony Voters remembered it all these months later

R127 A bit ashy, eh?

Billy Porter's coiffure courtesy of the Joy Ann Reid Collection.

He sounded great.

Oh, R125 she'll only do this and nobody will ever get to go home.

Why didn't they show Anne Reinking?

Reinking died in 2020.

Anne Reinking is being remembered at the Toni Awards, R135.

And I was Ann without an E, bitches.

"Deirdre O'Connell play closed in NOVEMBER 2021, and Tony Voters remembered it all these months later"

You really think they have to remember from, at latest, the date of the last performance. You don't think they have access to videotaped performances if need be to jog their memory? I honestly don't know.

I want a four-way with Skylar Astin, Andrew Garfield, and John Gallagher, Jr.

What's left in this shit show?

Musical, lead musical actors and the Six performance.

Evidently Tveit pulling at his crotch R141.

A Tribute to Beanie Feldstein is still to come R141.

I think they built that set with an orchestra in mind and then when they obviously decided to have things lip-synched and piped in, they had to fill the pit with spectators.

[quote] You don't think they have access to videotaped performances if need be to jog their memory?

Some plays are videotaped for archives in the public library, some aren't

Mom, enough about me, what do YOU think about me?

I didn't know Billy Crystal was actually IN the Mr Saturday Night musical -- that's just sad.

The Beanie tribute should have been part of In Memoriam.

Where's the Angela Lansbury tribute?

Did anyone see the MJ musical? I sort of wrote it off due to the one number, but I have no idea about the actual production.

What is Adebayo doing on The Tony Awards?

Woke Troll pouring a triple scotch.

Fine. Here's a nice tribute to Ann.

Can you imagine how hard this is for Feldstein? She surely imagined this as her golden night, and yet she was overlooked and her show is completely absent from the night. Not sure I’ve ever seen a season’s “big” musical ever so unrepresented in a Tony telecast.

Add Aaron Tveit to the party at r140.

She's got a chess pawn on her head

I'll. Be. Damned. Things ain't gonna be pretty at The Music Man.

Yay! Joaquina!!

It's a coaster.

Poor Sutton.

She thinks her show is way, way more important than it is.

Jaquina is gonna upstage Patti and Phylicia

I had no idea Carmen Cusack is married to Paul Telfer (Xander, Days of Our Lives). That’s prime beefcake.

r145 Well you'd be extremely wrong about that, given they've been using that arrangement for almost a decade

I hope someone in the press room reminds Myles Frost he’s playing a pedophile and the very antithesis of “a strong black man.”

As if the night couldn’t get worse….

Wait! Mare Winingham is married to Anthony Edwards? How did I miss knowing that?

Bowen Yang? The Tony producers are trolling DL.

When did velvet become a summer fabric? All the men seem to be in it tonight.

She legit gonna fall out.

R168 It was only a few months ago that they got married

But not the Newly Negro Lea Michele, R163.

The Tonys sure do not like Caroline Thibodeaux. Two of the greatest performances I have seen, and neither got a Tony.

Is this the first Brest Actress winner who speaks not one word?

Hmm... seems like a Eurovision parody.

WTF is this? It reminds me of those shows that would travel and put on a number at an elementary school gym.

BEST

Groff has pulled

is Six this low energy the whole time?

Terrible.

Six seems like The Spice Girls The Musical

This number is quite Moulin Rouge derivative.

I don't understand the Six hype.

Is this a tribute to the Spice Girls? Already?

I can't believe you all are watching this shit. Still it's entertaining to read about how terrible it all is.

They took their cue from Sarah Ferguson’s velvet ensemble R170.

That was cool of her to point out that last minute replacement singer in Six.

SIX is cruise ship-level entertainment. If it wins best musical, that will be the worst win probably since Memphis.

Chita Rivera to present the final award of the night

And we will know if Jennifer Hudson becomes EGOT in 2 minutes

We were all posh!

The sass AND the class.

My sister taught dance when she was a university student and this Six number reminds me of something her lesser talented tween students would do.

Let's hope they don't drag Liza out, too.

If Six wins Best Musical then Broadway is truly dead.

Jonathan Groff was probably thrilled that kiss didn’t involve Lea Michele whom I’m sure was off somewhere shitting in a wig.

Should be said that Chita & Rita Moreno are actually good friends

It's gonna be MJ.

HOORAY FOR PATTI!

I was the world's first Anita...

(I know you were!)

Don't mix us up, I am...

CHITA!

Jennifer Hudson is now EGOT

OMG.

K no more West Side Story anything after this. Done.

Are those Tony awards different sizes?

Did that lady just slap her?

Fuck off Ariana.

Wait -- there are white people on the stage!

I kid!

What did JHud win?

Well, that sucked.

Nevermind, I see her. So she was as producer or in the show?

What just happened? That grey haired lady slapped the woman accepting the award. Did you guys catch that?

It’s not for a performance so she’s not an official EGOT imo

Thanks, R172.

[quote] That grey haired lady slapped the woman

Been there

[quote] It’s not for a performance so she’s not an official EGOT

Whoopi Goldberg is EGOT for producing Thoroughly Modern Millie

Seeing all of those maskless people packed into Radio City makes me nervous. The next few weeks should be very interesting.

r210 Her, RuPaul, Ilana Glazer and Mindy Kaling

The gray haired lady was excitedly telling the person with the mike that they had 10 more seconds, and didn't want them to waste it.

I missed that, R211. Why did she slap her?

r215 Plus her Emmy is daytime

Superspreader event for sure.

R220 Daytime Emmys count - an Emmy is an Emmy

I don't know, but she slapped her, then there was some weird murmuring, then they walked off the stage.

[quote]What just happened? That grey haired lady slapped the woman accepting the award. Did you guys catch that?

That's what happens when you don't perform the Macbeth curse-reversing ritual!

r222 Nope, sorry Ben

I told you children don’t fucking listen!

I thought you told us they will listen

[quote] I don't know, but she slapped her, then there was some weird murmuring, then they walked off the stage.

there was a groan from the audience as they were on a wideshot

[quote] Nope, sorry Ben

Daytime Emmy have been accepted as EGOT by the editors of Wikipedia

sorry Ben

Is it unusual for a show to win best musical but not win best score?

It's not EGOT EGOT.

I didn't see anyone get slapped.

Was there really a slap?

I'm assuming Danielle Brooks' stylist is planning on going into Witness Relocation after that "look" that Danielle just.....uh....sported.

Not that I saw.

The EGOT Wikipedia page has already been updated with JHud's name:

Wow - Ariana sounded terrible in that final mashup number.

[quote] Not that I saw.

Well wondering what that groan was from the audience

R230, it happens a fair amount. Ragtime score, Lion King Musucal. Into the Woods score, Phantom Musical. It’s one reason I do not take the Tonys seriously at all.

She slapped the lady and sort of grabbed her arm. I watched it again and it wasn't an angry slap, more like an excited one.

That was one of David Stone’s bitches

R239, I think it's similar to the complaint that's been made often at the Oscars -- when a film wins best picture but loses the director award or the screenplay award. How can the voters say this movie was "the best" of the year but at the same time declare that some other movie was better written and/or directed? Doesn't make much sense.

So sweeps should be the norm?

Did they really need to cut off the A Strange Loop acceptance speeches to make time for another Ariana fail?

R243, I don't think sweeps should be the norm, just saying those kinds of split selections by the voters can be kind of weird.

Matt Doyle gaying it up with Andrew Eeenan-Bolger

This is just coming on in the west

Hating the Music Man number. Hugh couldn’t even be bothered to shave?

I thought it was broadcast live in the west?

R248 no it is tape delayed in the west

R248 It was, they're just rerunning it

Hugh looks like he needs a vacation.

What was weirder?

The guy who won Best Actor from MJ that waxed on and on about “strong black men who are absent fathers” ?

Lea Michele becoming trans racial from white woman to POC?

Bernadette Peters choosing to sing her well known song in a new key she hadn’t rehearsed or heard prior to the evening?

Billy Porter wearing a wig from the Joy Reid collection singing MyFair Lady as a song for the dead?

He really sang “on the street where you lived.” to make it appropriate That’s atrocious.

Did Patti sing "Ladies Who Lunch"? And if not, why not?

wouldn't a funny girl production number been more appropriate than the spring awakening number ... or the numerous specialty bits Arianna did?

Was the gray-haired slapper removed?

At least it was Chita up there instead of Miss Coozeburger.

No R254. She sang “I wanna wedding with a HONK HONK and a HONK HONK.”

Sorry but Bernadette Peters should retire. That upper register is just too squeaky now.

That whole Sondheim tribute was so anemic

I'm reply 272 in this thread...

What the hell happened to Angela Lansbury? I had to run to answer the front door during her tribute on the pre-show but I wasn't gone that long. Surely I didn't miss her?

Fun Tony threads. Thanks DL.

Well it was the queerest Tony’s ever. Six’s trans songwriter, Pray Tell doing In Memoriam with that Miriam Makeba getup and Avon Lady lip gloss, Darren Criss in nail polish (even though he’s a married father) and the Strange Loop big ass queer blah blah blah.

Best /worst. Of course it ended with Best: Black Tony Awards. How about just congratulating all of the winners?

Yes r261 She’s sang that’s how young I feel while you were blowing the Grindr trick at the door. It was awesome.

I think Patti left the ceremony after she won. There’s no press photos of her with the Tony and after the company performance neither she nor her husband were back I’m their seats.

From that EW article

[Quote] They should've sang "Totally F—ed."

Should’ve sang? Oh, dear. No one can write anymore.

I think the JHud EGOT thing is complete bullshit. The Tonys should put a restriction on who gets an award in the producer category like the Oscars did. She (and Kaling and Glazer and RuPaul) did nothing but write a check. She didn't earn a Tony, she bought one. (And don't get me started on her bullshit Emmy.) The whole thing just completely invalidates the achievement of winning these awards.

Calm down. I doubt JHud herself considers it the same as performing. And while she technically has an EGOT - if there is a technical way to have one, like being listed on the wiki EGOT page - the ONLY people who know and care about EGOTs will almost universally know the difference between producing awards and performance, writing, directing awards.

Is she planning to keep the EGOT in her twat?

Bernadette looked like she had some bad plastic surgery done

Or maybe she was stuffed full of Botox. Something was wrong.

I performed there tonight...in Act One...and sat in the orchestra after...Ariana was good, but her overwhelming love for herself was off-putting...I am just glad Strange Loop won...I think the whole idea of arts awards and winning is, well, anti-art...bullshit. It is all corporate now. Some bank was a big sponsor and they acted aS IF THE BANK was some benevolent entity for the arts..fuck that. That said I had a total blast and everyone was super nice to us...

That front audience semicircle is reserved for CBS-related toadies. It used to be for Les Moonves' personal friends. Now it's probably just for advertisers and their bitches.

I couldn't figure out who they were...the funny part is they could NOT get up at breaks

THR review:

Likely to boost Broadway's Box Offices?? Are they fucking high?

I liked when Glenn strode up onstage, slapped Meryl viciously and shrieked, "Keep my name out yo fuckin mouf!".

The high/lowlight of the evening was both Ariana AND Nathan clumsily trying to out Andrew on stage. Jeez, gurls, get over it.

I congratulate Jessica Hutton on becoming an EGOTISTICAL winner tonight. While she continues to grow as an actress, it is inspiring to most others that she continues to receive some applause in other lesser known art forms.

Congrats, Jess!!!!!

Fashions?

Sarah Paulson as an old timey Christmas Ornament.

This was so bad that I'm afraid not only for record low ratings but that people will be discouraged from buying tickets. Money is so tight right now, who's going to pay Broadway prices to see any of that shit?

I was hoping that Beanie Feldstein would present an award, see everyone in the audience laughing at her, and use telekinesis to burn the entire place down a la Carrie. Of course, Betty Buckley would try to rush the stage to help her before Beanie causes a beam to fall on her.

In 2021, the Tony Awards ceremony was watched by an all time low 2.62 million U.S. viewers. Compared to the previous show in 2019, this marks a decrease of over 50 percent.

How big of a drop will this year's show have? Will there be fewer than 2 million viewers for the Gay Super Bowl?

If Beanie had been nominated, would she have " come down with Covid"?

Deadline review:

Babs at home on the couch, slowly stroking her cloned dogs.

DeBose is the epitome of mediocre in every way. She's the female version of James Corden. She's also box-office poison after starring in two of the biggest flops of the decade with WSS and The Prom.

Rosie's revival on the Tony's back in the day certainly looks like genius after tonight.

Of course everyone is giving DeBose good reviews because....

DeBose will be a crack ho in 5 years.

Garfield is really inching his way out of the closet. It looked like he was sitting next to his bf in the audience.

How is a pronounced racial bias appropriate as a theater critic for the NY Times?

I don't think people know yet that Gaten Matarazzo is gay.

As a not regular theater patron in New York- how is Broadway representing culture? Is the US 70% black, trans and freaks? Or are they just the ones with "talent"?.

And DeBose can kiss my ass. When she's done licking pussy.

This night must have been truly triggering for KKKaftan kweens and paid Slovenian trolls. I'm sure they can condole themselves with the latest Laura Osnes/Chad Kimball musical.

Seeing Lea Michele get to introduce her show's number and then perform in it, all while Beanie watched from home, made me howl. Tonight Lea Michele was the FUNNY GIRL.

That SPRING AWAKENING number was my favorite of the show. And that show's not even open.

Evan Todd was busy fluffing the TAKE ME OUT cast.

LEHMAN TRILOGY and TAKE ME OUT and DANA H and SKELETON CREW have already closed, so their Tony wins won't do a thing at the box office.

Hugh Jackman looked so damn old. Len Cariou has gotten so damn old. He made me nervous, and I love him. Great guy.

What you saw from PARADISE SQUARE was the most compelling number in the show by a mile.

SIX looks naff. It's possibly the only nominee tonight I've not seen. Not going to be rushing to the box office after that number either.

Nothing feels more absurd than all those check writers running to the stage after the awards for best play, musical, musical revival and play revival. These people are not producers. They just have money. It's embarrassing. The Oscars and Emmys fixed this problem years ago, but the Tonys revels in it. Two of my friends won Tony Awards tonight, but winning like this just doesn't feel impressive.

Phylicia Rashad is the last person in that category I would have voted for, and I saw all the nominees. She was very good, but the others were more worthy, IMHO, even the two ladies from POTUS.

It's grotesque that MJ won more than one award. Really grotesque that the actor who plays Michael Jackson won leading actor. Bleuch.

Ariana DeBose is a talented chorus girl who got very lucky. It will be interesting to see how her career goes from this point forward.

Somehow HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE never got the momentum it needed, either for these awards or at the box office. Not sure what happened there. Morse and Parker were amazing.

Saw THE LEHMAN TRILOGY in the UK. Great first act, with diminishing returns in each successive one. It was at the Armory when it transferred to NYC was an instant snob hit, and that reputation carried it the full distance tonight. I much preferred the other play nominees.

A STRANGE LOOP won the big prize but I think it's going to struggle to stay open till Christmas. And I struggle to imagine anyone wanting to put this show on national tour. This is not going to play well outside the major cities, and maybe not even there.

Deirdre O'Connell's win was my favorite win of the night. Talk about unlikely. She's a stalwart of NYC stages, a queen of Off-Broadwayland. That DANA H transferred to Broadway and that she actually became eligible for the Tony, got nominated AND won seems like a miracle.

[quote]I thought Broadway was known for good singing and that it's very difficult to make it.

R17 Current woke Broadway values 'diversity' over talent (on stage and behind-the-scenes). And we are seeing the mediocre results.

I didn't see Devlin sitting with Nathan. Are they on the outs?

I think JHud's EGOT completely counts. If it's so easy, why have only 17 people done it all time?

[quote]Say what you will about the song, or lyrics but she brought it hands down. Not many did tonight. I know covid shut down Broadway for a couple years, but she was working on her craft the whole time. I'll buy a ticket.

Can I have your credit card number please?

R300 because we didn't used to count investing money in a project as having been an actual creative

Or singing on a morning talk show for five minutes.

other than the numbers that were clearly lip-synced (the opening, the MJ number), everyone else must have been having monitor issues.

EVERYONE who sang live was off key tonight.

[quote]I think the JHud EGOT thing is complete bullshit. The Tonys should put a restriction on who gets an award in the producer category like the Oscars did. She (and Kaling and Glazer and RuPaul) did nothing but write a check. She didn't earn a Tony, she bought one. (And don't get me started on her bullshit Emmy.) The whole thing just completely invalidates the achievement of winning these awards.

Dude, just stop. None of this means shit n the real world.

r230, in this case, a lot of the comments about Six were that it felt too much/more like a concert than a full-fledged musical, since it really is just the six of them singing/dancing with little else. So it's possible the voters really did like the music the most of the nominees, while feeling like ASL was more successful overall as a musical.

R269 Are you INSANE? OF COURSE, she does.

The headline was Men Aging Badly. First the gasp-inducing closeup of Hugh.

That number was followed by a Geico commercial and I was the only one in our viewing room to recognize use a bloated Jon Hamm.

Then poor Billy Crystal with that sad wig who looked 111.

OMG, someone should shoot, fire or exile Sarah Paulson's stylist. Paulson looks like "the wine stopper" from Beauty and the Beast?!?! WTF!?!!?!?

If getting EGOT was so easy, everyone would do it. JHud's family was murdered. Good for her for moving forward and getting EGOT. I hope she's happy.

Murder has nothing to do with winning awards.

I know Broadway producer and investors shouldn’t be treated as producers. Not remotely the same thing.

At least one person thought Sondheim was slighted.

Sigh. Who's next on the " We Need Broadway Representation Tour"?:

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, Broadway, which has historically been dominated by white creators, faced pressure to elevate more diverse voices. And that was reflected in many of the shows that made their way to the stage, as a record number of productions from Black playwrights premiered during the season.

“I feel like the phrase ‘Great White Way’ is becoming more of a nickname as opposed to a how-to-guide,” quipped DeBose.

“A Strange Loop” creator Michael R. Jackson used his acceptance speech to acknowledge the importance of the kind of representation that was achieved this season.

“I felt unseen, I felt unheard, I felt misunderstood, and I just wanted to create a little bit of a life raft for myself as a Black gay man to try to just get through the day,” he said, explaining the reasons he channeled his life into his art.

I like the speech by the ASL creator: diversity, yes, but don't lower the bar for talent.

Also, did no one mention his shout out to Jane Wyman, of all people?

Can anyone please explain why the insufferable Bowen Yang was a presenter, let alone being there at the TONYS at all?

He has no connection to the theatre community as far as I know, and it's not like CBS wants to promote his Hulu movie.

What am I missing?

Bowen Yang is gay, which is sufficient qualification of the Tonys. In the days of "diversity," the producers wanted to implement affirmative action for Australians, which is admirable. And, if they had any interest in cultivating a younger audience, I can guarantee that he is more recognizable to a young people than 75% of anyone else who appeared on stage.

Am I mistaken, but did any of the winners for MJ thank or even refer to Jackson himself in their speeches?

[quote]In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, Broadway, which has historically been dominated by white creators, faced pressure to elevate more diverse voices. And that was reflected in many of the shows that made their way to the stage.

Hence the mediocrity. There is a reason why whites dominated Broadway. It's their specialty and they are generally hard, conscientious workers. ,Truth be told, too many POC don't like putting in the long, strenuous hours. In the past, there were probably many black actors, dancers, etc. who auditioned/tried out but alas couldn't cut it., A strong work ethic used to be a good thing, especially on Broadway, which used to really put people through the ringer, instead of simply hiring to fill quotas.

Thus, hiring POC just to be inclusive while bypassing actual talent because they're white will ruin Broadway. It would be like taking the NBA (which is understandably predominantly black) and try to recruit only white players to be inclusive, even if they suck or are not as good. That just ruins the flow/joy of the game. Same thing with Broadway.

If willingness to put in the work, etc. is a necessity for Broadway, why haven't producers hired more Asian actors?

oh r318 and r391 let's not go down this road for the love of everything holy.

So does [italic] Paradise Square [/italic] actually see a box office boost? Were enough folks watching for it to matter?

I just canceled Paramount+. See you next year, bitches.

And, R300, the celebrity investors like we see on ASL is a fairly new phenomenon.

I know there some notes/pitch issues, but that Paradise Square song felt like a classic “11 o’clock number” and I could definitely see people buying tickets out of curiosity to see what the context of it is. That reasoning on top of Joaquina’s Tony win which typically helps a show. I found that moment very powerful and the actress was going for broke. Compared to the other mounds of shit (including Ariana’s numbers) they were shoveling at us throughout the show, that was a musical highlight.

Hugh Jackman looked almost POZ.

That Mr. Saturday Night thing was just terrible.

I have a family member who puts a relatively small stake in a few shows every year. By law of averages, every couple of years he becomes a Tony winner and, every time, the whole family has to fall over themselves celebrating him. Which is fine, because he’s a nice guy. But I always have trouble saying anything beyond “that’s cool.” Because that’s all it is: a nice business deal that may be satisfying to the person involved, but it’s a far cry from any of the artistic awards (even the lesser, untelevised ones).

Spring Awakening: the reunion no one asked for.

Do we have Newly Negro Lea Michele’s take on the evening yet?

I fully agree we are seeing too much mediocrity, but there’s no reason to racialize it. The things that used to be seen as the sacrifices you make for your craft are now often portrayed as abusive. A lot of younger actors see pushing yourself for the sake of your craft as conflicting with their self-care.

She is literally EGOT R212. Whether you like it or not.

Does YouTube have Barbara cook tap dancing with Robert Preston when they did music man?

How much COVID will spread from the show and the parties?

The thread on the TONYs is the absolute height of bitchiness, which is why I loved reading it.

I, for one, enjoyed the TONYs, mainly because I came with such low expectation. DeBose was great--she livened up everything for me. I loved her white and magenta dress. She has the talent to become another Liza.

While I enjoyed the Spring Awakening number, ever time I hear a song from SA, I'm reminded about how little effect this musical had on me. I don't remember a single moment from the show, let alone any song.

I'm seeing A Strange Loop next week--glad it won Best Musical but I disliked the Tony number because it didn't seem to even have a melody. I did like the Company, Paradise Square, and even MJ (although I'm sick to death of Jukebox musicals) segments. Even Rashad's bloviating was fun.

It's sad that Lehman Trilogy closed. I saw it in the movie theatre as a broadcast from London's West End and it was spectacular.

The ONLY "rule" to be called an EGOT winner is to have won each of the four awards.

It doesn't matter WHY you won.

[quote] She has the talent to become another Liza.

Now we know you're trolling, R331!!

Did Lea shit in anyone's wig backstage?

[QUOTE] [Ariana] has the talent to become another Liza.

Maybe she can bring back THE ACT!

I christen Paradise Square's Joaquina Kalukango as the new Felicia Rashad.

And what was that paddle thing she wore her hair as when she won her Best Actress in A Musical Award?

I actually loved her dress^^ The coloring with the gold and then that beautiful green was nice.

Did anyone else notice DL Fave Charlie Williams dancing in the ensemble with Ariana in the pre-show opening number?

No, I thought not. And his BF Ryan Steele, also dancing and very much in focus, needs to do something with that ugly mop of hair on his head.

Did Rob Ashford choreograph the dance numbers?

[quote]And what was that paddle thing she wore her hair as when she won her Best Actress in A Musical Award?

Imagine having to sit behind that hairdo in, say, a THEATER!!!!

[quote] Can anyone please explain why the insufferable Bowen Yang was a presenter, let alone being there at the TONYS at all? He has no connection to the theatre community as far as I know, and it's not like CBS wants to promote his Hulu movie. What am I missing?

My, my, my, you're a hateful little thing, aren'tcha?

Charlie Williams and Ryan whoever? Hunny, it’s not 2010.

Hey dumbass R339. When she performed ten minutes before she was in her performance wig. They styled her up after that for her award. More than likely whoever was behind her was maybe slightly inconvenienced for probably five minutes.

[quote]but I disliked the Tony number because it didn't seem to even have a melody

Fact.

I was only 1/2 watching all night. Did at any point they announce/reference the awards given out prior to 8PM as they've done in the past?

I was happy to see Matt Doyle finally be nominated and win. I remember seeing him in the musical "Bare" when he first started. He has worked his butt off for years and is someone I've always rooted for. I saw him in Company and his performance is a knockout and steals the show. Ariana as host was fantastic. She is the new darling of the moment and it showed in the reception the audience gave her. She is confidence personified. It will be interesting to see the trajectory her career takes in the coming years.

NPR's take on the Tony Awards...

My day-after take: That really sucked.

There was, r329, but it was pulled as it was deemed too explicit.

CBS posted some, but not all, of the performances on Youtube.

Hmmm... That didn't work. Maybe this?

R345 Matt Doyle wasn't in bare, he performed on the album only so you couldn't have seen him

r340 why yes, I am a hateful thing, especially toward Yang. That's why I called him insufferable. Where better to be hateful than on this board?

Did Nabisco sponsor her look?

Is it possible for any black person to win an award without talking about being black ?

[quote]A wild guess? That song was about letting it burn.

I have a big problem with the lyrics of that song. The gist of it is, "You can burn down our homes and businesses, but we'll rise again and continue the fight for social justice." I understand it on that level, but the fact remains that the singer keeps telling the attackers to go ahead and destroy her property and her livelihood, which of course would leave her destitute -- and she keeps repeating the phrase "Let it burn!" about 50 times, and that's only a slight exaggeration.

[quote]It will be interesting to see the trajectory her career takes in the coming years.

Everything she's been in has flopped hard: West Side Story and The Prom. Nobody cares about her outside of some millenial entertainment writers.

r338 they were both mentioned in reply 85 of the previous thread.

[quote]Is it possible for any black person to win an award without talking about being black ?

Or without thanking God? I guess maybe one or two of the winners avoided doing so.

[quote]"I feel the Great White Way is becoming more of a nickname, as opposed to a how-to guide," she said.

I think Ariana did a good job overall, but I REALLY hated that line.

That’s the message of our age, R354. I’m not against identity politics broadly, but in certain ways it has turned a onetime fight for inclusion and equality into a time when our differences are more heightened than ever.

R360, very sad but very true.

There’s an overall “over-correction” vibe that is in danger of becoming a turn-off. That Great White Way line, in particular was disingenuous and also almost anti-historical in a way. The entire meaning behind that nickname was about the new electric lighting fixtures that had suddenly illuminated the avenue, not some code word for a devotion to all things white and Christian.

I get it that the writer of that line probably thought it was brilliant. But like a lot of the woke over-correcting, it left a bad taste in mouth.

I also don’t think that presenters should be openly rooting for their favorite nominee BEFORE the envelope is opened (looking at you, Cynthia Erivo). All bets are off once they’ve opened it and I love seeing people excited for their friends. But it seems unfair to the other nominees.

[quote]There’s an overall “over-correction” vibe that is in danger of becoming a turn-off.

I agree, but you should have used the past tense.

I’ve been a liberal who has been committed to equality in all of its forms since I was a teenager. It was a joy to walk that walk and talk that talk. Things have changed so, so much. I know holier-than-thou progressives think this thing they are pushing for is equality, but it’s something else entirely. Who knows? Maybe it will end up better than what we used to consider the fight for gay rights, racial equality, women’s rights, etc. but it’s definitely different.

r294 Or it's just that no-one cares because he isn't cute

r322 Blame John Legend, he got his Tony for investing in the revival of Jitney

What would have happened if Sutton Foster's name was on the winner's card that Cynthia Orivo and Danielle Brooks had to read?

Left out of the BADLY sung “In Memoriam” segment: 9 time Tony winning producer Liz McCann, legendary casting director Geoffrey Johnson, and Joan Copeland, an actress in the NY theatre for seventy years.

Yet they included Sally Kellerman, whose ONE Broadway credit was Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which closed in previews.

The show was badly produced on so many levels. From the sound to the video to the writing for DeBose.

Isn't it odd there are few, if any, BIPOC names in any of the technical categories? As far as backstage work, goes, I guess the unions still use the old system of passing down their jobs to the next generation, as long as the jobs stay in the family. Don't POC have technical skills. Still a long way to go.

R367-It's CBS. You expect quality?

Best Costume of a Play was won by BIPOC Montana Levi Blanco for The Skin of Our Teeth.

But, sadly, the majority of the design categories were won by white Brit designers for Company and The Lehman Trilogy.

Couldn’t they have shown a brief clip of The Skin of Our Teeth? What were these costumes that were so great?

Cut one of Ariana’s planned shticks and show us what the shows being honored look like.

Black costume designers Paul Tazewell, Emilio Sosa and Toni-Leslie James were all nominated but lost for MJ, Trouble in Mind and Paradise Square, respectively.

There are virtually no Black set, lighting or sound designers working on Broadway now, only about 4-5 costume designers.

[quote] Charlie Williams and Ryan whoever?

Ryan Steele.

Some people here seem to be implying that black designers should have won in their categories BECAUSE they are black. Are you?

This reviewer wasn't that impressed.

No, we're implying the design categories are part of a lack of inclusion on Broadway.

Here is the review.

Whoever voted for Costume Design for Skin Of Our Teeth must have assumed that meant the dinosaur puppets.

"Inclusion " is limited to blacks and trans. I hope everyone understands the euphemism

So is there a conspiracy to keep blacks from getting jobs in technical areas like costume design, lighting, set design? Or do producers and directors kinda just pick who they think is best suited to design their show?

[quote] Or do producers and directors kinda just pick who they think is best suited to design their show?

Not anymore they don't!

[quote]but I disliked the Tony number because it didn't seem to even have a melody

I think it was probably one of the few songs from that should that could be broadcast on network television.

But, sadly, the majority of the design categories were won by white Brit designers for Company and The Lehman Trilogy.

HOW DARE THEY WIN AWARDS FOR BEING TALENTED! Nothing sad here. They won because they deserved to win.

The sets for The Skin of Our Teeth designed by American first non-binary set designer should have won over The Lehman Trilogy. Did you see Skin, r383?

I'd even venture to say that if that exact production of Skin had originated in the UK, say at the National, it would have been hailed here by one and all. Americans are far too generous to the Brits in award seasons.

How dare they award talent !

R278, how did they try to out Andrew?

The 75th Annual Tony Awards drew 3.86 million viewers in the time zone-adjusted Nielsen ratings.

Compared to the 2021 Tony telecast, an abbreviated two-hour ceremony titled The Tony Awards Present: Broadways’ Back (2.77 million), last night’s affair was up +39%.

Vs. the last traditional, three-hour June edition of the Tony Awards in 2019 (5.40 million) last night’s show was down -29% to rank as the second least watched ceremony only behind the 2021 telecast.

Still, underlining the diminishing returns of broadcast TV, the Tony Awards was the second most watched program last night.

So DLers predictions of a slew of bad reviews resulting in the producers getting fired and decreased ratings from last year both failed to materialise. Quelle surprise.

Bullshit. Never happen, no matter what the ratings or endless online critiquing. Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirchner are golden. The best televised event producers in the business.

R 389, What will you say when it's announced that Will Packer has been chosen to produce the Tonys next year?

Why was Andrew Garfield sitting with creepy Zac Posen??

I haven’t seen anything as I haven’t been on a plane since February 2020.

I’d like to see GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY, just for Mare. Maybe STRANGE LOOP. Couldn’t pay me to see creaky MUSIC MAN. I’d like to see COMPANY, of course. SIX looks exhausting.

Has anyone here seen POTUS? I’d like to see that.

Dick, r391.

When did Josh Lucas turn into Paul Lynde???

Angela Lansbury has skyrocketed to #1 in the 2022 Death Pool.

I am tickled pink that both Hugh and Sutton lost AND that The Music Man was shut out.

R367, "Joan Copeland, an actress in the NY theatre for seventy years."

And, Arthur Miller's sister.

No sign of Deb Jackman last evening. She did not walk the red carpet with Hugh and she was not sitting with him in the audience.

Can you even imagine how old Deb looks now?

[quote] No sign of Deb Jackman last evening. She did not walk the red carpet with Hugh and she was not sitting with him in the audience.

I don't sit with losers.

You see? Aaron Tveit CANNOT be gay!

Garfield looks sizzling hot with the tan and beard

If Deb was watching from home, I wonder what she thought of that incredibly unflattering close-up shot of Hugh.

[quote]"Joan Copeland, an actress in the NY theatre for seventy years."

[quote]And, Arthur Miller's sister.

Hadn't the poor woman already suffered enough having to play Danny 's wife in "Two by Two"?

"We need to include the lawyer who helped us broker a deal that cheated George C. Scott out of $20,000. Time problem? Get rid of this Copeland dame. No one's ever heard of her."

^^ Danny Kaye's wife ^^

Broadway lighting, sound, set designers aren't jobs passed down "in the family." You're thinking of stage crew which never wins any awards.

Is Gaten really gay? How did that come up? Has he come out?

The ratings were fucking abysmal. Like I said, banished to the internet and probably Broadway.com within two years. The Tonys as a viable awards show is dead.

r367, Liz McCann passed away prior to last year's ceremony and was featured in the In Memoriam then. She can be seen at 3:45 below.

Someone already said this in one of the theatre threads but how sad is it that Matt Doyle has a Tony yet Bisexual Raul and his cuban cock does not

WRONG R410.

It’s Raul and his bisexual cock.

r410, it was 477 in the first Tony Awards Thread.

I'd rather suck Matt Doyle's dick than the SVU guy's. Maybe voters felt the same.

I thought the "Great White Way" was about the white lights that adorned the theaters on Broadway in the 30's and 40's.

But It's about white actors?

Is it fair that SIX won for Best Costume Design when they literally copied Ariana Grande and Beyonce's costumes?

I hope "Six" is a failure. It sounds awful, and those dresses are hideous.

[quote]I thought the "Great White Way" was about the white lights that adorned the theaters on Broadway in the 30's and 40's.

It is indeed about the lights on the street; but the nickname goes back five decades before that, to 1880.

[quote]The sets for The Skin of Our Teeth designed by American first non-binary set designer should have won over The Lehman Trilogy.

Agreed, the sets for THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH were the design highlight in that show (along with the puppets, which are not recognized with Tony Awards).

Any comments about NY1’s Frank DiLella and his simply awful interviewing during the Tonys Red Carpet?! The sad state of Broadway journalism need so better mascot than poor Frank. All the expensive “media coaching” he/his father purchased seems to have made him worse? Lazy inflection, no sustained breath control, horrific questions, GOD what a wasteland Broadway media is, yuck!

^ *needs no

Now we'll see how good of an idea those maskless Tonys were...

Hugh’s been to the bath house again, I see.

Danger, Hugh, monkey pox is right around the corner.

Did Beanie watch from home in her pajamas?

Yes and during commercial breaks she rehearsed with Ben their “Like It Was” number for the film of Merrily. And then they threw popcorn at her 54” screen and sobbed.

I'm the greatest star!

[quote]I thought the "Great White Way" was about the white lights that adorned the theaters on Broadway in the 30's and 40's. But It's about white actors?

Only to smug. stupid people who know nothing about Broadway's history.

This washes anything we saw on the Tony's last night. Simply elegant and stunning.

[quote] Yes and during commercial breaks she rehearsed with Ben their “Like It Was” number for the film of Merrily. And then they threw popcorn at her 54” screen and sobbed.

Don’t be silly. They won’t film “Like it Was” for decades.

Right now, Beanie and Ben are working on the “sweating and cursing and crying” reprise of “Not a Day Goes By”

R421, A bearded Harold Hill?

I hadn't heard Josh Lucas speak in years, and I had forgotten that he has one of the worst cases of "gay voice" that I've ever heard, regardless of his sexual orientation. It's amazing he ever had an acting career.

Why was the guy who won for the "Six" score wearing a dress?

I first saw Josh Lucas as a gay Judas seducing Anson Mount's gay Jesus in Terrence McNally's CORPUS CHRISTI almost 25 years ago at MTC. Unforgettably hot then and now, regardless of his voice. Christopher Fitzgerald (currently in COMPANY) and Michael Michael C. Hall were also in the young all-male cast of 12.

You BASTARD r433. How DARE you ask. You nazi. You MAGA bastard. you

[quote]I first saw Josh Lucas as a gay Judas seducing Anson Mount's gay Jesus in Terrence McNally's CORPUS CHRISTI almost 25 years ago at MTC. Unforgettably hot then and now, regardless of his voice. Christopher Fitzgerald (currently in COMPANY) and Michael Michael C. Hall were also in the young all-male cast of 12.

That's where we disagree -- to me, the voice is so off-putting that it outbalances his physical beauty.

I wonder if they recorded DANA H. ? I’d never heard of it before, but it sounds very interesting. That poor woman.

Josh Lucas reminded me in different moments of Matthew McConaghey, Bradley Cooper, and (especially) Val Kilmer.

I watched the Spring Awakening performance clip. I thought they all sounded terrific but it was kind of anticlimactic after just having seen the documentary a month or so ago. Had they not just aired that, I think it would have been more exciting and moving to see them all together after 15 years.

I hate to break it to Lea and Jonathan, but nobody cares about Spring Awakening anymore.

It certainly hasn't had much of a life after in closed on Broadway. It was supposed to be one of those " generational defining" musicals.

Are there rumors about Josh Lucas? I also remember him THE DEEP END where there's a hot glimpse of him boning a young Jonathan Tucker.

R416, lol, okay, tubby. SIX has recouped its capitalization and is hugely profitable, with a booming touring business. But yes, too bad the costume designer didn’t clothe them in tasteful caftans in your honor.

R442, He married his wife after knowing her for six weeks, they divorced after two years and then got back together.

Josh Lucas and ex-wife Jessica Ciencin Henriquez are trying to make their relationship work, despite finalizing their divorce over a year ago, a source close to the couple confirms to PEOPLE.

“Their relationship moved really quickly from the start. During their first couple of years they dealt with a lot of difficult things that many couples thankfully never have to go through,” the source tells PEOPLE of the pair getting back together.

“In the last couple of years since they divorced, they’ve proven to each other that the love between them is the real deal. They’re both completely committed to each other and [son] Noah.”

Lucas, 44, and Henriquez, 30, became engaged just six weeks after meeting, and were married in 2012. They got through her cancer diagnosis together, and share one child, son Noah Rev, 3. Their divorce was finalized in October 2014.

At the time, Lucas told PEOPLE, “We have been through a divorce and divorce isn’t something I would wish on my worst enemy, even when in our case we have managed to do it amicably.”

He continued, “We will be connected forever. Fully. We have both worked hard to be great friends, particularly because we have a young child that we both truly love. We are the most connected broken family I have ever seen.”"

[quote]It certainly hasn't had much of a life after in closed on Broadway. It was supposed to be one of those " generational defining" musicals.

What are you talking about? The show was already revived on Broadway in 2015, even though the original production ran until 2009. The revival was very well received, and though it only ran 135 performances, that's not bad for a Broadway revival six years after the closing of the original. Also, a friend and I were recently discussing the fact that the show is done very frequently in regional and community theater, also in colleges and even in high schools.

I guess if the Jew do it, it must be a hit.

Why so racist. Why.

SIX is the most successful new musical since The Book of Mormon. If I were Ariana Grande, I would sue and demand a cut of the profits. She has a strong legal case for it.

SIX is so successful because it appeals to the lowest common denominator in terms of taste and intelligence, and unfortunately, an ever-larger percentage of the population falls into that category.

I'm still reeling over how fucking fat Uzo Aduba got. She's tremendous. Was she planning on taking over for Beanie in FG?

I’m surprised Uzo didn’t win the Tony. She usually wins everything for which she’s nominated.

People are over her. Her Stepin Fetchitt routine on OITNB wore thin real fast.

Uzo was incredible in the reboot of “In Treatment.” A fascinating character and some real depth. It clearly shows that she can act because it could not be more unlike her OITNB character.

Uzo was excellent in the first season of OITNB, so I know she can act. Whatever happened after that (and I blame Jenji Kohan as much as Aduba), she just went full bug-eyed stereotypical crazy and all her subtle nuances were gone. Yet they still kept giving her Emmys.

She didn't win for In Treatment, though she was nominated.

I’m getting more details, but evidently Lea Michele was her old self backstage at the Tonys, a Royal Cunt, to the point of only talking to JG while surrounded by other former cast members, and refusing any, and all, fan requests of a picture or smile. FUNNY GIRL indeed!

I was only standoffish because I knew Hugh and Patti were quite diseased and spreading COVID to everyone, including my many fans.

R456, it occurred to me while watching the SPRING AWAKENING number, and also while watching the recent documentary about their reunion show, that at least one of the cast members -- Gerard Canonico -- had publicly blasted Lea when all of that other stuff about her came out. So, aside from everything else, I wonder how those two dealt with each other in working together again.

I thought I'd recognize a lot of the performers in the Spring Awaking number as once-young stars on the rise. But it was not to be for most of them.

To be fair, her Spring Awakening cast mates talked shit about her during her downfall so I doubt there was much to say to each other. Ignoring people who shittalked her in public doesn’t make her a cunt.

Has everyone here seen the Charlie/Ryan blowjob video?

Was watching with the person who showed it to me and we laughed to see them both on stage.

R451. NO ONE beats a truly gifted classical actress such as myself!

[quote] I thought I'd recognize a lot of the performers in the Spring Awaking number as once-young stars on the rise. But it was not to be for most of them.

Groff, Michele, Gallagher, Glick, Astin, Damiano, Rodriguez, Cooper and Canonico all went on to have successful careers. That's actually more than half of the original cast. If you figure in replacements, it's even more.

But were they all singing in the number at the Tonys, r463?

r461 Whereas he is blowing a guy named Ryan in that video, it's not that Ryan. Apparently he's just a bartender or something

r465

WHERE"S THE VIDEO

I saw everyone I mentioned except for Canonico, but I'm not sure he was not there.

r466, not the actual video, but if you read this thread starting at the end you may come across a photo from it.

[quote]But were they all singing in the number at the Tonys, [R463]?

Yes.

A seasoned NY performer ( I won't mention his name here) lamented on Facebook that he knew more people from the In Memorium segment than onstage during this year's awards show.

Does seasoned mean 85 R470?

Is he equally upset that the last phone booth in NYC was demolished?

[Quote] A seasoned NY performer ( I won't mention his name here) lamented on Facebook….

For god sake, he posted it on Facebook, it’s not exactly confidential

It is if you post as Seasoned NY Performer.

R470, Lee Roy Reams?

Spring Awakening only performed at the Tonys to promote the HBO documentary, which is in the middle of an FYC Emmys campaign.

Groff has been trotting out Lea any chance he gets to get more eyes on the documentary, which has been working. She was the number one trend on Twitter after the Tonys because her aggressive tan bordered on blackface.

[quote]Spring Awakening only performed at the Tonys to promote the HBO documentary, which is in the middle of an FYC Emmys campaign.

Why would CBS want to push an HBO show for an Emmy?

R476 CBS allowed it for the ratings. It was pushed by the producers (Groff).

So, if two former cast members present a Tony, it's considered a reunion?

If so, then Nathan and Matthew would have been obvious choices, but . . .

Why not R433?

R467, yeah, he was there. He's in the fourth slide here. (Also these are just nice pics.)

Does anyone here remember if anyone other than Gerard Canonico publicly slammed Lea after all of those accusations against her by others came out? I wonder what the energy was like during rehearsals and the performance of the reunion concert. Of course, the documentary didn't show us any negative drama.

[quote]CBS allowed it for the ratings. It was pushed by the producers (Groff).

Nah. It's cross-promotion for a new CBS fall show with Skylar Astin as its lead.

He and co-star Marcia Gay Harden were Tony presenters, and the SA appearance showcased Touch Me which was Astin's big number in the show.

Thee last phone booth in New York has not been demolished. That story was badly misreported by the local press There are quite a few left.

I thought Lea was promoting her new minstrel show

Lea IS Ruth Younger!

With Chris Colfer as Walter Lee!

Lea IS Ruth Negga!

Lea IS Lena Horne!

NY Philharmonic COMPANY with NPH and Patti!

[quote] Does anyone here remember if anyone other than Gerard Canonico publicly slammed Lea after all of those accusations against her by others came out? I wonder what the energy was like during rehearsals and the performance of the reunion concert. Of course, the documentary didn't show us any negative drama.

He’s not in the OBC, but Matt Doyle has publicly slammed Lea tons of times, saying she was a nightmare to work with and even calling her the devil in a podcast interview.

R489, Christina Hendricks is delightful in that. Who knew?

🐻 👑 news: Lea Michele to star in the soon to be on the Great White Way production of Rosa Parks! The Musical!

Lea Michele looked like somebody shit in HER wig.

I wonder if Patti specifically mentioning comedians and actors in her speech was meant as a sign to Mel Giedroyc that Patti doesn't consider her an actor

Also, as she's leaving the stage you can actually see the moment she realises she didn't mention Sondheim

There are a lot of torrents of this year's Tonys, even the pre-show. Usually there aren't any.

That guy Josh everyone is raving about is the typical DL dog. Why do I bother looking anymore?

What are torrents?

I know some posters here don’t love Patti.

I will say this. I’ve spent some time with her. And the more I know her (it didn’t start off well), the more I like her.

She’s flawed. (Hello!) She’s also deeply invested in the state of the world and our country, and that commands lots of respect from me. She loves to engage in intelligent discussion about the issues that should concern us all.

[quote]Does seasoned mean 85?"

No, it means parrrrrrrrrrrrrricka!

Can someone tell me if that Tony performance is an indicator of what Jaquel Spivey actually does in the show? Because it was horrific. He can’t sing, barely emotes, and moves really uncomfortably on stage. No wonder the MJ guy won, he at least has a demonstrable ability to move and sing despite it being a pale imitation of Michael Jackson.

I am DYING to hear the Monday & Tuesday box office - not the week's grosses but what business shows actually transacted after the show. Loop? Crystal? Paradise? Anyone here work close enough to report some $$$$$ info?

Give Spivey a break. He just graduated from a second rate musical theater school which is known more for their dance program than anything else. He just lucked out being at the right place at the right time. Will he have a career? Who knows?

What kind of ferkata name is Jaquel?

Poor Patti has a reputation she really doesn't deserve. There are many many actors who are far worse. She wears her emotions on her sleeve, so she is the first to laugh, or cry, or yes, scream. But she's smart, and funny and never takes herself too seriously. But she is, above all, a professional, and takes that very seriously.

A professional who hides so she doesn't have to do the parts of the job she doesn't like?

I honestly don't care how Patti is personally. I go to watch her perform, not to be her friend.

It's odd this obsession about knowing how actors are in their personal lives. I stopped dating actors once I realized they're all narcissists. Patti isn't much different from anyone else in this regard. and who cares anyway?

[quote]Poor Patti has a reputation she really doesn't deserve. There are many many actors who are far worse.

I'm sure there are actors who are worse in some respects, but it really is quite unusual for an actor to write a memoir in which she trashed a huge percentage of the people she has worked with. Also for an actor to trash her colleagues in interviews, as Patti did with Sherie Rene Scott, to name only one example.

[quote]She's smart, and funny and never takes herself too seriously.

Really? I think she has a sense of humor, but not about herself. I seem to remember that she was one of the few celebs who did not enjoy being parodied in "Forbidden Broadway," and then there was the way she dealt with that show "Leslie Kritzer is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches."

r508

what did Patti say?

Shut up, Patti LuPone! Shut your brassy, magnificent trap! I don't want to hear you sing! I don't want to cut your hair! And I *certainly* don't want to hear you singing while I cutting your hair! Got it? Now I'm talking to my best friend, so stand back, Buenos Aires!

Patti comes across as an unstable harridan

[quote] I honestly don't care how Patti is personally. I go to watch her perform, not to be her friend.

And you'll see her perform exactly the same way no matter what role she takes. Almost Mermanesque.

Just my opinion but I think Patti would eagerly leave her comfort zone and and attempt to create an honest character if a director she trusted lead her to it. But Marianne Elliott is clearly completely besotted with actors, especially stars, and lets them do whatever they want. Elliott totally failed Andrew Garfield in Angels in America and he only won that Tony because everyone else was besotted with his stardom, too.

I've posted this Patti story before, but the first time I saw her was the Long Beach Civic Center (I think that's the name- only time I was there) and the nearest place to eat was a hotel barely a block away. We parked at the hotel, and as we were leaving after the show we hear someone yell "Where's my limo? I'll be mobbed!".

It was Patti and a few queens- we all walked to the hotel, and fortunately for Patti no limo, and no mobs.

[quote]And you'll see her perform exactly the same way no matter what role she takes

Is this Eva, r512...or Reno...or Mrs. Lovett?

Or Vera in Pal Joey?

[quote]Just my opinion but I think Patti would eagerly leave her comfort zone and and attempt to create an honest character if a director she trusted lead her to it.

Wasn't she butt fucked on a Ryan Murphy show? 🍑🍌

[quote] Is this Eva, [R512]...or Reno...or Mrs. Lovett?

Same as the others. No capacity for introspection, but presentational on her performance. That's okay. When you see Patti, you see Patti, not Mrs. Lovett or Eva Peron.

All the subtlety of Trump doing ballet. Tell me that this beautiful song that builds from innocence to sheer joy is not destroyed by her overemoting. It's just bad performing.

I love that song.

R 519, Great song. Terrible performance.

This is the Tony Awards thread, bitches.

Well, in fairness, that performance of "Meadowlark" at R518 is out of context of the show, in a concert. But I would say there are too many hand gestures and too much bending of notes for my taste.

[quote] This is the Tony Awards thread, bitches.

This is the Patti thread, bitch.

Patti got the Covid!

Link, R524?

Liked the show except for the horrible opening number (mash up? what was that?) where you could barely figure the song out and they switched to another. I liked the Spring Awakening reunion - it was a bit strange to see them all "growed up" now, but Skylar Astin is a snack! All grown up and looking hot in that sparkly tux! Anyone with me on that?

And Tony Goldwyn is a hot Daddy, always thought he was attractive, but he is getting better with age.

Ariana DeBose is not a star.

[quote]but Skylar Astin is a snack! All grown up and looking hot in that sparkly tux! Anyone with me on that?

Nobody will be. He looks like a low-rent Dane Fucking Cook, and that's NO compliment.

The hottest looking presenter on the Tonys was Josh Lucas.

[quote]Skylar Astin is a snack! All grown up and looking hot in that sparkly tux! Anyone with me on that?

I'm with you, R528 be damned. And Skylar looked even hotter with a bit of facial hair in that commercial for that new TV show he's in.

[QUOTE]Ariana DeBose is not a star.

That's Academy Award, Golden Globe, Bafta, SAG Award Winner Ariana DeBose is not a star. to you, Bitch.

R528 and R530, Skylar wears some sort of hairpiece, right? His hair has that unnatural density and straight-edge hairline in front.

R520, I have that CD Patti Live and one of the revIews says it's worth buying just for Meadowlark. Different strokes.

The reviewer was her agent. It sucks

I saw Patti first row center for her concert show on Broadway and she sang "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" looking directly at me the whole time.

At least Patti has an agent. Who cares what some huffy caftan- wearing queen says?

Is your name Argentina, r535?

Does Patti have COVID?

[quote] That's Academy Award, Golden Globe, Bafta, SAG Award Winner Ariana DeBose is not a star. to you, Bitch.

The grandmother from Minari has all of those, too. She's not a star, either.

Skylar Astin was married to a woman and there he is kissing Jonathan Groff. Why don't my straight friends ever kiss me on the lips?

You know why

Was it really necessary to make the mediocre Jennifer Hudson an EGOT? Really?

There are some roles that are so well-written, that when played even passably well, are almost always guaranteed Oscars and Tonys, including Dream Girls' Effie, West Side Story's Anita, Gypsy's Momma Rose, Take Me Out's Mason Marzac, Promises, Promises' Marge and Company's Amy/Jamie.

DL Theatre Queens, who am I leaving out?

r543

they are at least guaranteed a nomination... it's said that the only Amy/Jamie winner is MD

[quote] Was it really necessary to make the mediocre Jennifer Hudson an EGOT? Really?

If anything it shows how meaningless the distinction is. If she can do it, anyone can.

I think Jennifer Hudson’s Oscar win is well deserved. She completely sells her big “And I Am Telling You” moment and it stops the show. I saw it at the legendary Uptown Theatre in D.C. from the balcony and it was an electrifying moment in the theater. Her acting in the rest of the movie is ranging from iffy to downright awful.

She also benefitted from a very weak year in the category. Cate Blanchett, while outstanding in Notes on a Scandal, had just won the same award two years earlier. Abigail Breslin was cute, fun, and heartwarming, but..no. Rinko Kikuchi is great in a difficult role that seems surprisingly transgressive nomination for the mid-2000s.

My only alternate is Adriana Barrazza who is simply gut-wrenching in her section of Babel.

*Barraza

There were much better candidates who weren't even nominated. Diane Lane for Hollywoodland, Phyllis Somerville for playing Jackie Earle Haley's mother in Little Children, even Jill Clayburgh in Running With Scissors, an otherwise terrible movie.

I felt Blanchett was a co-lead with Dench.

Hudson deserved an Oscar for her electrifying performance as Carrie Bradshaw’s protege in the first SATC movie. She stole every scene she was in.

^petty theft

R543, Martha in Virginia Woolf, Blanche in Streetcar.

Willy Loman. Which is why it was so surprisingly Dustin Hoffman didn't get a Tony nomination.

R549, I still make fun of her acting in that movie.

R539, but can that old lady from Minari do a split?

Elisabeth Vincentelli is getting shat on at Twitter for daring to think DeBose was working too hard hosting and doesn’t have the It factor.

They’re both annoying dykes

R553. MY VERY OWN LOUIE VOOTAAAAN?????

[quote]Why don't my straight friends ever kiss me on the lips?

I'm guessing it's because of this.

[quote]they are at least guaranteed a nomination... it's said that the only Amy/Jamie winner is MD

Jonathan Bailey won an Olivier Award for playing Jamie in the London production of "Company."

[quote]Willy Loman. Which is why it was so surprisingly Dustin Hoffman didn't get a Tony nomination.

Maybe it was because Hoffman gave himself a hernia with all the heavy-duty acting he did as Willy.

Still, he managed to pick up the Drama Desk Award for playing Willy--and it looks pretty heavy.

R543 The Emcee in Cabaret for sure. Not sure if that role is well-written, but it tends to be an awards magnet.

[quote]Not sure if that role is well-written.....

WHAT???!!!!!

Mary Tyrones also do well in the awards department.

R552-It wasn't surprising Hoffman didn't get a nomination. He played Willy like Tim Conway in a Carol Burnett Show sketch.

Why be an EGOT when I can be GOAT?

Beth Howland wasn't even nominated for being the original Amy in Company in 1970. She never even got an Emmy nomination for playing Vera on Alice either.

There goes your theory, R543.

Also, Hoffman wasn't the right age for it and played it like it was a high school production w/ a lot of powder in his hair, lines drawn on his face, etc. It was a bit premature.

What bothered me most about the Dustin Hoffman "Death of a Salesman" at the time was the promos for it emphasized how Hoffman was actually much more "right" for the part than Lee J. Cobb was. It was fine to try to build up Hoffman to promote the show, but I hate when such efforts involve knocking down the actor with whom the role is most associated. I have on DVD a 1966 television production starring Cobb as Willy along with the original Linda, Mildred Dunnock. (George Segal plays Biff.) Cobb simply was Willy Loman. With Dustin Hoffman, you could see every bit of acting effort he put into playing the part.

[quote]t's said that the only Amy/Jamie winner is MD

Well … and Jonathan Bailey, who originated this version in London and won the Olivier.

[quote]What bothered me most about the Dustin Hoffman "Death of a Salesman" at the time was the promos for it emphasized how Hoffman was actually much more "right" for the part than Lee J. Cobb was. It was fine to try to build up Hoffman to promote the show, but I hate when such efforts involve knocking down the actor with whom the role is most associated.

I agree with you, but for what it's worth, in this case they were trying to say that Hoffman was much closer to the physical type that Miller had in mind. Of course, they weren't comparing his actual performance favorably to Cobb's. That would have been beyond tacky.

For all the talk of Hoffman being too young, he was about 7 years older than Lee J Cobb in the original. It's talent not age that matters.

Hoffman shaved the top of his head for the role and wore a very fetching fedora offstage including the Tonys.

Jonny Bailey shaved his hole to play Jamie.

John Malkovich added a fetching forelock as Biff.

John Malkovich as Biff was one of the worst pieces of casting in history. Downright embarrassing.

[quote]John Malkovich as Biff was one of the worst pieces of casting in history. Downright embarrassing.

But it was so "Methody" when Malkovich broke down at the end and we saw the snot running out of his nose.

A master class in the art of emoting!

I’m still surprised that Chita was not nominated at all for her Anita!

LET IT BURN!

LET IT BURN!

LET IT BUUUUUUUURRRRRRNNNNNNN!!!!!!

R577, Aaron Tveit had snot pouring out of his nose and tears running down his cheeks as he sang "Being Alive" as Bobby in the 2017 Barrington/Berkshires production of Company.

Malkovich and Hoffman were masterful in those roles, you need to stick with musical theater.

....

[quote]Malkovich and Hoffman were masterful in those roles, you need to stick with musical theater.

And you might want to look up the definition of the word "opinion," you pompous ass.

[quote] Aaron Tveit had snot pouring out of his nose and tears running down his cheeks

Did you preserve it for later use?

[quote]Malkovich and Hoffman were masterful in those roles, you need to stick with musical theater.

However you feel about the quality of Malkovich's acting as Biff, the fact remains that he was woefully miscast. And I can only take that voice of his in a certain, very small selection of roles.

Yes, R586, when I think of "popular high school jock," John Malkovich (in a bad toupee) is the first person who comes to mind.

I was never a George C Scott fan. But his performance as Willy Loman was magnificent. As was Theresa Wright's. I feel like I never want to see the play again. By the way James Farentino and Harvey Keitel were the sons. I can hardly believe I was witnessing this so closely in Circle in the Square. I was like in the second or third row. It was like I was in the house and hotel room with them.

[quote] I was never a George C Scott fan. But his performance as Willy Loman was magnificent. As was Theresa Wright's.

When did Teresa play Willy Loman?

I remember lining up early in the morning to get tix to Scott's Salesman. No Telecharge then!!

R588-I saw that production twice. Once with Keitel and once with Martin Sheen. Sheen was the better Happy.

Though often played by physically imposing actors like Lee J Cobb, George C Scott and Brian Dennehy, I wonder if Arthur Miller originally intended Willy Loman ("low man") to be portrayed as more of a nebbish? Of course, maybe that all went away with Cobb's first King Learish performance.

Maybe Dustin Hoffman and Philip Seymour Hoffman were closer to the original physical intention.

Will this thread ever end? The Tonys were a week ago and we're no longer talking about them.

Well, it's only 6 more posts til the end of this one.

Starmites!

GOOD VIBRATIONS!

LENNON!

DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES!

1776

Remember that, kiddies, because you 'll never see another 1776 anything like it.