Theatre Gossip #524, The "If You Weren't Nominated, It's Definitely a Snub" Edition

I wish you'd have waited.

Allison Pill will NOT be posting on this thread.

I'm busy watching the Kraken game, R1. You get what you get.

When you get snubbed, you get snubbed all the way

From the critical schlub to the last Broadway gay...

When somebody snubs you, it's no good unless he snubs you all the way.

How the fuck did the choreography from Sweeney Todd get nominated? We've all been underwhelmed by serviceable choreography in the past. But how many times have you been to a major musical production and see such awful and almost universally panned choreography? I felt so bad for the actors having to perform Hoggett's dreadful work every night.

Oliver! at Encores (invited dress rehearsal) was cute. Raul was high kicking and very energetic, sounded good.

Oliver actor himself was excellent. I'm not a big fan of the movie version or Act 2 songs, but I'm glad I saw this. I can't imagine this transferring/touring like Into the Woods, but assume this will do well.

Are they doing That's Your Funeral, in honor of Barry Humphries?

The Allison Pill thread title idea was much better whatever this is.

*better than

R9 Yes, they performed it and it was funny. I couldn't even recall it from the movie, which I had recently seen.

My favorite numbers numbers: You've Got to Pick a Pocket and Where is Love.

I was really impressed with the teen/kid actors' accents. I've seen some dodgy accents and child performances in the last year, so it was a nice.

Would you say they were “artfully” dodgy accents, R12?

A heh heh heh.

How do I unblock OP?

I would love to see Oliver in my lifetime but I don’t want to fly to NY for this.

Maybe there will be a good, non-equity tour at some point

R14, OP doesn't want you.

Does Mary Testa sing "I Shall Scream"? Isn't it a song of resisting sexual assault?

How ironic. I scream every time Mary Testa sings.

R545. Sternhagen didn’t win for that (she won two later). Elizabeth Wilson won for Sticks and Bones

Oliver is being played by Benjamin Pajak who just played Winthrop in " The Music Man."

That kid was the best thing about that production of Music Man. The whole thing was a missed opportunity for everything but conspicuous consumption. It’s a shame that they blew it, since audiences were hungry for something like Music Man after the pandemic. They got Sutton belting a rewritten My White Knight and Hugh Jackman auctioning off his glove to rich people for $20,000.

Don't confuse Benjamin Pajak with Benj Pasek.

If a writer's strike would mean cutting out all the "banter" between awards at the Tonys, I'm all for it.

[quote] How the fuck did the choreography from Sweeney Todd get nominated?

Hoggett is like Borle. If he shows up, he gets nominated.

In this case it's particularly egregious because the choreography in Sweeney actually [italic] fights [/italic] the storytelling. The townspeople (who, in this production, are from god-know's-where and what social level; who [italic] are [/italic] they??) And why are they doing all that stuff in unison. They're not united in an any way. Perhaps it could have started with "God, That's Good" (when they all agree on the pies) but before then the vocal arrangements and everything else suggest that they're all over the place.

If the banter were cut, some presenters would probably refuse to appear, since their camera time would be severely limited. after all, isn't that why they are on the show - to be seen?

[bold] snub [/bold]

[ snuhb ] verb (used with object), snubbed, snub·bing.

to treat with disdain or contempt, especially by ignoring.

to check or reject with a sharp rebuke or remark.

to check or stop suddenly (a rope or cable that is running out).

to check (a boat, an unbroken horse, etc.) by means of a rope or line made fast to a fixed object.

to pull up or stop abruptly in such a manner.

I mind the overuse of "snub" much less for the Tonys than for the Oscars. For the Tonys, the pool of potential nominees is so small that every non-nominee pretty much has been looked at and deemed unworthy. Not so with the Oscars, where the pool is much larger.

[quote]How the fuck did the choreography from Sweeney Todd get nominated?

That was a huge surprise to me as well, the one element of this SWEENEY production that I seriously objected to.

[quote]In this case it's particularly egregious because the choreography in Sweeney actually fights the storytelling. The townspeople (who, in this production, are from god-know's-where and what social level; who are they??) And why are they doing all that stuff in unison. They're not united in an any way. Perhaps it could have started with "God, That's Good" (when they all agree on the pies) but before then the vocal arrangements and everything else suggest that they're all over the place.

Exactly. And in the original production of SWEENEY, "God, That's Good" was the first and only number when there was any choreography to speak of for the ensemble (not counting the fantasy-flashback sequence of Lucy's rape in Act I).

Unworthy......is such a small word.

Michael Musto said yesterday on NY1's Tonys coverage that he would prefer people say "omitted" instead of snubbed.

Lea out of both shows today. Thank goodness she was well enough on Monday to attend the Met Gala then up early the next day to announce Tony nominees on TV.

[quote]How the fuck did the choreography from Sweeney Todd get nominated?

It was the free-wheeling patio number that got him the nomination.

I think we need a new award show, "The Snubbies."

How could the omission of Laura Linney in a two character play in which she's top-billed and her co-star did get a nomination not be seen as anything but a snub?

"Laura, we just don't like you." - the Tony Nominators

oh Laura Linney we love you get up

R34, I think the DL should become the home of The Snubbies, and give them out every year. The show, actor, choreographer, etc, that we consider most snubworthy. Clearly, Beanie is a runaway this year.

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1993, "Kiss of the Spider Woman" opened at the Broadhurst Theatre.

The cast of "Some Like it Hot" performs 'What Are You Thirsty For' on The Today Show and learns they were nominated for a Tony Award:

Saw The Sign In Sidney Brustein's Window last night. Oscar Isaac should have been in the Best Actor category instead of any one of the actors who did get nominations. Powerhouse performance. Brosnahan is lifeless and lost onstage. Miriam didn't deserve her nomination either. She's no Ghostley or Sternhagen.

r37 I think Beanie was last year's winner.

r40, NOT getting nominated must have lit a fire under Oscar cause he was pretty low energy the night I saw the show in one of its few previews.

[quote]That kid was the best thing about that production of Music Man. The whole thing was a missed opportunity for everything but conspicuous consumption. It’s a shame that they blew it, since audiences were hungry for something like Music Man after the pandemic. They got Sutton belting a rewritten My White Knight and Hugh Jackman auctioning off his glove to rich people for $20,000.

You didn't like it but hundreds of sold out audiences did. Best closing night speech I ever heard.

oh my

Joel Grey And John Kander To Receive Special Tony Awards For Lifetime Achievement:

Sure, keep giving Lifetime Achievement Tonys to people who already have a competitive one.

Why do the Broadway ad agencies and press agencies think we care their shows' collective total nominations? They're all touting on social that their clients got 47 nominations! Yes but how are ticket sales?

[quote]They're all touting on social that their clients got 47 nominations! Yes but how are ticket sales?

They're supposed to tout mediocre ticket sales, r47? I don't think you know what their job is.

The problem is there are too many B, B+ shows, and there are not enough tourists and Manhattan to support all these, as they did pre-Covid. It's going to take another year at least. It's very much Broadway of the early 90s -- but with more shows.

I don't think winning Tonys, much less Tony nominations, leads to bigger box office for most shows any more. I suppose if some unknown show suddenly got lots of Tonys it could spark curiosity and make a difference but shows like SLIH and NY NY and KA (with its sad subject matter) are just shows the general public doesn't care about.

Most everyone who wants to see them already has and Tonys won't make a difference. General audiences think they know what they're gonna see and it just doesn't interest them, especially when tix are $100 or more. If spots on The Today Show, GMA and The View and elsewhere doesn't raise interest, why would a Tony Award?

I don’t know r50. Ask [italic] Hadestown [/italic].

[Quote] I don't think you know what their job is.

R48 I know their job [italic] isn’t [/Italic] to promote themselves. And do any of them really think they deserve any credit for their shows’ nominations? Ticket sales is what they’re responsible for

They're touting the nominations to boost ticket sales, r52.

Thank you r53. I had thought that was obvious.

[quote]I had thought that was obvious.

It is, r54.

[quote]I don't think winning Tonys, much less Tony nominations, leads to bigger box office for most shows any more.

It has long been said, and it seems to be true, that the only Tony Award that makes a huge difference at the box office is the award for Best Musical, because apparently there are theater parties around the country that will absolutely book tickets for the winner of that award each year, no matter what show it is. I imagine the Tony for Best Play might also help, but nowhere near as much, simply because (news flash) plays are nowhere near as popular as musicals. And I'm sure the Best Revival of a Musical award helps as well, not nearly as much as Best Musical but more than Best Play.

"Best Revival" of a musical did nothing for OKLAHOMA!

Shocking, isn't it, r57?

[quote]The townspeople (who, in this production, are from god-know's-where and what social level; who are they??) And why are they doing all that stuff in unison.

The people in London, aside from their characters, are used as a Greek chorus. They sing in unison. Thus, it's not unusual to move in unison.

[quote]"Best Revival" of a musical did nothing for OKLAHOMA!

You mean the Oklahoma! that's playing in London through September and won an Olivier for best revival?

It's doing just fine in a town that still respects theatre.

Through September! Holy shit, call The Guinness Book Of World Records!

[quote] It's doing just fine in a town that still respects theatre.

Yeah, we respect the hell out of theater. Come see The Bodyguard, Bat out of Hell: The Musical, We Will Rock You, Mary Poppins, Our House: The Madness Musical, Dirty Dancing: The Musical, Back to the Future: The Musical.....

Are theatre parties really still a thing and can change box office numbers? I'm asking honestly, but I seriously doubt it, especially in the NY metropolitan area. There may be school groups or church groups that come in from flyover country but would they want to see SLIH?

Yes, r32, the same town in which very recently you can see revelatory productions of Streetcar, Phaedra, Medea, even Guys & Dolls like you've never experienced it before.

Let's not forget the umpteenth production of fucking Cabaret.

r53 and r54 I was talking about advertising agencies bragging on their own social about the cumulative nominations their own clients have as if that’s a tribute to themselves. Not in the shows’ posts in the agencies’ posts about themselves. Oh never mind.

I saw OK! last week. The house was 1/2 empty.

Can we stop with the claim that Kimberly Akimbo is a downer? It seems like they went out of their way, realism be damned, to go for upbeat. Was the original play like that?

I admit I'm a little bit baffled by best leading actor in a musical this year. Isn't it usually only 5 nominees? Was there a special ruling this season to expand it to 6? I mean I guess it's a good thing because it helped Christian Borle and Colton Ryan get in (while doing nothing for Will Swenson) but was just wondering what went into the decision-making on that category.

I saw 7 shows in the West End last month and there is absolutely comparison versus current NYC/Broadway. Besides the tickets being 1/3 the price and the theaters being beautifully preserved and spacious, the audience is attentive, the ushers helpful, the ticket/entrance and exit experience well-ordered and pleasant besides the fact that the productions are exquisite. The simple fact that London is doing the quintessential Broadway musical Guys & Dolls better than it’s ever been done before, alongside one of the greatest American plays ever written, A Streetcar Named Desire, with a big star giving an unforgettable performance in a brilliant production is proof in the pudding enough. Yes, Broadway does still have a much bigger talent pool and better vocalists for the most part for musicals, especially dancers, but that is not long for this world either since dance-heavy shows such as Dancin’ and Some Like It Hot are financial disappointments to say the least and will have short runs. Needless to say, as far as Shakespeare, the classics and most modern drama goes, London also is winning. And PS, the new Cabaret is incredible, as well, insofar as the Brits doing American theatre better than we can anymore (for a fraction of the ticket price).

Saw Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. Oscar Isaac was robbed. Brosnahan was a big zero. Miriam Silverman worked overtime as the sister-in-law and should win.

It was shocking to see that the once-gorgeous Glenn Fitzgerald is now unrecognizable—overweight, gray hair. His skin was also bright pink. Drinking problem? I hope not. 51 is too young to go completely to seed.

R60, don't be an idiot. Whoops, too late.

[quote]London is doing the quintessential Broadway musical Guys & Dolls better than it’s ever been done before,

That idiotic comment alone would be enough to make me discount anything else you have to say. (But most of your other comments are pretty stupid as well.)

[quote] R60, don't be an idiot. Whoops, too late.

Charming

I think Glenn Fitzgerald is still quite handsome. The grey looks good on him and, sure, he's gained some weight but he's hardly obese.

It's not that Kimberly Akimbo is a downer exactly, it's just how do you describe it to make some non-theater person want to go spend a lot of money to see it? And she

****SPOILER****

does die at the end, you just don't see it onstage.

Please give your reviews of anything on the West End or Broadway in 2023, R72.

[quote]The simple fact that London is doing the quintessential Broadway musical Guys & Dolls better than it’s ever been done before

Great if you want to stand for two and half, three hours.

R75, darling? We all die at the end.

Kimberly Akimbo is the antithesis of a "downer".

Speaking of Kimberly, I've got a question about the very end: Did they deepfake it, or did Victoria Clark really go to Disney World?

Haven't see that red state piece of shit "Shucked". Do they sing about banning drag queens and abortion?

I, and hundreds of others, chose to sit for The Bridge's Guys & Dolls. I loved it. By far one of the most exuberant and engaging musical productions I've seen in the last 10 years. So much fun!

I have a seat for The Bridge Guys and Dolls for July, R82. Honestly, couldn’t book anything on the floor. But I figured this way I’d see the whole thing, get a sense of the entire experience.

I'm posting the link for this Vulture article but haven't actually read it myself as they say I've already used up all of my freebies for the month (which is interesting since I rarely open anything of theirs but whatever). So if anyone could post the details, that would be most excellent. Thank you!

[quote]"‘I Wouldn’t Say They All Deserved This’: Three Tony Awards Voters Dish About This Year’s Nominees"

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1993, "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

I didn't think Glenn looked overweight at all. He's a rather large man, and looked perfectly fine. Men go gray, dear. It's called getting older.

[quote]I'm posting the link for this Vulture article but haven't actually read it myself as they say I've already used up all of my freebies for the month (which is interesting since I rarely open anything of theirs but whatever). So if anyone could post the details, that would be most excellent. Thank you!

Vulture is part of an umbrella group of magazines, so you had probably clicked on some of them, r84. The article is far too long to summarize. Usually, I'd say pay for the subscription, but "times is hard". I don't know if 12 ft ladder will work for Vulture (it doesn't for the New York Times) but give it a go.

I will say that if someone says "I don't like to be bitchy. I'm just being open." ?

They like being bitchy.

All I can say about that Vulture article is Tony Voter #1 is an idiot and I disagreed with virtually every choice they made. I mostly agreed with Voter #2.

But if anything, the article seems to indicate that there are really no locks on any of the categories except maybe Victoria Clark and Bonnie Milligan in KA (though even there one of the voters seemed to disagree).

I will not be seeing Shucked, but I would like to see John Behlmann and Andrew Durand naked.

R89 yes, Voter #1 is an idiot, and clearly has some connection to NYNY because nobody will award best book to NYNY (we have seen stranger things). I hope Chastain wins also but it looks unlikely. I also hope that Justin Cooley wins.

If you think the London production is the best it's ever been, then you must have seen the original, and if so must be 112.

[quote]Voter 1: Colton Ryan does such a detailed performance. It’s astonishing how complex it is. He brings so much intellect and soul to the stage, and it’s always fresh. I’m in awe of him. This is another category where everyone is terrific. But Colton is bringing the freshest performance. He’s going to be a star.

I think Voter #1 decided to vote for NY NY in every category simply because they want to fuck Colton Ryan.

Voter #3 leaned heavily towards most of & Juliet categories.

R88, thank you! The 12ft Ladder link worked for me. Much appreciated.

12 ft ladder is great, but some places have gotten wise to it (like the NYT). There are others out there if you ever run into a snag with this one. Just do a search.

The amount of money made and tickets sold to “Music Man” is absolutely not a measure how how god-awful it was. WTF was Harold Hill doing on top of the Wells Fargo wagon? Other than pulling focus? Why did they cut a sweet 90-second song (“It’s You”) but add an INTERMINABLE tap challenge at the curtain call? Tap dancing??? In The Music Man??? Why wasn't Hugh even TRYING to give us an interpretation of Harold Hill? And worst of all the built in character breaks that the audience eats up. So very cynical. What a way to disrespect the audience. And the piece. They broke the fourth wall every night in the same spot — the show is available on YouTube. Check it out. It’s DREADFUL, cynical and just completely unprofessional. Hugh doing his Ashley Simpson screws-up lip sync hoedown dance.

It was “The Hugh Jackman Show — with songs from The Music Man”. If I’m gonna watch Hugh Jackman suck his own dick, I’d rather watch Hugh Jackman suck his own dick.

Whereas Midler’s Dolly was perfection, The Music Man was a shit show of unmitigated ego.

R97, sounds more like you have something against Hugh Jackman, especially if you think Midler's Dolly was perfection. I didn't see Jackman, but I DID see Midler's Dolly and she was just this side of terrible, and the production had a lot of minuses, both in performances and cheap design.

I saw both performances, r98. In my opinion, you are correct about Midler/Hello Dolly!, and r97 is correct about Jackson/The Music Man.

[quote][R88], thank you! The 12ft Ladder link worked for me. Much appreciated.

You're welcome, I really try to pay for what I can, R84/r95, and I rarely share that info, because I do believe people should get paid for their work, plus the more that is shared, the higher the chance it goes away. That's probably why r96 didn't share specific sites. I haven't had much luck with searching others out, though. I'm inept at things like that.

R98, you probably just hate Midler. It’s popular to attack her on DL. You must be proud of yourself.

Cheap design? The Sunday Clothes promenade took my breath away. But that’s just my opinion.

And my opinions are just opinions. You take your opinions as FACT I’m sure. Narcissist.

On the subject of casting Sweeney with a famous Lovett, how about Joshua Henry & Taraji B Henson?

Taraji would only pull her terrible Miss Hannigan schtick out of her limited bag of tricks.

[quote]Taraji B Henson?

Or even Taraji P. Henson.

Taraji’s Shug Avery should be interesting.

Margaret Avery’s performance is nearly canon (even with her weird Oscar campaign that year).

[quote]On the subject of casting Sweeney with a famous Lovett, how about Joshua Henry & Taraji B Henson?

So, you are rooting for a quick closing?

R98, you give it all away by calling the design of Dolly “cheap”. Troll.

The fool at R98 equates the fact that the DOLLY! designs were purposely old-fashioned (backdrops, etc.) with cheapness, which is just dumb.

I agree R100 Put On Your Sunday Clothes took my breathe away. I think putting Dolly in bright blue was odd, but definitely didn't look cheap.

Cheap?

Came across this on Broadwayworld.

[quote]James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas present Broadway veteran Kurt Peterson in On the Steps of the Shubert, a video commemorating the 50th Anniversary of “Sondheim: A Musical Tribute”, the first celebration of Stephen Sondheim's work, originally presented at the Shubert Theatre, Sunday, March 11, 1973. Narrated by Kurt from the steps inside Broadway’s Shubert Theatre in the rear orchestra where he sat beside Stephen Sondheim that evening

[quote]“It is the full story of how this accidental, now legendary evening came to be. Beginning with the first phone call, it's incredible blossoming from a small dinner to what it became, how it was almost derailed and the groundswell of support for a man who was often ignored, dismissed and misunderstood up until this point and event.”

I know a few people here hate Lear deB so you'll enjoy this

[quote] Likewise, the overlay of deBessonet’s vision sometimes obscures more than it reveals.

As opposed to cheerfully grim?

Any production with Mary Testa is doomed so this tracks!

"Shucked" cast performs opening number on Today show:

Christ, what a clatch of old, dried up queens throwing a fit over the Hello, Dolly revival being called cheap. (Though it honestly sounds like one elderly schoolmarm throwing multiple fits.) Thrilled for you that you gasped and queefed out dust when setting eyes upon it, but I felt it looked cheap. Don't really care that you disagree so vehemently. Doesn't change my opinion, just like mine doesn't change yours (and shouldn't). But could you keep the sibilant hissing down a few decibels?

DL prunes never cease to amuse me.

Good thing no one said that " Follies" looked cheap. We'd have 5,000 angry posts in response.

The 2003 Follies looked very cheap

Sorry, 2001

The 2001 revival was cheap!

Who decided that Judith Ivey was the best choice for Sally?

Ivey wasn't the embarrassment that Danner was, r119.

r115 - I know what you meant. The very old fashioned design felt more 'dated' than 'classic' to me, too. I could smell the mothballs. But, it's nice that they weren't cheap on the cast or the musicians. The production sounded swell. I MUCH preferred Bernadette over Bette, I must say. They both had a lot of fun with the role and infused their own personalities into the production, but Bernadette was giving a much more committed performance. Unexpectedly, she got a much more rapturous response the night I saw her than Bette did the night I saw her.

r119 - no idea on that one. Never got to see that production. I will say, Ivey was unexpectedly sensational as Desiree in the LA Opera Night Music with Victor Garber and Laura Benanti.

Heeeeere's....

BLTYHE!

R121, it's been close to 6 years now, so I'm not remembering detail as much as I had, but I can totally see what you're saying. And I do want to say that the costumes actually seemed very lush and expensive and well constructed, which made the scenic design feel even cheaper.

Midler was Midler. And for me, that sucked because Midler can act and she can deliver a character and a performance that isn't her lazy schtick, but she didn't here. Can she disappear into a role like the best actresses do? No, but with Dolly, she didn't even try to be anyone else but Bette Midler at 3/4 steam, mugging the entire way, which I'm sure might be thrilling to those who love things like America's Funniest Home Videos, but for a couple hundred bucks, I'd like to see a performance. And Creel and woman who played opposite him were bland, bland, bland. (Her name escapes me and I'm too lazy to look it up.) Oh, just came to me- Kate Baldwin. As forgettable as her name.

I think Midler figured that her name in Hello Dolly meant guaranteed success and she didn't have to bother to try, she could just coast. Even when she did the Sue Mengers play, she tried. The role was very close to who she was (or who the persona she cultivated in the 70s and 80s was) but she actually gave a performance. I thought she was far better in that (slight as the play was) than she was in Dolly.

I'm sorry I was not in town for either Bernadette or was able to go back later for Donna. I'd never seen a production of Dolly before this one and I would have liked to see someone play the role who was invested in it. I probably should have gone to see Buckley when she came to LA to do the show, but you all complained about her voice so much on here (and I believe it) that I decided to skip it. (And I waited for Glenn to leave Sunset Boulevard so I could see Betty back in 1995.)

Peters.

The sets and costumes of the NT Follies were stunning, especially the younger versions of the Follies girls (except for that drab ugly frock they put Janie Dee in). I know Imelda gets a lot of flack here but I loved her Sally. She obviously should not have been wearing a green dress…

Loveland looked a bit cheap but it was the only flaw in a nearly flawless production. I wish it had come to Broadway because I really wanted to see it again.

R124 - Yes, you're absolutely right. Bette was just mugging and being Bette. Which probably would have been more entertaining in concert or some type of revue. Funnily enough, I actually really liked Gavin Creel and Kate Baldwin and didn't find either one of them boring.

My most memorable Dolly, though, was last 90s revival with Channing. Or, in my case, without Channing. I was in middle school and my uncle was visiting us in San Diego and saw that the Carol Channing tour was in town and bought us tickets. It happened to be the weekend of the Tonys and Carol apparently made (a fairly last minute) decision to fly to NY to accept a Lifetime Achievement Tony. I believe we ended up being one of the few audiences who got to see her understudy/standby go on as Dolly -- Florence Lacey, who regularly played Irene (and, judging by the 90s cast recording, sang Ribbons Down My Back beautifully!)

I think I also saw Florence in a small, forgettable part in the 2011 Follies revival when it played LA. But, her Dolly performance made me wish I'd seen her in something else.

I had no idea who Carol Channing was, so I was surprised to see hundreds of audience members go to the box office for refunds or exchanges. But, we stayed. We were literally the only people on the mezzanine and, of course, the ushers had no problem with us moving from our rear mez seats to the front row. I think Florence Lacey must have really relished that rare opportunity to go on for Carol and she was just so god damn charming in the role. The hundreds of us who stayed witnessed a wonderful performance. She could somehow pick up on our enthusiastic applause from the mezzanine -- just the 5 of us -- and she waved to us and blew us kisses as the curtain came down.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I have to question the judgment of someone who thinks Kate Baldwin is bland or forgettable. I ended up seeing the production four times, once with Peters (who was a far better performer) and the other three with Midler (who made the show an event). Neither the show nor Midler mean a whole lot to me, but I will always remember the glow that enveloped the entire audience. Right in the middle of the Trump administration.

Just got home from seeing Oliver. Cast was good and I liked the show. But I found it curiously un-engaging. Audience LOVED it —cheering loudly at every opportunity.

Jesus Christ, why does Mary Testa continue to work? She mugs and mugs and steaks focus and just … SUCKS.

She’s a dreadful presence.

That's a great story, R127, thanks for sharing. I love those kinds of unexpected theater experiences, and they happen so rarely.

My friend and I went to see Six Degrees of Separation when it was at the Beaumont. We were LCT members, and when we arrived at the theater, we were told that Stockard Channing was out of the performance that afternoon. We were able to change out tickets for another day, and saw the show a few weeks later. Channing's understudy was Kelly Bishop, who at that time I was familiar with only name-wise as being part of the original ACL, but had never seen her in anything outside of Dirty Dancing, so I did not want to waste my time and money, and I was also a huge Channing fan.

I really regret now not staying. We could have always gone back to see the show again with Channing (as we did), and a decade later, when I became a Gilmore Girls viewer and learned just how wonderfully talented Kelly Bishop was, I know she must have been giving a terrific performance as Ouisa.

No, usually the understudy stories I have are getting stuck seeing the US for Sutton Foster in Millie when I could not come back at a later date. She was dreadful, and without a great Millie, that show has very little else going for it.

But I'm sure I must have good understudy stories from 36 years as a Broadway/NYC theatergoer. The only one that comes to mind, though, is the 2018 revival of Once On This Island. Alex Newell was out, and his understudy was really, really good (and an actual woman). I had no idea who Newell was at the time or what I was missing, so I didn't really care. But when I saw him on the Tonys, he was so terrible and screechy, I was thrilled I missed him. (And that production was pure perfection.)

If I think of another, I'll post it.

R131 - Yes, I've certainly seen very fine performances from understudies or standbys over the years, but nothing as memorable as seeing Florence cover Carol. But, yes, would love to hear about others who saw an unexpected / unplanned but memorable performance from an understudy or standby.

r127...

Was Florence Patti's understudy? (I know that video says she was the 4th Evita, but for some reason I think of her name as the understudy at Evita.

R40 R71 Glad I wasn’t the only one on here that saw Sign and thought Oscar Isaac was robbed of the nomination.

Wendell Pierce is a total jerk. I hope he loses the Tony.

I think this year it's going to be a career award and it' going to go to Stephen McKinley Henderson. I didn't see his show, but I have enjoyed his performances onstage for years, and if anyone deserves a career Tony, it's him. I hope they don't give it to Sean Hayes.

Is it just bad costuming or is Lili Cooper a very broad shouldered Nancy? It looks like Nancy does cross-fit, which feels a bit anachronistic.

R129 I saw it last night and adored it - but to be fair, it’s been my favorite musical since I was about two. Probably the most impressive performance of Where Is Love I’ve seen.

She's a *gives as good as she gets* Nancy, r138.

Lili Cooper could play Roberta Muldoon in a musical version of The World According to Garp.

Lili Cooper is extravagantly untalented.

While I can appreciate the Encores' OLIVER costume designer trying not to put Nancy in a predictable red dress, I'm afraid bright yellow is not Lili Cooper's (or Nancy's!) color.

Oh, for god's sake, just put Nancy in a fucking red dress.

And why is Fagin in such a bright blue coat??

I saw Terri Klausner in Evita when I bought tickets to see you know who. She was sensational.

Florence Lacey was, bar none, the best Evita I saw, and that includes Patti. Now, Patti had a vague resemblance to the real Eva plus her natural perpetually pissed-off quality which worked well for the part. But Florence Lacey was just dynamic. And for a non-dancing Eva, she managed to fake it beautifully in Buenos Aires. She started as the alternate Eva (for Loni Ackerman in LA), and took over the tour when Ackerman left it after San Francisco.

Buenos Aires almost did Patti in. She is not a dancer and really struggled with it, falling two or three times (including opening night in LA). She had to really work to get the audience back. Terri Kausner, who was the original alternate, was a real dancer, and sailed through the number. She wasn’t the actress that Patti was, but she knew how to give a star performance. Loni Ackerman was also a dancer, and really triumphed in Buenos Aires..

Did Bernie mess up her voice playing Dolly? She's been sounding a little raspy lately.

R146 - she was already quite raspy at the time of Dolly. Her voice is going now as evidenced on the Carol Burnett 90th. I honestly wonder if she can keep up with 8 shows a week for the Sondheim show in London later this year. I can't imagine her doing another Broadway musical.

[quote]Don't confuse Benjamin Pajak with Benj Pasek.

Or with Sat Pajak.

That occasional rasp in Bernadette's voice has been evident for years, I would say literally decades. It seems to come and go, and sometimes it's worse than others, but anyway, I'm surprised you're just noticing it now. Actually, her singing on the Carol Burnett special was far better than I would have expected from her at this point. I thought she sounded fine, though obviously the musical material was unchallenging.

R139. Agree. It was a beautifully sung Where is Love. Benjamin Pajak did a wonderful job. I enjoyed the reference in his Playbill bio to him being the orginal Winthrop in Music Man. Must be a Benjamin Button thing----aging backward.

I saw Midler, Murphy, and Peters. The worst for me was Murphy, who trued too hard to create a "character." As for an actress burying herself in the role, well, part of the charm of Dolly is the performer's showcasing her already beloved personality. No one went to see Channing, Bailey, Merman, Arden, Raye, Midler, etc. "disappear.."

" Oliver!" in rehearsal.

The clips I've seen from this OLIVER look like they're from some summer camp version, and that's not just a comment on the kids.

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1958, "The Visit" opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

Justin Guarini and the cast of "Once Upon A One More Time" perform 'Circus' in the rehearsal room ahead of the show's Broadway bow:

R131-I saw Six Degrees while it was still at the Newhouse, and Channing left a week earlier than scheduled to do some Arthur Hiller crapfest. So I saw Bishop go. Darling, you missed nothing not seeing Kelly. In fact, when the show was over, I honestly wondered what all the fuss was about. Honestly, years later, Allison Janney was better as Ouisa, and she was pretty lousy.

^go on.

Best understudy performance I ever saw was way back in 1973, my first year working in NY, when I'd go to see Broadway shows frequently, often getting very cheap standing room tickets for a few dollars.

It was probably my 3rd time seeing the original GREASE and the totally unknown Peter Gallagher went on for Danny Zuko. He looked much younger and fresher than everyone else in the cast, I think he must have been in his early 20s, right out of college and he burst onto the stage like he was shot out of a cannon, indescribably charismatic and and sexy. It felt like it must have been his first time on that stage. I knew I'd be seeing and hearing lots more about him, truly like witnessing the birth of a star! Frankly, in the years to come, I was shocked that he didn't become a much bigger star.

He had as big of a career as Bostwick, r158.

Benjamin sings Sondheim.

but n0t as big a cock

What a thing to say about a little kid.

Give young Ben a few years, R 161. It'll grow.

Pajak is great in that clip. What happens to a voice like that when puberty hits? Is it a guarantee he'll sing as well?

R164, look what happened to Joshua Colley after puberty. Before:

After. He still sings okay.

I remember seeing Peter Gallagher in a forgotten film called THE IDOLMAKER featuring DL fave Tovah! He's gorgeous and the camera loved him. I wonder if he would have had better opportunities in film if Cher hadn't nixed him for Moonstruck in favor of Nicholas Cage.

R123, I love Blythe Danner, but she wasn’t great in this and I think she screwed up the lyrics at 1:59 to 2:04.

"Oliver!" looks a little like people in 2023 New York pretending to be residents of Victorian England. What's with the contemporary hairstyles on the kids and the tattoo on Nancy?

Bless your heart r144. So easily pleased.

Pajak does a great job in that clip at r160, though he does sound quite a lot like an Annie orphan.

R169 It’s technically staged as a concert - the ensemble carries binders with sheet music at a few points - so total realism in costuming and hair isn’t really expected.

Oliver Reed was the best Bill Sykes.

Thank you, R 172.

I saw Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters and Betty Buckley in Hello Dolly.

1) Bernadette. Call me an old Queen but this was the perfect part for her.

2) Bette. A true star. The audience was in her hand the whole time. The ovation when she came down the stairs was like a rock concert.

3) Betty. I loved her in the part even though she is routinely ripped to shreds on this board.

Allison Pill will not be signing Playbills until after the Coronation.

Betty's portrayal was charm-free.

The more I see of SHUCKED the more I think Broadway is being punked by some Texans.

Asshole

Has anyone seen SUGAR at Theatre Row? Closes this weekend.

*

[quote]I remember seeing Peter Gallagher in a forgotten film called THE IDOLMAKER featuring DL fave Tovah! He's gorgeous and the camera loved him. I wonder if he would have had better opportunities in film if Cher hadn't nixed him for Moonstruck in favor of Nicholas Cage.

I never heard that he was up for that role in MOONSTRUCK, and it seems to me that he would have been very miscast in it.

[quote] the ensemble carries binders with sheet music at a few points

Are you sure about that? The performers in the Encores! shows haven't used scripts/sheet music for some years now. The only exception was Donna Murphy in DEAR WORLD, because she missed so many rehearsals due to COVID.

“Midler was playing Midler.”

What a dumb fuck thing to say. Nobody “disappears” into Dolly Levi. It’s a Jerry Herman musical, not Medea.

Why would you shell out to see Bette Midler in a Broadway show if you hate her to begin with? Oh, so you can be contrarian and smug on an anonymous gay chat site.

The Idolmaker

[quote]“Midler was playing Midler.” What a dumb fuck thing to say. Nobody “disappears” into Dolly Levi. It’s a Jerry Herman musical, not Medea. Why would you shell out to see Bette Midler in a Broadway show if you hate her to begin with? Oh, so you can be contrarian and smug on an anonymous gay chat site.

Agreed. As if Channing, Bailey, Merman, Streisand, etc. didn't bring their own personalities to the role and, instead, "disappeared" into it. Of the stupidest comments ever to be seen on the DL, and that is quite an achievement.....

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The Tony Awards And The Writers Strike: What Happens If Broadway’s Big Night Has No Words?

R184. I saw the 2nd performance of Oliver and a few chorus members had books in their hands

Oliver! at City Center is a lot of fun. The “Consider Yourself” is a true show-stopper (one of the biggest I’ve seen at Encores) and Raul is obviously having a ball playing Fagin. Lilli Cooper sounded great.

I had no idea a revival of Oliver! played on Broadway in 1984 with Ron Moody and Patti LuPone. It was directed by the show’s original director, and it closed in only two weeks. Was it that bad?

Ron was great. Patti? Not so much.

*

Who do you think you are R193? Who do YOU think YOU ARE!

[quote] “Midler was playing Midler.” What a dumb fuck thing to say. Nobody “disappears” into Dolly Levi. It’s a Jerry Herman musical, not Medea. Why would you shell out to see Bette Midler in a Broadway show if you hate her to begin with? Oh, so you can be contrarian and smug on an anonymous gay chat site.

[quote] Agreed. As if Channing, Bailey, Merman, Streisand, etc. didn't bring their own personalities to the role and, instead, "disappeared" into it. Of the stupidest comments ever to be seen on the DL, and that is quite an achievement.....

The achievement is you two dummies can't read. That is not what I said. And I also never said I hated Midler, I said quite the opposite. Why can't you fucking idiots try actually reading before you run, frothing at the mouth, to post inaccurately? It's not as if you have anything to say, so waiting a few minutes to actually comprehend the words on the screen is not going to deprive a single person of earlier access to your wit and intelligence.

R196, I meant to respond to those who feel that Midler's performance as DOLLY! was no good because she was only "playing herself" and didn't "disappear" into the role. If that's not how you feel, then I'm sorry if I confused your post with others.

[quote]I never heard that he was up for that role in MOONSTRUCK, and it seems to me that he would have been very miscast in it.

Honey even Steve Bushemi wouldn't be miscast over Nicholas Cage's ridiculous performance. The only weak link in an almost perfect film.

[quote]Raul is obviously having a ball playing Fagin.

He's not supposed to be having a ball, he's supposed to be working.

He's not having my balls!

Why are they using Cameron's version and not the original? The original orchestrations are so much better.

Patti seems a little invulnerable for Nancy.

Bill Sykes beat her because he couldn't understand her.

Bill Sykes beat her because he couldn't stand her.

Saw Oliver! last night. Lilli Cooper, Benjamin Pajak, great, particularly singing. Tam Mutu, super hot, although he is shorter than Lilli, which is a slight problem. Raúl Esparza, mumbling, didn't land any of his songs, and out of breath running up and down those stairs. Brad Oscar and Mary Testa were fine, given their very thin material. Artful Dodger was not good. Some of the big songs worked well, but overall, the staging was poor and under-rehearsed. I give it a B-.

[quote]Bill Sykes beat her because he couldn't stand her.

I thought he beat her because he couldn't understand any of the lyrics she sang.

R184 Positive - I saw it in person. And the program specifically says it’s staged as a concert. Not super noticeable though if you’re not looking out for it

Aren't they required to carry their scripts for a certain amount of the show?

[quote] I thought he beat her because he couldn't understand any of the lyrics she sang.

Didja?

[quote]He's not supposed to be having a ball, he's supposed to be working.

No one told us.

[quote]Aren't they required to carry their scripts for a certain amount of the show?

That changed several years ago -- before the pandemic -- when the rehearsal time and thus the contracts for the Encores! shows were revised slightly. I saw OLIVER! at today's matinee and no one held a script or music in their hands at any point during the show. So either the person above who insists otherwise is delirious or the scripts were there for the first few performances but are now gone, but that doesn't sound very likely. And, as has been the case with all Encores productions in recent years, although the sets are minimal and the costuming is relatively simple for this show, it's a fully-staged production with full choreography and NO SCRIPTS OR MUSIC HELD IN THE PERFORMERS' HANDS.

As I mentioned, the only exception to this that I know if in recent years was that Donna Murphy used a script for much of DEAR WORLD, and the reason given was that she missed several rehearsals due to COVID.

[Quote] As I mentioned

And you’re repeating it, because…?

In Patti's version, Nancy was beat to death because she had no head voice.

We saw Oliver! Friday night. Scripts were used in several scenes. Even Raul had one.

I thought Bill Sykes did what he did because he could see into the future and didn’t want a production of the Anarchist to move forward?

Saw Parade, Sweeney, and Camelot this weekend. In my view, Sweeney should take Best Revival. The Into the Woods benefited from limited aspirations, but drew liberally from the original acting and directorial choices.

Parade also had a limit scope, but seemed to deliberately ignore the strengths of the original. I grew really tired of watching actors’ unmotivated movement to that platform and missed Prince’s confidence with moments like the picture show song, the trial, Lucille confronting the governor, and the lunching. Platt was less annoying than in Evan Hanson, but mostly gave a stand and sing performance.

Camelot made me wonder why anyone would devote their time and creative energy to this show. Guinevere as a girl boss, with nothing to rule except access to her bedroom, killed a lot of the story. The ending was moving, but undercut by the previous 3 hours and an aggressively terrible child actor.

But Sweeney was, to my surprise, really great. To the contrary of what I had read. I found Ashford inventive and mostly understated. The choices to emphasize her thirstiness came at a price, but it was a good trade off. Groban squinted and slouched a lot, but it’s hard to imagine another current actor who would have given this full a performance. Unlike Into the Woods and Parade, this production was fully aware of the show’s history, but made its own approach.

What a great season for musical revivals.

R211 As of Friday night, the boy’s ensemble, adults ensemble, and Raul all used scripts at least once. And just look at your program! I quote - “This production is being presented as a concert performance in which the actors may be performing with their scripts in hand.”

[r216] that’s the beauty of live theatre. You can have a complete different experience than what has been reported on this thread.

I, on the other hand, would vote for Into the Woods.

I agree with your opinion of Camelot.

It’s interesting that you liked the original Parade more than the revival as the consensus is that the original didn’t land like this one. I didn’t see the original so I have nothing to base my opinion on.

R216 wrote I found Ashford inventive and mostly understated....

I never thought I would read that!

Oh my god who cares who at Oliver is holding scripts??? Is this what theatre gossip has devolved into???

Is Just for Us still happening, even though the director died? No notes, apparently.

[quote]Lucille confronting the governor, and the lunching.

I hope it was kosher.

R218, I think it’s especially difficult to look at Parade now in comparison to 1999. The original suffered because good liberal audiences thought we were done with anti-Semitism and racism and that the Old South was forgotten. We no longer have those illusions, but I don’t think Hal Prince of Alfred Uhry did in 1999.

As for the production, the original was just theatrically smarter, more confident, and more fully fleshed out. I liked the revival well enough, but sexing up the Old Red Hills of Home, drawing on very obvious connections to contemporary images, and having Leo enter state right in a follow spot for Come Up to My Office all showed a lack of trust in the material. Leo had his head down and simply looked up and acted for the transformation into “dark Leo.”

But the “lunching” (sorry) was a missed opportunity because Platt is interested in singing and emoting more than acting. He didn’t even react when a noose was put around his neck!

R223 I sure did.

“ This production is being presented as a concert performance in which the actors may be performing with their scripts in hand.”

LIAR THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN RECENT YEARS AND ONLY BECAUSE OF COVID IT NEVER HAPPENS ANYMORE

Douglas Carter Beane and his hack partner Lewis Flinn are making a musical of To Wong Foo. Beane wrote the screenplay

[quote]LIAR THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN RECENT YEARS AND ONLY BECAUSE OF COVID IT NEVER HAPPENS ANYMORE

Hmmm

Sometimes they use the books as bits in clever ways. Reminds you it's still a reading though no one uses the books much.

[quote]It’s interesting that you liked the original Parade more than the revival as the consensus is that the original didn’t land like this one. I didn’t see the original so I have nothing to base my opinion on.

[quote]As for the production, the original was just theatrically smarter, more confident, and more fully fleshed out. I liked the revival well enough, but sexing up the Old Red Hills of Home, drawing on very obvious connections to contemporary images, and having Leo enter stage right in a follow spot for Come Up to My Office all showed a lack of trust in the material. Leo had his head down and simply looked up and acted for the transformation into “dark Leo.”

[quote]But the “lunching” (sorry) was a missed opportunity because Platt is interested in singing and emoting more than acting. He didn’t even react when a noose was put around his neck!

I completely agree with you, r223. I'd been afraid that Platt wasn't up to the role and I was right. Platt's gonna Platt.

I did enjoy the Taper version many years back, but it suffered by doubling and even quadrupling its roles. Michael Berresse played four characters. The quartet of Rumblin' and Rollin' became a duet, and it suffered for it.

Hal Prince royally fucked up the original Parade. The worst example of his directing traffic style of directing.

[quote]Patti seems a little invulnerable for Nancy.

And two decades too old in 1984.

Forget about whether Raúl is holding a script. Is he still with that gorgeous bf of his?

She was 35 in early 1984. Did you want Nancy to be 15?

Nancy with a flip...

[quote]Michael Berresse played four characters.

Did any of those characters have sex with each other?

[quote]"If You Weren't Nominated, It's Definitely a Snub"

Unless you're white, then you're just a "mediocre white person"!

Kerry Ellis...

Yes, R233, according to the source material Nancy was literally supposed to be 15 to 17.

Has Nancy EVER been played by a 15-17 year old? Ever?

I'm available!

Not crazy about the Patti and Kerry Ellis renditions. Georgia Brown’s version is still the best.

Would Judy have been too old to play Nancy in the original production?

Judy was too old for EVERYTHING.

Georgia Brown had an authentic earthiness that all other Nancys I've seen have lacked, especially Shani Wallis.

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Bubbling Georgia Brown Sugar starring Elaine Joyce?

Georgia was the absolute best. Being a lesbian helped.

Shani, in the movie, red dress all torn and dirtied up, but perfectly coiffed with blonde wig.

I'm glad so many of you have made to City Centre this weekend to see Oliver! but what about today's closing performance of Sugar! at Theatre Row???

Anyone?

Yes R244, it was very brave of her not to shave her moustache for the role.

I saw Shani Wallis in a tour of Oliver! in the mid-'80s. She didn't hold a book though.

It was Shani and also Jack Carter as Fagin.

[quote]She didn't hold a book though.

T-Rex arms can do that to a girl.

So did Broadway dim the lights for Barry Humphries? Was it even considered?

[quote]I saw Shani Wallis in a tour of Oliver! in the mid-'80s.

Talk about being too old for the part.

Lay off Shani, she has FOLLIES cred. Not a lot...

[quote] Lay off Shani, she has FOLLIES cred.

So do I, and you fags raked me over ze coals!

Lionel Bart was a Nancy.

I know R245 just posted that clip of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' from Bubbling Brown Sugar as a joke in the midst of this Nancy in Oliver! discussion, but, I still enjoyed the hell out of it. I was not remotely familiar with Bubbling Brown Sugar. Vivian Reed seemed captivating and how wonderful are those male dancers? That beautiful movement caused me to look up the choreographer, Billy Wilson, who we lost to AIDS in the 90s. What an interesting and varied career he had from Broadway to ballet and modern dance. It looks like Bubbling Brown Sugar had a healthy nearly two year run. Anyone here see it? How was it?

Apparently Raul is already sidelined with something (stomach poisoning from too much bad scenery?) and out of OLIVER! and there are no refunds, no exchanges. Gavin Lee is the understudy.

I didn't post it as a joke, r259.

Maybe Raúl shouldn’t eat ass if he’s going to miss performances

Encores! did PROMISES, PROMISES in 1997. I stand by my statement that the series has virtually eliminated use of scripts in recent years (beginning sometime before the pandemic), I believe because the rehearsal schedules and therefore the contracts changes. Again, a major exception was Donna Murphy in DEAR WORLD, and that was only because of the special circumstance that she missed several rehearsals due to COVID.

They used notebooks in Oliver! Periodically. Friend said it was because of the contract. I don't know if they actually needed the scripts, or if they just were carrying the notebooks to satisfy some union rule. But definitely had the notebooks, including Raul.

R263 you are wrong. Olympia Dukakis had her face buried in a script during her whole performance in 70 Girls 70 in 2006. Over the years, some actors rely on scripts more than others.

Well, she had her ear buried in a prompter the entire run of "Rose" in 2000, so that doesn't surprise me.

Here's the thing. I've done four Encores since the second season over 3 decades.

Equity doesn't force anyone to hold a script but it simply makes a provision in the actors' contracts to ALLOW them to hold a script if desired. That's a rule that contractually must be enforced.

Every show is different. Every actor is different. And every performance is different. An actor might choose not to hold their script at a first performance and then realize they need it and hold it at a second performance. They might then decide at their third performance they no longer need it, Or not. It's a total variable.

But the point is, nobody, not the producers, the director or a cast vote can change Equity's allowance of scripts when any particular actor chooses to carry a script.

Also, from my experience, most actors come into rehearsals fairly well-acquainted with the material they'll perform even though, of course, the staging will be new to them. That said, on the Encores I've worked on, the leads often begin rehearsals a few days (or even a week) earlier than the rest of the cast (this obviously depends on the leads' availability). And in a dance-heavy show, the dancers may begin dance rehearsals a few days earlier.

I hope this puts to rest some questions.

Here's the thing. I was there on Friday night. The chorus was not holding books, until the reprise of "Who Will Buy?" when they ALL came out with books.

I can't say why, but I can say it happened.

Seemed pre-planned, to me.

Worst thread ever?

Hardly.

Just wait until Shucked wins everything next month, R269

Why is Somebody as over qualified as Gavin Lee standing by in Oliver as opposed to some understudy in the cast

[quote]Michael Berresse played four characters.

[quote]Did any of those characters have sex with each other?

Sadly, no, r235

[quote]in a dance-heavy show, the dancers may begin dance rehearsals a few days earlier.

Thanks. No No Nanette did that, r267. Leavel and Berresse used the books as props, but Charles Kimbrough often referred to his.

After 1997, didn’t Reba use a script in South Pacific?

[quote]You are wrong. Olympia Dukakis had her face buried in a script during her whole performance in 70 Girls 70 in 2006. Over the years, some actors rely on scripts more than others.

I saw that show with Olympia's face buried in her script, but 2006 was 17 years ago. I stated that in more recent years, but definitely beginning before the pandemic, scripts seemed to have been all but completely abandoned in Encores! shows. I'm not sure that this was due to any change in the rehearsal schedule or the contracts, but I speculated that this might be the reason.

First of all, R274, that SOUTH PACIFIC was not an Encores! production. But also, I certainly did not state that 1997 was the last time that any Encores! show was performed with scripts in hand. These discussions would be much more productive if people could learn to read more carefully.

At least Olympia’s face wasn’t buried in a snatch or two!

Gavin Lee is a terrific performer and may have taken the brief Encores run as a chance to work and/or a paycheck. Work is work.

I think the huge Encores! productions that started with CHICAGO began a tradition of fewer actors using scripts as more and more shows had their eye on Broadway. Many will recall the first Encores! evenings used music stands and minimal costumes.

[quote]Why is Somebody as over qualified as Gavin Lee standing by in Oliver as opposed to some understudy in the cast

Because Raul is a genuine star playing the star role. Encores hasn’t had the best luck when a lead has gotten sick in the past, so I guess they’ve decided to search for the best understudies // stand-bys. &

R216, your comment about why anyone would devote any energy to Camelot is why I hate this production. I would hate anyone walking out of a production of Camelot hating it.

No, it’s not perfect, but there are great moments in Camelot that Sher and Sorkin just steamrolled over. They took the best parts and eviscerated it.

Hopefully we get a true and faithful full scale rendition of the show soon, if only to get a complete recording of the rapturous score.

I won’t follow anyone to a production that cuts Follow Me.

Who is the dude who played Charlie Chaplin about 14 years ago and got rave reviews. Nothing happened. Did his career go down the shitter? What he doing now?

R282, Rob McClure still works steadily in the NY theater.

[Quote] but 2006 was 17 years ago.

R275 pointing this out is the most upsetting thing in this thread.

[quote]Hopefully we get a true and faithful full scale rendition of the show soon, if only to get a complete recording of the rapturous score.

I have the same hope, but after the dud engineered by Sorkin and Sher, it seems very unlikely to happen, at least in my lifetime. They took a show that was already considered problematic and further devalued the property, at least in the minds of many people.

Lupone "Gypsy", not a script in sight.

[quote]you are wrong. Olympia Dukakis had her face buried in a script during her whole performance in 70 Girls 70 in 2006. Over the years, some actors rely on scripts more than others.

She was fucking 104 years old. Give the broad a break.

They’re a video clips of LuPone having a script during Pal Joey, but she didn’t look at it.

[Quote] These discussions would be much more productive if people could learn to read more carefully

Is discussions are never going to be any type of productive, no way, no how.

I miss the style of the early Encores which were more concerts with all the actors in formalwear instead of the staged productions with sets and costumes we see now. The first one I saw was a delightful OUT OF THIS WORLD by Cole Porter with Andrea Martin, Ken Page, Marin Mazzie, Peter Scolari, LaChanze, Ernie Sabella and Gregg Edelmann. A phenomenal all-star cast that Encores rarely boasts any more.

I do have to wonder if the more "finished" expectations have scared a lot of more famous names to take part. And, of course, the salaries are shit.

Owwww!

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1962, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" opened at the Alvin Theatre.

The casts of "Hamilton" and "Sweeney Todd" teamed up for a special Ham4Ham mashup:

Didn't we have a dedicated thread earlier this year for Sugar? Can't find it now. Wanted to check there and see if anyone may have seen the show at Theatre Row.

It doesn't surprise me Raul was out of Oliver last night. At yesterday's matinee, he was noticeably winded after all his musical numbers and his voice was not the best. I was sitting close enough to see he was putting his game face on, but he was definitely having trouble. He seemed to be gasping for air. At first I chalked it up to his not having done a musical in 11 years, but something more was going on.

[quote]Maybe Raúl shouldn’t eat ass if he’s going to miss performances

Mind your business!

[quote]Hopefully we get a true and faithful full scale rendition of the show soon, if only to get a complete recording of the rapturous score.

The original Broadway cast recording of CAMELOT is quite full, and the parts of the score that aren't included on it may be found on other recordings. The only sections of the score that I really miss on the OBC are the introduction to "How to Handle a Woman" and that little song that Lancelot sings in French right before "If Ever I Would Leave You."

[quote]After the dud engineered by Sorkin and Sher, it seems very unlikely to happen, at least in my lifetime. They took a show that was already considered problematic and further devalued the property, at least in the minds of many people.

Agreed, 100 percent. The scaled-down David Lee version of CAMELOT that toured the country was far more successful overall, so I'm sorry that the rights for the LCT/Sorkin/Sher version were ever granted.

Saw OLIVER!, SWEENEY, and PARADE over the weekend....OLIVER! was so disastrously directed. You couldn't see anything when then were "upstairs," and time has not been kind to the show. It's wildly uneven, badly constructed, and the kids were doing "Newsies" choreography. Raul was playing "STAR here: shit... How was this ever a hit?

SWEENEY was a mixed bag. She was funny (as expected) and he sounded great, can't really act. Ironically, same problem as OLIVER! -- what the hell is going on up top? Not really a great production, but a solid one. Didn't know what that choreography was supposed to be. Loved the full orchestra.

PARADE was a revelation. The best production I've seen, and I saw original, LA and this. Directorial concept best so far, and Platt and Bennett had real chemistry. I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it was.

[quote]OLIVER! was so disastrously directed.... How was this ever a hit?

Seriously? You're trying a bit too hard. Try listening to the score. And not only a hit on Broadway, but a Best Picture Oscar winner.

The movie of Oliver! is one of the few movie musicals that improved on its stage source. They cut the dud songs ("I Shall Scream," "That's Your Funeral" and "My Name"), moved "Oom-Pah-Pah" from an arbitrary Act 2 skirt lifter, to a position late in the story where it builds tension, and it has sensational Onna White choreography and superb orchestrations. I don't think there's a weak link in the cast. If there's any question as to how/why it was a hit, I think the show's reputation has been greatly boosted by the film.

I agree with r300. The original production was a "hit" because Merrick toured the country before NY and the show's songs were ubiquitous, and they did lots of tv in NY. It was also a "family" show with lots of cute kids, so the audiences came. But it's never been a good show. Sort of like "CAMELOT," its success belongs to a certain moment/era, but the show itself was average. The movie of OLIVER made it much better -- just like the movie of MATILDA.

You neglected to mention that the original OLIVER! set design was outstanding and innovative. It was a visual feast and covered over some of those flaws. Plus, the cast was terrific.

[quote] it has sensational Onna White choreography and superb orchestrations

I agree about the choreography, but I hate the new counter-melody that Johnny Green added to “As Long as He Needs Me.” I guess he thought the original melody was too monotonous (which it sort of is) but his addition was not an improvement.

Oliver! the movie really is hurt by that disembodied singing voice of Oliver. (voiced by Green's 20-year-old daughter). It sounds alien. Otherwise, I like the movie much better than the show.

Oh, it's not monotonous if it's done correctly.

"English," by Sanaz Toossi, has won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for drama:

As usual, a play no one has heard of.

It’s had a lot of productions this year, r307. I really liked it.

But on Broadway, and with a major star, r308??

test... test

I was rooting for A Case For the Existence of God.

‘Downstate’, Broadway’s ‘Leopoldstadt’ Take New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards:

There's new and important theatre outside of Broadway.

Just saying.

No Drama Critic's Circle Aware for Musical this year! "Kimberly Akimbo" won last year.

Award, that is

Aw, and I was rooting for Shucked ...

SCHMIGADOON!

I hope they cancel that tripe.

I haven't seen more than clips from season 2, but the diehard fans say this SCHMIGADOON is even better than season 1.

All three of them, huh?

I got primetimed out of the previous thread, but someone was asking about Elaine Stritch never winning the Tony Award.

I’ve worked with Stritch, I’ve told a story or two in the past, and I can say she was a miserable passive/aggressive cvnt. She would stir shit up and then act like a victim. So I think her behavior turned many people off.

That being said, I saw A Delicate Balance and she really was excellent in that show. I think that was an unfortunate year. Because she was above title, she was automatically thrown into Lead Actress category along with co-star Rosemary Harris. But that was the year Zoe Caldwell was doing Master Class and it was pretty much going to be her win. Audra won in the Supporting category which was a strange win because it wasn’t that interesting of a role.

Her other nominations were Bus Stop, Sail Away and Company. In 1971, she was beat by Helen Gallagher in No No Nanette. Gallagher was working a lot harder in her show which is probably why she won.

So I think it was just a combination of not being liked, but also she was edged out in certain years by a bigger performance.

But she was a miserable cvnt.

I don't blame the NY Drama Critics Circle for not naming a Best Musical this year. It was a weak year for musicals.

At the same time I love that the Lucille Lortel Awards named Titanique their Best Musical. I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, but it was a lot of fun, and certainly more entertaining than any other new musical I saw last year.

[Quote] As usual, a play no one has heard of.

It was a co production with Atlantic and Roundabout. Smart idea. If you hadn’t heard of it, that’s your own ignorance.

I can hardly wait for the high school and community theatre productions of Leopoldstadt.

"Okay, everyone, put on your menorahs and light your yamulkes."

Looking at the Drama Critics Circle votes...five people voted for Some Like It Hot as Best Musical, which is five too many.

Best Musical, first ballot:

David Barbour: Some Like It Hot

David Cote: Some Like It Hot

Vinson Cunningham: Dreaming Zenzile

Joe Dziemianowicz: Abstain

Greg Evans: Some Like It Hot

Adam Feldman: The Appointment

David Finkle: Some Like It Hot

Elysa Gardner: Dreaming Zenzile

Robert Hofler: Abstain

Charles Isherwood: Dreaming Zenzile

Chris Jones:Abstain

Johnny Oleksinski: Shucked

Frank Scheck: Shucked

Helen Shaw: The Appointment

David Sheward: The Bedwetter

Zachary Stewart: Some Like It Hot

Elisabeth Vincentelli (proxy): The Bedwetter

Matt Windman (proxy): Some Like It Hot

Dreaming Zenzile? Shucked? Were they high when they voted -- or saw the show(s)?

Here's to the laddies who lynch.

VIDEO: NPH dresses around his dressing room at "Peter Pan Goes Wrong" (his last show was yesterday):

NPH in the dressing room is better than Madge in the shitter.

By the way, my apologies -- that should've been "NPH dances around his dressing room," not dresses around his dressing room.

While everyone here may hate on NPH for whatever reason, he has more fuck you money than one can imagine, yet he continually returns to Broadway and always shows up. He loves Broadway and it’s refreshing to see big stars appear live just for the love of theater.

I agree about NPH. He's despised on DL.

He may be a bit full of himself, but he's quite talented, loves the theatre, and at 49, has survived child stardom and navigated an adult career very successfully.

I really enjoyed NPH in that Company concert. I wish THAT had transferred into a full production -- with much of the same excellent supporting cast.

No. R333, “He” is not them/they/theyx. Cancelled,

English won both the Obie and the Lortel as best play last year, but yeah no one has heard of it

R321 -- thanks for your comments. I think they're spot on.

Having worked with Stritch as well (as a liason basically between an arts organization and her) she was indeed IMPOSSIBLE. Definitely played up the passive aggressive, victim card.

I adored her on stage and on any hot mic. Absolutely hysterical and cutting and honest. But to work with her? Ooof. Life is too short.

For anyone not convinced, I'll have you know I was warned by half a dozen other producer types about her being impossible. They weren't wrong!

Yeah, FYI: Y’know she’s dead now, right?

And she's not only merely dead she's really most sincerely dead.

[quote] No. [R333], “He” is not them/they/theyx. Cancelled,

Prime time must be off and the “Must make anti-trans comments whatever the topic” trolls are back.

I just wish they had brought some better material this time, but no, it’s just the same old schtick.

The Days of Wine and Roses will win Critics Circle next year.

[quote] While everyone here may hate on NPH for whatever reason, he has more fuck you money than one can imagine, yet he continually returns to Broadway

He returns to Broadway because there are few tv gigs for him (he was never a movie actor) and that face has lost its boyish charm and a girl’s gotta eat.

[quote] Yeah, FYI: Y’know she’s dead now, right?

She still has the power to be a cvnt from beyond the grave. She’s the type that would attend her own funeral on Monday and be arguing with a Bergdorf’s shop assistant on Tuesday. I went to her funeral and held a mirror up to her mouth and I’m wondering if she may be holed up in the Carlyle making some poor bellboy’s life a living hell. My local grocery store did run out of Bays English Muffins one day.

You know it’s bad when Arthur Laurents cuts ties.

He wrote in his last memoir that he and Stritch had a falling out because of her behavior.

When the cuntiest cunt who ever cunted (Laurents) thinks that someone still somehow out-cunted him, then that person must indeed be the worst of the worst.

[quote] He wrote in his last memoir that he and Stritch had a falling out because of her behavior.

To be fair, Laurents did say that the dog that played Asta in Nick & Nora could have sang Parthy better than Stritch.

But that was no reason for her to throw a Tom Collins in his face and then try to lick it off because she realized it was a waste of good gin.

I have few agents in my circle of friends, but of the two whom I did come to know fairly well, both of them represented Stritch during two separate periods later in her career. (Apparently, she went through a LOT of agents and other reps.) Both of them said she was impossible to deal with, and one of them had only bad things to say about her and was very vocal in his opinions. That's rare behavior for an agent in speaking about an ex-client, so it gives you an idea of what a complete horror Stritchy was.

I’ve told the story before but I’ll tell it again.

The first day of rehearsal, Stritch shows up, enters the rehearsal room not knowing anyone else involved in the production, holds up a small paper bag and says, “I’m diabetic and I need a place to store my insulin.” No “Hello” no “I’m happy to be working on this production.”

Every day, she would sit and eat her lunch on the rehearsal room set, which pissed off the stage management team because they needed lunch time as a break from her and they also used break time to have discussions with costume, prop and scene people who would visit the rehearsal room to discuss any changes that needed to be made. And Stritch always had opinions along the lines of “I don’t know why the sofa is angled like that and why this table is placed here.”

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1994, "Passion" opened at the Plymouth Theatre.

The cast of "A Beautiful Noise" performed a medley of songs on the Today Show:

If you blinked, you missed him, but Michael Urie's hubby was on Succession Sunday night.

Any early word on Days of Wine and Roses?

hic!

The acting is supposed to be fabulous but it's surrounded by trunk songs.

WOW, the new Sweeney Todd just released the opening number on iTunes. It's fantastic! The orchestra sounds out of this world. Do they have new orchestrations for this production?

Does the audience need to get drunk first to be able to put up with Kelli O'Blanda?

Does anyone know why White Girl in Danger cancelled tonight's performance?

No one showed up?

Christ, what a horrible looking season.

R357. and "patron" subscriptions start at a mere $900

so far, Ive seen 2 numbers from "Shucked" and I cant imagine sitting through the whole show

Santino Fontana is here at the spa

from Playwrights Horizons blurbs about their upcoming season:

Alexandra Tatarsky collages narratives of artmaking and despair into a semi-autobiographical tour-de-farce, as told by a young Jewish woman who thinks she is a small German boy who thinks he is a tree. Equal parts sad clown, demented cabaret, and extended crisis of meaning, this unhinged solo performance takes place in the hellscape of the mind.

Um... okay.

From the previous thread re: Laurie Metcalf/Balm in Gilead. First of all, one of the most extraordinary performances (I believe her NY debut-and pre-Desperately Seeking Susan, so a total unknown at that point) in one of the most extraordinary productions I'v ever seen. Secondly, what she (humbly) fails to mention, is that monologue was like 20 minutes long!. Why Malkovich didn't direct more (in NYC at least) is a mystery. No surprise someone mentioned that they were seated by Springsteen. Malkovich wordlessly choreographed the last ten minutes of the show to Jungleland

The Guarini clip from the Britney thing looks excruciating. Yet another faux hip hop MTV music awards musical. (not his fault)

Doesn't Malkovich have a reputation as a bit of an asshole? One would think he'd have had an even bigger career otherwise.

A shame. Because he's smart and talented.

maybe Raul's out with mercury poisoning from eating too much sushi and Jermey Piven can replace him?

[r361] that sounds like a Christopher Guest sketch. Jesus Christ

[quote]Laurents did say that the dog that played Asta in Nick & Nora could have sang Parthy better than Stritch.

Ouch. I can't believe that Arthur would've used such atrocious grammar.

r353, Sweeney is using Tunick's original (brilliant) orchestrations.

Is Lloyd Webber going to shell out the $ to have a Bad Cinderella number on the Tony's? what are they holding out for at this point--especially in a year where there are 3 musicals opening over the summer

[quote]Christ, what a horrible looking season.

[quote]Faith hates reading, Jane lost her flashcards, and Javier sees no point in studying because of climate change. This playful collection of poem-songs, written and performed by Milo Cramer – a former tutor – paints intimate portraits of ten NYC students fighting to get into competitive schools.

Oh Jesus! It's this a ripoff of "For Colored Girls...Rainbow Is Enuf" or "A...My Name is Alice"? It sounds dreadful.

[quote] Ouch. I can't believe that Arthur would've used such atrocious grammar.

When you're three sheets to the wind, anything can come out of your mouth.

It’s too bad there was never a musical version of VOTD ( well, not really )! And starring Miss Elaine Stritch as Helen Lawson…

Voice Of The Durtle?

Was there ever a musical version of Cocoon? Stritch was in the sequel.

[quote]When you're three sheets to the wind, anything can come out of your mouth.

And anything can go INTO it as well ...

Broadway doesn't go for booze and....and.... LINE!

so much for bumps from the Tonys noms. SLIH up marginally (but lower than their best week), Shucked & NY NY up slightly. Kimberly down, Leopolstadt down, Dolls House down, Fat Ham down. Also--Bad Cindy at 326k--Chicago down in the 500's-time to get a new new TikTok celebrity or drag queen in-Hadestown in the 600's--and so much for stars, Sidney B. down to 411k

Time for an updated version of All My Sons.

They were all my Zirs.

Rather wait for that revival of Frank Loesser's, Theys and Thems

It took Michael R Jackson like 20 years to write Strange Loop-but now we get a new show from him like every 2 months?

He's Black. It doesn't have to be good.

R381. Not according to Stacy Keach!

I'd rather have Leslie huggin' the bejeepers than listen to anything Michael R. Jackson writes.

It sounds like MRJ should have spent at least 2 more years working on WHITE GIRL IN DANGER.

I wanted so badly to like A STRANGE LOOP. But alas, I did not.

This week's box-office report released:

Michael R Jackson's new musical "Teeth" has been kicking around for a while. I remember it having some sort of showing at Ars Nova a number of years ago.

and with the "bump" SLIH still only at 72%. Honestly, Kimberly almost slid into the 300's this week. Maybe even with a win for best Musical this will not sustain run...there are just shows that despite reviews/awards you cant get audiences interested in--and shows that now matter how awful, you cant keep them away

And Funny Girl which was DOA last season is one of the biggest hits this season. Amazing.

Serendipity, r388. What if there had been no Lea?

I was next on the list, R389

I’ll say it: Michael R. Jackson is a terrible writer and the most insufferable social media self-promoter since…Jeremy O. Harris.

No, no, R391, it goes

Jordan Cooper

Jeremy O' Harris

Thomas Bradshaw

Michael R. Jackson

Douglas Lyons

Branden Jacobs Jenkins

James iJames

So if the Tonys are delayed because of the writers' strike, will some shows just close?

For The Full Monty at Paper Mill, there was the room where the show rehearsed and the room where Elaine rehearsed. Is that true?

How well does Sidney Brustein need to do to recoup? Will it win Best Revival?

How much does Grey House need to make each week? Where's dramedy and his nut when you need him?

The new Sweeney cast album does indeed sound SENSATIONAL. Tunick's orchestrations ring out dynamically, the voices are perfectly mic'd and splashed with the right amount of reverb. It sounds like a classic Broadway cast album but with hi-res fidelity.

So many new cast albums (even of the larger orchestrated shows) sound so tinny and compressed, without any sense of space or theatrics. The rhythm section gets buried, or the brass sound like kazoos. This new recording is electric! Whoever recorded and mixed it should be thrown a GRAMMY next season.

I might should shill-y, but it's so damn refreshing to hear a beautifully recorded and MIXED cast album that evokes the thrill of what's heard IN the theatre. This is also being released on a Warner Music sub-label, so I imagine Groban's longstanding contract with WMG helped bring on some excellent engineer/producers for this.

[quote]For The Full Monty at Paper Mill, there was the room where the show rehearsed and the room where Elaine rehearsed. Is that true?

Don't know but I heard they had to put film over the big windows of her first floor dressing room because at night you could clearly see a Full Monty you didn't want to see.

When the hell is this Sweeney Todd cast recording coming out? The one clip released sounds wonderful.

I'm sorry... I'm sure this was explained to death but why wasn't the most recent revival of West Side Story not eligible for any tony award? It opened in Feb so shouldn't be eligible?

West Side Story and The Girl from North Country were deemed ineligible due to their being seen by too few nominators and voters.

The Girl from North Country was eligible for the following season's awards when it finally reopened.

Not sure if this is on anyone's radar, but the Lope de Vega play FUENTE OVEJUNA at Theater For a New Audience is down for a while due to a Covid infection...

Raúl still/again out tonite 🤷🏻‍♂️

[quote] Not sure if this is on anyone's radar, but the Lope de Vega play FUENTE OVEJUNA at Theater For a New Audience is down for a while due to a Covid infection...

Heavens! Hope they'll be able to reach all five ticket holders in enough time.

You think they're gonna scrimp on Sondheim, r395?

Saw Oliver on Sunday night. This was once a hit?? Way too many characters, a contrived plot that wraps up with a bow at the end. Fun songs, but they just keep coming and coming.

Sadly Raul was out. Fagin was played by Gavin Lee (from SpongeBob SquarePants fame). He’s the only “understudy” listed in the program and they made such a big deal that “This is the first time Encores has an understudy!” My guess is they new Raul would be out that day so got a Bway actor will some amount of recognition to fill in.

Gavin was great but the shows sucks

^they knew Raul would be out.

Every person I know who saw NY NY said it is just meh. There are some beautiful moments, but not enough to be good overall.

The characters are rather stock and in true Susan Stroman style, there’s way too much dancing when they should be advancing the plot

[Quote] The Days of Wine and Roses will win Critics Circle next year.

Is it as charmless as Light in the Piazza?

She needed to have a song “Im a retarded girl!” because I sat through half of it and never thought she was supposed to be slightly slow until some character mentioned it

[Quote] Time for an updated version of All My Sons.

Oh, dear god no

[Quote] I really enjoyed NPH in that Company concert. I wish THAT had transferred into a full production -- with much of the same excellent supporting cast.

Me too! His hubby sat behind me during the concert. Patti played the same role

Oliver is one of those shows—like Funny Girl and The Sound of Music—where the movie fixes many of the problems with the stage show, so people remember the stage show as being better than it actually is.

[quote]Sadly Raul was out. Fagin was played by Gavin Lee (from SpongeBob SquarePants fame). He’s the only “understudy” listed in the program and they made such a big deal that “This is the first time Encores has an understudy!” My guess is they new Raul would be out that day so got a Bway actor will some amount of recognition to fill in.

Your guess would be dead wrong.

The film version of Funny Girl does not fix the problems. Still has a terrible 2nd act.

Who's deserving of a bio musical?

Why, Stritch, of course!

For R282, who was asking earlier about Rob McClure:

[quote]Who's deserving of a bio musical?

Everybody's talking about "[bold]PORKALAB[/bold]"!! The bold new musical at the American Airlines! Attendance strictly limited to nonbinary BIPOC!

If Brandon Uranowitz is available, he could play Stritch.

From another thread… the consensus seems to be it will be either Evita or Chess for Lea. Mayer just directed Chess again with a brand new book for The Actors Fund (or whatever), yet ALW is undoubtedly thirsty to continue his nearly 40 year reign of a show on Broadway with Phantom closing and Bad Cinderella in bad shape.

Evita just flopped on Broadway not 10 years ago.

Lute Song

Can Lea do a British accent? If so... Sally Bowles? Kiss of the Spiderwoman?

Lea would be great in Rebecca Frecknall’s Cabaret.

I miss Phantom.

Yeah, I'm lame. I know. Whatever.

It was such a terrifically put together piece. And it was usually well cast too. Definitely well maintained. The costumes dazzled that closing weekend. The designs were genius. The sets were gorgeous. The score was classic.

Has anyone seen footage of the chandelier getting hauled out? I think it happened last week.

Sweeney got a Tony nomination for best choreography?!!

Are you fucking kidding me?!?!?

What the fuuuuuuuuuuuuck.....?

I....I don't get it. How? Why?

Lea may have had the perfect opportunity for a comeback handed to her with FG, but I wonder if audiences really want to see her smug face belting in anything else.

...and Chess? Seriously? It sucks. Fun score, at times, but it sucks overall. And Evita makes less sense now than ever.

R410 same with WEST SIDE STORY. The film improved greatly on the stage version. They should have had Bob Wise direct all of the film adaptations of Broadway musicals. I wonder what his MAME would have been like?

[quote]She needed to have a song “Im a retarded girl!” because I sat through half of it and never thought she was supposed to be slightly slow until some character mentioned it

I don't think the audience is supposed to know she's slow from the get-go. I've only seen the movie years ago, but I remember that we viewers learned about Clara's condition via her clueless yet smitten suitor Fabrizio.

[quote]Lea would be great in Rebecca Frecknall’s Cabaret.

But Sally Bowles isn't supposed to be a good singer!

I think it makes it more tragic and realistic if Sally Bowles IS a good singer but is stuck slumming it in a third-rate cabaret. Quite often, the biggest talents are not the greatest stars or known to the general public.

[quote] They should have had Bob Wise direct all of the film adaptations of Broadway musicals. I wonder what his MAME would have been like?

Pretty sure that his STAR! disaster finished his dreams of doing another musical. Then again, Camelot didn’t stop Josh Logan from doing Paint Your Wagon.

Josh Logan also directed the movie version of "South Pacific," which was the biggest moneymaker of 1958.

R430 D'oh! I forgot Wise directed STAR!

Never mind. 😳

Sigh. The actress who plays Sally has to know how to sell the songs. She should be able to project and hit the notes but it's a role better suited for actresses who can sing as opposed to gorgeous voiced singers. I adored Barbara Cook and she was a talented actress but she'd be all wrong for Sally. Even if she "toned" down her vocal talent, it's not the right voice/personality for the role.

All musical theater roles have requirements. Cunegonde and Marian the Librarian and Amalia need excellent singers who can act. Sally Bowles and Mame Dennis and Rose Hovick need excellent actors who can carry a tune.

The person most responsible for improving the movies of West Side Story and The Sound of Music over their stage versions is Ernest Lehman.

[quote]Then again, Camelot didn’t stop Josh Logan from doing Paint Your Wagon.

I have always loved the film of 'Paint Your Wagon' (sue me - I was a kid when I saw it). I never saw the stage version but from everything I read about it I think the movie version, despite its faults, would qualify as another one that improved on the original material. Regardless of the ginned-up story, the score (arranged by Andre Previn) is wonderful. For that alone, I am very grateful that the movie was made.

I used to have a membership to a papering service and still get emails trying to get me to come back, and their most recent pitch was that a “big Broadway musical” was going to be listed soon. I assume it must have been NY,NY or SLIH trying to fill in seats around Tony voters, but I didn’t care enough to pay and find out. Either that or Once Upon a One More Time is starting off with a whimper.

If we’re going through the Andrew Lloyd Webber catalog, it would be nice to see a revival of Song & Dance. Could Lea do that? The actress needs to project vulnerability. It would appeal to Lea because Act 1 is a one woman show. She dances a bit in Act 2 but doesn’t do much else.

Cunegonde and Marian need legit soprano voices. Sally Bowles cannot be sung by a soprano who cannot belt. You're confusing voice range with ability to sing.

In the most recent (I think) Mrs. Maisel, Alex Bornstein kept me wondering if she had a Madame Rose in her. But I don’t know if she can sing.

I remember on MADtv, Alex Borstein did a character who was a musical theater geek and would randomly burst into show tunes. 😂 Her voice sounded good to me.

[quote]I think it makes it more tragic and realistic if Sally Bowles IS a good sin.

Exactly. I do think it's important that Sally not have the air of a polished, very professional singer, but that doesn't mean she can't have a very good or even great voice. It's fine for the character if she comes across as someone with a lot of raw talent.

So is the concept that it’s just a crazy coincidence that they had Gavin Lee lined up as an “unserstudy” and now sure enough he’s going on for several shows? Is something up with Raúl that’s already known?

Lea could make a good Evita but it has to have an excellent director.

The last Bway version with Ricky Martin was utter shit

Evita needs to be played by a Latina.

Lea performed this duet on GLEE over a decade ago.

I’m seeing ART’s production of Evita later this month—is that supposed to go to Broadway?

[quote]Evita needs to be played by a Latina.

Eva Peron was of Spanish-French descent.

Juan Peron had Spanish-British-French-Italian ancestry.

Che Guevara was Spanish-French-Irish.

Much of Argentina is like that. Very few Mestizos (Indian-European mix).

In short, Evita was Hispanic (i.e., Spanish-speaking), but she was not really Latina.

Incidentally, Madonna is French-Italian, so she was right for Eva, ethnically. I believe Italians are the biggest ethnic group in Argentina.

R447

Ya think? Is the pope Catholic?

At the turn of the 20th century, Argentina received the most European immigrants ( after the USA) and was poised to become a superpower (it had the world's second-largest gold reserves -- again after the USA), but then the Perons rose to power. And the rest is history.

That's what the musical is about -- a cautionary tale of how a resentful, lower class woman in power can destroy an entire country, particularly the middle class.

Does anyone still think EVITA is a good musical?

It is with the original Hal Prince direction—without it, it's up for debate.

[quote]Everybody's talking about "PORKALAB"!! The bold new musical at the American Airlines! Attendance strictly limited to nonbinary BIPOC!

The only problem is that it will only be performed 75% of the dates and you will never know which days it won't be done.

[quote]Evita needs to be played by a Latina.

Absolutely. To have this iconic role being played by anyone but a Latina would be sacrilege and should be canceled in everyone's mind.

There is like zero chance Lea is doing Evita. Cabaret is not all that different musically than FG so thats out. Chess makes the most sense except for the fact that it's a terrible show with a few fun songs. (maybe if it was a musical version of the Queens Gambit). She'd never sign on for a new musical because thats either a quick fold or a minimum one year commitment . Also, FG plays to all her strengths--are her people going to be so hot to run to see her in Chess??

So much for moving mountains to get Sidney B to open the last day of eligibility after one Bway preview. Did 411k last week with two stars-neither of whom got nominated and is sure to lose revival to Topdog or Piano Lesson

Kimberly Akimbo needs to run three more months to beat A Strange Loop's run. I'm starting to doubt if it can make it there, even if it wins Best Musical.

As usual, I blame Donna McKechnie!

[quote] Cabaret is not all that different musically than FG so thats out.

Not all that different? WTF. Also, how on earth is a Jewish Sally Bowles going to work?

R458. she said that it's musically very different-probably indicating its pop/rock and not another traditional musical theatre score. stop pearl clutching

The last Bway Evita was Latina, Argentine in fact, and she sucked so bad

Julie Benko IS Thursday night Eva Peron!

R456-The KA run is scheduled to end the first week of August. So the Best Musical Tony would have to drive business through the roof of the Booth.

Wasn't ALW toying with the idea of retooling Song and Dance for a gay man? I think this was pre Covid.

song and dance is another dog of a musical.

[Quote] Who's deserving of a bio musical?

Fleetwood Mac

Kate Smith. starring Tony winner. Bonnie Miiligan.

NYT Tony predictions:

[quote] and Chess? Seriously? It sucks. Fun score, at times, but it sucks overall.

[quote] Chess makes the most sense except for the fact that it's a terrible show with a few fun songs.

“Chess” is a tragedy. It’s not supposed to be fun, any more than Oedipus or Traviata or Othello are supposed to be fun.

Beanie should get casted as Evita in the Broadway revival of Evita. Sean Hayes can be Che.

[quote]Wasn't ALW toying with the idea of retooling Song and Dance for a gay man?

As long as it's a black non-binary or trans they/them. Can't offend the Broadway audiences.

[quote]Beanie should get casted as Evita in the Broadway revival of Evita.

Beanie should be cast as Peron's mistress who is kicked to the curb when Eva arrives; it would be referencing her " Funny Girl" experience. She could really relate to " Another Suitcase in Another Hall."

Hasn't it been determined that Lea is NOT Jewish?

So....Meryl turned down the London Long Day's Journey with Brian Cox and Mary Tyrone will now be played by Patricia Clarkson with Daryl McCormick, the hot black hunk from that Emma Thompson movie as the younger Tyrone son.

R434 yet he screwed up Hello, Dolly!

R474, there are many problems with that movie, but the screenplay is not one of them. And if you're referring to the fact that Streisand was arguably miscast and too young for the role, I'm SURE Lehman had nothing to do with that.

[quote]They should have had Bob Wise direct all of the film adaptations of Broadway musicals. I wonder what his MAME would have been like?

I'm not sure how he would've looked in the costumes, but I have no doubt he could've sung it better.

[quote]She needed to have a song “Im a retarded girl!” because I sat through half of it and never thought she was supposed to be slightly slow until some character mentioned it

I guess you weren't paying attention when she said, "Oh, FANK you, Fabrizio! You fixded my busketty!"

Interesting both critics at The NY Times chose to ignore Jessica Stone, who did an amazing job directing "Kimberly Akimbo". I wouldn't count her out.

Well, Jesse Green got so burned by the KPOP flap that he actually said White Girl in Danger should have been nominated for Best Musical. He's over. Bring on Johnny Oleksinski, the new King of Broadway.

Meryl may have turned down London, but considering the Broadway run will be a limited one, I'd be willing to wager Meryl takes over the Mary role.

I'll see anything with Daryl McCormick in the cast.

I'm sorry, but did the NYT actually issue a "trigger warning" before that Tony Awards article? It's time for them to fold up.

[quote]We don’t mean to suggest that the people and productions listed in the “Should Win” category are more deserving than those in the “Will Win” category. OK, sometimes maybe a little more deserving. But usually they’re equally good options.

Embarrassing.

To even imply that "White Girl in Danger" is worthy of any awards has to be a joke.

A funny one r484?

Groban out of ST this afternoon

This is at least the second performance that Groban has missed over the past few weeks. Unfortunate. He sounded great at the performance I attended, but maybe the role is a bit too challenging for him to sing night after night and twice on matinee days without having to take off here and there.

Doesn't ST only do 7 perfs a week?

Rachel was out of Sidney B on Sunday.

R475 Lehman was also the producer of the movie. He had a lot to do with casting Streisand.

[quote]Lehman was also the producer of the movie. He had a lot to do with casting Streisand.

Yes, she was too young. Yes, she was miscast. She also is the only one breathing life into that plodding adaptation.

Tony's ain't happening on CBS kids. You read it here first.

Tony's what ain't happening?

I would assume they won't be happening at all considering the writers strike is in for the long haul.

CBS will then be free to telecast a show which people will actually watch.

Broadway can't catch a break.

[quote] CBS will then be free to telecast a show which people will actually watch.

Yes, the 1983 Tony Awards.

[quote]The KA run is scheduled to end the first week of August.

Are you sure? You can buy tickets into October.

R498-That's according to the Atlantic Theatre Company website.

R489-Trust me, the audience dodged a bullet. Hers is the most mediocre performance on Broadway right now.

Especially now that Nathan's show closed.

Maya Philips:

"Should Have Been Nominated: A POC"

Bad Cinderella is closing on June 4. Not surprising.

I saw Rachelle Rak at Dancin' today.

But did Rachelle Rak see you?

I didn't.

[quote]Maya Philips:"Should Have Been Nominated: A POC"

I will accept this POC anytime, anywhere.........

When I was a kid, POC was very popular at summer picnics.

So, the next tenant at the Imperial is going to be-PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the cut-rate edition. Jeez, Cameron didn't waste any time, did he?

Anyone seen the Into The Woods tour? I have tickets for it next month in San Francisco. Fingers crossed Gavin Creel is on that day; he's been out a couple of times when I've gone to shows he's in.

r509, are you just guessing or is that announced somewhere?

[quote] he's been out a couple of times when I've gone to shows he's in.

Maybe that should tell you that every time the box office clocks you buying a ticket, they inform Gavin. What have you done to him that he has a reverse restraining order on you?

I'm going to guess it had something to do with a fondue pot, r512.

No one's ripped the Bad Cinderella livestream to shreds in this thread? It certainly deserves it.

From the host of the behind-the-scenes interviews (um, who is that? And why?) to the boring-ass song (THAT'S your Act Two opener?), it is certainly as bad as advertised.

How many of these City Center to Bway revivals did you see? Or do even recall most of them?

R510, I saw the opening Broadway cast and then the tour’s first sit down (at the Kennedy Center). Same high level of quality, even with a mostly different cast. Though a full production would have been great, this one knocked it out of the park. And Milky White is the best take on a cow you may ever see.

Rachel Zegler (not Berry) has dropped hints she will be playing Evita on Broadway.

[quote]Lehman was also the producer of the movie. He had a lot to do with casting Streisand.

Yes and no. Whether Lehman loved or hated the idea of Streisand in the part, at that point in time a movie of HELLO, DOLLY! would not have been made with anyone else starring.

Actors’ Equity President Kate Shindle Says “Too Soon” To Predict WGA Strike Impact On Tony Awards:

R468 I've never said this before, but for your impassioned plea that Chess be considered a tragedy...all I can say is... MARY!

The show is a poorly-conceived love quadrangle that no one cares about at all. Songs like Bangkok and Nobody's Side are fun. Songs like I Know Him So Well, Someone Else's Story and Pity The Child are total schmaltz.

The book is rewritten for every production and songs are shuffled again and again.

It is only a tragedy in the sense that it'll never really work or be as compelling as the creatives seem to want it to be. It is definitely overwrought, occassionally fun and dreadfully dull.

Calm down LOL.

Gavin Creel is the epitome of college/conservatory-trained mediocrity.

I like Gavin. Not mediocre at all.

Plus he’s hung and openly gay.

[quote] Calm down LOL.

Odd bit of advice from someone screaming “…MARY!”

Chess needs to restore the song sung by the bitchy male Embassy workers. Only then will the show be successful.

R524. It is one great song

[quote]Gavin Creel is the epitome of college/conservatory-trained mediocrity.

Not at all. He has an exceptionally beautiful and versatile singing voice, lots of personality, and very good comedy chops. He's not at all bland or cookie-cutter. I shudder to imagine which performers you DO like.

College/conservatory-trained mediocrities are definitely a scourge, but I agree that Creel is not one of them. His interpretation of Cinderella's Prince was almost impossibly funny and fresh.

I counted Gavin out back when he did the Book of Mormon tour...but when I saw him live, he blew me away and carried the show beautifully. Totally nailed it. I thought he'd be bland. I was wrong.

I agree that it feels like there aren't many exciting male Broadway stars these days and mostly just adequate players, but that's putting buzz ahead of skill.

Gavin, Aaron Lazar, Andy Karl.....they may not create Stage Door chaos but they've been keeping Broadway going for years now.

Did Patti LuPone seriously fall dancing in BA on opening night of Evita in LA, r145?

I can't picture it. Was it a face plant?

Oh the wonderful 1980s with their need to make a music video out of everything!

And of course Elaine & Barbara.

Aaron Lazar is the definition of bland.

I thought he was a great Fabrizio. So glad he was filmed instead of gross Mr Shoe.

Does Gavin Creel smell?

Aaron Lazar may be bland but he is gorgeous.

[quote] Does Gavin Creel smell?

That was the rumor when he was doing Hair. But in general, no, he doesn't.

[quote]Aaron Lazar is the definition of bland.

Either you are an idiot with no taste, or you have no idea what the word "bland" means. Or both.

Interesting that the positive comments do not encompass Dolly or She Loves Me …

Creel made Cornelius Hackle likable and fun, which was a first.

Hear that a handful. of performers in Oliver! have Covid. But not Raul.

Fuck you, r539.

Is Gavin still with adorable Henry Gottfried?

R468. mea cup. Chess is a tragedy alright--although I meant tuneful, not fun. The lyrics however, not unlike Gloria Upson's experience with the ping pong ball, are ghastly! (The story is the girl is me? huh). And, above and beyond all that, the show is BORING!

I agree that the book of CHESS is a mess. It's never worked and probably never will--blame writer Richard Nelson.

But I enjoy most of the score. It's a shame the dudes from ABBA (Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus) never wrote another stage musical.

Maybe Chess could be spiced up with a couple of trunk songs not used in Mama Mia.

Has Gavin Creel had any sort of TV or film career? And if not, why not?

Gavin appeared in two episodes of American Horror Stories on Hulu, but that’s it as far as I remember.

Richard Nelson wrote a (horrible) new book for the Broadway production of CHESS, but I'm not sure if that that book has ever been performed again. In my opinion, the music of CHESS is so phenomenally great that it doesn't matter that some of the lyrics are.....not. But also, while many sections of the lyrics are indeed quite poorly written, others are just fine or better than fine. So, when you average it all out, the piece can be a huge audience-pleaser IF it's performed in concert with little or not "book" to try to tie the songs together.

[quote]Has Gavin Creel had any sort of TV or film career? And if not, why not?

My first introduction to him was as Bill, the aspiring actor who works as a room service waiter at the Plaza Hotel in NYC and befriends resident Eloise and her nanny, played by Julie Andrews.

I thought he was the cutest thing ever. 😍

They made two TV movies (ELOISE AT THE PLAZA and ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME) that I watched when originally broadcast in 2003 and then many times afterward. The latter even became a Christmas staple with me.

Anyway, I later learned of Gavin when I got into Broadway/theater and made the connection that he was my beloved Bill. Thus, I will always have a soft spot for him. 🥰

unfortunately, too late for Gavin to pursue TV/film since he's not Black and he still has the penis he was born with

[quote]Gavin appeared in two episodes of American Horror Stories...

...where he cheats on husband Matt Bomer with contractor Aaron Tveit.

I want so hard to love Chess. The music is so cool and interesting. The show itself is always a boring mess—always.

Creel and Tveit

DEAR SWEET JESUS, keep Aaron Sorkin far away from the book for Chess!!!!!!!

[quote]To even imply that "White Girl in Danger" is worthy of any awards has to be a joke.

Honey, you new? This is Datalounge, nothing that has ever play Off or on Broadway was ever worthy of any awards.

I'm sure his next musical, Teeth, will be a piece of shit, too.

Richard Jay Alexander said on a podcast years ago that DL gave Betty Buckley did Song and Dance with the understanding that she would open Chess.

Does anyone know what happened?

Sure. Betty imploded.

[quote]Richard Jay Alexander said on a podcast years ago that DL fave [fixed that for you] Betty Buckley did Song and Dance with the understanding that she would open Chess.

Do you mean it was Betty's understanding she would do CHESS in London, or on Broadway? Also, what's the connection between SONG AND DANCE and CHESS?

A little bit early with this but trying to avoid another botched title situation.

How did Sean Hayes get nominated for a Tony. His performance is GO is cringe-worthy. Is he this year's token white actor?

The shubert organization ran both shows with Bernard Jacobs. Betty did Song and Dance on Broadway with the understanding she would then open Chess on Broadway as both were under Bernard Jacobs and the Shuberts

But something happened inbetween and Buckley was out and Judy Kuhn was in

Judy's vocals were much warmer than Betty Lynn's would have been.

Betty is a Svetlana not a Florence.

[quote] This is Datalounge, nothing that has ever play Off or on Broadway was ever worthy of any awards.

Uh ( cough, cough) " Follies"?

This is Datalounge, where we try to use proper grammar.

Creel was blander than bland and way too old in that production of Dolly. Blech.

Who cares if Creel is hung? He recently previewed a piece he wrote about being a dumb dumb actor who had never been to the Metropolitan Museum. 🤦‍♂️

[quote]Who cares if Creel is hung?

New to DL, r568?

You failed, R560. That might have been somewhat amusing two threads ago. Now it just looks ridiculous. Nice job, fatty.

Just a reminder that the show previewed at R415 is on PBS' "Great Performances" tomorrow night.

I cannot remember where I heard it, but I was told Creel was not too interested in doing film or television, that he didn't enjoy it, and that he really wanted to focus on his stage career. I was surprised to see him pop up on AHS, but then again, I was surprised to see Idris Elba and Melissa McCarthy doing commercials for booking.com, so times are clearly tough all around.

[quote] I cannot remember where I heard it

You also cannot remember where you're supposed to do your doo-doos

If Idris Elba married Bernarda Alba…

Bernarda Elba?

Bernarda Alba Elba

Can anyone post that NYT Tony predictions article? It’s paywalled.

Adela!!!

Tony Awards 2023: Who Will Win (and Who Should)

Jesse Green, the chief theater critic, and Maya Phillips, a critic-at-large, name the shows and artists who they think will win, should win and should have been nominated for this year’s Tonys.

May 10, 2023

We love theater; theater awards, not so much. So take our annual Tony Awards “ballot” (though we don’t actually get to vote) with a shaker of salt — and these caveats.

1. We’re not oddsmakers. In the “Will Win” category, we guess what the 769 actual voters will choose. Often they do a great job. Often we don’t.

2. We don’t mean to suggest that the people and productions listed in the “Should Win” category are more deserving than those in the “Will Win” category. OK, sometimes maybe a little more deserving. But usually they’re equally good options.

3. We admit that the “Should Have Been Nominated” category is weird. It salutes work that was eligible for nomination — but also, indicated by an asterisk, work that wasn’t. That includes non-Broadway productions, as long as they opened, like the legit nominees, after May 1, 2022.

4. We know there is no “Best Ensemble” category. But there should be.

JESSE GREEN, CHIEF THEATER CRITIC

Best Play

WILL WIN “Leopoldstadt”

SHOULD WIN “Between Riverside and Crazy”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “A Case for the Existence of God”*

Best Musical

WILL WIN “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “White Girl in Danger”*

Best Play Revival

WILL WIN “A Doll’s House”

SHOULD WIN “Topdog/Underdog”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “Ohio State Murders” “Cyrano de Bergerac”* “Wedding Band”*

Best Musical Revival

WILL WIN “Sweeney Todd”

SHOULD WIN “Into the Woods”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “Dancin’”

Best Actor in a Play

WILL WIN Wendell Pierce, “Death of a Salesman”

SHOULD WIN Stephen McKinley Henderson, “Between Riverside and Crazy”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Marcel Spears, “Fat Ham” John David Washington, “The Piano Lesson” James McAvoy, “Cyrano de Bergerac”*

Best Actress in a Play

WILL WIN Jodie Comer, “Prima Facie”

SHOULD WIN Jessica Chastain, “A Doll’s House”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Laura Linney, “Summer, 1976" Linda Lavin, “You Will Get Sick”* Brittany Bradford, “Wedding Band”*

Best Actor in a Musical

WILL WIN Josh Groban, “Sweeney Todd”

SHOULD WIN J. Harrison Ghee, “Some Like It Hot”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Jordan Donica, “Camelot”*

Best Actress in a Musical

WILL WIN Victoria Clark, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN Victoria Clark

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Anna Uzele, “New York, New York” Lea Michele, “Funny Girl”*

Best Featured Actor in a Play

WILL WIN Samuel L. Jackson, “The Piano Lesson”

SHOULD WIN Jordan E. Cooper, “Ain’t No Mo’”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED André De Shields, “Death of a Salesman” Michael Patrick Thornton, “A Doll’s House” Michael Potts, “The Piano Lesson”

Best Featured Actress in a Play

WILL WIN Miriam Silverman, “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”

SHOULD WIN Katy Sullivan, “Cost of Living”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Liza Colón-Zayas, “Between Riverside and Crazy” Veanne Cox, “Wedding Band”*

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

WILL WIN Alex Newell, “Shucked”

SHOULD WIN Justin Cooley, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Kolton Krouse, “Dancin’”

Jesse Green, cont.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

WILL WIN Bonnie Milligan, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN Bonnie Milligan

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Carolee Carmello, “Bad Cinderella”

Best Director of a Play

WILL WIN Patrick Marber, “Leopoldstadt”

SHOULD WIN Jamie Lloyd, “A Doll’s House”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Austin Pendleton, “Between Riverside and Crazy” David Cromer, “A Case for the Existence of God”* Jamie Lloyd, “Cyrano de Bergerac”*

Best Director of a Musical

WILL WIN Casey Nicholaw, “Some Like It Hot”

SHOULD WIN Lear deBessonet, “Into the Woods”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Susan Stroman, “New York, New York”

Best Book of a Musical

WILL WIN Robert Horn, “Shucked”

SHOULD WIN David Lindsay-Abaire, “Kimberly Akimbo”

Best Score WILL WIN Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, “Some Like It Hot”

SHOULD WIN Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED John Kander and Fred Ebb with Lin-Manuel Miranda, “New York, New York”

Best Choreography

WILL WIN Casey Nicholaw, “Some Like It Hot”

SHOULD WIN Susan Stroman, “New York, New York”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Darrell Grand Moultrie, “Fat Ham” Andy Blankenbuehler, “Only Gold”*

Best Ensemble

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “Dancin’” “Leopoldstadt”

MAYA PHILLIPS, CRITIC-AT-LARGE

Best Play

WILL WIN “Leopoldstadt”

SHOULD WIN “Between Riverside and Crazy”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “300 el x 50 el x 30 el” “A Case for the Existence of God” “The Patient Gloria”*

Best Musical

WILL WIN “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN “Some Like It Hot”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “As You Like It”* “The Appointment”*

Best Play Revival

WILL WIN “A Doll’s House”

SHOULD WIN “Topdog/Underdog”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “Endgame”* “Wedding Band”*

Best Musical Revival

WILL WIN “Sweeney Todd”

SHOULD WIN “Parade”

Best Actor in a Play

WILL WIN Stephen McKinley Henderson, “Between Riverside and Crazy”

SHOULD WIN Stephen McKinley Henderson or Corey Hawkins, “Topdog/Underdog”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Hiran Abeysekera, “Life of Pi” Paul Bettany, “The Collaboration” Jeremy Pope, “The Collaboration” John David Washington, “The Piano Lesson”

Best Actress in a Play

WILL WIN Audra McDonald, “Ohio State Murders”

SHOULD WIN Jodie Comer, “Prima Facie”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Laura Linney, “Summer, 1976” Brittany Bradford, “Wedding Band”* Anastasia Hille, “Oresteia”*

Best Actor in a Musical

WILL WIN Josh Groban, “Sweeney Todd”

SHOULD WIN Ben Platt, “Parade”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Will Swenson, “A Beautiful Noise”

MAYA PHILLIPS cont.

Best Actress in a Musical

WILL WIN Victoria Clark, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN Victoria Clark

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Caroline Innerbichler, “Shucked” Lea Michele, “Funny Girl”* Crystal Lucas-Perry, “1776” Anna Uzele, “New York, New York”

Best Featured Actor in a Play

WILL WIN Brandon Uranowitz, “Leopoldstadt”

SHOULD WIN Jordan E. Cooper, “Ain’t No Mo’”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Victor Almanzar, “Between Riverside and Crazy” Chris Herbie Holland, “Fat Ham”

Best Featured Actress in a Play

WILL WIN Miriam Silverman, “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”

SHOULD WIN Kara Young, “Cost of Living”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Jamie Brewer, “Corsicana”*

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

WILL WIN Justin Cooley, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN Alex Newell, “Shucked”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Kolton Krouse, “Dancin’” Angel Sigala, “New York, New York”

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

WILL WIN Betsy Wolfe, “& Juliet”

SHOULD WIN Julia Lester, “Into the Woods” or Bonnie Milligan, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Robyn Hurder, “A Beautiful Noise” Sara Porkalob, “1776”

Best Director of a Play

WILL WIN Patrick Marber, “Leopoldstadt”

SHOULD WIN Jamie Lloyd, “A Doll’s House”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED David Cromer, “A Case for the Existence of God”* Carl Cofield, “Twelfth Night”* Robert Icke, “Oresteia”*

Best Director of a Musical

WILL WIN Casey Nicholaw, “Some Like It Hot”

SHOULD WIN Casey Nicholaw or Jack O’Brien, “Shucked”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Susan Stroman, “New York, New York” Laurie Woolery, “As You Like It”*

Best Book of a Musical

WILL WIN David Lindsay-Abaire, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN Robert Horn, “Shucked”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Liza Birkenmeier, “____ 7th Grade”*

Best Score

WILL WIN Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, “Kimberly Akimbo”

SHOULD WIN Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Arinzé Kene, Shiloh Coke and Adrian McLeod, “Misty”*

Best Choreography

WILL WIN Casey Nicholaw, “Some Like It Hot”

SHOULD WIN Susan Stroman, “New York, New York”

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED Tiffany Rea-Fisher, “Twelfth Night”*

Best Ensemble

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED “Cost of Living” “Fat Ham”

[quote]SHOULD WIN Stephen McKinley Henderson or Corey Hawkins, “Topdog/Underdog”

That's...not how it works.

Gavin Creel was badly miscast in She Loves Me -- he can do charm but not smarm -- but everything else I've seen him in he's been solid. (His project at the Metropolitan Museum sounded cringey, though.)

One critic was predicting Audra to win. I really just cannot see that happening. A seventh Tony?!

Don't worry r585, I have the space.

That Tony is going to Jodie C or Jessica C this time. Sounds like it will be a close race but I'd bet on Jodie.

Speaking of She Loves Me, can anyone point me to someplace to buy DVDs of Broadway or dance productions that were aired on PBS?

Try the PBS website.

Jesse and Maya seem quite fond of NYNY and Stroman.

NY NY is atrocious & will be lucky to receive one awards, for scenic design.

Shop PBS doesn't sell many of the recent Great Performances/Live From Lincoln Center shows (South Pacific, The King and I, Light in the Piazza, She Loves Me, One Man Two Guvnors, etc). I'm sure they don't because of wildly complicated rights and permissions. So I'm looking for someone who recorded them and then copied them to DVD.

I just don't think Gavin is hung... any verificata?

It was average in HAIR but maybe he’s a grower not a shower. I remember Will Swenson being thick.

Next thread:

Lets put it this way...while he was fucking me, I was able to suck his dick AT THE SAME TIME

STARMITES!

Thank you for posting the NYT predictions article!

BAD CINDERELLA!

KPOP!

Audra's going to do a concert for Roger Rocka's dinner theater in Fresno in June. She started out there. I saw her do The Wiz and it was obvious she didn't belong in Fresno.

BAJOUR!