by aceVideo Blogs
More Video
TV Shows
Navigation |
Give my regards to Broadway: the Tony nominations are outI wince a little whenever I see the Tony Awards tagline, “There’s a little bit of Broadway in everyone,” but I can live with the discomfort because it is my favorite awards show. I always watch the Academy Awards, I often watch the Emmys, and I’ll never forget when Christine Lahti was in the bathroom when she won the Golden Globe for Chicago Hope in 1998; but the Tony Awards feature big song and dance numbers. They’re the gayest awards show out there, with all the men (and the occasional woman) thanking their same-sex partners, and the acting awards winners give good speeches because they’re comfortable in front of a live audience. So really, they’re just great. Speaking of great, there are a couple of really great things about this year’s nominations, which were announced earlier this week. Most importantly, The New Mel Brooks Musical: Young Frankenstein did not get nominated for Best Musical or for Best Book of a Musical. In fact, the show only got a couple of reasonably well-deserved acting nominations and a scenic design nod. Now, I might have picked Megan Mullally over Andrea Martin for Best Featured Actress, but I take no issue with the strength of the performances.
The issue I take is with the never-ending comments about how well-endowed the monster is. (You may have guessed that I did not love Young Frankenstein and that I am so over Mel Brooks.) The other really great thing is that two of the four Best Director of a Play nominees are women — that’s a full one-half, people! (At the Academy Awards, it’s still fairly rare to get one female nominee, and I’m still stewing that Kasi Lemmons didn’t get nominated last year for Talk to Me.) Now, I certainly don’t women to get nominated simply because they’re women, but talented women getting recognized equally with men makes my day. And while I cannot currently judge the prowess of the male directors of Boeing-Boeing or The Seafarer, or of the female director of The 39 Steps, I can tell you that Anna D. Shapiro directed the socks off of Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County.
I’ve already waxed rhapsodic about the show, so I won’t blather on about it again, except to say that it was extraordinary and I hope it sweeps the Play awards. Other than my anti-Young Frankenstein and pro-August: Osage County sentiments, I find myself in a bit of a quandary for the rest of the awards: I just haven’t seen a number of the important shows. I know that I want the revival of Gypsy to make a strong showing because the show was fantastic, and Patti Lupone and Laura Benanti were both mesmerizing. The revival of South Pacific is also supposed to be good: Are Patti Lupone and Laura Benanti better than Kelli O’Hara and Loretta Ables Sayre? I liked — but didn’t love – Xanadu, and have heard mediocre reviews of Cry-Baby. What about Passing Strange? And does the fact that In the Heights got the most nominations (13) mean that it’s the best show on Broadway? How can I know without having seen it? Such is my dilemma, and most likely yours, too. I must either find a bunch of time and money to go to the theater during the next few weeks or I must rely on the opinions of others. And given that I have a huge work deadline, I’m guessing I’m going with the latter option. So, here’s where I turn to you. Have you seen the nominated shows? (You can see the full list of Tony nominations here.) Do you have opinions? Please share them in the comments and we’ll see how well you predicted come Tony night. Submitted by on May 16, 2008 - 11:00am. |
User login
Recent blog posts
Recent comments
|
News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
Great video clips from Tony nominated shows!
I love broadway and the Tonys- but I am not able to see all the shows. I am a huge Megan and Patti fan and bummed there were not more nominations.
I am going for August: Osage County since it is a Chiago generated production and I'm from there.
I was able to find some clips posted on www.tellofilms.com of megan and patti- you can hear Patti in the great Gypsy song here-
http://www.tellofilms.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=42&task=videodirectlink&id=435epic theatre rambling
I'm also in the position of needing to find a lot of time and money to see all the nominated shows - but at least I'm done with school so time shouldn't be a problem! Money, on the other hand...
The only Best Musical nominee I've seen is Xanadu, which was thoroughly enjoyable but I don't think it's the best show on Broadway. I WILL be seeing In the Heights, because it's supposed to be amazing, and hopefully I'll work Passing Strange in before the Tonys as well. I really don't care about seeing Cry-Baby, mostly because I think In the Heights will probably win anyway.
I haven't seen ANY of the musical revivals! What's wrong with me?? I really want to see Sunday in the Park, especially because it's closing at the end of June. Gypsy I could take or leave, though I'm sure Patti LuPone will win for Best Actress.
The only play from either category I've seen is Macbeth. I FAIL. Want to see: Boeing Boeing, August: Osage County, Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Pretty sure August: Osage County will win Best Play (it did win the Pulitzer, after all) and I'm guessing Macbeth or The Homecoming for Revival.
I don't know - I've been much more excited about off-Broadway shows than the actual Broadway ones this season. The only Tony noms I actually care about are Kerry Butler (though she won't win) and Mary McCormack (because I loved her on West Wing). Otherwise, the Drama Desk awards draw my attention more.
Don't forget Laurie Metcalf
First of all, I'm surprised you didn't mention Laurie Metcalf getting a nomination for November, where she plays a lesbian. I don't think she'll win or anything, but she's the only one who got a nomination from that show.
I've seen almost all of the Best Musical/Play (except for Cry Baby and the Seafarer), but the only revivals I've seen are The Homecoming and Gypsy. In the Heights definately deserves all of those nominations, it was maybe the best show I've seen in years (then again, I said that about Wicked in 2004, and it didn't really work out). Passing Strange was also good, although it was a little disjointed for my taste. I will be extremely shocked if August: Osage County doesn't win pretty much everything in the Play categories.
I saw "Young Frankenstein"
Cudos to Andrea Martin!
frau
...
ok, so i'm not that please with the nominations this year...
i would have to say that the only thing i'm really rooting for is alan menken for best original score. i think he's brilliant and he was totally robbed at the oscars.
Also, has anyone seen in the heights...is it realy that good? i've seen some clips and i'm not really that impressed.
i guess that last thing that really irked me was patti lupone...i guess i don't see what everyone else sees in her...all i see is a women who thinks she's God's gift to the world...i dunno, i just don't like her!
i feel like the tony's are going to be very blah this year...
Laurie Metcalf is only nonhorrible thing in November
Kelly is due
Kelly O'Hara's performance is extrodinary in South Pacific. She approaches the depth of the character in a way that totally justifies her horror and then acceptance of Emille DeBec's interacial relationship....and they followed the book closer than the libretto so that the racial aspects are much more pronounced: black sailors do not congregate with white sailors, etc. Her singing is phenominal. Yes, Patty LuPone in gypsy is impossible to ignore, but give her a lifetime Tony already ( you are the best, we are not worthy...etc...) and let's move on to the next diva on Broadway and crown Kelly the Queen.
I was also disappointed that Anika Noni Rose was ignored for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Is any actress hotter?
lavillas