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Tony nominations
So, the Tony noms were announced yesterday. So, SO thrilled about Shrek's 8 noms--they deserve every one. I saw the show again Sunday night, courtesy of Michael--my third time, this is the first Broadway show I've ever seen three times (and I finally got to see Leah Greenhaus in it!). Still hilarious, and I love the score. My favorite songs are "Story of My Life," "I Know It's Today," "Travel Song," "This is How a Dream Comes True," "Morning Person," "I Think I Got You Beat," "When Words Fail" and of course "Freak Flag." (I always want to start bopping around in the aisle during that song.) "I'm wood/I'm good/Get used to it!" John Tartaglia KILLS me as Pinocchio, with his gay Southern accent.
Anf the most exciting aspect of all the nominations? RYAN, my little Ryan, will be performing at the TONYS!!!!
I met Ryan backstage after the show. As I came inside the stage door, Leah Greenhaus was walking down the stairs and we chatted. I reminded her that we'd met at DeBaun about a year ago--she had that polite child actor smile, I don't think she quite remembered me but had perfect manners nonetheless! She reminds me so much of Mia at that age, so cute. I waited for Ryan for quite a lng time waiting in the wing--I saw Christopher Sieber go by and wanted to yelp "OMG, you're so hilarious!" but didn't quite dare. But he really IS awesome as Farquaad. Who knew the straight-man father on the Olsen Twins vehicle Two of a Kind would be such a success on Broadway?
I like this analysis (from ATC) about why Tony in West Side Story never seems to get a nomination:
I mean really. It just is.
He's gotta fuckin SING some hard, high, tenory shit. That shit is HIGH, especially if you take the alternative line in "Maria." You have to have major pipes to pull that stuff off 8 times a week...
... but he can't sound too operatic, so you're probably screwed if you bring in someone with a voice degree or with a classical background.
He's gotta look 25 or younger.
He's gotta look All-American... and be HOT. Not just regular hot, but these days, he has to be certifiably hot.
He's gotta be butch. That rules out 80% of the people who qualify in the above criteria.
He has to be in good shape, and look like someone who can pull a punch... and would. (this seems to be the one item that gets overlooked the most often.) Yes! This is a RECENT gang member guys, he only left the Jets a month ago! The straight-and-narrow life is quite new to him.--CBG
These days, he probably had to be a name -- or, at least, familiar -- particularly if they were going with a no-name Maria and an almost-name Anita.
SO let's say you get all that.
Chances are good that he can't act for shit.
And even if he CAN...
Tony has some of the most ridiculously difficult lines in the whole play. "Not us, we're out of the world... we're twelve feet in the air..." It's almost as bad as "Cracko, jacko!" except the audience is supposed to take him seriously.
I've never seen a Tony pull it off without inducing an eye roll.
But the truth is, Tony Award nominations in musicals usually go to the people whose ACTING performances move you, not their singing, not their biceps, not their matinée idol good looks. So, by the time the producers and the director find someone who comes close enough...
all that purple dialogue screws 'em over.
Poor things. Tony really could be an incredible role... but I don't think we've seen the definitive performance of it yet. Richard Beymer didn't have it, and god bless Larry Kert but neither did he. Poor Matt Cavenaugh, who's hot for days but backphrases farrrrrr to much for my taste, I don't we can hold it against him.
Besides, his cadenza on Maria sounds fabulous.
This is so true! It's truly a thankless role. But I did like Matt Cavenaugh in it--I liked how he made it his own, both the book scenes and the phrasing (I didn't mind his back-phrasing but I do that as well). And he reads as straight up there. I think he's a *little* old for the role but *shrug.*
Nice to see that reasons to be pretty got some major noms--I hope it'll help their bottom line. And I'm guessing part of Raul's nom was for his challenge of maintaining the role against three different actors playing opposite him. I only wish they could've found a way to nominate William H. Macy just to screw it to Jeremy Piven. He got off scot-free for his unprofessional shenanigans.
I'm kind of hoping that the three Billys win. It's a weird way to nominate (these things only seem to happen in theater--Alice Ripley/Emily Skinner, the kids in the original Sound of Music all sharing a nom for Best Featured Actress (!--there were two boys in the family!), etc.). Billy is just such a difficult role, I'd really like to see them get something besides a nomination.
I'm gonna die if I can't get to see Hair soon.
Anf the most exciting aspect of all the nominations? RYAN, my little Ryan, will be performing at the TONYS!!!!
I met Ryan backstage after the show. As I came inside the stage door, Leah Greenhaus was walking down the stairs and we chatted. I reminded her that we'd met at DeBaun about a year ago--she had that polite child actor smile, I don't think she quite remembered me but had perfect manners nonetheless! She reminds me so much of Mia at that age, so cute. I waited for Ryan for quite a lng time waiting in the wing--I saw Christopher Sieber go by and wanted to yelp "OMG, you're so hilarious!" but didn't quite dare. But he really IS awesome as Farquaad. Who knew the straight-man father on the Olsen Twins vehicle Two of a Kind would be such a success on Broadway?
I like this analysis (from ATC) about why Tony in West Side Story never seems to get a nomination:
I mean really. It just is.
He's gotta fuckin SING some hard, high, tenory shit. That shit is HIGH, especially if you take the alternative line in "Maria." You have to have major pipes to pull that stuff off 8 times a week...
... but he can't sound too operatic, so you're probably screwed if you bring in someone with a voice degree or with a classical background.
He's gotta look 25 or younger.
He's gotta look All-American... and be HOT. Not just regular hot, but these days, he has to be certifiably hot.
He's gotta be butch. That rules out 80% of the people who qualify in the above criteria.
He has to be in good shape, and look like someone who can pull a punch... and would. (this seems to be the one item that gets overlooked the most often.) Yes! This is a RECENT gang member guys, he only left the Jets a month ago! The straight-and-narrow life is quite new to him.--CBG
These days, he probably had to be a name -- or, at least, familiar -- particularly if they were going with a no-name Maria and an almost-name Anita.
SO let's say you get all that.
Chances are good that he can't act for shit.
And even if he CAN...
Tony has some of the most ridiculously difficult lines in the whole play. "Not us, we're out of the world... we're twelve feet in the air..." It's almost as bad as "Cracko, jacko!" except the audience is supposed to take him seriously.
I've never seen a Tony pull it off without inducing an eye roll.
But the truth is, Tony Award nominations in musicals usually go to the people whose ACTING performances move you, not their singing, not their biceps, not their matinée idol good looks. So, by the time the producers and the director find someone who comes close enough...
all that purple dialogue screws 'em over.
Poor things. Tony really could be an incredible role... but I don't think we've seen the definitive performance of it yet. Richard Beymer didn't have it, and god bless Larry Kert but neither did he. Poor Matt Cavenaugh, who's hot for days but backphrases farrrrrr to much for my taste, I don't we can hold it against him.
Besides, his cadenza on Maria sounds fabulous.
This is so true! It's truly a thankless role. But I did like Matt Cavenaugh in it--I liked how he made it his own, both the book scenes and the phrasing (I didn't mind his back-phrasing but I do that as well). And he reads as straight up there. I think he's a *little* old for the role but *shrug.*
Nice to see that reasons to be pretty got some major noms--I hope it'll help their bottom line. And I'm guessing part of Raul's nom was for his challenge of maintaining the role against three different actors playing opposite him. I only wish they could've found a way to nominate William H. Macy just to screw it to Jeremy Piven. He got off scot-free for his unprofessional shenanigans.
I'm kind of hoping that the three Billys win. It's a weird way to nominate (these things only seem to happen in theater--Alice Ripley/Emily Skinner, the kids in the original Sound of Music all sharing a nom for Best Featured Actress (!--there were two boys in the family!), etc.). Billy is just such a difficult role, I'd really like to see them get something besides a nomination.
I'm gonna die if I can't get to see Hair soon.