I was able to watch the Tonys last night in a hotel room in Orlando ("Orlando. I love you Orlando." Yes, I now have to sing that every time I say that city's name. Thanks, Book of Mormon.) I didn't have access to a computer, so I didn't get to live blog or tweet, but in case anyone still cares, here are some random thoughts about the evening:
-Overall, I thought it was one of the most entertaining Tonys in a long time in terms of production numbers, but in such a competitive year, the awards themselves ended up being pretty predictable (i.e. boring). The biggest and I think only surprise for me was Nikki M. James winning for best featured actress in a musical. I was pretty sure Laura Benanti would win, but she does already have a Tony and I'm extremely happy for James. She gave the most moving and genuine speech of the night (with Norbert Leo Butz's speech coming in at close second).
-Speaking of Norbert Leo Butz, I think he deserves a Tony every time he opens his mouth, but I still think he should have been nominated for featured actor. I'm guessing the reason the Mormon love didn't extend to either of the male leads is that they split the vote...
-But that doesn't explain why Rory O'Malley didn't win. After James's win, I expected him to ride the Mormon train too. I'm not heartbroken he didn't win, but I thought John Larroquette was the least deserving in the featured actor in a musical category.
-As much as I love Andrew Rannells and the song "I Believe," I didn't think it was fair to only showcase him, especially when so many actors from the show were nominated. However, I was impressed that the song was not censored.
-I thought Priscilla deserved a nomination over Sister Act or Catch Me If You Can, but since it wasn't nominated, a performance from the show made no sense. The Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark number was also unnecessary, but if they want to sell the show, a love ballad isn't the way to do it.
-I don't like Chris Rock as an actor, but I appreciate that he said what everyone was thinking. The Book of Mormon win was a no-brainer. Still, it's exciting that a good musical won this year (especially after last year).
-Speaking of Memphis, it's hard to forget that that musical exists when they insist on performing a selection from the show again. I hope this isn't going to be a regular thing.
-I'm not seeing War Horse until the end of the month, so I can't comment on whether its many wins were deserved until then. Stay tuned.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
I was hoping Tony Sheldon would win and that somehow the voters would find a way to recognize The Scottsboro Boys. I loved finally getting a chance to see Norbert Leo Butz onstage and he was great in "Breaking All the Rules" but he couldn't save the blandness of Catch Me If You Can. OTOH, the Sister Act number made the show seem kind of peppy and fun.
I think the Book of Mormon song that was performed was the only one that could be shown on TV without constant bleeping. It was a fun Tony ceremony overall, and this year I'd actually seen most of the nominees!
Esther, it's too bad there isn't an ensemble award Tony because I think it would have been hard to recognize one actor in that show when it was such an ensemble performance. I think the 12 nominations were the reward for them.
Manashi, I think they could have performed "Hello," which I heard was originally going to open the show. That would have been perfect. But yes, it was a great telecast.
Ive been meaning to read this and just never acquired a chance. Its an issue that Im incredibly interested in, I just started reading and Im glad I did. Youre a excellent blogger, 1 of the very best that Ive seen. This blog certainly has some information on subject that I just wasnt aware of. Thanks for bringing this stuff to light.
Post a Comment