And Now For Something Completely Different... The Tony Awards!
June 7th 2007 15:53
Now the number of people Down Under who seriously follow Broadway could hold a reunion in a garden shed their numbers would be that low! However, with the Tony Awards a mere four days away and a fantastic line-up ready to face the chop it was just too big a temptation for me not to review the nominees...
Well that and it's been a slow couple of days hasn't it? Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt are looking hot from various angles as usual while Jessica Simpson gets dumped - again! Of course Paris got let out but who's counting? Shrek we have already dished the dirt on and Driving Lessons (starring Harry Potter alumn Rupert Grint and the magnificent Julie Walters) needs to be seen again before it can be properly reviewed.
So let's go to Broadway! Here are the Tony nominess for 2007...
BEST PLAY
The Coast of Utopia
Frost/Nixon
The Little Dog Laughed
Radio Golf
Well this one will go to Frost/Nixon if there is any justice in the world. This stunning play by Peter Morgan featuring stellar performances by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen tells the real life story of a TV interview in which interviewer Sir David Frost managed to trap President Richard Nixon into apologising for Watergate. It has already been signed up for a film version where the original cast will be joined by Kevin Bacon in a supporting role.
BEST MUSICAL
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Mary Poppins
Spring Awakening
I disagree with the third nomination categorically! Mary Poppins is cheesy as all hell! It's gotten rave reviews and audiences in England and the US love this new stage show but what? They couldn't have nominated Legally Blonde the Musical, LoveMusik or The Pirate Queen?! Spring Awakening took all earlier awards by storm and may do so again but then Grey Gardens is already a legendary show. Curtains though is the last show Kander and Ebb wrote before Fred Ebb passed on. Spring Awakening would be my choice.
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Legally Blonde the Musical
Spring Awakening
Curtains is the first show in years to have a book created without a novel or a TV show or a movie as an inspiration. It is a story written specifically for a musical. However, Grey Gardens is the most deserving here. It truly is a remarkable story. Legally Blonde the Musical is here as a consolation nomination for not getting Best Musical and Spring Awakening will only win here if it has a clean sweep.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Legally Blonde the Musical
Spring Awakening
Once again where are LoveMusik and The Pirate Queen?! Spring Awakening will probably get this one, though Curtains is old school and very popular. The score to Grey Gardens is novel but not awe inspiring while Legally Blonde is a little too light.
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Inherit the Wind
Journey's End
Talk Radio
Translations
Inherit the Wind got the best reviews but then Journey's End was a clear audience favourite. This one is really anyone's guess but personally I would pick Inherit the Wind.
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
The Apple Tree
A Chorus Line
Company
110 In the Shade
110 In the Shade has the best buzz and Broadway has since had a long time to recover from its original delight with both A Chorus Line and Company. Company got the Drama Desk so it may hit home again. The Apple Tree was on for a short and only vaguely lauded run so it will miss sadly. 110 will probably grab this but A Chorus Line deserves this win.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Boyd Gaines - Journey's End
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Brían F. O’Byrne - The Coast of Utopia
Christopher Plummer - Inherit the Wind
Liev Schreiber - Talk Radio
Plummer and Schreiber are Hollywood stars so that works in their favour, but hands down this should go to Frank Langella for an incredible performance as disgraced President Nixon.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Eve Best - A Moon for the Misbegotten
Swoosie Kurtz - Heartbreak House
Angela Lansbury - Deuce
Vanessa Redgrave - The Year of Magical Thinking
Julie White - The Little Dog Laughed
It would be one hell of a treat if Lansbury won here just for old times sake, but Vanessa Redgrave's one woman show got huge raves while Deuce was panned on all fronts except in terms of the brilliant performances by its two leading ladies. Eve Best got great reviews though like Swoosie Kurtz and Julie White, the reviews were about the actress and not the play. My pick here is Lansbury, though Redgrave is a close competitor. The fact that they are both stars may be a negative here as Tony may take pity on those actresses exclusively famous on Broadway. If so then Eve Best is the girl.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Cerveris - LoveMusik
Raúl Esparza - Company
Jonathan Groff - Spring Awakening
Gavin Lee - Mary Poppins
David Hyde Pierce - Curtains
This one will go to Raul Esparza for his phenomenal showing in Company which has silenced even the harshest critic about this unusual formatted revival of Sondheim's masterpiece. His nearest competitor is Michael Cerveris in LoveMusik in a performance that defies belief. David Hyde Pierce will win if Tony is feeling in a fun mood. Groff will win if Spring Awakening does a clean sweep and Gavin Lee had better not win!
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Bell Bundy - Legally Blonde The Musical
Christine Ebersole - Grey Gardens
Audra McDonald - 110 in the Shade
Debra Monk - Curtains
Donna Murphy - LoveMusik
Hands down this belongs to Christine Ebersole in a performance out of legend. She's up against a tough line up though with Audra MacDonald looking set to take out her fifth Best Actress Tony and Donna Murphy in another bio-musical playing Lotte Lenya and doing one helluva job! If Laura Bell Bundy wins I think the entire audience will rise to its feet and vomit and while it's good to see Debra Monk her role is more of a supporting one anyway. This isn't her year for a win. Ebersole all the way!!!
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anthony Chisholm - Radio Golf
Billy Crudup - The Coast of Utopia
Ethan Hawke - The Coast of Utopia
John Earl Jelks - Radio Golf
Stark Sands - Journey's End
While The Coast of Utopia and its large ensemble got the fattest raves Radio Golf was easily the more audience friendly and both Anthony Chisolm and John Early Jelks did a great job. That said, the fact that Sands Stark is on his own the acting nominee for Journey's End that may be a telling sign. Chisholm would be my pick for Radio Golf.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jennifer Ehle - The Coast of Utopia
Xanthe Elbrick - Coram Boy
Dana Ivey - Butley
Jan Maxwell - Coram Boy
Martha Plimpton - The Coast of Utopia
Dana Ivey should win here but then both Jennifer Ehle and Martha Plimpton did exceptional work within their large ensemble play. It's good to see Coram Boy get some nominations but frankly neither actress really deserves a win over any of the others in this line-up.
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Brooks Ashmanskas - Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
Christian Borle - Legally Blonde The Musical
John Cullum - 110 in the Shade
John Gallagher, Jr. - Spring Awakening
David Pittu - LoveMusik
It's an interesting bitch slap when the title character of a show (Martin Short) doesn't get a nomination while his barely billed co-star does! The two heavy weights here are John Cullum and Christian Borle. Veteran Cullum got staggering reviews for his delightful performance alongside Audra MacDonald in 110 but then Christian Borle really makes one very impressive splash for his performance in Legally Blonde the Musical. My pick would be Borle. Blonde has to win SOMETHING right?
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Charlotte d’Amboise - A Chorus Line
Rebecca Luker - Mary Poppins
Orfeh - Legally Blonde The Musical
Mary Louise Wilson - Grey Gardens
Karen Ziemba - Curtains
By rights this should go to Charlotte d'Amboise for her beautiful, powerful performance as Cassie in A Chorus Line, frankly it's horrific she didn't get nominated in the category of Best Actress like Donna McKechnie in the original production for like McKechnie when D'Amboise is onstage she owns the show! Mary Louise Wilson is the only real competition for her ironic and powerful turn in Grey Gardens. It's nice to see Karen Ziemba and Orfeh nominated for their comedic parts, but not this year. Rebecca Luker does a swell job as Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins and it would be nice to see her win, but not against this line up.
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Michael Grandage - Frost/Nixon
David Grindley - Journey's End
Jack O'Brien - The Coast of Utopia
Melly Still - Coram Boy
I'd like to see Frost/Nixon go all the way but frankly this one should go to The Coast of Utopia. Director Jack O'Brien handles his weighty subject matter and his collossal cast with grace and intelligence and delivers a terrific night in the theatre.
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
John Doyle - Company
Scott Ellis - Curtains
Michael Greif - Grey Gardens
Michael Mayer - Spring Awakening
While the performances in Grey Gardens are easily of the highest order in this line-up frankly it's the remarkable staging of Company that should win here. Spring Awakening is a prime contender while Curtains is here on spec me thinks so that Kander and Ebb's last musical could have "Eight Tony Award nominations!" next to its name.
I've skipped ten awards here so I hope you'll survive. But in a few days either way we'll all know just how close (or not!) I was. You can watch it live on the Tony Awards Website and live on CBS. Australia's own Theatrical Awards the Helpmann's are not far off either with nominees set to be announced on July 9. The event itself will be held at Sydney's Capitol Theatre on August 6 with the After Party to be held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Tickets go on sale on July 14 and the event will be shown live to air on Foxtel.
Well that and it's been a slow couple of days hasn't it? Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt are looking hot from various angles as usual while Jessica Simpson gets dumped - again! Of course Paris got let out but who's counting? Shrek we have already dished the dirt on and Driving Lessons (starring Harry Potter alumn Rupert Grint and the magnificent Julie Walters) needs to be seen again before it can be properly reviewed.
So let's go to Broadway! Here are the Tony nominess for 2007...
Tony nominee for Best Play
BEST PLAY
The Coast of Utopia
Frost/Nixon
The Little Dog Laughed
Radio Golf
Well this one will go to Frost/Nixon if there is any justice in the world. This stunning play by Peter Morgan featuring stellar performances by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen tells the real life story of a TV interview in which interviewer Sir David Frost managed to trap President Richard Nixon into apologising for Watergate. It has already been signed up for a film version where the original cast will be joined by Kevin Bacon in a supporting role.
A film of this play starring Frank Langella and Michael Sheen is already planned
BEST MUSICAL
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Mary Poppins
Spring Awakening
I disagree with the third nomination categorically! Mary Poppins is cheesy as all hell! It's gotten rave reviews and audiences in England and the US love this new stage show but what? They couldn't have nominated Legally Blonde the Musical, LoveMusik or The Pirate Queen?! Spring Awakening took all earlier awards by storm and may do so again but then Grey Gardens is already a legendary show. Curtains though is the last show Kander and Ebb wrote before Fred Ebb passed on. Spring Awakening would be my choice.
Starring Tony Nominee for Best Actress in a Play Julie White
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Legally Blonde the Musical
Spring Awakening
Curtains is the first show in years to have a book created without a novel or a TV show or a movie as an inspiration. It is a story written specifically for a musical. However, Grey Gardens is the most deserving here. It truly is a remarkable story. Legally Blonde the Musical is here as a consolation nomination for not getting Best Musical and Spring Awakening will only win here if it has a clean sweep.
An outside favourite for Best Play
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Legally Blonde the Musical
Spring Awakening
Once again where are LoveMusik and The Pirate Queen?! Spring Awakening will probably get this one, though Curtains is old school and very popular. The score to Grey Gardens is novel but not awe inspiring while Legally Blonde is a little too light.
8 well deserved nominations for this hilarious Kander and Ebb musical
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Inherit the Wind
Journey's End
Talk Radio
Translations
Inherit the Wind got the best reviews but then Journey's End was a clear audience favourite. This one is really anyone's guess but personally I would pick Inherit the Wind.
Already a legend and set to claim some awards glory for its star Christine Ebersole
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
The Apple Tree
A Chorus Line
Company
110 In the Shade
110 In the Shade has the best buzz and Broadway has since had a long time to recover from its original delight with both A Chorus Line and Company. Company got the Drama Desk so it may hit home again. The Apple Tree was on for a short and only vaguely lauded run so it will miss sadly. 110 will probably grab this but A Chorus Line deserves this win.
Ummm... well it is kinda cute
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Boyd Gaines - Journey's End
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Brían F. O’Byrne - The Coast of Utopia
Christopher Plummer - Inherit the Wind
Liev Schreiber - Talk Radio
Plummer and Schreiber are Hollywood stars so that works in their favour, but hands down this should go to Frank Langella for an incredible performance as disgraced President Nixon.
Already highly critically acclaimed and a prime contender for Best Musical
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Eve Best - A Moon for the Misbegotten
Swoosie Kurtz - Heartbreak House
Angela Lansbury - Deuce
Vanessa Redgrave - The Year of Magical Thinking
Julie White - The Little Dog Laughed
It would be one hell of a treat if Lansbury won here just for old times sake, but Vanessa Redgrave's one woman show got huge raves while Deuce was panned on all fronts except in terms of the brilliant performances by its two leading ladies. Eve Best got great reviews though like Swoosie Kurtz and Julie White, the reviews were about the actress and not the play. My pick here is Lansbury, though Redgrave is a close competitor. The fact that they are both stars may be a negative here as Tony may take pity on those actresses exclusively famous on Broadway. If so then Eve Best is the girl.
A contraversial masterpiece starring Christopher Plummer and Brian Dennehy
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Cerveris - LoveMusik
Raúl Esparza - Company
Jonathan Groff - Spring Awakening
Gavin Lee - Mary Poppins
David Hyde Pierce - Curtains
This one will go to Raul Esparza for his phenomenal showing in Company which has silenced even the harshest critic about this unusual formatted revival of Sondheim's masterpiece. His nearest competitor is Michael Cerveris in LoveMusik in a performance that defies belief. David Hyde Pierce will win if Tony is feeling in a fun mood. Groff will win if Spring Awakening does a clean sweep and Gavin Lee had better not win!
A quirky and comedic new show that looks set to follow the movie's success story
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Bell Bundy - Legally Blonde The Musical
Christine Ebersole - Grey Gardens
Audra McDonald - 110 in the Shade
Debra Monk - Curtains
Donna Murphy - LoveMusik
Hands down this belongs to Christine Ebersole in a performance out of legend. She's up against a tough line up though with Audra MacDonald looking set to take out her fifth Best Actress Tony and Donna Murphy in another bio-musical playing Lotte Lenya and doing one helluva job! If Laura Bell Bundy wins I think the entire audience will rise to its feet and vomit and while it's good to see Debra Monk her role is more of a supporting one anyway. This isn't her year for a win. Ebersole all the way!!!
Liev Schriber steals the show and a well earned Tony Nomination
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anthony Chisholm - Radio Golf
Billy Crudup - The Coast of Utopia
Ethan Hawke - The Coast of Utopia
John Earl Jelks - Radio Golf
Stark Sands - Journey's End
While The Coast of Utopia and its large ensemble got the fattest raves Radio Golf was easily the more audience friendly and both Anthony Chisolm and John Early Jelks did a great job. That said, the fact that Sands Stark is on his own the acting nominee for Journey's End that may be a telling sign. Chisholm would be my pick for Radio Golf.
A beautiful revival with a great cast who sadly received no nominations for their performances
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jennifer Ehle - The Coast of Utopia
Xanthe Elbrick - Coram Boy
Dana Ivey - Butley
Jan Maxwell - Coram Boy
Martha Plimpton - The Coast of Utopia
Dana Ivey should win here but then both Jennifer Ehle and Martha Plimpton did exceptional work within their large ensemble play. It's good to see Coram Boy get some nominations but frankly neither actress really deserves a win over any of the others in this line-up.
Star Kristin Chenoweth dazzled and deserved a Tony win let alone a nomination - but the show did not
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Brooks Ashmanskas - Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
Christian Borle - Legally Blonde The Musical
John Cullum - 110 in the Shade
John Gallagher, Jr. - Spring Awakening
David Pittu - LoveMusik
It's an interesting bitch slap when the title character of a show (Martin Short) doesn't get a nomination while his barely billed co-star does! The two heavy weights here are John Cullum and Christian Borle. Veteran Cullum got staggering reviews for his delightful performance alongside Audra MacDonald in 110 but then Christian Borle really makes one very impressive splash for his performance in Legally Blonde the Musical. My pick would be Borle. Blonde has to win SOMETHING right?
A magical revival of a Broadway titan and deserving of far more nominations than it received
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Charlotte d’Amboise - A Chorus Line
Rebecca Luker - Mary Poppins
Orfeh - Legally Blonde The Musical
Mary Louise Wilson - Grey Gardens
Karen Ziemba - Curtains
By rights this should go to Charlotte d'Amboise for her beautiful, powerful performance as Cassie in A Chorus Line, frankly it's horrific she didn't get nominated in the category of Best Actress like Donna McKechnie in the original production for like McKechnie when D'Amboise is onstage she owns the show! Mary Louise Wilson is the only real competition for her ironic and powerful turn in Grey Gardens. It's nice to see Karen Ziemba and Orfeh nominated for their comedic parts, but not this year. Rebecca Luker does a swell job as Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins and it would be nice to see her win, but not against this line up.
Though the contraversial staging won it some critics this is unquestionably a brilliant revival and looks almost sure to garner a win for star Raul Esparza
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Michael Grandage - Frost/Nixon
David Grindley - Journey's End
Jack O'Brien - The Coast of Utopia
Melly Still - Coram Boy
I'd like to see Frost/Nixon go all the way but frankly this one should go to The Coast of Utopia. Director Jack O'Brien handles his weighty subject matter and his collossal cast with grace and intelligence and delivers a terrific night in the theatre.
Audra MacDonald and John Cullum give career defining performances in this brilliant show
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
John Doyle - Company
Scott Ellis - Curtains
Michael Greif - Grey Gardens
Michael Mayer - Spring Awakening
While the performances in Grey Gardens are easily of the highest order in this line-up frankly it's the remarkable staging of Company that should win here. Spring Awakening is a prime contender while Curtains is here on spec me thinks so that Kander and Ebb's last musical could have "Eight Tony Award nominations!" next to its name.
I've skipped ten awards here so I hope you'll survive. But in a few days either way we'll all know just how close (or not!) I was. You can watch it live on the Tony Awards Website and live on CBS. Australia's own Theatrical Awards the Helpmann's are not far off either with nominees set to be announced on July 9. The event itself will be held at Sydney's Capitol Theatre on August 6 with the After Party to be held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Tickets go on sale on July 14 and the event will be shown live to air on Foxtel.
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