The Annual Tony Awards - General Discussion

[sugarbaker design]

1 hour ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

I still think a lot about last year's opening number,  especially that leap down the stars.

Literally a leap of faith!

[tv echo]

Ariana DeBose Reveals Why This May Be the Last Time She Hosts the Tony Awards ‘for a While’ (Exclusive)
By Dave Quinn   June 15, 2024 
https://people.com/why-ariana-debose-wont-host-the-tony-awards-again-for-a-while-exclusive-8664014 

Quote

This year will be present a new obstacle: another new location. "We started at Radio City, and we were up in Washington Heights, and this year we're at Lincoln Center. So every year it's been different," DeBose says.

"You think it wouldn't matter, but each location has its own energy. You have to take into consideration how the audience fills the space, what other things you can do."
*  *  *
"When you look at the other award shows that are predominately about film and television, most of those are hosted by comedians. A comedian, I am not," she laughs.

"But I look at that as a strength and go down a different path. I'm an actor; I love the people I'm surrounded by. So I choose to celebrate that and let the energy and excitement of the evening lead."
*  *  *
Still, the time to herself has allowed her to focus on what she wants next: a return to Broadway. "I am really craving being back on stage, in a larger way than simply hosting the Tonys," she says. "And for that reason, this will probably be one of the last times I host for a while, so someone else can hold the ropes."

Edited June 16 by tv echo

[ebk57]

Anyone watching?  Jack O'Brien is a national treasure.

[ebk57]

Last year's opening was so much better.

[ebk57]

Wasn't really interested in seeing Hell's Kitchen before - definitely not seeing it now.

[BaggythePanther]

I’m the exact opposite. I’m really interested in seeing it now.

[SusieQ]

How cool to have Pete play!

[ebk57]

I love the Merrily score sooooo much.  I've seen the show numerous times since the original production, and this cast is the best.  They totally made the show work.  

[Spartan Girl]

Pete’s still got it.

I want to see Merrily We Roll Along so damn bad. But if it ever tours, I know it won’t have Daniel 😭😭😭😭😭

[SoMuchTV]

I’m really not up on things, but is Tommy on Broadway? I’m feeling about 45 years younger! 

[ebk57]

Just now, SoMuchTV said:

I’m really not up on things, but is Tommy on Broadway? I’m feeling about 45 years younger! 

Yup - back on Broadway. 

[wonderwoman]

gotta say — this mindless banter between presenters reminds me why  i so loved last year’s awards. 

Edited June 17 by wonderwoman

[SusieQ]

Yay Daniel!!!!!

[ebk57]

Just now, SusieQ said:

Yay Daniel!!!!!

This makes me so happy!!

[SusieQ]

Makes up for not nominating him in How to Succeed.... He was wonderful in that. Couldn't take your eyes off him in that show.

[SoMuchTV]

9 minutes ago, SusieQ said:

Yay Daniel!!!!!

When Harry Potter says “this has been one of the best experiences in my life” that’s saying something!

[ebk57]

8 minutes ago, SusieQ said:

Makes up for not nominating him in How to Succeed.... He was wonderful in that. Couldn't take your eyes off him in that show.

I never saw Harry Potter anything.  How to Succeed is one of my favorite shows and he was brilliant in it!  It's when I became a huge fan of his. 

[Spartan Girl]

I wish somebody would at least post a bootleg of Merrily! Or why can’t the6 do a proshot?! We deserve to see it!

[ebk57]

2 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

I wish somebody would at least post a bootleg of Merrily! Or why can’t the6 do a proshot?! We deserve to see it!

I've seen rumors of a pro-shot.  Crossing my fingers!!

[SusieQ]

Yikes, this Cabaret is creepy. 

[ebk57]

So glad Merrily won!  I was a little nervous since Maria didn't win best director. 

[wonderwoman]

i confess to watching sporatically — who’s the group of people waving on the screen during the merrily acceptance? 

[wonderwoman]

not a lot of commentary tonight. 

nice in memoriam — ‘what i did for love’ was a little on the nose, but closing with the single light was a nice touch. and the camera was positioned so you could actually read the name, which is really all that matters — so i’m good. 

[Thumper]

I hardly ever watch the Tony Awards.  It is great to see how supportive they are to each other!

 

 

[ebk57]

26 minutes ago, wonderwoman said:

i confess to watching sporatically — who’s the group of people waving on the screen during the merrily acceptance? 

I confess to not noticing during that particular award, but the people on the screen are the rest of the producers/production team.  This venue is so damn small, they couldn't get everyone in the actual theater.  

[ebk57]

So, I feel like the TV show portion of the evening was totally underwhelming.  Which makes me sorta sad since the Tonys are usually so much better than that. 

I'm okay with the winners (I didn't see any of the new musicals).  I'm especially happy with Merrily.  

I just wish the TV show had been better.

[wonderwoman]

12 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

40 minutes ago, wonderwoman said:

i confess to watching sporatically — who’s the group of people waving on the screen during the merrily acceptance? 

I confess to not noticing during that particular award, but the people on the screen are the rest of the producers/production team.  This venue is so damn small, they couldn't get everyone in t

thanks!

[wonderwoman]

48 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

So, I feel like the TV show portion of the evening was totally underwhelming.  Which makes me sorta sad since the Tonys are usually so much better than that. 

I'm okay with the winners (I didn't see any of the new musicals).  I'm especially happy with Merrily.  

I just wish the TV show had been better.

not sure what to make of this, but i thought last year’s show, sans writers, was far better. 

Edited June 17 by wonderwoman

[xander874]

8 hours ago, wonderwoman said:

but i thought last year’s show, sans writers, was far better

Agreed. Ariana seemed much better when she was speaking off-the-cuff as opposed to scripted. For the most part - in any awards show - the scripted talk is terrible. I did enjoy Josh and Andrew's bit though.

11 hours ago, SusieQ said:

Yay Daniel!!!!!

He and Jonathan were just so happy and I love that they are theatre geeks who also get to be in theatre. And their support for each other is great. Also, I loved Daniel in that purple tux.

Overall, it was an okay year. I'm seeing a lot of these shows this fall but it was nice to see some previews. I did like they spread the love around a little bit with the winners. I can't comment on Hell's Kitchen, but Kelli O'Hara was amazing in Days of Wine and Roses (even if I didn't really love the show) and I wish she had won.

[tv echo]

CBS' YouTube channel has posted many of the performances and winner speeches from last night's awards ceremony, including Ariana DeBose's opening number and the following:

The 77th Annual Tony Awards® | Merrily We Roll Along Performance | CBS
CBS   Jun 16, 2024

The 77th Annual Tony Awards® | Daniel Radcliffe wins Featured Actor in a Musical | CBS
CBS   Jun 16, 2024

The 77th Annual Tony Awards® | Jonathan Groff wins Best Lead Actor in a Musical | CBS
CBS   Jun 16, 2024

Edited June 17 by tv echo

[tv echo]

The 2024 Tony Awards Winners
By Jason P. Frank   June 16, 2024
https://www.vulture.com/article/2024-tony-awards-full-winners-list.html 

[wonderwoman]

1 hour ago, xander874 said:

Agreed. Ariana seemed much better when she was speaking off-the-cuff as opposed to scripted. For the most part - in any awards show - the scripted talk is terrible. I did enjoy Josh and Andrew's bit though.

cannot tell you how much i loathed that bit — went on waay too long. 

[Good Queen Jane]

I was disappointed that so many of the winners were reading their acceptance speech. The Tonys winners, used to being live on stage, usually give the best speeches. When they read off paper or phone, you can’t see the emotions on their face. I know they don’t want to forget names, but it is so much better to just talk from the heart. 

[Blakeston]

2 hours ago, wonderwoman said:

cannot tell you how much i loathed that bit — went on waay too long. 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated Andrew and Josh's bit. I thought it was interminable.

Also way too long - Jeremy Strong's acceptance speech. It's one thing to thank a whole slew of people, it's another thing to do it so casually and slowly. 

Aside from Merrily, I was most impressed by the Illinoise performance, I think. That Suffs song was extremely underwhelming.

[sugarbaker design]

2 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

Also way too long - Jeremy Strong's acceptance speech. It's one thing to thank a whole slew of people, it's another thing to do it so casually and slowly. 

Kecia Lewis's acceptance speech seemed way longer.  I was hoping the hook would come out.

[Spartan Girl]

15 hours ago, SusieQ said:

Yikes, this Cabaret is creepy. 

So I take it you never saw the past production where at the end 

Spoiler

The club turns into a death camp and the Emcee jumps into a live wire fence to kill himself?

This version did look creepy, but considering the context of the show, that’s probably the point.

[NUguy514]

1 hour ago, sugarbaker design said:

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

Also way too long - Jeremy Strong's acceptance speech. It's one thing to thank a whole slew of people, it's another thing to do it so casually and slowly. 

Kecia Lewis's acceptance speech seemed way longer.  I was hoping the hook would come out.

Both Lewis's and Kara Young's speeches were much longer than Strong's (and I think Sarah Paulson's and Jonathan Groff's were longer, too), and his was too long as it was.  Having multiple long speeches made the show drag, and I think one and only one person should be accepting the award for any new/revival play/musical; we didn't need multiple people giving long speeches for those wins – too much!

[lovett1979]

42 minutes ago, NUguy514 said:

I think one and only one person should be accepting the award for any new/revival play/musical; we didn't need multiple people giving long speeches for those wins – too much!

Ok, so, get ready for some weird Tony details that lead to so many people giving speeches for these awards last night.

The Tony award for Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical go to the producers and producers only should be speaking (hopefully, just 1 is selected to speak). And this was the case for The Outsiders, where only 1 person (producer) spoke. For Merrily We Roll Along, ONLY Sonia Friedman (as producer) should have spoken. But she called up her sister/the director Maria and allowed her to speak as well. My guess is that this wouldn't have happened if Maria had (rightly) won Best Director. And it's not like anyone could have stopped her and said she wasn't allowed to speak at that point.

Play gets more complicated because the Best Play award goes to BOTH the producers AND the author (there is no "Best Script" of "Best Writing" of a Play category). So, both the author and the producer for Stereophonic got to speak.

And, finally, if the author of the winner of Best Revival of a Play had not been previously eligible to win the award for the piece, they TOO are awarded and are supposed to speak. Appropriate had not previously been on Broadway, but I guess was considered a "classic" like the Guttenberg boys explained to us last night, so Branden Jacobs-Jenkins spoke, as well as the producer.