The Annual Tony Awards - General Discussion

[ebk57]

Okay, I love Andre DeShields anyway, but his shout-out to Baltimore - my home town! - just made me love him more. 

[SomeTameGazelle]

2 minutes ago, aradia22 said:

Tootsie looks boring. I get wanting to feature a lot of the cast but that number didn't sell me. 

I wouldn't call that featuring the cast as much as featuring Santino's quick change. 

[bosawks]

Shirley looks good.

When I saw it Oklahoma broke down along the lines of love it or hate it.

I loved it.

[Quickbeam]

Lovely nod to Laura Donnelly who was also so amazing in Outlander. 

[Kimmmmmm]

16 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

Celia Keenan-Bolger's win was well-deserved. She was incredible as Scout Finch.

As for Ain't Too Proud, I didn't like it. For one, I didn't think they exuded the same kind of cool that The Temptations did.

Not good at all...the Temptations deserve a LOT better.

[EtheltoTillie]

6 minutes ago, aradia22 said:

I didn't bother with Best Featured Actor. I'm surprised Carvel got it with the competition from more popular plays.

I saw it.  He was good.  Reptilian.

6 minutes ago, aradia22 said:

Tootsie looks boring. I get wanting to feature a lot of the cast but that number didn't sell me. 

Agreed.  I never liked the movie Tootsie, and I was really in the minority there.  So I wouldn't even bother with this musical.  The singiing sounded kind of off key, too.

[aradia22]

Jez Butterworth's speech was super self-indulgent. Not into it, guy.

Broadway's Sally Bowles and Hedwig... Sienna Miller and Darren Criss. Well, that was disappointing.

I didn't know if it would go to Andre or Patrick. I wish Patrick had been rewarded for his performance but I haven't seen Andre (someone else played the part off-Broadway) and he's also had a long career and is deserving. Also, it was a nice speech. 

 

WHY didn't they air Bob Mackie's speech!?! Grr... it better be online later.

[Growsonwalls]

I loved both Patrick Page and Andre de Shields in Hadestown. Page had the showier role but de Shields deserved it for the warmth with which he narrated the story.

[Bewitched]

Ali Stroker sounded much better on this telecast than the cast recording I heard.  Still not sure about this revival though.

[bosawks]

10 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

I loved both Patrick Page and Andre de Shields in Hadestown. Page had the showier role but de Shields deserved it for the warmth with which he narrated the story.

And the Road to Hell (reprise) was a master class of acting and singing.

 

Des’ facelift is looking a little tight.

Between Hadestown and the Great Comet Rachel is one of our new theatre shining lights.

She is fantastic.

[Growsonwalls]

Rachel Chavkin's speech is way less fluffy than usual. 

[aradia22]

I still remember watching Ali on The Glee Project. Did she basically sing that whole song? This is an incredibly long medley. This medley is misleading... The show looks great but aside from that guy spraying some on stage audience members, there's no sign this show is as weird as it is. 

[bosawks]

Catherine O’Hara’s theme dress is my everything.

[aradia22]

Taylor Mac looks FABULOUS. I wish Gary was nearly as interesting. It was just a bunch of leftist debates post-2016 interspersed with a ton of bathroom humor. 

Danai looks like a GODDESS. I LOVE THAT OUTFIT.

[bosawks]

Alex Brightman is kinda one note but that note is really pretty fantastic.

[Growsonwalls]

Beetlejuice looks weirdly appealing. This is making me want to see it more so than the Tootsie and Ain't Too Proud segments.

[ebk57]

Okay, this Beetlejuice number will sell tickets.  Ain't Too Proud and Tootsie - not so much.

Which is kinda a shame.  Kinda.

[aradia22]

I like Rachel's outfit and styling from the waist up. Whatever, SO HAPPY she won. She's a major talent. I'm excited to see what she'll do going forward.

[Caseysgirl]

Well, I’ve seen various productions of Oklahoma over the years, but this one looks a little different. Anyone see it and can shed some light?

[aradia22]

YES, RACHEL. That speech!

[Growsonwalls]

Just now, Caseysgirl said:

Well, I’ve seen various productions of Oklahoma over the years, but this one looks a little different. Anyone see it and can shed some light?

https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2019/04/oklahoma-violence-as-american-as-chili.html

I saw it. This is what happens. Major spoilers ...

[aradia22]

@Caseygrrl I would check out the broadwayworld threads.

[lovett1979]

Just now, Caseysgirl said:

Well, I’ve seen various productions of Oklahoma over the years, but this one looks a little different. Anyone see it and can shed some light?

It is entirely different. The text is (almost) all the same, but it is played in entirely new ways. I can't really explain specifics, it just has to be experienced.

[bosawks]

Just now, Caseysgirl said:

Well, I’ve seen various productions of Oklahoma over the years, but this one looks a little different. Anyone see it and can shed some light?

It’s really sparse and the characterizations are in shades of charcoal, dark grey and grey.  If you have an attachment to the original you probably won’t like it but it is never dull.

I loved it.

[aradia22]

So Beetlejuice made the smart choice of starting with the Banana Boat Song. Though it's a little cheap... like if Rocky had done Eye of the Tiger.

I don't love the song Alex was singing but it was arguably more appealing as a Tony's opening number that mentioned the audience members.

These medleys are so long... Are they giving them more time this year?

[dbell1]

I saw The Prom a few months ago. Flipping fabulous. Funny, fierce, heartbreaking and uplifting. Loved it. 

[bosawks]

I get Ali but I was pulling for Amber.

[Growsonwalls]

Ok Ali Stroker's speech came across as too glib for me. When the first person she thanks is her agents ...

[aradia22]

Laura Benanti looking like a QUEEN!

I thought Ali might win but it was a surprise she won over Amber. I guess featured can often go to the young person. 

[irisheyes]

What has Kristin Chenoweth done to herself?  I’m trying to figure out if it’s too much tan, bad plastic surgery, or receding hairline. 

[bosawks]

Kristin’s hairline is certainly something.

The heart of The Prom is Emma and Alyssa but Barry is crazy lovable. 

[Popples]

3 minutes ago, irisheyes said:

What has Kristin Chenoweth done to herself?  I’m trying to figure out if it’s too much tan, bad plastic surgery, or receding hairline. 

[ebk57]

4 minutes ago, irisheyes said:

What has Kristin Chenoweth done to herself?  I’m trying to figure out if it’s too much tan, bad plastic surgery, or receding hairline. 

Yes

Or what @Popples said!

Edited June 10, 2019 by ebk57

[EtheltoTillie]

2 minutes ago, bosawks said:

Kristin’s hairline is certainly something.

The heart of The Prom is Emma and Alyssa but Barry is crazy lovable. 

The Prom is fun all around.  I highly recommend.  Dancing is great, and it's funny. 

[dbell1]

Kristen looked frozen. Way too much botox or something.

[aradia22]

It's nice to see The Prom do a different song. It appealed to me more than others they've done but this show is still way down on my list and I won't feel bad if I miss it.

[lovett1979]

The Prom should have performed "It's Not About Me"

[aradia22]

Nvm, The Prom is doing the same song. They just saved it for the end of the medley.

[Growsonwalls]

The Prom is a great show, very sweet and funny. However it has a very mediocre score and unfortunately that medley they performed proved it. It doesn't have one big memorable anthem like Waitress's "She Used to Be Mine" or Mean Girls' "Apex Predator" ... just to use two shows that weren't big Tony winners.

[lovett1979]

Also, the title song was a bad choice for Oklahoma. You can only appreciate that interpretation of it if you've seen the whole production. No sure what would have been better, though.

[ebk57]

Yay!  A show I saw!!! 

[aradia22]

I don't love Corden as a host this year. It's too much like his show with the same kinds of segments.

[bosawks]

I give Michael Shannon props for his interpretation of black tie.  Not boring is not a bad thing. 

[aradia22]

You can really tell from the outfits who has TV/movie money and who just has theater money.

[Growsonwalls]

1 minute ago, lovett1979 said:

Also, the title song was a bad choice for Oklahoma. You can only appreciate that interpretation of it if you've seen the whole production. No sure what would have been better, though.

People Will Say We're In Love?

And yay at Boys in the Band winning! It was amazing.

[SomeTameGazelle]

16 minutes ago, aradia22 said:

Nvm, The Prom is doing the same song. They just saved it for the end of the medley.

They did Unruly Heart on Colbert, It's Not About Me on Seth Meyers, and You Happened on The View, so they have been doing a variety.

Edited June 10, 2019 by SomeTameGazelle
Added links

[Bewitched]

Tuc Watkins has not aged since One Life to Live went off the air.  David and Dorian forever.

[aradia22]

This way of highlighting plays is worth it to give Tarell this moment.

[bosawks]

I read an article about The Boys in the Band original cast member Cliff Gorman and his wife taking care of Robert La Tourneaux, another original cast member, as he was dying from AIDS.

It broke my heart, there’s probably a whole other play in there about that.  I wish I remembered were I read it, it was years ago.

[aradia22]

Glad that moment from Choir Boy was preserved. I wish I'd made more of an effort to go see it.