The Annual Tony Awards - General Discussion

[aradia22]

It took me forever to figure out what he was singing... that's probably not a good thing.

[SilverShadow]

Anybody else think it was kinda gross that the show kept pimping "A Special Tribute From Josh Groban" and it was for the In Mermorium?

[aradia22]

Too fast! Someone slow down the powerpoint!

[ebk57]

And don't hate me for this, but it took way too long for the actual people who'd passed to show up...

 

And we can barely see them

Edited June 8, 2015 by ebk57

[SilverShadow]

OMG yes. Putting the scroll on superspeed is jut a littttle disrespectful and in terrible taste.

[chitowngirl]

And they were framed horribly for the home viewer!

[ancslove]

This In Memoriam is dizzying.  Why can't they just focus the camera steady on the names/faces?  It was an odd, odd choice.  And yes, it did take far too long for the people to show up.  

[bosawks]

I'm choosing to live in denial and believe that Elaine and Marian are touring together in an Albee production in Australia and that's why we won't be seeing them.

[ebk57]

That has to be one of the worst In Memoriam segments I've ever seen.

[Crs97]

Can Edward Hermann be with them, bosawks? Please?

[wonderwoman]

From the NYtimes:

Charles Isherwood

"And are we ever going to see the dead people? Or is this just about Josh Groban being sad? At last. And you can’t see some of their names due to bad filming."

And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the choir appears. Really, is it hard to play some appropriate, but unobtrusive music while letting viewers actually see the photographs?

Edited June 8, 2015 by wonderwoman

[aradia22]

Let's see... Cerveris or Fairchild.

[mehtotheworld]

I knew On the Town would be shut out, but I was really pulling for Tony Yazbeck.

 

Also...Robbie Fitzgerald. Ha!

[Charlie Baker]

NPH gets best joke of the night.

[aradia22]

Yay! Congrats to Michael Cerveris. I've only seen him in Sweeney Todd but I'm happy to see him win. 

Was that Ken Watanabe's wife? She's gorgeous.

Hopefully Brian d'Arcy James will get his day soon.

 

"I've often been in the darkness watching many of you" was the weirdest way he could have chosen to phrase that.

[ebk57]

Kelli - finally!!

[aradia22]

Yes! Yes! YES!!! FINALLY!

[Charlie Baker]

And KOH maybe my favorite speech.

[aradia22]

Oh, Kelli's dress was cute too though the bodice was a bit low. Everyone just needs to go to Zac Posen so their breasts will be in the right place in strapless gowns.

Kelli's win this year was like Audra's win last year. In an otherwise rather uneventful show this is the moment I'll remember.

Larry David making a run at that best joke of the night title.

 

I'd like Jason Alexander to come back to Broadway in a musical.

[ebk57]

That might be the most I've ever laughed at Larry David.

 

Jason Alexander is also a lovely person.

[Charlie Baker]

OK, David and Alexander did make me laugh.

 

And Fun Home wins--another vote from the heart year?

[aradia22]

And Fun Home wins! I was getting a little nervous with AAIP picking up so many awards as well. While I love Kelli O'Hara and Ruthie Ann Miles it's a little disappointing the actresses of Fun Home didn't get any wins. But there's still time... especially for Sydney Lucas.

[ebk57]

Fun Home!  This makes me happy, even though I haven't seen it.  Now I'm pretty sure it will still be running when I'm there next.  Yay!!!

[bosawks]

As far as I'm concerned the night is a success.

Congrats Fun Home!

Tonys please stop with Jersey Boys.

Edited June 8, 2015 by bosawks

[aradia22]

Wait, are we for real ending on the Jersey Boys tribute?

[ebk57]

Wait, are we for real ending on the Jersey Boys tribute?

 

Yeah...I just asked Mr ebk if this show isn't a hundred years old already...

[aradia22]

Really? I mean, they're not going to change the lyrics at all? This is it?

[Charlie Baker]

And....very strange choice for a closer.  Strange show this year.

[aradia22]

I didn't know Richard H. Blake was currently in Jersey Boys.

Sigh... I actually enjoyed the show until that. I do like the Four Seasons but that ending completely fell flat.

[cmahorror]

Oh, that's Sting.. For a minute, I thought Kelsey Grammer had wandered on stage.

 

I actually said that when he walked out lol.

 

Okay, so these stupids storms keep interrupting my service and I missed a bunch of performances due to my satellite cutting out but I really enjoyed that performance from Finding Neverland. Quite frankly, as long as he's not rapping, I still have a huge crush on Matthew Morrison from Glee.

 

I live central Illinois so I use the Tonys to see what touring companies coming in I might want to see. So far Finding Neverland is the only one to truly catch my eye.

[ebk57]

Thoroughly enjoyed spending the evening with all of you!

 

And the basketball is in OT, so I can still catch the end :-)

[Crs97]

Thanks, everyone!

[aradia22]

 

I live central Illinois so I use the Tonys to see what touring companies coming in I might want to see. So far Finding Neverland is the only one to truly catch my eye.

Just a heads up, you can check out the Theatre Talk board here on previously. I update almost every day and there's a section specifically for tours and Chicago productions.

[Charlie Baker]

OK, well, fun watching with all of you.  Checking out now.

 

And next year, barring something magically emerging (entirely possible), we'll see Hamilton win everything!

 

Good night!

[bosawks]

That was fun!

Catch you next year or in line at the TKTS Booth....

[cmahorror]

Thanks aradia22, the CBS affiliate decided to spend almost the whole show telling me about the rain and hail going on outside so I missed almost all of it.

Edited June 8, 2015 by cmahorror

[vibeology]

What awful, shapeless thing is Carey Mulligan wearing?

 

She hasn't announced it, but there's been speculation for a while now that she's pregnant. I'm pretty sure looking at that dress its true. Fashion-wise its not that bad considering how few options she must have had.

 

It was a fun Tonys but not spectacular. I really want to see Fun Home and wouldn't mind seeing Finding Neverland and Something Rotten but I won't go out of my way for those shows. Sydney Lucas was a revelation. I enjoyed Alan and Kristen's hosting duties. I'm thrilled for Kelli O'Hara. How is this her first Tony?

[SmithW6079]

I thought Larry David came across as a dick, but then, I've never found him funny.

Kristin Chenoweth's face kept distracting me.

[tom87]

Anybody else think it was kinda gross that the show kept pimping "A Special Tribute From Josh Groban" and it was for the In Mermorium?

Yes and then the In Mermorium was more about him then those who passed away.   Some people you couldn't even see their names on the screen.  They also sped through the list while they had whole segments of the song showing Josh and/or the choir.

[Crs97]

I don't know why TPTB can't seem to understand how the "In Memorium" should work. If I could sing and were asked to be part of it, I think I would demand not to be shown other than walking out on stage before I started. This isn't hard, people!!

[MyAimIsTrue]

I was not home last night and it makes me sad to know that I missed my first Tony's in more years than I can remember.  Thanks to everyone for the great posts in this thread as it sorta kinda makes me feel like I watched.

[SiouxB]

Vanessa Hudgens went for a very lovely summery choice.

 

I love the matching lipstick also.

 

Yep, she did look lovely; just wish she would have spit out the gum before she hit the red carpet

[wonderwoman]

Mike Hale @ NYTimes echoed a lot of the thoughts expressed here.

"One of the hoped-for highlights didn’t materialize, when Tommy Tune did not get to accept his lifetime achievement award during the telecast and also did not take part in the brief (and tepid) dance number that was awkwardly inserted into the show"

Although, he thought the in memoriam segment was saved by the chorus. I agree with those above who point out that in memoriam should be about those who've passed. But the Tonys and Oscars see the segment as one more production number. As I recall, the Emmys and Golden Globes (I think they do a segment) do a better job.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/08/arts/television/critics-notebook-the-tonys-show-celebrates-the-stage-without-any-real-theater.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

[Skittl1321]

Neil Patrick Harris's brief moment was a highlight for me- he needs to host again, and again, and again.  And Kelli's speech and tap dancing in those stilettos was just THE moment of the night.

 

I'm sad Something Rotten didn't get a more love, even if it had been during the off-air awards. That show was one of the most incredible things I've seen. Fun Home was without a doubt excellent, but I like my musicals to be a spectacle. I also was annoyed at people ranting on Twitter about how Fun Home was the only thing in that category that was original- except, it was based on a graphic novel; so it wasn't original either! SR actually was original, though obviously they played on a million well known tropes and satire.

 

I can't believe Tommy Tune didn't get to accept his award during the broadcast.

 

Kristen Chenoweth's black coat dress made me think she was covering up a costume and she would rip it off. Since she didn't, although a very upscale one, she kind of looked like a flasher....

 

And finally, wasn't there some big fuss about a Sound Award no longer being given? Were the sound people protesting during the broadcast? Because the audio levels were HORRIBLE. I didn't enjoy the opening number at all, because I could barely hear what they were saying. You couldn't hear tap shoes at times, other times you couldn't hear people sing over taps. You couldn't hear the millionth "on CBS" cut to commercial announcement over backstage noise. It was an absolute mess.

 

And finally- Jennifer Lopez should be ashamed of herself. Yes, the teleprompter was REALLY far away, but if you even have an idea of what it is you have to say, you shouldn't mess up a recap of Peter Pan that badly.

 

 

I think On the Twentieth Century did a fantastic job with their medley. You got all the best parts of the show and avoided showing how repetitive the lyrics are. Also, the dancing from the porters is much tighter than when I saw the show.

 

I disagree. I saw On the Twentieth Century and could barely follow what the hell was going on in that medley.  If you didn't know the show well, I think you would be totally lost.

 

Of course, I greatly disliked the show. Everyone in it was fabulous, the acting, singing, and dancing was excellent. But the material they had to work with was miserable. Although clearly someone loved it, I didn't hear a single person near me say good things about it as I was leaving.... Thank God I got discount tickets!

I'm conflicted about the Brits coming over here with their plays... winning all our awards. But no Matilda? I don't understand the Tony's sometimes.

 

Matilda won 5 Tony's and was  nominated for 13 (including Best Musical- it lost to Kinky Boots) in 2013.  Shows are only eligible their first year.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Skittl1321

[Skittl1321]

 I will say that A Musical didn't get me excited about Something Rotten and it made me understand what people were saying about a ton of theatre references without actual jokes behind them. 

I will admit, I am a HUGE Something Rotten fan, so I'm a little biased- but I don't think that performance of A Musical was all that great- it was cut way too short for time and a lot of the jokes in the song were removed.

 

Yes, there are a lot of theatre references without true jokes, but there are some that are set up through the talking that takes place in the show, and some that have a little more reference  in the song that got cut. 

 

A Musical actually received a standing ovation at the show I was at. I've never seen that happen mid-show before.

[LuciaMia]

 Jeebus, what was with that opening of the Tony Awards? Okay, they don’t have to always have to have a big splashy number, but this was like….some high school production. Chenoweth and Cummings just standing there trading unfunny quips. Then the cast of ‘It’s Rotten’ performing ‘It’s a Musical’ on a bare stage, with references in the song to other classic musicals….and that was it? Did they cut their budget this year or what?

And what is it about having two hosts that never seems to work? (think of the times they tried it with the Oscars.) It encourages all that bandying back and forth which is usually just cringe-worthy.

Oh, and Larry David? STFU!

[shoregirl]

I don't really like have current shows have preformanes when they are not nominated. I think it takes away from the shows that are nominated and I get the impression that they were only there because they are bigger named stars to the general audience. I wasn't very impressed by either GiGi or Finding Neverland ( but I haven't been the times I've seen the performed on Good Morning America either). Can we stop with Jersey Boys? I feel like they perform every other year.

[Neurochick]

I'm just happy that Fun Home won, because I went to school with the producer.

[Good Queen Jane]

I give props to the folks at Fun Home, who got cut off way too soon so they could have Jersey Boys end the show. They just went center stage and danced with the chorus to Oh What a Night and seemed to be having fun doing it.

[Luvzmutt]

So glad Fun Home won!  I told my Broadway travel buddy that it was definitely one we needed to put on our list.  We bought tickets this week to see it in July.  We also have tickets to Hamilton in November.