Kristin Chenoweth's Tony Snubs - Page 3

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:40pm

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Mr. Sinatra, I can assure you that my lukewarm attitude here does not come from a place of resentment. In fact, I thought she was perfectly cast in Hairspray Live...

"

Ado Annie, I assure you that that comment was not in any way a criticism of you or a rebuke and I completely agree with you on the role of Fran. 

A trend that I don't like is the way that any criticism of a performer labels that person as a "hater." Did fans of Mickey Mantle "hate" Willie Mays? And fans of Willie Mays hate Mickey Mantle? I don't think so.

This could get me in trouble, but I wasn't that impressed by the album "The Art of Elegance." On it she sang standards that have literally been sung by every other female vocalist in the Western World. Specifically talking about Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me" and Rodgers and Hart's "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." It's almost like she treats these songs with such respect that she sings them neutrally, without ever throwing something of herself into them. (She does put some emotion into the two torch songs.) I much prefer her first album full of an eclectic selection of songs that could be generally characterized as near hits or small hits. Kristin just takes these songs and interprets them in any way that she wants to depending on whether she wants to go funny or sad.

I love that bonus track on the TV version of The Music Man with Matthew Broderick (?) where Kristin steps out of the darkness and up to a microphone lit by a single spotlight, looking absolutely lovely, and performs another standard covered by everyone and The Beatles, "Till There Was You." She puts her stamp on the song by singing it with a quiet delicacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUvMIjf1GK0

And the thrilling high notes at the end to remind everyone that her voice credentials are from Oklahoma State and not American Idol.

 

Updated On: 4/13/17 at 09:40 PM

[Soaring29]

Posted: 4/12/17 at 11:22pm

OlBlueEyes said: "Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Mr. Sinatra, I can assure you that my lukewarm attitude here does not come from a place of resentment. In fact, I thought she was perfectly cast in Hairspray Live...

"

Ado Annie, I assure you that that comment was not in any way a criticism of you or a rebuke and I completely agree with you on the role of Fran. 

A trend that I don't like is the way that any criticism of a performer labels that person as a "hater." Did fans of Mickey Mantle "hate" Willie Mays? And fans of Willie Mays hate Mickey Mantle? I don't think so.

This could get me in trouble, but I wasn't that impressed by the album "The Art of Elegance." On it she sang standards that have literally been sung by every other female vocalist in the Western World. Specifically talking about Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me" and Rodgers and Hart's "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." It's almost like she treats these songs with such respect that she sings them neutrally, without ever throwing something of herself into them. (She does put some emotion into the two torch songs.) I much prefer her first album full of an eclectic selection of songs that could be generally characterized as near hits or small hits. Kristin just takes these songs and interprets them in any way that she wants to depending on whether she wants to go funny or sad.

I love that bonus track on the TV version of The Music Man with Matthew Broderick (?) where Kristin steps out of the darkness and up to a microphone lit by a single spotlight, looking absolutely lovely, and performs another standard covered by everyone and The Beatles, "Till There Was You." She puts her stamp on the song by singing it with a quiet delicacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUvMIjf1GK0

 

Bonus track? She sings it in the film. Is your link an extra scene on the DVD version of the film? Because I always just assumed this was from some concert, benefit, event, ect.

 

 

"

 

Updated On: 8/1/23 at 11:22 PM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 4/13/17 at 1:00am

I know that whole TV movie version of Music Man isn't very popular with purists, and for good reason, but I have soft spot for it and even though the songs' keys are lowered (probably for the TV audience), I really do love Chenoweth's renditions of the songs.

[Soaring29]

Posted: 4/13/17 at 2:31am

I actually enjoy it, besides some irritating aspects- the kids and the romantic relationship with the Mayor's daughter mainly , but I  still find it highly enjoyable.

I didn't think  that the keys were changed for any of Kristin's songs besides My White Knight until now, but now I know they lowered Till There Was You as well. However, both Goodnight My Someone and Will I Ever Tell You? are in the original keys. I'm not sure why they lowered the key for MWK: It's in Kristin's range easily.  I'm guessing they lowered Till There Was You because Broderick has to to sing it with her eventually and the original key may not have suited him, but it would suit Kristin. Weird. 

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 4/13/17 at 8:29am

Thanks for clearing that up, Chairman of the Board. I didn't want anybody to get the wrong idea- that tends to cause problems! And the world's got enough of them already.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 4/13/17 at 8:50am

Chenoweth's only true Tony snub was THE APPLE TREE. The miss for PROMISES, PROMISES wasn't shocking, and O'Hara was more than deserving for THE KING & I.

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 4/13/17 at 11:18pm

That season was an embarrassment of theatrical riches.  KC and KO both putting out such tremendous performances in very different roles.  Having seen both of them, I still would have given the nod to KC only because that role was just so taxing it seemed.  From a comedic and vocal perspective KC just blew me away.  And I had really never seen her in anything before.  Live.  So I wasn't going in with any predisposed notions of her as an actress, singer, dancer, anything.  I walked out of the theater just amazed at what I had seen her do up there.  

KO was also spectacular.  But I left more with the feeling that it was a really beautiful performance, but it didn't have the same impact of KC's performance. 

All about personal opinion.  Both were just great....and what a difficult decision that had to be.  

Thanks, Soaring, for sharing that video of KC singing "Till There Was You."  A wonderful rendition.

Updated On: 4/13/17 at 11:18 PM

[Soaring29]

Posted: 4/13/17 at 11:32pm

Oh, I didn't share that one. Ol Blue Eyes did. I shared I Will Always Love You, Bring Him Home, Upon This Rock, and Little Sparrow.  Thanks though!!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/13/17 at 11:46pm

I grabbed a ticket post-Tony Awards for "On the Twentieth Century" as I was sure KC was going to win...but then she didn't.... Honestly, the highlight of the evening was Andy Karl. I didn't find KC to be all that great - to me she's kind of Ashford....just relying on the gimmick. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. 

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 8:00am

Soaring29 said: "Oh, I didn't share that one. Ol Blue Eyes did. I shared I Will Always Love You, Bring Him Home, Upon This Rock, and Little Sparrow.  Thanks though!!

"

Yes, Soaring, that performance is one of the bonus tracks on the DVD, During the short musical interlude they replace Kristin's head with some short clips from the  film.

I thank you for posting those links. "Upon This Rock" was new to me and rather unforgettable. "Little Sparrow" as well.

The trouble is that we just all get old too soon. Kristin will be 50 in two years and I doubt that she could do Lily Garland again eight times a week. I'm surprised she got through it the first time. She often said that she had to "live like a nun." She was still receiving rehab for the  serious back injury.

But Kristin did tear down one barrier a couple of months ago. She became the first theater actress to get played on Sirius Satellite Radio's channel 71, Siriusly Sinatra. This channel is run by the Sinatra family, with daughter Nancy calling the shots probably. They play Billie, Ella, Judy, Barbra, Peggy, Jo Stafford, Nancy, friends of Nancy such as Deana Martin and Debby Boone.

Audra? Wasn't she on that medical show? Kelli O'Hara? She's done a couple of Broadway shows, hasn't she. 

 I tried to intervene, and at least have them play Audra, but, being dead, I found it hard to exert any influence.

But Kristin broke through with The Art of Elegance. First she did one of the "Picking Favorites," in which celebrities, mostly vocalists, or others associated with Sinatra are given an hour to pick and play their favorite Sinatra songs, as well as other favorite renditions of the "standards." They can also play one or two of their own recordings.

Well, Kristin kind of inverted the usual format, playing only two or three Sinatra songs and spending the rest of the time on others, principally herself, as she shamelessly plugged the album and played at least three songs from "Elegance." (This is supposed to be humorous, not a criticism.) 

But Nancy must have liked her because the album is on the playlist now and Kristin gets played several times a day, right up there with Billie Holiday.

Updated On: 4/16/17 at 08:00 AM

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 11:20am

Oops....Sorry, OlBlueEyes and Soaring.  Misread the postings!

I've heard KC on Sirius/Sinatra, as well, and I thought she did really well with the songs she sang.

As for OTTC, I thought she was just wonderful.  Whatever her gimmick is it seemed to work in that performance because it was fluid, hilarious and her vocals were stupendous. I could only assume that after the performance she went right home, gargled (or whatever singers do to soothe their voices) and went straight to bed.  That seemed a truly taxing role, on a number of levels. The whole show was flawless actually.  

I also remember though hearing she was ill much of the time throughout, so I guess it was possible to have caught her on an "off" night.  The night I saw her she hit a home run.  So much so that when she lost the Tony to KO I instantly thought, 'What does a person have to do to get a Tony?!'

Okay, so that question is rhetorical, but I know I'll get some responses, and that's what we're here for  

I agree though that Andy Karl was fantastic in the show.  The other standout in my opinion.