A theory on the supposed robbery of Raul

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:55pm

I posted this on my blog, but I thought you guys might be interested.

    Raul Esparza was robbed, they say. But I’m not so sure.

    They say that he, having been long overlooked by the Tony committee, was due. This was his year. But last time I checked, the award was for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, not Best Leading Vocalist in a Musical.

    I would gladly go out of my way to praise Esparza for his performance on the Tony Awards this year. I’ve never found occasion to like him before, but the passion and longing he conveyed -- not to mention the sheer power of his voice -- won me over. It gave me chills and caused me to lose control of the muscles that keep my jaw shut. Nevertheless, as I watched, I couldn’t help noticing how much effort it seemed to take him to sing it. It took me awhile to realize why that bugged me.

    In musical theatre, song is a natural extension of the character. When some event, thought, or feeling is too much for the non-metrical monotony of everyday speech, the characters simply must burst into song. As a result, the actor must make it look natural . . . effortless. Take a look at four-time Tony winner Audra McDonald, for example. You wouldn’t expect such a voice to come out of her with the way she presents herself. Each high note seems to take no more effort than an everyday discourse between friends, loosing from her mouth like water down a gently sloping hill. Then there’s Esparaza. Every power note, every long note –- especially that high note at the end of “Being Alive” –- that Esparza sings is preceded by a noticeable effort, as sort of gearing up for the big’un.

    David Hyde Pierce, though he had an arguably less difficult and certainly less nuanced part in Curtians, did a much better job of hiding his effort. He was Lieutenant Cioffi because we didn’t see him trying to be Lieutenant Cioffi. Esparza did a bang up job as Bobby, but we all knew he was trying. Yes, the role of tortured, lonely Bobby seems to require more effort that the romantic, stage-struck Cioffi, but both should appear just as effortless to the audience.

    That is where Esparza failed and Pierce succeeded. And that is why Pierce walked away with the shiny, spinning statue.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:56pm

Why are you over-analyzing it?

DHP won because he anchored a stinker of a show, whereas Raul didn't really stand out in an ensemble where the featured performers outshined him.

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:57pm

But I think the strain to sing it is part of the acting. I've seen Raul hit crazier notes with less effort. Bobby himself is challenged even letting these words come out of his mouth, he's coming to a long-awaited and difficult realization. I think it's was PART of the performance.

[pants2]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 2:59pm

interesting theory...

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:00pm

Some would disagree with CURTAINS being a stinker, me being one, but I do agree with the whole "effort" thing, whether it was a factor here or not.

Vocal Training 101 teaches you that singing should ALWAYS look effortless, and it's a real turnoff to me when it does not. I don't want to see you struggling and working hard, whether you're a pop singer (think Jessica Simpson), an opera singer, or a Broadway performer.

[Weez]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:00pm

My theory is that both men did absolutely blinding performances, but *just* enough people wanted to give David Hyde Pierce the award that he won the vote.

But it's just a theory, of course. :P

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:00pm

I was going to say something, but Born to Reign already did.
So yeah. Agreed.

[Craig]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:04pm

I know this is nitpicky.. but the only person who could be robbed of his tony would be DHP - since he won it and it's now possible for it to be stolen. Nothing against Raul, because I enjoyed his performance and think he's amazingly talented. The Tony voters decided that this year, the award would go to DHP.

You can discuss all the merits of all parties involved. But (and it wasn't you specifically) the notion that someone was robbed. The term gets thrown around every year. And it's ok to be upset, angry, etc. But It's just not right to say someone was robbed. At least semantically speaking :) :)

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:05pm

I agree with Born...for a good portion of the show, Bobby's an observer and while he finally comes to some realizations about himself, either in "Marry Me a Little" or "Being Alve," they come out in a big, messy rush of previously closed-off emotion.

I absolutely despise performances where you can see all the gears shifting (probably why I hate Tom Cruise so much) and I didn't see that at all with Raul.

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:05pm

To me, it's like seeing Souvenir and saying "I don't know how Judy Kaye keeps getting cast, she sucks!"

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:05pm

You are over-analyzing the matter.

Raul Esparza lost to David Hyde Pierce for many, many reasons - most importantly, people in the industry who have worked with Esparza don't have many good things to say about it. He may be a brilliant performer, but he has developed quite the reputation for being moody, nasty, and excessively difficult to not only get along with but to work with.

Conversely, Pierce is loved by the industry, people that have worked with him have no bad things to say about it. He may have had a lesser role and less material to sink his teeth into, but he has developed a stellar reputation among the Broadway theatre community. He's kind, nice, wonderful to work with, and totally appreciates his work and it shows. Plus, he's famous. That doesn't hurt.

So before people come on and say "But the tonys are about onstage, not offstage," I will ask you not to say that. You're barking up the wrong tree. Politics and behind the scenes antics have played a part in awards shows since the beginning of time.

Look at this past Oscar race. The frontrunner - Eddie Murphy. He won all the precursor awards, he probably deserved to win, but he's a jerk. People don't like him. People in the industry love Alan Arkin. So although Arkin's performance wasn't even in the same league as the other nominees, he won because he's supposedly a GREAT guy.

In addition, I have heard that many voters voted for Pierce no just so he would win - but so Raul would NOT.

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:07pm

100% dead-on, Munk!

[lawyerman]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:11pm

if you think Raul is trying too hard youre missing the entire point of his portrayal.

i dont know if he was robbed- i didnt see DHP, tho i SURELY thought Raul deserved accolades for his work in Company- but i think the theory that they are awarding effortlessness is a little silly. who wants to list all the examples of best leading actor/actress tonys going to performers who didnt exude whatever quality you think DHP has?

maybe DHP deserved it but i really dont think your theory makes all that much sense in light of where raul is trying to tkae the character.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:12pm

Munk makes many good points. I know there are people here who refuse to believe that something as simple as likeability can put the number of votes just over the top, but Esparza would certainly not be the only performer to lose out for that reason.

One of my very favorite actresses has 4 nominations, and may never win, because she has burned too many bridges in the past. She's a brilliant performer, but her personality and behavior have become a factor. It's too bad, but it's her bed.

Updated On: 6/13/07 at 03:12 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:12pm

His loss has nothing to do with the quality of his performance!!

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:16pm

I think it has everything to do with his performance. He Sucks!!!!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:18pm

No, DHP won because the Tony commitee couldn't see CURTAIN walk home Tony-less. It was their consolation prize.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:19pm

Oh for chrissake. That theory is just childish and ignorant.

[courtnyj]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:20pm

Ugh. Can we stopwith all the theories? What's done is done!
Updated On: 6/13/07 at 03:20 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:20pm

People are acting as if the Tony voters sit down at a very long table and plot these things.

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:22pm

They do, don't they? And wear funny hats and robes? And sacrifice chickens?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:22pm

Only in leap years.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:24pm

The interviews with Raul I've read reveal a man not unlike Munk says--to me he comes across as this odd mixure of intensity, ego, vulnerability and insecurity. Without knowing him or having met him for more than a rushed minute after a performance, he seems very demanding of himself professionally and a friend who was involved with "The Normal Heart" said pretty much the same thing.

At the end of the day, though, the simple fact is that gave an amazing performance...and I'm sure will give many more to come.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:25pm

munk, I think you're probably right about the offstage actions bit, but I also think it must have had SOMETHING to do with his performance.

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 3:26pm

Not at all. I think it's generally agreed upon that it might also have something to do with it being such a flop, and many Tony voters possibly not having seen it.