"110 In The Shade" - Will Audra Get The Best Reviews of the Season? — Page 2

Valid point. But she will get raves. It is impossible to see 110 and not fall completely in love with Audra. It's a very brave performance. And while Grey Gardens is a new show--it, too, is mediocre material (according to every review) for everyone except its lead actress.

I disagree with your assesment of Grey Gardens, jbdc. You might want to read th reviews again. Yes, the critics loved Ebersole, but they also loved Wilson, and most of them said the material had improved a lot since Off-Broadway. Most were very positive.

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most of them said the material had improved a lot since Off-Broadway. Most were very positive.

Yes, that's right. Don't forget, GG beat out Broadway shows last year to win the Outer Critics' for best musical. (It also got best actress.)
I think both ladies will win, as a matter of fact.

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Testing, I saw the same performance and I agree that she is Christine's biggest competition! I was so excited to finally see her live (I have practically every recording she has done, but have never seen her perform live). She blew me away! The whole production was just wonderful. I always thought that Company would eaisly win best revival, but now I think it has some steep competition. While I don't think that Audra will win the Tony this time, she certainly equals Christine in excellence!

<< it would be the biggest travesty that Tony's have made since not awarding Merman the award for Gypsy. >>

And topped later on when "Ragtime" didnt win Best Musical.

I don't think RAGTIME not winning Best Musical tops Merman not getting the award for GYPSY.

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"Don't forget, GG beat out Broadway shows last year to win the Outer Critics' for best musical. (It also got best actress.)"

Unless I'm much mistaken, GG won best OFF-Broadway musical at the outer critics last year, so it didn't beat out Broadway shows. I think Jersey Boys won best Broadway musical. But yes, Ebersole did win best actress over people from Broadway shows.

Personally, I think Ebersole had so much more to work with-Edie Beale has a ton of depth and quirks to play around with, so I don't really find it surprising that she found so much poignancy in the character. She's still amazing, but I was actually more impressed by Audra's finding so much depth in a character that I always thought of as kinda boring. Granted, they won't necessarily reward Audra for having a harder job, but if they do take the nature of the roles into account, I think Audra does a lot more with what she's got. But then, she has won four Tony Awards-maybe it's time to give someone else a chance.

"why does everyone on this board have such a love Jones for Audra? She is not an earth-shattering talent..."

Thank you! I've always thought she had a nice voice, but her acting was only okay. I saw her in "Ragtime" and thought Mary Louise Wilson should have won for her amazing performance in "Cabaret. Saw her in "Marie Christine" and thought she was fine, not superior. I think she'd have been better off staying an opera singer, personally; a pretty voice with little acting skills, IMO. (I know hailstones will come down on me for this!)

But, I must disagree with the fact that you think the Tony won't do anything for Christine's career. It will elevate her, I think. She'll get more choices and better roles.

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"It would be the biggest travesty that Tony's have made since not awarding Merman the award for Gypsy."

You have to look at who won, though.

Mary Martin for The Sound of Music. I'm not saying I'd have given it to Martin over Merman, but someone would be justified in doing so, I think.

It is like when someone mentions what a travesty it is that, say, Pippin didn't win Best Score. Well, it was beaten by A Little Night Music. I would have voted the same way.

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"But, I must disagree with the fact that you think the Tony won't do anything for Christine's career. It will elevate her, I think. She'll get more choices and better roles."

Sadly, I don't think winning another Tony for Grey Gardens will really have much of an impact on the direction of Ms. Ebersole's career.

Winning a Tony just doesn't necessarily translate into more and better opportunities. And she has already won once before.

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While she has won four times, she has yet to win a Leading Actress Tony. All four of her wins were for Featured Actress.

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Wasn't Ebersole considered a leading actress for 42nd Street?

"why does everyone on this board have such a love Jones for Audra? she is not an earth-shattering talent; and once again we have PC casting for this good not great musical."

Well I love Audra because I believe her performances and feel like she is always honest. To say her talent is not earth shattering is only your opinion. I am, like most moved by what she does. Clearly she makes a connection with people, you just happen not to be one of them, not your fault but don't take that away from Audra. You just don't get it, not a bad thing just the truth. AND WHAT THE HECK DOES PC CASTING MEAN HERE!?

As for saying "think she'd have been better off staying an opera singer, personally; a pretty voice with little acting skills, IMO".
Clearly you are just wrong, the fact she has four tony's and emmy nomination means that she would not heve been better off staying an opera singer and that by doing that she would have been limiting herself to one medium. If she was failing as a broadway star and actress that would make since. How would she be better off, if you are one of the few people that feel that way?

Updated On: 5/6/07 at 07:33 PM