2011 Outer Critics Circle Nominations Announced! SISTER ACT Leads! — Page 3

Sooo glad Women On The Verge is getting some nominations. I really hope it gets a lot of nominees at the Tonys. I would love to see it take nominations for best musical, best score, and orchestrations.

---

Wow, the lack of any nominations for Peter and the Starcatcher is probably the most egregious of this year's omissions.

Could there be a particular reason why?

I was wondering the same thing, adamgreer. At first, I thought maybe shows at New York Theatre Workshop aren't considered off-Broadway, so maybe it wasn't eligible. But I feel like shows from there have been eligible in the past. So I have no idea.

I don't want to diminish Laura Benanti's performance in Women On The Verge, because I saw it and LOVED her in it, but I agree with the poster who said she did what she had to do it in. I do think there are featured actress performances currently on Broadway that are just as good as hers.

That song was the standout. Like I said, I enjoyed the show; I also enjoyed Benanti. But what I meant by, "taking the easy road," is that she didn't do that much with the role. I do not at all think Pepa should be made dramatic, and that's not what I said.

She performed the material she was given, and that's all. Nothing more, nothing less. The material she was given, happened to be comical lines, and a killer song.

You said it yourself, she lucked out, "nearly everyone [you] know that saw it and most people on this board said that that song was the standout." The song would have been a standout if multiple actress performed it; Benanti did not do as much as she could have, that's all I'm saying.

---

"I'm sorry, but I just don't understand this line of thinking about Benanti (if I'm getting this correctly). She had a great song and a very funny role, but it takes a great performer to really sell comedy well. Though Nikki M. James was terrific as Nabalungi, I'm sure her understudy would be just as good."

and speaking of understudies, Benanti's understudy was just as good, if not better. More depth from her, you could really feel her fear instead of her just trying to land jokes. Voice not as "Broadway perfect", but I'll take passion over perfection when it comes to the voice anytime.

doesn't matter anyway, the industry has it's faves, and Benanti will win on that alone.

---

Once again, I never said Laura Benanti was not a good performer. I think she's excellent; it's my feelings on her that makes me feel that she was just taking the easy route with her role, and not doing all she could. Leading me to the conclusion that it's just an excellent role. While Benanti is also fabulous, she played it simple with this.

---

I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that I didn't mean to insinuate that there was something lacking in Benanti's performance. My feeling is that she gave a great performance in a role that was written to be a standout.

---

Thank God for the NYTimes for being the voice of reason.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/sister-act-and-anything-goes-lead-outer-critics-circle-nominations/?ref=theater