So glad I didn't watch the Tonys live... Just catching up on DVR. My only real reason for recording it was hoping there would be a suitable tribute to ALW for his Lifetime Achievement Tony. That ridiculous flip flop of tunes from his works with Chita's performances was insulting - for both of them.
Featured Actor Joined: 9/1/14
It was really bizarre, no? They each should've gotten their own tribute.
I agree they deserved more. I understand the Springsteen ratings draw, but maybe it was unnecessary to present him with the award AND have him perform? And maybe not have the Summer performance? I don’t really see how anything else could’ve been cut, though.
kade.ivy said: "I agree they deserved more. I understand the Springsteen ratings draw, but maybe it was unnecessary to present him with the award AND have him perform? And maybe not have the Summer performance? I don’t really see how anything else could’ve been cut, though."
The Summer performance seems logical - how many years were non-nominated musicals snubbed from a performance slot?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
have to chime in and say the tribute mash up was offensive and small minded and alw and chita both deserve and have earned separate tributes
chernjam said: "The Summer performance seems logical - how many years were non-nominated musicals snubbed from a performance slot?"
Never? How many years did non-nominated not pay an extra quarter million to perform on an awards show? A lot.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
have to chime in and say the tribute mash up was offensive and small minded and alw and chita both deserve and have earned separate tributes
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
What actually was that? If anyone was at the actual show, I would appreciate a report of what the performance and acceptance speeches were actually like. The editing was so strange. I hope it wasn't that strangely abbreviated in person.
The special awards were given out during the pre-show awards. The performance during the show wasn’t the entirety of the tribute.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/2/14
VintageSnarker said: "What actually was that? If anyone was at the actual show, I would appreciate a report of what the performance and acceptance speeches were actually like. The editing was so strange. I hope it wasn't that strangely abbreviated in person."
i was there, it was odd.
The special awards were given out during the pre-show awards. The performance during the show wasn’t the entirety of the tribute.
Yes, we all understand this. We just want to know from those who attended the Tony Awards -- did the pre-show (prior to the live telecast) where they were actually presented their awards include a Kennedy Center Honors-type of tribute to ALW and Chita Rivera?
kade.ivy said: "I agree they deserved more. I understand the Springsteen ratings draw, but maybe it was unnecessary to present him with the award AND have him perform? And maybe not have the Summer performance? I don’t really see how anything else could’ve been cut, though."
I felt like John Leguizamo talked for like an hour.
Hell, I was more worried that they'd accidentally omit Jan Maxwell from the Memoriam sequence after what happened with her house-light-dimming...
My bf doesn't know much about theater and he's trying to learn more. This medley had him SO confused. I can't be mad that he now thinks ALW wrote Chicago & West Side Story and Chita Rivera played Eva Peron & Grizabella.
Updated On: 6/11/18 at 10:40 AM
I'd watch Chita Rivera play Eva Peron. Hell, I'd watch her play Che.
I think they should just award one person the lifetime achievement award each year rather than awarding multiple people one year and none the next, etc.
I'll say this for the medley... it proved that a live (or even semi-live) orchestra performing themes from JCS without one of Webber's flunkies wielding total control can give it more passion and excitement.
I was not really paying attention and at the end I thought they were celebrating Chita in Sunset Boulevard and I was VERY confused/disappointed that never happened.
bandit964 said: "My bf doesn't know much about theater and he's trying to learn more. This medley had him SO confused. I can't be mad that he now thinks ALW wrote Chicago & West Side Story and Chita Rivera played Eva Peron & Grizabella.
"
^ ^ ^ This times 10...
It was funny since when it was announced that Josh and Sarah were hosting and then ALW was getting the lifetime achievement, I expected they were going to do something since they've both recorded some of ALW's music in different forms. What a friggin embarrassment. I want to go back and see the tribute they did for Sondheim when he won that award.
Broadway Star Joined: 9/2/11
chernjam said: "I want to go back and see the tribute they did for Sondheim when he won that award.
I know these award shows have many different producers over the years. Whoever produced it when Sondheim won may have had better taste.
This medley was the low point in a very good evening, I thought. I can't be the only one who assumed both of them received lifetime achievement Tonys years ago.
Just watched Chita's speech...she is queen! Also, she "still has salt in the shaker!"
chernjam said: "
I want to go back and see the tribute they did for Sondheim when he won that award.
"
I was curious too and found this (jump to 1:39:35). Sondheim was unable to attend the Tony's back in 2008 so Mandy Patinkin dictated Sondheim's acceptance speech that evening.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
TheSassySam said: "I was not really paying attention and at the end I thought they were celebrating Chita in Sunset Boulevard and I was VERY confused/disappointed that never happened."
But Rita Moreno did do Sunset Boulevard, so you could kind of say that Chita did it
I didn't so much have a problem with the mashup montage as I did with the fact that they didn't present the awards at the point, rather than earlier and off-camera.
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