Actors / Actresses that should've won a Tony — Page 3

Ludlow29 said: "Jarethan said: "Ludlow29 said: "Penny Fuller in APPLAUSE, the best supporting performance I've ever seen in a musical. Saw the show out-of-town before the original "Eve" was replaced, and Fuller made all the difference in the world, nuanced, riveting, a powerhouse in her songs. Melba Moore was fine in PURLIE, stopping the show with "I Got Love" and funny in her cartoon-like performance. But Penny Fuller was astonishing."

Strongly disagree. I always liked Penny Fuller, thought she was a great Sally Bowles when she replaced Jill Haworth; but I thought she couldn't compete with Bacall and, in a made up role, Bonnie Franklin; the fact that she did not have a single good song didn't help.

Moore gave a great musical comedy performance. I Got Love is one of the most significant show stoppers in 50 years of theatergoing, and it was all because of Moore's voice. She was very funny and gave an extremely warm performance. IMO, it was one of the best supporting performances I have seen in any musical in a lifetime of theatergoing."

As they say, that's what makes horse-racing. The category was "Best Supporting Actress in a musical" not biggest show-stopper. The precise reason why Penny Fuller was brought in is that the performer who played the tryout couldn't hold her own against Bacall. Penny Fuller is foremost a great actress and not only held her own but IMO topped Bacall. Bacall was a dynamic personality, but not a standout actress—which is what Margo Channing is supposed to be. Fuller made (admittedly) problematic songs like 'Halloween" mesmerizing. Bonnie Franklin was playing Bonnie Franklin (the character was even named "Bonnie" and certainly had no acting challenge in her two numbers, "Applause" and "She's No Longer a Gypsy." Melba Moore is a dynamic singerand cartoonish actress, as evinced by her never having another role in which she was noted for her acting. "I Got Love" was written specifically for her rangy voice during previews of PURLIE; she didn't have to turn around songs that initially didn't work well—Fuller stopped the show on opening night with "Halloween" (I was there) just as Melba Moore would do with "I Got Love," asong that was delightful but had no story-telling arc. ALL ABOUT EVE is my favorite movie, and APPLAUSE (which was a disaster in its early tryout, which I also saw) was largely salvaged by Fuller. Moreover, the show was at its peak (at least for me) when Anne Baxter (another great actress) took over as Margo. During that juxtaposition, the show actually achieved one of the original intents of the movie: to make Margo and Eve two sides of the same coin (Anne Baxter was reportedly cast in ALL ABOUT EVE because she resembled Claudette Colbert, who dropped out because of an injury). And, if Jarethan is going to cite 50 years oftheatergoing, I too havebeen a NY theatergoer for more than 50 yearsand have worked as a musical theatre historian for the Berkshire Theatre Festival and a head writer for the New Amsterdam Theater Company. For me, the most dazzling showstoppers are those that tell a story, like when I saw Merman singing "Some People" and "Rose's Turn,"Robert Preston doing "Trouble," and Vivian Blainesinging "Adelaide's Lament" (which I saw in a Ciity Center revival). I don't mean to cite those facts as one-upmanship. Just as evidence that—like Jarethan—I have many years of experience to compare and back up what admittedly are opinions. - Michael Colby"

Clearly, we are never going to agree on Penny Fuller vs. Melba Moore, and really who cares.  The level of emotion in your response seems a little over-the-top for a message board filled with a lot of people with strong opinions.

The fact that you prefer show-stoppers that tell a story is fine; who could dispute the examples you give above.  I am not sure what that has to do with the original topic.  

Niki M. James is fabulous but I would LOVE to have seen Laura win for WOMEN ON THE VERGE!

GeorgeandDot said: "^Isn't every show just a staged version of the cast recording???"

Most are not...the big exception being the 'post-Lloyd Webber' musicals.  The cast recording normally whets my appetite (sometimes in a huge way, often not) to see the show, which will also include a book (that has not been on the cast recording historically), choreography (not Fun Home), creative staging, etc.  With Fun Home, I did enjoy the cast recording, but thought Bruce's and adult Alison's roles were 'truncated'.  I expected there to be more, given the lavish praise both received.  I assumed that would be clearer when I saw the show.  When I did see the show, I pretty much concluded that the cast recording was about as 'complete' as any I'd heard -- which was neither here nor there -- but personally was left with the same feeling.  I expected more and didn't get it.  Compound that with the fact that, despite paying a lot of money, I felt like I was watching backs of heads too much of the time; given the lavish praise (and Tony Award) that Sam Gold received, I guess I was expecting that somehow he'd 'solved' the Circle in the Square viewing dilemma (just as the Norman Conquests did brilliantly, to reference a semi-recent success story).  IMO he did not.

GeorgeandDot said: "Jarethan, I hate to ask this, but do you have a problem with gay people? I ask this genuinely."

I have occasionally wondered whether someone would assume that, given my dislike for the show and Emily Skeggs' song in particular, which I really hated.  I can only say that that is absolutely not the case.  

I also hated Cats, every production of Oklahoma I have ever seen, Smoky Joe's Cafe, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Grease, the 25th Annual Spelling Bee, Big River, and Fosse (referencing the Playbill list of long-runs) and was major disappointed by Annie, A Chorus Line, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Jersey Boys, 42nd St., Avenue Q, Dancin', They're Playing our Song, any live production of Sound of Music that I have ever seen, Billy Elliott, Once, and Newsies.  (Again only long-runs identified, as an easy reference).

I loved The Normal Heart (saw it 3 times in its limited engagement), Take Me Out, Love! Valor! Compassion!, Angels in America, Next Fall, The Nance, the original productions of Bent, the Ritz, Boys in the Band, Torch Song Trilogy, Gemini, The Fifth of July, Breaking the Code, Another Country (London), to name some shows I can think of off the top of my head.  I hated the original production of M. Butterfly (mainly because it seemed so preposterous and because it may be the only bad IMO John Lithgow performance that I have ever seen), as well as I Am My Own Wife.

So, Fun Home is clearly not singled out because of its gay themes...mainly because I just really didn't like it.