Are the Matildas the most talented kids on stage this season?

[mikey2573]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 7:46pm

I am trying to figure out why they are getting a special Tony Award. The Matilda I saw was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. She sang ok, she moved well and played the bland character as best as can be expected. But I did not walk out thinking, "Oh my God, that was an incredible performance by a child" like I did at BILLY ELLIOT. Or like I did after A CHRISTMAS STORY. Johnny Rabe had an incredible singing voice, tons of stage presence, and comic timing that would rival some of the best comedic actors out there. WHy isn't he being recognized? Not to mention little Luke Spring, who I believe was mentioned positively in almost every review (and was featured prominently in the NY Times review). I am not trying to be mean to the Matildas, but I think there were little ones on stage this season who surpassed or rivaled them, sometimes just because they had a better part.
So, why are the Matildas getting a special Tony??

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 7:55pm

I don't have a damn clue why they're getting a "special" Tony. I think it's absurd, actually.

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:00pm

I actually found the kids in Christmas Story more impressive than the Matilda girls. Now I loved Matilda but those kids were actually giving quite a performance in Christmas Story.

Updated On: 5/20/13 at 08:00 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:05pm

I agree. It's like a token Tony because someone felt bad the 4 girls were not allowed into the regular best actress category.

The Matilda I saw was sweet, nice voice at times, ok actress but I didn't go WOW after her performance. She was certainly not MORE talented than say Lilla Crawford as Annie. I personally think Lilla is more talented but she is at the very least equally talented. How come she doesn't get a special award? She has gone on 5-7 times a week since November while these girls are only on 2 times a week..and is still a strong member of the cast many months later.

I think the committee decided this too quickly to avoid criticism for excluding them in the the best actress category and didn't think it through. And now it's too late to do anything about it.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:09pm

This really is going to open a can of worms when it comes to other shows with kids in them wanting to give them automatic special Tony awards for no reason at all.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:14pm

Agreed. Absurd and a mistake. Should have kept them in the competitive category and NOT nominate them. They were NOTHING special and only perform twice a week.

The Matilda I saw acted with her accent. She never shed one flare of emotion the entire show. Her choreographed dances were very mathematical...I could see her going through the counts and rhythm in head.

The kids of Billy Elliot deserved the win. Their triple-threat performance came from real emotion and was executed flawlessly.

The kids from A CHRISTMAS STORY were more deserving than the actresses playing Matilda. Heck, the ensemble kids from MATILDA were more deserving than the Matildas.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:16pm

What an interesting point with A Christmas Story; I didn't think of that. Add me to those who find this special TONY absurd. I still feel terrible for Lilla Crawford, who is a standout in a lackluster production, plays an iconic title role, and is getting no recognition. I am not saying that warrants an award or even a nomination, but given the circumstances, I feel terrible.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:19pm

Did they give a reason why they were getting the awards? And will these awards count for their total won for the night? Because that's bullshlt that they have an automatic four Tony awards to their shows name.

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:30pm

In my opinion, if the Broadway Matildas were more like these Matildas, I could understand, these girls are terrific.


The London Matildas Updated On: 5/20/13 at 08:30 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:34pm

In 2003 they gave the same special award to the leads of La Boheme, so there is a precedent for honoring a role that is shared by numerous actors who have been deemed ineligible for the competitive awards.

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:36pm

I imagine the special award will count towards Matilda's total, but it should be one not four, as with Billy Elliott. For what's worth, I thought the Matilda I saw, Milly Shapiro, was terrific specifically because she didn't display overt emotion. I was lucky to sit close, so I don't know what read farther back, but I found her fascinating. I was more moved by her performance than most any other I saw on Broadway this spring.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:08pm

And will these awards count for their total won for the night? Because that's bullshlt that they have an automatic four Tony awards to their shows name.

Oh I GUARANTEE you they will count them in their Tony count.

[The Josh]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:18pm

I was more impressed with the kids in the ensemble than Matilda herself.

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:44pm

For those who have seen more than one Matilda, which one is the best? I havre heard that generally Bailey and Milly seem to be the favorites.

[Citygirl.grace]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:27pm

I think the Matilda ENSEMBLE kids are better than the Matildas.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:30pm

I think the Matilda ENSEMBLE kids are better than the Matildas.

I wouldn't say "better," as Matilda certainly does at least equal, if not more, work as the ensemble in terms of performing. But if the 4 actresses playing Matilda are just being given awards, the ATW should at least give an award to the full child ensemble.

But I agree, the honor is ridiculous. If you want them to be recognized, nominate them and have them earn the votes just like every other noninee.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:33pm

Except if they were nominated, people would bitch that they didn't deserve to be because the role is split.

Personally, I think the decision is fine. I don't know if it would have been right having 4 actors sharing a role compete with people playing something eight times a week, but at the same time it would have been ridiculous to not have the leading actors in a show not eligible for any recognition whatsoever. Plus, as has been mentioned, this sort of award has been given before, so it's not like there's no precedent.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:09am

Yes but if they were nominated, they probably wouldn't have won so the bitching would stop. Or they might not have even been nominated...because there was an abundance of good lead actresses this year. Everyone assumed that Lilla would get a nomination and maybe she would have if there were 6 nominees but there could only be 5.

I personally still have a huge problem with any actress getting an award when the nominating committee probably hasn't seen all of them in the part. I highly doubt the voters that decided to give them the special recognition saw all four Matilda's...so someone is getting an award because they assumed she was great? That makes no sense to me at all.

[hanabana]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:40am

I agree with those of you who mentioned Lilla Crawford. If the Matilda girls are getting a special Tony, I think Lilla Crawford definitely deserves one. I have nothing against the Matilda girls, they are wonderful, but Lilla performs most shows and is very talented as well. I don't see the logic here in the differential treatment.

[newintown]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:03pm

I tend to find myself on the opposite side of the fence from the vocal majority on the what constitutes good acting (for adults or children).

I thought that all the children in Matilda were leagues better than the children in Annie or A Christmas Story, who (to me) were doing that plastic, big-eyed, over the top, child acting that so many seem to think is high art. In Billy Elliot, the audience seemed to go simply mad when Billy did his angry dance, screaming his little screams throughout.

Subtlety seems to be in very low demand; but I treasured it at Matilda.

[Belle9]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 4:26pm

I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I'm just wondering, were they not eligible or was this a special distinction? If they weren't eligible, was it because they share the part or because they're kids?

I saw Matilda, A Christmas Story, and Annie this season. To be honest, Annie seemed to impress me the least. But of course, it's all a matter of opinion. The A Christmas Story kids were extremely impressive, as was the Matilda ensemble. I saw Sophia as Matilda in previews. I can't say she was the best child actress I've seen, but given the difficult subject matter, the direction, and of course her very young age, I was impressed.

[John Adams]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 4:49pm

>> "I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I'm just wondering, were they not eligible or was this a special distinction? If they weren't eligible, was it because they share the part or because they're kids?"

This was touched on in other threads, but my opinion is that this was a special, non-competitive award, created for this season only so that the Tony committee could avoid the negative grumbling that occurred when the boys won for Billy Elliott.

Unfortunately, they did this in a season that's unusually chock-full of kids on Broadway. By trying to side-step one problem, they created another.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 4:57pm

Except the Matildas were considered ineligible for a nom, no? But Lilla Crawford and Johnny Rabe were eligible...just not nominated.

[John Adams]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 5:34pm

>> "Except the Matildas were considered ineligible for a nom, no? But Lilla Crawford and Johnny Rabe were eligible...just not nominated."

IMO, Young Actors (there's actually a legal definition for them in New York) should never compete with adults. It's "unfair" competition for many reasons, not the least of which is that Young Actors are required by law to maintain their academic grades or lose their job (which supports, in part, the benefit of multi-casting). Adult actors aren't subject to that restriction.

IMO, Young Actors should have their own, non-competitive category, without necessarily being restricted to just ONE recipient (it's a non-competitive citation, after all).

Above all, I think that Young Actors should *always* be considered ineligible to compete with adults, in the adult categories. It would only be a "fair" comparison of work under the rarest of circumstances. Updated On: 5/21/13 at 05:34 PM

[mamarosesturn]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 6:12pm

I agree completely about Lilla Crawford! That child is carrying the whole show in ANNIE. She's in almost every scene. I haven't seen MATILDA yet so I am not saying this to say anything that's not in favor of those girls getting a special Tony, but since they're splitting the role four ways, and Lilla's taking on hers by herself, I do wish she'd get a special award, too. Those ANNIE kids are doing a great job!

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 06:12 PM