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Best and Worst Tony award performances

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#1

Best and Worst Tony award performances

What do you guys think were some of the best and worst(or not their best)performances at the Tony awards were?

I thought that Bernadette Peters singing "Rose's Turn" was Wonderful!!!!!!

#2

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

Worst-Sad to say, Tonya Pinkins' "Lot's Wife" last year. Brilliant on stage, not so brilliant on the Tony's where the number was totally out of context and cut to shreds. And she was in terrible voice. I think Ave Q faired best last year.
#6

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

Tonya Pinkins' "Lot's Wife" was very powerful and emotional, however her voice cracked several times.

Wicked's performance was horrible. The song was poorly condensed. A horrible performance of a decent song.

Ragtime and The Lion King's performances (in the same year) were outstanding. The audience ate 'em up.

Sandy Duncan's "I'm Flying" from PETER PAN was a HUGE crowd pleaser.

THE PRODUCERS chose a great number to do for the awards show. It showcased the plot and all its characters very well.

MILLIE was very nice to look at. It was outstanding - that is until the male ensemble came out to do the last chorus of "Thoroughly Modern Millie." I KNOW they wanted to showcase all the principals and the entire cast, but it took away from the performance of "Forget About The Boy."

42nd STREET wowed them, of course.

However, my ALL-TIME favorite Tony Awards performance actually comes from last year! The Opening Number with Hugh Jackman and the Jackettes, Rockettes, and Ensemble from this season's Broadway shows. A powerful WOW in-your-face spectacle!

Rosie's opening numbers were also enjoyable.

I LOVED how PARADE transitioned from "This Is Not Over Yet" to "The Old Red Hills of Home."
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#9

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

The best, for me, was Jennifer Holliday doing "And I am Telling You" from Dreamgirls.

Updated On: 4/24/05 at 02:18 PM

#10

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

Wasn't there also a nominated revival of DREAMGIRLS and they again sang "And I'm Telling You"? Who was Effie in this one?
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#11

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

Lilias White played Effie in the revival, but I don't know about a performance at the Tonys - it WAS nominated for best revival, but that is all.
#13

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

My favorite was the 2002 performance of "Run, Freedom, Run" from Urinetown. Hunter was awesome!

BTW, I was just thinking how cool it was that both Foster siblings got to perform lead roles @ the Tonys that year. And that their two shows were the two best contenders for 'Best Musical' that year. I'm sure everyone realized this three years ago, but I'm just now thinking about how cool it was. re: Best and Worst Tony award performances
awkward.

"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912

#14

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

BEST: (rather, My Favorites/Memorables...)
Nathan Lane and Gregory Hines doing their female songs medley.
"Kim's Charleston" from the Showboat revival
"Anything Goes" with Patti LuPone (just because chitownbob makes me watch it all the damn time!)

WORST:
Wicked. I'm sorry, I love Idina and Cheno despite myself, but that was a really badly cut part of the song, and Idina was shakey, and it really wasn't impressive....They could/should have given an amazing and inspiring performance, but really dropped the ball.
There's always room for pathos - and jazz hands.
#16

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

I saw the Wicked Tony performance online, I didn't think it was that bad. I thought Idina was shaky cause she was so emotional because she won the Tony, but I guess that performance was before she knew, right? I still thought she sounded good.
#17

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

It was that bad. And her gasping for air didn't help any.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#19

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

Yes, it was very obvious she was nervous. She was a pretty big newcomer to performing at the Tonys...even performing in General. She's only done 2 Broadway shows right? Anywho, I saw her live at the Gershwin so I know how she really sounds. Ill agree, it was a bad performance at the Tonys tho
#20

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

I'd have to agree Wicked was one of the worst. As much as I love wicked and I love Defying Gravity, their performance just wasn't very good. Although I watched it from a video on my computer so whatever.
#21

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

Defying Gravity was very bad.
Kristin got off key.
Idina changed her name to Gaspy McGasperson.
awkward.

"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912

#22

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

For Best performance ever, I'd call it a tie between Donna McKechnie, Margo Sappington and Baayork Lee doing "Turkey Lurkey Time" from Promises Promises in 1969, and Brent Barrett and Michael Jeter doing "We'll Take a Glass Together" from Grand Hotel in 1990.

Other favorites:

Barbara Harris, "Movie Star"/"Gorgeous" from The Apple Tree, plus the set falling over during the title song from Walking Happy (1967)
"24 Hours a Day" from Golden Rainbow (1968 )
"Tomorrow"/"You're Never Fully Dressed..."/"Easy Street" from Annie (1977)
"It's All Over" and "And I Am Telling You" from Dreamgirls (1982)
Dorothy Loudon performing "Vodka" (1983)
"Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar" from Big Deal (1986)
Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur recreating the Onna White choreography for "Bosom Buddies" from Mame (1987)
Ann Reinking stepping on Bebe Neuwirth's foot during the "Hot Honey Rag" from Chicago (1997)
Bernadette Peters performing "Rose's Turn" (2003)



"Gif me the cobra jool!"

Updated On: 4/24/05 at 03:40 PM

#23

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

The Dreamgirls revival didn't perform on the Tonys that year (though they did present the costume award). Lillias White was Effie for that revival.

Holliday and the original cast's performance of "It's All Over" and "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going" was certainly the greatest performance in the history of the Tonys IMO and I've seen them all.

I also liked:

-- the 1973 opening number with Gwen Verdon, Helen Gallagher, Donna McKechnie and Paula Kelley was remakable
-- Dorothy Loudon's "50 Percent"
-- Dorothy Loudon's "Vodka"
-- Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur "Bosom Buddies"
-- Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon "Nowadays" excerpt
-- The opening of the 1976 Awards with A Chorus Line's "I Hope I Get It"
-- Liza Minnelli "City Lights"

The only worst I'll name is the performance of "Aggie Song" from Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and not for the performers, but because of the CBS censors who bleeped out every fifth word in the song so it's pretty much unlistenable -- the dance is fun to watch though.

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

Updated On: 4/24/05 at 03:41 PM

#24

re: Best and Worst Tony award performances

I always felt

We'll Take a Glass Together from GRAND HOTEL was one of those defining moments when two incredible talents were shown as breakthough.....

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