Best and Worst Tony award performances

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:00pm

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!!!!!!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:02pm

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.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:02pm

I wasn't a big fan of the "Wonderful Town" performance with Donna Murphy last year

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:06pm

Even the Wicked performance sucked last year.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:09pm

I agree about Wicked, Idina Menzel sounded shakey

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:09pm

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."

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:11pm

I found Emily and Alice's Side Show number to be very touching and emotional.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:16pm

Well, I was at the Tony's last year (and watched them on T.V.)

Tonya was horrible and turned me off of the show. I have since hezrd her voice and think she was in bad voice.

Idina and Wicked - well, it was a lot worse there than on TV.

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:18pm

The best, for me, was Jennifer Holliday doing "And I am Telling You" from Dreamgirls.
Updated On: 4/24/05 at 02:18 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:19pm

Wasn't there also a nominated revival of DREAMGIRLS and they again sang "And I'm Telling You"? Who was Effie in this one?

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:29pm

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.

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:33pm

1985: Jim Dale reading his lyrics for a Cy Coleman tribute from the inside of his cowboy hat.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:40pm

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.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:42pm

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.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:45pm

I totally forgot about the Hines/Lane ladies tribute. That was great fun.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:49pm

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.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:50pm

It was that bad. And her gasping for air didn't help any.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:52pm

It was before she won, because her award was like 3rd to last......

[Derek]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:16pm

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

[DefyGravity23]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:35pm

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.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:39pm

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

[magruder]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:40pm

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)

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

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:41pm

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.

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

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:45pm

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.....

[TonyBWay]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:48pm

The excerpt from the WILL ROGERS FOLLIES was pretty memorable in my mind.