Breaking: Tony Committee Decides Eligibility on Slew of Shows, Matilda Girls NOT Up for Best Actress But Recognized- Page 5

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:18pm

Bjh, to be fair look again, I said nothing about any message boards now you too have called me out, as wicked did to start this pointless back and forth- hostile place? Point proven. I'll be the bigger man and stop now.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:19pm

Sure they do. They matter more than anyone with only 7 years of posting. And certainly less than a full year.


That's the way it works around here. Seniority.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:27pm

Get over yourself! Opinions are like a******* everyone has the whether its a year's time or ten years time on here, it makes no one more right! It's a community where we all have healthy conversations about theatre, we're a microcosm of people from different backgrounds and ages, it's nice to hear all points of view, but you have no idea about anything about me, I could be 20yrs your senior but have only been a part of this community for a year, oh well! I have the right to share my opinion just as much as anyone else! I'm not losing sleep over the fact I'm labeled as a "standby"! What exactly is the prize for being here the longest? You sure aren't mentoring us newbies, instead you're negating our opinions and putting us down. I will continue to stand by my comments no regrets!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:31pm

Um....I was joking. Truly.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:32pm

They HAD to do something to recognize the efforts of the Matilda's or run the risk of being run out of town! Can you imagine what these boards would have looked like if the announcement was simply that they weren't eligible at all! come on people!

Bjh, to be fair look again, I said nothing about any message boards

Say what now?

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:58pm

I was simply stating people would've had a lot to say, not that we posters would be running after the Tony committee with torches and pitch forks Beauty and the Beast style! Wicked brought up the angry mob idea! It doesn't negate the fact wicked called me out and you went along with it! Drama mama, my apologies:) I see the humor now, this is precisely why I hate text messages, things get misinterpreted without vocal inflection. Truly, I'm over this and would like to see this topic back on track!

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 6:01pm

And Bjh, I said Tony voters don't care, that's why I requested you look again

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 6:30pm

^I'm not denying that ... I'm letting you know that Rocks was ALSO saying that voters don't care, but you seemed to think he was saying they DO care. He was agreeing with you.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 6:31pm

And nobody is "calling you out" lol. Not everything has to be an episode of Real Housewives. I was merely trying to correct a misunderstanding since you missed the point of Rocks' post.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 6:54pm

Could Patina and Laura jointly win the award! I'm rooting for both.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 7:00pm

It's great that they're being honored, but I am mad about this.

They gave THREE boys a Tony for their leading performances in Billy Elliot?

But, they can’t give FOUR girls a Tony nomination for their leading performances in Matilda?

REALLY, these girls are incredible and this is so hypocritical and unfair to the girls.

[BroadwayBaby2012]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 7:18pm

To help with everyone's confusion, here is the language from the Tonys rules:

"The written requests from a producer shall not in any way infringe upon the exclusive right of the Tony Awards Administration Committee to a) define a show as "new" or "revival" and b) place an eligible candidate in a category other than that indicated by the opening night program or requested by the producer."

So there is no way to jump to conclusions about what requests were made since the committee has such a board and aggressive discretion.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 7:19pm

I'm so glad that the Maildas are being recognized outside of the competitive categories. I thought that this is how they should have handled the Billys a few seasons ago. Lilla may very well get a nomination. But I saw her three times and I don't think that she's giving an award worthy performance.

Also, does this mean that Tom Sturridge is eligible for Leading Actor in a Play?

[Kelly2]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 7:20pm

^ Sorry, but I don't think the boys should've been nominated either. It sucks for the girls, I guess, but this is how it should be. It's not fair to their competition to evaluate a ten year old doing two performances a week by the same standards as someone giving a very emotionally and physically difficult performance eight times a week.

They're still getting recognized, which IMO is silly but they WILL be honored by the Tonys so I'm not sure what there is to complain about here.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 7:27pm

The New York Times reported that the producers petitioned for the four girls in Matilda to be jointly eligible for a nomination. They also reported that the producers petitioned Bertie for Leading Actor. Not sure about Nielsen, but I imagine the producers wouldn't want to put her in direct competition with Sigourney. That sounds like a committee decision.

[SamIAm2]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 7:56pm

It's possible that the committee decided, in retrospect, that making the three Billy Elliots eligible was a mistake and that they did not want to repeat the mistake with the Matildas. It could also be that the membership of the committee is different and that these folks just see it differently.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 8:02pm

I wonder what would have happened if the Billys were not nominated in 2009. Brian d'Arcy James won the Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Actor in a Musical that year for 'Shrek the Musical', but would he have won the Tony? Other people believed that it would've been J. Robert Spencer ('Next to Normal') or Gavin Creel ('Hair') that would've won that year.

[John Adams]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 8:22pm

>> "It's great that they're being honored, but I am mad about this."

As above posters have mentioned, nominating the Billys was probably viewed as a mistake. It seems that the Tony Committee might be looking to correct that mistake this year.

I do think it's unfair of the Committee to have made the decision to award the Matildas without giving Tony voters an opportunity to have a say. Perhaps Tony voters might feel that Lilla Crawford (or any of the other Young Actors currently working on Broadway) would be worthy of an honor as well?

If I had my 'druthers, I'd set a permanent restriction on Tony eligibility for all Young Actors (as they're defined by Actors Equity and New York law). It does not seem fair to have children compete with adults as professionals. The criteria used to evaluate their performances would very rarely place all the actors on an equal footing (a Young Actor would have to be exceptionally mature in their craft to compete with adults).

BUT... this year is an exceptional year for Young Actors on Broadway. There are two shows that both have large numbers of Young Actors as featured cast members. To allow the Tony Committee to unilaterally decide that the 4 Matildas are the only Young Actors worthy of being honored doesn't seem right, either. This isn't an honorary award like "lifetime achievement", etc., where it's appropriate for the decision to be made by the committee alone.

I think it would be better to establish an option for a "Young Actors" Tony every year. I'd like to see it as a write-in vote by Tony voters, with the award going to the Young Actor who receives a write-in vote from say, 30% of ALL Tony voters (i.e., if there are 100 Tony voters, the award would go to the Young Actor who received 30 write-in votes).

In the case of a tie, the Award would go to BOTH (what's the harm in encouraging young performers?). In years where there were no featured Young Actors, the option could simply be ignored by Tony voters. If NO Young Actor received 30% of the vote, could their performance really have been that good?

A separate category for Young Actors would allow for more flexibility in consideration (like multi-casting for a role) and eliminate the unfair competition between children and adults.



Updated On: 4/26/13 at 08:22 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 8:42pm

Also, does this mean that Tom Sturridge is eligible for Leading Actor in a Play?

OOOOH! I didn't even think about that. But yes, that's true. And there goes any hope of Orphans getting nominated for anything. Also, I'm surprised that Jeremy Shamos wasn't petitioned into leading for The Assembled Parties since there are maybe 2 scenes in the entire play he isn't in.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 10:50pm

I think Shamos is in the correct category. Although he's onstage for the majority of the play, he's rarely the center of focus within the plot. He doesn't have a "moment" to warrant a leading placement in my opinion. I could see Faye being a leading character before Jeff.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 11:03pm

Thanks for clarifying, bjh. And if you read my comment about being on this board, I simply said I was familiar with the snarkiness you spoke of, because I have seen it on here for nine years. I don't think my opinions are any less or any more important than anyone else's, nor do I think seniority rules. It wasn't a "point" to say I've been on here for that long, it was simply part of a larger remark regarding the cattiness on this board.

Taking my comments entirely out of context is cool too, though....

Anyway... I didn't even realize Sturridge is now leading. Any chance he could still sneak in? I feel like the supporting categories this year, all around, are kinda blah...

[bobs3]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 12:17am

It looks like the producers of ORPHANS didn't make a request to place Sturridge in featured category and since he is billed above the title he is considered lead.

That puts Jeremy Shamos (The Assembled Parties) and Bobby Cannavale (Glengarry Glen Ross) in good positions to win.

Richard Roma is meaty, scene-stealing role that has already won Tonys for Joe Mantegna and Liev Schrieber. Cannavale is one of those actors that everyone seems to like (both personally and professionally) so he has a good chance of being the third actor to win a Tony for this part.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 6:42am

I could not agree more. I hated when the 3 Billy Elliott's won...you either have the part or your don't. I doubt the committee saw all three at different performances and then how to do you vote for someone you haven't seen?
This has nothing to do with Matilda per se - and nothing about how talented anyone is..this is just a good rule period.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 7:05am

With Carvel now petitioned for lead, this means Mr. Wormwood has a shot at being recognized in the featured category, and I also predict 2 Matilda nominees (Miss Honey and Mrs. Wormwood) for the featured actress category

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 7:39am

That puts Jeremy Shamos (The Assembled Parties) and Bobby Cannavale (Glengarry Glen Ross) in good positions to win.

Could Shamos be nominated? Definitely. I'd put good money on it. Could he win? I suppose he COULD, but I'm leaning towards Tony Shaloub on that one.

Cannavale would be lucky to be nominated. I'll be shocked if Glengarry gets even a single nomination for this dud of a revival.