Can We Finally Talk About Who Will Win The Tony For Best Musical?- Page 2

[dreaming]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 8:26am

I can't say I think all four girls from Matilda deserve to win-it's the ROLE that wins in this instance and not the individual performances. I know the Billy boys won-and it set a terrible precedent. They should give the girls a special award. It's not fair to the actresses who go on eight times a week (say what you want about child labor and difficulty of the role, but Lilla Crawford goes on six to eight times a week I believe).

The Billy Elliott ruling was not really all that popular after it happened-let's see how it affects the girls playing Matilda.

I'd love to see Annaleigh Ashford over Andrea Martin. Ashford's growth as a performer has been amazing. She deserves this recognition.

[Patash]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:53am

I'm always a little puzzled by comments like this:

"I find it weird saying this, but I hope Bring It On isn't forgotten. Actually thought it wasn't that awful."

So Tony Awards aren't for wonderful theatre, or even very good theatre, but rather awards to acknowledge shows that aren't that awful?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:10am

Can we please put the Matilda/Annie argument to rest? The girls playing Matilda are nine and ten, the youngest ages for any leading actor or actress ever in Broadway history. Matilda is a much more difficult role than any in every way. I think the role warrants four girls playing it. The particular performance I saw last night was definitely worthy of Tony consideration.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:21am

Ashford's growth as a performer has been amazing.

Okay, I like her, but I couldn't agree less. The woman is funny and talented, but she plays every single role with the same shtick. What growth..?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:27am

I don't think I can ever be convinced that multiple nominees is "right".

How can all four (or whatever the number is) all be the best? NONE of the Billys were the most outstanding performance.

I'm not saying that it isn't impressive what any of these children are doing -- but they shouldn't get different consideration BECAUSE they are children.

As to a separate award -- how will they determine that? And what bad feelings will occur? No one wanted to nominate one Billy over the other to spare the feelings of the others. JUST because they are children doesn't give them more right to a statue.

I don't pretend to know the answer, but I don't like this one.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:35am

Also, the award is for the best work by an actress in a featured role. Not for most improved.

On the Matilda/Billy thing...

Audiences and people as a whole are just very susceptible to children doing things that children aren't perceived to be able to do. There used to be extremely lucrative productions in the 19th century of children as Hamlet and other outrageous roles. And in this year, there isn't yet a frontrunner "adult". Patina Miller might emerge as that.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:56am

I'm susceptible to that, sure, but am only impressed when it's an actual great performance by a child actor. I don't discriminate either way when it comes to age.

I thought Trent Kowalik was pretty brilliant in my opinion. A standout performance for me that season. So I guess I would have voted for the Billy team. So sue me.

[Serpentstoooth2]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:06pm

Isn't it time for a new category like 'best child actor' as most seasons have shows with kids in it and it doesn't seem fair to put kids up against adults

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:11pm

But not enough to create the competition. This is an exceptional year as far as that goes with: The Matldas, The Annies (and maybe some standout orphans) and the kid playing in Pippin. (Am I forgeting anyone?) What about the years that it IS only one show?

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:19pm

Dramamama, there's also Johnny Rabe (the lead in A Christmas Story) and the younger child who played his brother.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:21pm

But this is an exceptional year for children's roles. It won't be like this all the time.

Were there "any" last year? Or since Billy Elliot?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:32pm

They don't have a separate category at the Oscars, Grammys, or Emmys (all right, maybe the Daytime Emmys). I don't think it's necessary. This year, we had Quvenzhané Wallis up against Emmanuelle Riva, the youngest and oldest Best Actress nominees respectively. They should be competing against each other in the same category, not separate ones.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:07pm

^ Yes.

And let's be honest here, it's not like there is a plethora of performances each year that are Tony-worthy, or even nomination-worthy. There are (generally speaking) barely enough nominees to fill the five spots. It's not like the Oscars where tons of actors or actresses have a shot at a nomination and are "snubbed." If they add a category for "Best Young Performer" and eliminate those eligible for that award for the other acting awards, they'll really be stretching themselves thin in terms of nominees. More than usual.

In my opinion, there is no reason the Matilda girls shouldn't be nominated together. They share the role because they are children, therefore they should share the nomination. It is entirely a Leading Actress performance from what I understand (I see it tomorrow) and should be treated as such. If a part was so demanding that an adult actress would need an alternate as often as every other performance, I would imagine they would both be nominated together as well. I understand that all the Tony voters won't see each actress play the part, but I try to assume that there are enough voters that they collectively saw a nice spread of each girl taking on the role and voted for the individual girl they saw, which would lead to a consensus that they each gave strong enough performances to win (if they do).

Frankly, the Tonys are arguably the most commercialized awards ceremony in show-biz and I don't think the Billys or the Matildas sharing a nomination or a win is the biggest concern this awards show has... Updated On: 3/10/13 at 01:07 PM

[PopAria]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 3:08pm

Billy Porter - Best Actor …. or at least nominated for Best Actor in a Musical. Seriously though. Was it just me that was impressed with him at Kinky Boots?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 3:23pm

Frankly, the Tonys are arguably the most commercialized awards ceremony in show-biz

How so? I can't think of any awards more rooted in sales and commercialism than the Oscars and the Grammys. I'm sure producers are hopeful that Tony nominations and/or wins will translate to ticket sales, but it's no guarantee for a struggling show and never has been.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 5:46pm

I may be alone in this opinion, but I wouldn't rule Lauren Ward out yet either (I didn't see Pippin up in MA, so I can't comment yet on what Andrea Martin does though, of course, have seen the raves for her here on the board). I thought her rendition of "My House" was heartbreaking, and watching Miss Honey's journey through the show is almost as deep as Matilda's story. Like I said, I haven't seen Pippin yet, but of the shows I have seen Lauren Ward is currently my front-runner for the award (assuming she will be kept in the Featured Actress category as to not draw attention from the Matildas).

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 5:58pm

AEA -- I haven't seen Matilda yet, but Andrea Martin is OUTSTANDING. Stop-the-show outstanding. I hadn't felt that way about a single moment since Jane Krakowski (sp?) in the Nine revival.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 6:07pm

That's what I've heard, dramamama. I'm excited to get to see her as I've always loved her (My Big Fat Greek Wedding came on TBS while I was finishing up my workout at the gym this afternoon, and I came very close to staying on the elliptical well past when I was finished just to stay and watch it for the "What do you mean he don't eat no meat?" scene).

[Playbilly]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 6:08pm

I think WickedRocks means that a Tony or loss more directly affects the commercial aspects of the property. Because, obviously, the Tonys is inherently a regional award show.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 6:23pm

As to the Matilda/Billy question, not to keep beating a dead child's horse, but I think the main difference between children and adults as for joint nominations is that the productions themselves consider all the rotating performers to be of equal importance. The Playbills for these shows each list all the rotating stars (inserts are used to indicate who you're seeing that performance) and, save for those who see the shows repeatedly and see different casts, the performer you are seeing is billed as a co-equal lead. I personally find the Tony's acceptance of this nature to be charming, and have no problem with the shared nominations, when they occur in situations like this.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 8:17pm

What Playbilly said, and also the general theme that the most "tourable" or "commercial" show generally wins Best Musical (or benefits most financially from the telecast), unless it's something like THE ADDAMS FAMILY which got universally panned. Of course there are exceptions to the rule (AVENUE Q, ONCE, etc...) but generally, that's just the way it goes. Look at the Oscars, where THE ARTIST won Best Picture last year, but only grossed somewhere around $45,000,000 in the US. Sure, shows like ONCE can best the more commercial rival to win the award, but ONCE was still doing gangbusters at the box office, well before the Tonys.

I mean, if we have another JERSEY BOYS performance on the Tonys, I'll go crazy. It's not like the Oscars honor TITANIC and AVATAR every year.

Not sure if that makes any sense...I haven't eaten dinner yet and my head's a little all over the place. :)

[mikey2573]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 8:30pm

I am another one who hopes the Tony voters don't forget A CHRISTMAS STORY. I thought it was delightful from beginning to end. I think Johnny Rabe should get a nom for Best Actor (he was on stage for most of the night)and I think John Bolton should win for Best Featured Actor --I think his portrayal of The Old Man was far more nuanced that Cavel's evil headmistress. Not only that, he's been playing hte role literally for years. His devotion to that show and the role is quite admirable. And he was fantastic! The kids in that show were also incredible --they were very talented but did not come across as "Show Bizzy" smart alecs. But I am definitely rooting for this show (and I hope it comes back next year).

[roadmixer]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:17pm

My vote is against the idea of "bundling" the actors sharing a role. Was this done when other shows had "alternates" of the adult variety such as EVITA where the lead didn't do all 8 shows contractually? The award is to a performer (singular). It undervalues the entire premise when you try to say that because there are four munchkins playing the role, they should share it. Tony voters aren't going to be invited to the show 4 times to see all 4 performers are they? Perhaps one of the girls is worthy of the award but the others aren't. Should they still share it? NO. It is a nice marketing gimmick for a show like BILLY ELLIOT or MATILDA but the practice needs to be stopped IMO.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:42pm

Your post, roadmixer, addressed the exact mindset I was speaking to: we aren't talking about "alternates" where one actress is nominally the lead and other(s) are contractually obligated replacements during a run. (Let's not forget that FELA! deemed Sahr Ngaujah the official Lead - he was reviewed by all the media, if I recall - and Kevin Mambo was explicitly labeled the "Alternate.") The Billys and Matildas are specifically deemed to be equals and all the Collective Leads. This is not a situation akin to Alternates, this is altogether different.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:51pm

My predictions for Best Revival/Musical nominees...

MATILDA
KINKY BOOTS
HANDS ON A HARDBODY
MOTOWN

Alternates: CINDERELLA (if eligible, which I'm sure it won't be), BRING IT ON, A CHRISTMAS STORY

ANNIE
THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD
PIPPIN
CINDERELLA (if eligible, which it should be)

Would they possibly change the rule and have only three nominees? This reminds me of the 2011 Tony Awards with Best Actress... they had fewer nominees because only 5 of 6 eligible would be nominated.