Chenoweth no Tony for Wicked because she was Christian? — Page 2

Nobody would hire them because nobody wants to be judged through those giant clenched smiling teeth.

That hack Neil LaBute is a Mormon convert/bad off-Broadway playwright.

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"speaking of Mormons.... does anyone actually know of a Broadway performer who has been LDS?"

A few of them have ended up in Les Miz on Broadway, actually:

Christeena Michelle Riggs, Candese Marchese, Kevin Odekirk, Tregoney Shepard.

Also, on tour (and/or other shows): Brian Neal Clark, David Barrus, Nancy Foster, Will Swenson, Keala Settle (I think), Nicole Riding, Paul Canaan, Dallyn Vail Bayles, Mindy Smoot.

Matthew Modine and Wilford Brimley are also LDS.

Those are just the ones I can think of. No, I'm not LDS. I just have a crazy memory.


Great article by Nicole Riding (WONDERFUL former Eponine u/s on tour)

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Updated On: 9/18/05 at 01:14 AM

Mindy Smoot. Say it twice and it's almost like praying.

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What the heck is "LDS"?

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i dont know if she intended this to sound the way it does. unbiasedly is sounds like she's scapegoating, but from all accounts of her personality I dont think she would really mean it this way. I think she's talking about the entertainment industry as a whole and making an example of wicked.

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I think with the growing affect of the Religious Right on this country, it's not just show business where people watch everything you do. Due to the closed-mindedness that exists in our government I think Christian has become, to some people, synonymous with intolerant.

Kristin has set an example by being openly supportive of things that many Christians find offensive. Lets not forget that she was asked to withdraw from that concert in Oklahoma City because of her belief that God loves all people. Give her a break. People are now against her in two very important aspects of her life: Her career and her faith.

Elphaba... get off my back.

What I meant was that she seems to be playing herself off as a victim here. Yea, ok there were problems. We know that, but to play it off as an attack on your faith is just a desperate cry for attention.

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I don't believe Kristin meant that her Christianity affected the Tony race. Her point was that she was unsupported by the producers because of her intent to leave at the end of her contract.

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People who assume that all Christians are intolerant are themselves bigots because they make sweeping assumptions about an entire group based on the actions of a few in that group.

The world of Christianity is more than just the religious right.

What sort of surprised me is that Kristin said, "When people found out I was Christian..." as if she's saying she's hiding something. It's not like Christianity is some minority that no one has heard about.

It doesn't matter at all what religion you are if you are, unless your beliefs make you not want to do nude scenes..etc.

I think it's a psychological thing- like taking a placebo- when you justify someone's actions based on a belief that you find out they have after not previously knowing they had that belief.

If someone says, "I don't like cauliflower." And you think, "Why in the world doesn't that person like cauliflower?" but then find out that his religion doesn't accept cauliflower, you will see the justification behind their actions due to their religion.

I think this is what KC was talking about when people justify her actions due to Christianity. This happens to me. People think, "Oh, well she's an atheist, so her views are different from mine."
All this stereotyping and justifying isn't helping to keep the peace.

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It's an insult to Idina Menzel and the Tony Awards in general to imply that Cheno "lost" the Tony because of ther religion.

It's Anti-Semitic to imply Idina won because of her religion.

Corine2 -
I am tired of people misusing the phrase "stole the show". You can't "steal the show" of you are already THE LEAD ROLE. Who the hell are you stealing it from?

Yes, Cheno "stole" the show in YAGMCB, since Sally is a supporting character.

Saying she "stole the show" in Apple Tree is like saying Bernadette Peters "stole" GYPSY, or Nathan Lane "stole" FORUM. You can't steal something that is rightfuly yours!

A curious interview... but I didn't get that she "lost" her Tony because she was Christian. She said she felt she lost it because she chose to leave the show when her contract was up, and was told the producers wouldn't spend money to promote her for the award if she made that decision. (Don't you just love show biz?) But I've got a better idea... maybe (just maybe) she lost it because the voters chose Idina instead.

The article was for a Christian publication, so of course it's going to have a religious spin on it, emphasize her beliefs and show how they play a decision in her professional life. She does act like once she was "outed" as a practicing Christian, people treated her like a leper.

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i have been in this business for a very very long time and unfortunately there is some truth to what is being said. the fact that one is not jewish in NYC theatre quite frankly can be a handicap. i have been on the receiving end of this many times, but of course..concrete proof is hard to come by...but trust me it is there...not just in theatre but in many NYC businesses...but please remember this is not limited to nyc...in the midwest the same happens i.e. if you are catholic being jewish isnt very popular...