"Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life" to be considered a Musical by the Tonys- Page 4

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:55pm

Is it possible that they are doing this because it has new music written for it? Was there new Music for, let's say, Elaine Stritch At Liberty? Just wondering.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:55pm

But Chita does have TWO Tonys now, so the omissions of the past are forgotten at this point -- at least by the committe members. I still think Lupone would be the favorite, with Friedman (especially considering her bravery through her cancer scare) and Rivera close behind.

And I wouldn't automatically hand the choreography Tony to Daniele just yet (especially since more than half of her work was recreating choreography from Robbins, Fosse etc... -- her own work here is fairly undistinguished). Regardless of what people end up thinking about the book or the overall show (and remember Chita's reviews were mixed for every element except for her), Maurice Hines will probably have a solid shot since he's creating a two+ hour all dance show with all original choreography (a la Tharp in Movin Out). I actually think he might be the favorite -- just for the sheer quantity of the dance being created. Marshall will also be in contention for her new choreography in Pajama Game.

I don't think Chita's show is the favorite in any category it could be nominated in -- not Best Musical, not Best Actress and not Best Choreography. The show could very easily go home empty handed as a Musical, but it almost surely would have won Best Special Event. If it were me, I'd have preferred the odds of having one Tony 100% guaranteed, to the situation now, where they maybe have a little less than a 50-50 chance for the choreography prize (which won't get Chita up on that stage and over the years has proven totally worthless in terms of marketing or box office), maybe a 1 in 3 chance at the Best Actress Tony (I think Sweeney is going to do a minisweep -- Revival, Direction, Lighting, Orchestrations -- and that momentum is going to propel Lupone -- and maybe Cerveris -- to Tony wins), and zero chance at Best Musical (its mixed reviews and low box office numbers guarantee it won't even be nominated -- the Best Musical prize is extremely valuable and the road voters would never give it to a show that by definition cannot spawn multiple touring companies; there's only one Chita -- and she's virtually unknown outside of NYC; she can barely sell tickets here, so imagine how badly the show would do out on the road).

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 01:55 PM

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:01pm

uncageg - didn't the blonde bombshell have new music written for her show?

And, Margo mentioned marketing.

I always thought of Chita's show as a special event. Wouldn't "TONY AWARD FOR BEST THEATRICAL EVENT" look better than "TONY NOM FOR BEST MUSICAL but this is really NOT an original musical"

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:05pm

Dame Edna had several new songs in her last show as well as back up dancers and was placed in the Special Event category. Mario Cantone also had two new songs written specifically for his show and was placed in the Special Event category.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:07pm

I am really rooting for Maria!

Patti was decent but I wasn't taken by her.

Chita and La Chaze are also awesome!

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:10pm

I'm rooting for LaChanze.

I think it's mainly because I saw Kenita first..and was blown away. But LaChanze just topped that completely.

(Doesn't it help to also see the understudy?)

I enjoyed Patti a lot - and she fit the production - but...I dunno...she wasn't my favorite. But I'd be happy if she won.

Friedman was also great - but the role is blah and save for one good song...

But then you add in all the personal things - LaChanze missing shows, Friedman's health battle...

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 3:14pm

Hmm, this may be a bit of a thread jack, and I know it's pointless to predict now but I can't help being curious...WBAF mentioned JB at this point prob the fav to win the Best Musical tony...w/ what's opened so far, would everyone agree? I certainly think it deserves and will get a nomination, and I suppose it's gotten the best reviews of any new work, but isn't it also possible that the Tonys' biased towards jukeboxes may prevent it from getting best musical? What do you guys think is the current front-runner?

I agree that since Chita and Patti have won Tonys, any omissions are forgotten. They may get votes for who they are, but not b/c they haven't won as many Tonys as they deserve as they have won 1 and 2 respectively.

And Ljay, I too adored Chita and the show. I love her, and especially WSS, and when she started A Boy Like That...I just...OMG was in heaven. Yes the show has flaws but of course I can overlook them to enjoy the show. But there's a difference between doing that and overlooking flaws to saying it deserves an award.

Well, I think it will be a VERY interesting/competitive year in the best actress category. I think though we may make predictions, all bets are off. Much like 2004, it could be a year where anyone could take it, and perhaps a bit upset. I am excited, and glad for Broadway that there are so far so many deserving performances this year.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 3:27pm

I side with Margo this time. If the Tony had ruled this a Special Event, they might as well have handed the award to Chita, she'd have won three Tony awards, she'd be happy, I'd be happy, and everything would have come up roses. Now this show is considered an actual musical (for no apparent reason), Chita has a chance of getting nominated for Best Actress (I think she will probably get nominated but it's not a lock like LuPone, Friedman, or LaChanze), she has the smallest chance of getting nominated for Best Musical, and perhaps the show might get a nomination for Choreography and Direction. Danielle will definitely not win in any category she gets nominated for because she never wins (lol) and because this time she didn't do a good job. If Chita wins it'd be purely for political reasons and just the fact she gets nominated completely messes up the category because I believe younger actresses like O'Hara or Benanti deserve a chance of a nomination, and Chita will be taking a spot and taking votes away from the three front-runners. Now, I'm even more convinced LaChanze won't win because she has big competition, I'm hoping for LuPone's second Tony. I'm very much confused by this decision.

EDIT: Margo, what dance show is Maurice Hines choreographing? Updated On: 1/27/06 at 03:27 PM

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 4:02pm

Isn't Hines doing Hot Feet (for the Hilton)? The EWF musical...

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 8:06pm

ljay889, did you see the same show I did? In fact, have you really actually even seen this show? Like really seen it?

"She goes in and out of characters portraying important people in her life."

Huh? What the heck are you talking about? What, she did a two-second imitation of Gwen Verdon? She had other actors pretending to be her family members for that dinner table sequence, OK...but that wasn't Chita.

"Not to mention she sings and dances her butt off,"

OK, she is 72 years old and wow, that's amazing, blah blah, but I wouldn't say she exactly "dances her butt off." Most of the time she's just standing there talking, sometimes singing, and she dances for a couple minutes here and there, all very basic stuff.

"I think the show is a lock for Best Choreography. That's practically in the bag."

Again, did we see the same show?! The only reason this show would even get a nomination for Best Choreography would be either because there aren't enough actual, real shows with choreography that deserve nominations, or because, as you campaigned earlier: Chita is Chita, she's a legend, she's amazing, this is her last chance, give her the Tony, others will have their chance in the future, give it to her, now, she's on her death bed.

See the show, buddy, then let's discuss.

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 08:06 PM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 8:43pm

I would have been happier if I hadn't predicted this. The politics of the Tony committee get more and more arcane. Agree w Margo too- Sweeny is gonna sweep.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 9:29pm

Yep, Foster! How did you know I never saw the show? Nope, never saw it. Just making it all up. I don't have my picture with Chita, and my original Chicago program signed by her. Made it ALL up. How the hell did you know? You amaze me!

Maybe Chita isn't your cup of tea? But I can look beyond flaws and enjoy the show for what it is. I was just happy to see someone I loved for so long for the first time, and to see her perform songs from my favorite musicals was great. Updated On: 1/27/06 at 09:29 PM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 10:06pm

In fact, ljay889, Chita is my cup of tea. I think Chita Rivera is an amazing performer and dancer. There are in fact many other great female performers; actresses, singers, dancers. But when you're talking about a specific role, a specific piece of work, a given performer is only as good as their material. I don't doubt that Chita was amazing in West Side Story, The Rink, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. She has indeed acheived legendary status and I have a great level of respect for her. And if there were an award to be given for acheiving such a status, I'd say Chita Rivera is a more than deserving recipient. If she was to be considered for a Lifetime Achievement Award, I'd be the first to say give it to this woman!

But the Acting award we're talking about is for her role in the piece, "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life" and the awards for Best Musical, Choreography, Direction and Design are for the "musical"--as the committee has deemed it, "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life". We are not talking about a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Best Leading Actress in a Musical isn't the Chita Rivera Award for being Chita Rivera. It's not the Patti LuPone Award for being Patti LuPone. If that was the way awards were made to work, then Patti wouldn't have won her Tony for Evita in the first place, Chita would not have been singled out and won her first Tony for the unsuccessful musical "The Rink".

That's not how this business works, and it's simply not fair. The Tony nominating committee put themselves into this odd situation. And I think the category of Best Special Theatrical Event was created specifically for pieces just like this work. Culminations of great careers. What a great way to make the artist stand alone and have her own special spotlight. Elaine Stritch got it, Billy Crystal did too, and it's really too bad that Chita isn't going to have the opportunity to get the special recognition for the category in which her show does belong.

Updated On: 1/28/06 at 10:06 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 10:15pm

I do see your points, Foster. I accept and respect them.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:51am

Ljay, I completely respect your views and as I've stated before I completely agree with you that Chita's performance is mind-blowing and spectacular, she has enough training to make the show work. However, you say you learn to look past the flaws and enjoy the show, but do you think a show in which you have to look past the flaws to enjoy it is worthy of a Tony nod. or a Tony award? I use this philosophy with a show like Wicked, a very flawed yet enjoyable show, but I'm glad a worthier show won the Tony that year. Chita is also one of my favorite performer and this was the second time I saw her live (got to see her as Roxie Hart) and I think she deserves a third Tony as much as you do, and this show should really be selling out because despite its flaws, it's enjoyable and it teaches you so much, it educates you as an audience member. Yet, that third Tony of Chita should be won for Special Event, not Best Actress, and Graciela Danielle's choreography and direction are not worthy of a Tony award in my opinion.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 10:12am

But I can look beyond flaws and enjoy the show for what it is

Yes but can the Tony voters? The general word of mouth that I've been hearing/reading from The Dancer's Life is Chita is a legend but she is poorly served by and ill conceived and clumsily executed show.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 10:37am

I wonder if the Tony Committe wanted to find a way to get Chita a Tony and Sarah Jones a Tony. This was a way to do it.
Unfortunately, it now sucks to be Patti, Laura, Carolee, Jessica or LaChanze. I really don't see how playing oneself is considered great acting. *That said...Chita is fabulous beyond belief, I just don't think she should be competing in the Best Acress in a Musical category.

Posted: 1/28/06 at 11:34am

didn't some people say that when Marsha Mason played Jennie MacLaine in Chapter Two, she was playing herself...

...and me thinks she got an Oscar nomination! Just kidding guys. Marsha was wonderful in that movie. Updated On: 1/28/06 at 11:34 AM

[Princeton78]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 11:53am

Chita!
HIII!

Posted: 1/28/06 at 11:56am

Princeton! I was looking at your avatar and thinking about pm'ing you an indecent proposal. Nice picture!

Updated On: 1/28/06 at 11:56 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:38pm

I have dibs on Princton! He's all mine.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:50pm

Unfortunately, it now sucks to be Patti, Laura, Carolee, Jessica or LaChanze.

No, I'd argue it sucks to be Chita. You listed 5 names right there and missed out the one I would think is a lock for a nomination if not a win (Maria Friedman) so this category is already looking pretty crowded. I wouldn't be surprised if the "but she's just being herself" train of thought ends up costing Chita a nomination.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:21pm

Instead of bitching. I think we all should be excited. There will be some fierce competition this year for the Best Actress Categorie!

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:26pm

No bitchin' from me! I'm just so happy my Chita is back and she is the talk of the town....I'm delighted.

[Kringas]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:30pm

See, I think the "this could be her last Tony" train of thought will make her the one to beat.