Deserving Tony Winners- Page 2

[dry2olives]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 4:50pm

Anybody remember Lenny Baker in I Love My Wife? His hilarious performance was the talk of the town for a while. It was one of those cases where the star of the show was an unknown so they put him in the Best Supporting Actor Tony category and his win was pretty much automatic. He would have been one of Broadway's great clowns had he not passed away so soon.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 4:56pm

Broadwayguy2, you're certainly entitled to your opinion. So am I. :) I unfortunately didn't see Sutton, but I agree that she was extremely deserving. And of course Nathan in The Producers.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 4:57pm

Lenny Baker was so talented -- a sad loss. He was also terrific in the film "Next Stop, Greenwich Village" with other young unknowns like Ellen Greene, Christopher Walken and Jeff Goldblum.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:03pm

BroadwayGuy- I think Idina deserved the Tony too and Im honestly not just saying that. She has a great voice or she wouldnt have been nominated for two Tonys and she wouldnt have won one and dont say that the Tonys arent based on talent because they are.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:07pm

what makes you say that they are based on talent? Yes, talent plays a small part, but a LOT of it is political. If you can't accept that fact....

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:09pm

I cant. Do you honestly think if a show that didnt get one decent review but was liked by the people, it would win a Tony? Same with an actor or actress. IMHO

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:09pm

bguy2,

I have to say that, were I a Tony voter, I would have voted for Ms. Menzel. I saw her twice and thought she was the heart and soul of that production. Quite honestly, I didn't expect much, and was very surprised by her commitment, her range and her subtlety. Though I recognize that Ms. Pinkins gave the more accomplished performance, I still would have voted for Ms. Menzel due to the sheer 'surprise' factor.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:10pm

I think Idina is talented, but she is nothing compared to the outstanding performance of Tonya Pinkins in Caroline. Tonya proved that she can sing and act her ass off. Idina can belt and thats about it. Her acting ability leaves a lot to be desired.

Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[futurebroadwaystar1]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:11pm

I think Kristen(for YAGMCB) and Sutton(for TMM) deserved their wins.

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:15pm

Tonya Pinkins proved (to me) that she can sing and act her ass off YEARS ago. The night I saw RENT, Menzel was a mess, laughing through the entire thing. Imagine my surprise at Menzel's commitment and, yes, nuance. I think it's a highly underrated (I can't believe I just said that) performance.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:18pm

I agree with Robbie's earlier post sorta
Idina did surprise many people with how good of a singer and actress she was so I think that helped her to win.
We've all seen the Kristin Chenoweth performance before.
We've all seen the Donna Murphy performance before.
We've all seen the Tonya Pinkins performance before.

Idina shocked us by breaking out of her RENT and WILD PARTY shell and showing great singing skills and acting chops to match, without screaming rock ballads. Updated On: 12/8/04 at 05:18 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:31pm

We'd NEVER seen that Tonya Pinkins performance before from Tonya Pinkins. Pinkins had spent her entire career playing sexy, sassy, slinky vamps (Jelly's Last Jam, Play On, Wild Party) -- beautiful, alluring, usually scantily-dressed women. Playing a dowdy, uneducated, embittered maid was COMPLETELY different from any role she'd ever played before (at least in New York). Yes, we knew she could act and sing, but I'd never seen her act with that kind of quiet intensity before (or play a role with zero sex appeal and didn't take advantage of her dancing ability). Quite a transformation.

Also Donna Murphy has made a career out of playing ultra-serious, heavily dramatic roles (Fosca in Passion, Anna in The King and I). When it was announced that she would play Ruth in the Encores Concert of Wonderful Town, there was a collective "Huh?" that went out around theatre circles. "Donna Murphy can do comedy?" a lot of people asked. Well, she proved that she was quite and adept and able comedienne with that performance.

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:41pm

Perhaps it was how late in the run I saw Caroline, but, though it wowed me, it didn't surprise me. Maybe the hype got into my head. Who knows?

As for Murphy...well...I didn't see her. I tried...it just didn't happen that night. But I thought Linda Mugelston was lovely, though. HOWEVER, and this will probably prove controversial, something about the role of Ruth seemed...I don't know...not particularly leading. Silly, I know...I was just surprised by how little of a presence the role had in the show. Which, in fact, may actually be the fact that I didn't see the 'star' in the 'star part'.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:49pm

When I saw Idina in Rent, she really was fantastic and I never saw her break character, so I had seen some decent acting from her before. But I have to agree with robbiej. I wasn't sure what to expect and I saw all the shows a month after the Tonys, so I was interested to see what had won and why. Tonya Pinkins acted flawlessly and it truly was a sight to see, but I have to admit, her singing was extremely problematic. She couldn't get the first line of the show out. When considering Best Actress in a Musical, you have to consider the vocal performance as that is what sets apart musical actors from play actors. Idina did give a subtle, yet extremely performance of a difficult character and sang with incredible power and clarity. I didn't understand how she won the Tony until I saw the show and then I got it. I don't think Wicked was a great show, but I liked it and I have to give Idina and Kristin credit where it is due. As far as I was concerned, the two of them WERE the show. Tonya was brilliant and she gave one of the best performances I've ever seen, but I often wonder what the show would have been like with someone who could have acted it as well and also sung without cracking every couple of minutes because as much as I loved the show, it was VERY distracting and made her lyrics difficult to understand.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:55pm

This is what irritaties me. Robbie, like some tony voters I have talked to, ignore the reason for the award. The award is for best performance IN THAT SHOW - PLAYING THAT ROLE, not "how much these actresses have grown" or "who hasn't won before." That's absurd, and it's people who think and vote like that that continue to chip away at the validity and integrity of the Tony Awards. The Best Performance by a LEading Actress in a Musical for the 2003-2004 season was anyone BUT Idina Menzel.

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 6:01pm

I know, munkustrap, I'm such a terrible human being! I should be shot. Gadzooks! How can the world keep turning now that Idina Menzel is a Tony winner.

Fact is, I would have voted on an emotional level. Something about Ms. Menzel's performance touched me in a way that the others did not. Although in my head I know that Ms. Pinkins gave an incredible performance, my heart belonged to Ms. Menzel. Sorry if that pisses you off.

Actually, no I'm not.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 6:05pm

"Idina did surprise many people with how good of a singer and actress she was so I think that helped her to win.
We've all seen the Kristin Chenoweth performance before.
We've all seen the Donna Murphy performance before.
We've all seen the Tonya Pinkins performance before."


The award is not for Most Improved. It is for Best.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 6:05pm

No, I never said I was pissed off. The reasons you just listed for voting for her are more valid than the ones you said before, but I am still shocked that people think Idina Menzel is anything more than decent in that role. Tonya Pinkins was robbed this year. And, you're the one that got all pissy - I just said that something irritates me. YOU'RE the one that said you're a terrible person...I hardly think that my disagreeing with you makes you a bad person, there's no need to be so dramatic.

[Razz77]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 6:06pm

I didn't see A Raisin In The Sun and I know Phylicia Rashad is fabulous, HOWEVER, I think Tovah Feldshuh in Golda's Balcony is one of the most deserving Tony performances EVER.

Also -- I agree with those that say best actress should have been Donna or Tonya. After seeing all of the nominees in their roles, I dont think there is any questioning it.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 6:08pm

Well there you go...

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 6:09pm

'there's no need to be so dramatic.'

Are you kidding? What site do you think you're on? Accountantsworld.com??

The reasons I listed above are directly related to my 'emotional' response.

Really, you are so easy to rile! My, my, my, my, my, my.

[ladywholunches24]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 7:01pm

robbiej that was so funny... "accountants.com" hahaha yes i think i have misplaced myself there.
________________________________________________________________
"yes but who wants diabietes?"

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 12/8/04 at 7:06pm

I agree with the whole "the Tony isn't about who improved, it is for the best"

think about it, I mean, Kristin Chenoweth can't belt like Idina but she has incredibly range, and she can ct, quite unlike Idina

I'm not sure if you all agree with me that Kristin should have won the Tony, but w/e, its your opinion, but I do think that it should have been someone other than Idina

do you really want to deprive a performer of their Tony just because they've won before?