Drama Desk & Now Outer Critics Circle! Go Take That Tony, Prima Donna Diva!- Page 2

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:18pm

Well said, bwaygal1.

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:18pm

My little friend said:

"Anyways, I haven't seen Murphy, but the clip showed that the German accent was overdone."

I've seen and heard Lenya twice in person and even she overdid the accent

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:21pm

Lotte Lenya, from the plot of LoveMusik, comes out of an abusive childhood as a child prostitute to achieve a career even in a foreign country and be a muse for her husband's music and become considered the greatest interpreter of his work despite the battle scars of her youth and having to flee Nazi Germany. I see women as capable of accomplishing great things, not as useless self-obsessed idiots to be made fun of or pitied.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:34pm

I ADMIRE the Edies' strength and individuality. Had they been born into an ordinary working-class family, maybe we'd be talking about them as the Broadway stars of their day. But, they ended up the way they did, tragically.
However, I do not make fun of them and I don't think the writers or Christine Ebersole or Mary Louise Wilson or Erin Davie do that, either. They have hearts and souls and voices in these actress' hands.
I can't tell you how many times I've found myself relating to Little Edie in particular. She's an inspirational person if you think about it. She was very brave and strong. I'm so glad that her legacy lives on at the Kerr in the safe keeping of Christine Ebersole.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:41pm

Lotte Lenya accomplished goals.

The Beales could have gone out and become actresses or had careers in this free country; other women did. They didn't have the talent or guts to accomplish goals and careers. They just used up their money and became recluses.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:45pm

...and this is why Donna Murphy should win the Tony?

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:48pm

I have a history MA and have done tons of research on social/cultural history, which is my specialty.
They were repressed by the constraints of society. It was a different time and place. Women born into the upper classes were expected to get married and keep house, not become Broadway actresses or models or anything like that. It would have been disgraceful. And what society thought of you was very important to them-remember, they were 'upper crust'.

They also probably had no idea how to fend for themselves. They were waited on and never had to do anything for themselves.


Keep in mind the country they lived in at the time in which they lived in it wasn't so 'free' as you make it out to be. (Still wonder if it is.) Women, in particular, have had very few choices and opportunities. And being born into wealth comes with burdens, as their stories clearly illustrate.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:48pm

Donna's talent in creating the great persona of Lotte Lenya and her talent is why she is deserving of the Tony. Lotte happens to be a multifaceted, dynamic character that offers a lot to be able to find and portray.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:51pm

You're pretty much stating, that because Lotte Lenya was such an inspiring figure and Donna Murphy is so talented, the Tony should be hers? Granted, I'm sure she's incredible, but if you're going to argue why Donna should win, talk about her actual friggin performance. Not the woman she is portraying.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:52pm

You're entitled to believe that.
IMO, Christine Ebersole created just as complex a set of characters with internal and external conflict in their own lives.
Powerful stuff. Just as powerful as Ms. Murphy's portrayal of Lotte Lenya. Any other year, perhaps I'd agree with you on her Tony possibility. But, Ms. E. is delivering something extraordinary.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:53pm

Well, in studying all those societal constraints and expectations it seems your studies failed to lead you to all the fine women in this country, even from privileged backgrounds who overcame all those constraints and went on to achieve careers and great works. they had dynamic personalities that fought, rebelled or sailed right through societal expectations to create lives and careers for themselves.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:53pm

With all due respect, Muscle is an idiot and an imbecile. He wouldn't know a German accent if it walked right up to him and ****ed him up the ass.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:56pm

Who? The ones who did what GG suggested Little Edie was going to do-Marry the future President???
(Or Eleanor Roosevelt-married a future President. Great lady, but wouldn't have been anyone if she hadn't married FDR.)
How many entertainers do we really know of that came from wealthy backgrounds???
(Or for that matter entertainers in general. It just wasn't acceptable. Politicians have emerged in recent years from the upper classes, as have other professions like business. But, entertainment is frowned upon and always has been.)

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:58pm

You cannot separate the talent of the actor from the role they are portraying.

A great actor needs a great role to explore and expose their ability.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:59pm

..and this is why Donna Murphy should win the Tony?

- Amen.

Calling the Beales "self obsessed idiots" is like saying Lenya shouldn't have been able to escape Nazi Germany. It's ignorant.

Mrs. Edith Beale was very intelligent and full of wisdom.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:00pm

You don't think Big/Little Edie is a good role, nom?

And I agree with ljay. The Beales weren't "self obsessed idiots" at all.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:02pm

But nondeplume, that's EXACTLY what you're doing. You haven't yet explained to me what about Donna Murphy's performance makes her Tony worthy. She's talented. Yes. Lotte Lenya is a great character to be playing. Yes. From the sounds of it Alfred Uhry did nothing to bring out the incredible personality of Lenya. If you were to say that Murphy managed to bring out the incredible characteristics of Lenya when the script and direction did not, I would respect your opinion of her taking the Tony.

However, all you've said is how inspiring a figure Lenya is and how talented Murphy is. You've separated her talent from her role. Exactly what you said could not be done.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:03pm

AMEN!!!!!
They've inspired me. I admire them for that!!!

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:06pm

There were loads of women in America from various economic backgrounds, nationalities and races who broke through barriers and accomplished goals. I'm surprised you don't know of them. Women broke barriers in the professions, becoming doctors and lawyers, and this goes way back, even before suffrage. They became writers and artists, social reformers, university professors, owned and ran businesses. They became pilots way back when, think Emilia Earhart.

[Horton]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:08pm

It has been my observation that they usually give the award to somebody originating a role, rather than an actress in a revival.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:09pm

Nomde is going to be in for a big suprise Tony night if he really expects Donna to win. It's one thing to want her to win, but it's another to flat out say she will win. Which is just stupid to say when Christine and Audra received even stronger reviews.

If anything I see the category like this, from most likely to least likely chance of winning.

Christine Ebersole
Audra McDonald
Donna Murphy
Debra Monk
Laura Bell Bundy
Updated On: 5/20/07 at 05:09 PM

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:10pm

Amelia Earhart was from a working class family in the midwest.
Not an aristocratic New York family.
That was my point-it's about CLASS, not just gender.
Stop insulting my education. I am not stupid.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:12pm

Hey everyone-what do nondeplume and a broken record player have in common?

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:15pm

I've stated very clearly the things Donna Murphy has done in creating her character and for which she deserves the Tony.

I, unlike you, am not obsessed with Ebersole or her roles. The Beales could sit back on their heels and you can think them intelligent if you like, but they did not engage society or accomplish goals and that is the kind of intelligence I find fascinating in character.

Even Lady Macbeth, though her goal is vile, is fascinating because she has a goal and goes out and accomplishes it, reeling from its psychological aftereffects, but she makes a decision and goes for it, creating a great role.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 5:18pm

You can argue Little Edie had the goal to leave the mansion to start her own career, but last minute she realized her mother couldn't survive without her care.