Evans should have WON - I'm pissed!

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:28am

I can accept that IN THE HEIGHTS wins Best Musical. And I can accept that Gaines won Best Supporting.

But I will NOT accept that Szot beat out the amazingly brilliant Daniel Evans for Best Actor. I am appalled and embarrased.

I thought Szot could sing, when I saw SOUTH, and that's about it! Where was the acting? Where was the development? Where was the journey?

Daniel Evans was completely robbed and for those who have seen the fantastic SUNDAY revival, I hope you will agree with me.

I truly am pissed!

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:29am

The SUNDAY revival could have won many awards. Only if SOUTH and GYPSY didn't happen. In a weaker year, SUNDAY could have racked up the awards. And Evans and Russell could have too. Updated On: 6/16/08 at 12:29 AM

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:31am

This may be the first upset thread I've seen.

That being said, Evans is the only one that I would have been alright with beating Miranda.

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:32am

Please don't turn this into a copy of the Esparza thread from last year.

[jaso937]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:33am

I kinda agree. I do feel that Szot won based off of his singing and not so much with his acting and that there were nominees who did both astoundingly. But, having been Emile, he's a hard person to portray and get across everything, and I feel with Szot he didn't succeed that much at bringing across Emile, unless in song, and even then the character choice weren't too..."revealing" I guess. I feel he deserved the nomination, there were better nominees, who were amazing at acting AND singing. So...I feel your pain, but I'm still happy for him!

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:34am

I won't. I'm not an Esparza fan.

I just fail to see the appeal of Szot, besides his voice!

I was completely moved by Daniel Evans. Tears in my eyes.

I can't even describe what it felt like when he took that final breath, at the end of the show, and he turned around to look at the blank "canvas"

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:42am

Szot won solely because South Pacific, the best musical of the year overall, couldn't win any of the other acting awards because Gypsy had them locked up. That's the only reason--SP had to win an acting award, so he won by default.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed his performance and he has a phenomenal voice. But Daniel Evans has moved me like few others on the Broadway stage have.

It also pisses me off when Tony voters vote across the board. Yes, SP>SITPWG, we get it, but EVERY category they competed in? LIGHTING!!!??!$?!#$?

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 2:31am

I was hoping Daniel Evans would have won the award, too. I was expecting Szot was going to win, but Evans really deserved the best "actor" award.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 2:33am

Evans can sing too, though!

Give it to the more rounded performer... that is Evans in my opinion.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 2:40am

Im very happy Szot won but was still rooting for Evans. Does this mean no chance for a sunday extension.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 2:57am

I haven't seen SOUTH PACIFIC, but for what it's worth, I found Evans' portrayal of the Georges to be insanely mesmerizing, engaging, and ultimately haunting. I do wish he had won the award tonight but everyone knew Szot was a favorite to win, simply because the buzz surrounding SOUTH PACIFIC was way too hard. IN THE HEIGHTS should have been happy that SOUTH PACIFIC wasn't nominated for choreography, and that it wasn't eligible for the Score/Musical awards because this revival simply swept in just about every category it was nominated for (thank God for Patti LuPone! ).

[Harpo]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 3:00am

Geez, Toodarnhot, I thought you were a big ole crank because of the Liza thread...but I agree with you a thousand percent re: Daniel) I saw the show in London as well as in New York, and was SO convinced he would/should win.

Boo.

[Antisocialite]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 3:18am

I actually dug Szot when I saw him. I expected the typical "opera star goes to broadway" ineptitude and didn't get it.
Daniel Evans...um. I liked him a lot. Really. He was great as George, and he deserved his nomination at least. Just, sometimes, I wanted to give him tranquilizers. This was remarkably evident in tonight's performance, where I don't think he blinked once. It could just be me being too sensitive to overacting, but I personally feel George needs to be a hell of a lot more internal and controlled and not giving off the sense that he's about to explode at any second.

[buddharich]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 6:01am

I felt that 3 of the actors could have won and I would have been content. I would have been happier for Daniel Evans or Lin-Manuel but I thought Paolo Szot would win, and he was good, too. I switched allegiences at the last moment and suddenly found myself wanting Lin-Manuel to win! (because I loved his acceptance speech so much! ha ha ha). But Paolo was terrific, too, and I don't particularly like South Pacific!

[buddharich]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 6:02am

I felt that 3 of the actors could have won and I would have been content. I would have been happier for Daniel Evans or Lin-Manuel but I thought Paolo Szot would win, and he was good, too. I switched allegiences at the last moment and suddenly found myself wanting Lin-Manuel to win! (because I loved his acceptance speech so much! ha ha ha). But Paolo was terrific, too, and I don't particularly like South Pacific!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 6:26am

Ray, SOUTH PACIFIC was nominated for Choreography.

I would have been happy with Evans, Miranda, Wopat, (or even Stew ONLY if XANADU had won Best Book) winning, and I agree that Szot only won for his singing and the fact that he was in SOUTH PACIFIC.

I think it is a damn shame that the absolutely GLORIOUS revival of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE was completely snubbed.

SUNDAY should have AT LEAST won Scenic Design, if not also Best Leading Actor.

I think the voters had just gotten so caught up in SOUTH PACIFIC that they had completely forgotten about SUNDAY by the time voting came around.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 7:28am

I am absolutely DELIGHTED that SUNDAY IN THE FRIDGE WITH GEORGE went home absolutely empty handed, and that Daniel Evans' two hour plus impersonation of half of Chip n Dale went unrewarded.

And if Szot was really recognized only for his singing, it wouldn't be the first time that someone was recognized for something other than acting. Hinton Battle won a Tony for basically dancing beautifully in SOPHISTICATED LADIES, there was no acting involved. And there was nothing like acting going on in Hugh Jackman's Tony win: he won for sheer charisma and star power, personal magnetism over anything else. Hunter Foster gave a far more interesting actual performance that year.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:03am

Agreed. I've been saying this since I first saw SUNDAY. The most brilliant, stunning male performance in a musical since...

...

I don't remember the last time a man's performance took my breath away i na musical.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:08am

Agree. The award should have gone to Evans.


-- "I can't even describe what it felt like when he took that final breath, at the end of the show, and he turned around to look at the blank "canvas" "

TooDarnHot-

Don't you love that? I mentioned that moment in my short list of favorite moments from Broadway this year. His childlike excitement when he gasped, seeing the "blank canvas" was one of the most touching moments I've ever seen in a theatre. Such a small thing, yet it meant so much.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:13am

"His childlike excitement when he gasped, seeing the "blank canvas"

That was an incredible moment. I believe I gasped with him, and then proceeded to weep - big time.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:21am

Same here, Dolly!

I had been crying through the finale, since "Move On", and was getting myself together a bit in the very final moments, but that little moment pushed me right over again.

[Patash]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:26am

Could someone help out an old man with failing memory here? I saw Sunday in the Park with George in London last year. I don't shell out the $10 for a program there and when Act II started I actually thought they had cast a different actor for Act II -- he was that different. He wore a hairpiece for one or the other -- was it Act I or Act II? I was surprised last night to see him sans hairpiece in the scene from Act I --- does he then put it on for Act II, or the other way around?

Yes, he is brilliant!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:29am

I believe Evans is balding and the hairpiece is for ACT I.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:30am

Yes - I think Daniel Evans should have won too, not because he's a fellow Welshman but because he is an astonishing actor. There are far more nuances in his performance as George than Szot's Emile. But at least I'm pleased people got to see his immense talent on Broadway - he's been one of THE great musical theatre actors in the West End for a number of years. He was equally brilliant in Grand Hotel and Merrily We Roll Along (his "Franklin Shephard Inc" was breathtaking).

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:30am

Daniel Evans is pretty much bald in the top center of his head. He wears a wig and beard during Act I and then appears without modification in Act II. His appearance in the second act is what he looks like in life. Adorable.