High Will CLose April 24- Page 2

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 3:16pm

Its all a question of semantics really because its virtually impossible for 50 percent of the Tony nominators to get to a show that plays a single week of performances.

And by the same logic, there really isn't any reason for producers of a closed show to push for Tony nominations for its cast - to what end? It will be too late to have any box office impact.

Updated On: 4/20/11 at 03:16 PM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 3:17pm

It's interesting how these things play out I guess.

The featured actor in a play category is a little weak this year and Jonigkeit could be nominated if he's eligible, but I don't know if he would stand a chance winning against John Benjamin Hickey.

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 3:28pm

And yet another show I liked goes up on the wall at Joe Allen's

[mikem]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 3:33pm

Two different issues here: whether the show is eligible for Tony nominations and whether it can actually get nominated.

In order to be eligible, the production has to invite the nominators, the Admin Committee, and the voters. I don't think it matters in the rules how many of them actually show up in terms of eligibility.

The production has to invite voters to at least 8 paid performances, including previews. If the production does not have 8 paid performances, it is still eligible if it invites people to at least 50% of the performances, but that number includes previews, so it's not as if High could invite everyone to the last four shows this week, because the show will have played 28 previews + 8 = 36 total paid performances.

So for High to be eligible, it would have had to have invited the voters to at least one performance before today's announcement. We don't know whether or not they did.

[vegas2]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 3:50pm

Bummer that it's closing. I had front row seats. Even if the play wasn't very good, I was looking forward to watching Turner strut her stuff.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 3:52pm

A shame that all that talent and money couldn't have been used in the service of a better play, one that wasn't a mass of dried up cliches.

[willep]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 4:11pm

vegas2, isn't the front row where the rush seats are?

[vegas2]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 5:26pm

My bad! Not front row, but close enough to see everyone sweat.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 6:11pm

I thought the Tonys were about excellence in the theater.

A shame it closed. It was a really entertaining show with some great performances.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 6:14pm

And that Matthew Lombardo is such a scintillating writer. I crack myself up.

[landryjames2]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 6:26pm

Like the other thread on this, I am just amazed at all the love for this show and its "tremendous" acting. I can't think of another play that I have seen on Broadway where the acting and writing were uniformly terrible. (obviously it is all just my opinion--but god-- I just think Turner and Co. were horrific).

[After Eight]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 11:39pm

" I can't think of another play that I have seen on Broadway where the acting and writing were uniformly terrible. "

I can think of several.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 11:48pm

The Booth would be a great theater for the return of "The Scottsboro Boys."

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 11:56pm

CockeyedOptimist, don't make me crazy. But, yes, that would be PERFECT.

[gravity87]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 2:05am

I don't know the numbers, but though the Booth would be aesthetically fabulous for SCOTTSBORO, I don't think the gross potential is high enough to sustain a show with that size cast...if only!

[jbm2]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 4:39am

saw the show today...
not a perfect show, but enjoyable.
Turner was great.
sad to see it go.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 9:50am

So, is Stephen Kunken Broadway's latest flop king? Poor guy...such a talented performer, even when saddled with bad material.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 12:18pm

How was Kunken "saddled with" this? Presumably he read a script before chosing to audition for and accept a role in a play that his predecessor left. The play was getting poor reviews out of town. Why on earth would he accept it (the answer "getting a paycheck" is acceptable).

[CATheaterLover]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 5:04pm

I saw yesterday's matinee, and I thought it was good. Turner in particular was just a pleasure to watch. Very engaging.

Interestingly I happened to see Jonigkeit on the street a couple of hours later and congratulated him on his performance. I wonder if he already knew then? Sad. I thought that Kunken was also quite good.

Agreed that it wasn't a brilliant play, but it was entertaining theater with talented performers.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 5:17pm

I wonder if he already knew then?

I'm sure he did, since the article was on Playbill by 1:30 PM yesterday, a half hour before the matinee, and standard practice (not to mention courtesy) is to let your actors know first before you send out the press release.

I was really hoping to see this, but sadly I can't now.

[April Saul]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 10:23pm

Count me as one of the posters who enjoyed this a lot...and had to spend quite a bit of time defending it on this board! I am really sorry to see it go and glad I had a chance to catch it with my 20-year old son, who liked it, too--and is not predisposed to enjoying anything theatrical, so that was quite a compliment, too.