Is John Lloyd Young the Tony Frontrunner?- Page 5

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 10:22am

It will be fun this year. Though the season overall was not terribly exciting, the top categories seem to have some close races building.

[Hawker]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 12:51pm

"...he's basically playing himself."

O.K.,I'll bite: aside from the kid living in Whitestone, which had a fairly sizeable Italien community (Young also lived in Nebraska), how is the life of Young so similar to that of Valli's where he could just step into the part by bringing his own experiences to the table?

To suggest that Young's performance suffer's in comparison to Cervaris' is myopic at best.

First, the material is so differant one cannot even make any substantive comparisons between the performances of each actor.

Second, until an actor steps up to the plate and attempts certain material one does not know of what he is capable. The question on the street prior to the release of "Philadelphia" was "How is Hanks, basically a comedic actor, who made 'Bachelor Party', 'Mermaid', and 'Big' going to pull off the role of a homosexual attorney dying of aids?"

Almost everyone who knew Gregory Peck thought that he possessed many of the attributes of Atticus Finch but NOBODY sugested he was just playing himself.






Updated On: 5/10/06 at 12:51 PM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 12:53pm

Very true Hawker.

And I'm sure in his everyday life, he often ages many years within two and a half hours.

[TheHumanTorch]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 4:14pm

i think it is important to note that Broadway needs recognizable names especially in this day and age with attendance issues and such, and with Hugh Jackman back in the movies, and Julia Roberts' poor performance, Harry Connick Jr is basically the next best thing

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 4:20pm

I think Young will win.

If we look back on other races as of late:
Marissa Jaret Winokur vs. Bernadette Peters
Heather Headley vs. Audra McDonald, Marin Mazzie, and Toni Collete
Idina Menzel vs. Kristen Chenoweth, Tonya Pinkins, Donna Murphy

It always seems that Tony voters tend to favor new talent, those that haven't won Tonys before. Therefore, I think it's all Young for this one, as Connick will be leaving his show a week after the awards, Cumming's show was trashed by critics, and Cerveris has already won a Tony, very recently, in fact.

I do, however, hope Cerveris wins. his performance was by far the strongest of all of them, imo.

[sondwisenheimer]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 6:28pm

I think it'll be JLY or MC, since AC did the whole AC/DC thing already back when he was the Emcee, but HC could get the sympathy vote for PJ because of the hurricane in N.O.
Updated On: 5/10/06 at 06:28 PM

[jerseyboyslover]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 7:29pm

Updated On: 7/25/06 at 07:29 PM

[kaboodles041]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 7:56pm

WickedRentQ Wrote: "He seemed to be having a teeny teeny bit of understandable vocal problems, as just the highest notes sounded a bit raspy. But everything else he sang amazingly, I mean even those notes were great."

Oh no! Am seeing this Saturday's matinee. Hope everything is well with him and he's there.

[Hawker]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 9:47pm

ddtruit:

You're right. I apologize to Munkustrap. As I think of it, it doesn't ring like an opinion he would have. My gaff was just another example of how embarrassing it can be to read something too quickly. That being said, I'm not sure Americans know enough about Bob Martin to know exactly what he's like in private life. But Munk certainly nails it when he suggests that the role does not demand the theatrical pyrotechnics of "Sweeney Todd".

Updated On: 5/11/06 at 09:47 PM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 9:49pm

Don't worry kaboodles, it's nothing major at all, you will be quite pleased.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 9:52pm

I was torn between Connick, Young, and Cerveris.

After having just recently revisited their respective shows, I feel confident in saying that Cerveris gives the male performance of the year. Nothing tops him. Not even Christopher J. Hanke.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 1:02pm

And he shows up in classy attire to pick up his Tony nom!

Looks like someone knows how to find his way to a nice Italian menswear shop to choose his suits and ties...

Way to go, JLY!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=9752

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 5:54pm

I just feel the need to point out that Jersey Boys is not the only "jukebox" show to tell the story of the musicians through their music. Lennon, anyone?

And, to rant for a bit, while I enjoyed JB I didn't find much of it highly original. Everyone in New Jersey - not even all people from Belleville - does not speak like Tony Soprano. The girls who sang "My Boyfriend's Back" did a fine job in terms of having pleasant voices, but sounded NOTHING like the actual song. The projections were distracting and irrelevant, a fact that irked me after many people criticized the lovely backdrops used in Lennon. The bi-level set screamed Good Vibrations to me - a trivial point, but still, that was my first thought.

I enjoyed Jersey Boys. Did I love it? No.

[jerseyboyslover]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 6:26pm

Jersey Boys and the four season's are not going to sound the same, all the stuff that you hear of the four season's is older so the sound is not as good as it is with Jersey Boys.

The Jersey Girls won't sound the same as the Angel's becasue they are not the same people, and again the sound is alot better now days.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 6:53pm

It's never going to sound the exact same. The Four Seasons' music is a bit faster in Jersey Boys. Listen to the old Walk Like a Man and then the new one. They've updated it to sound more fresh.

I really hope JLY will win, but it is a very close race. I think it's between him and Cerveris.

And to touch on the "Bob Martin playing himself" - that's somewhat untrue. I don't know Bob, but from what I've heard and read, there's a small part of him in the Man in Chair, but a larger part of him in the character Robert Martin (because he IS Robert Martin). Bob is great in his role.

[JerseyGirl]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 7:14pm

Overthemoon, you said: "I just feel the need to point out that Jersey Boys is not the only "jukebox" show to tell the story of the musicians through their music. Lennon, anyone?"

May I suggest a different spin on that opinion: The difference here is that Jersey Boys would be a fabulous play without the music. Other jukeboxies would have nothing if the music wasn't in the show. (They took some good music and created a ridiculous plot and call it a musical when really its just like bad porn - you don't really care about the small talk and the awful plot - you just want to get to the good stuff...) Jersey Boys is NOTHING like that... Youv'e seen it, you know. The plot is still astounding in between the audience gratifying moments of music and staging the concerts...

JLY put it brilliantly: The music IS the story, not the excuse for it." You saw it, you know the distinction that the songs fit in because that's the song that was a hit at that time in the story to get them where they are. The songs aren't poorly interjected into the story to enhance a plot point...

I appreciate your opinion, I just wanted to open you up to the distinction between JB as a 'jukebox' and other pukebox musicals.

[jerseyboyslover]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 7:23pm

I am with you JerseyGirl.

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 7:25pm

I will concede that JB is a step above many "jukebox" shows, but I refuse to deny Lennon that same status. Both shows tell the story of the musicians using their catalogues to accent certain moments. Both were good. IMO, Lennon was better. But both were good, and most assuredly better than Good Vibrations and Mamma Mia!.

When I said the girls sounded nothing like the Angels, I think I neglected to clarify my point: the Jersey girls sang the song wonderfully, but with the Broadway voices, not 60s pop voices. As much as I hate to give kudos to Hairspray, note the vocal technique the girls on its recording used - the Jersey girls should have used similar techniques to mimic the original song style. The guys mimic the styles of the Four Seasons, why not the girls?

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 8:30pm

ddtruitt, I did say Lennon was better than Jersey Boys, and I'll say it again. I loved Lennon and still do, and I have made numerous posts on this board already explaining my opinions of the show. I don't care what the critics said, I don't care how many people flock to JB simply because of the opinions of said critics. We Lennonites may not be the majority, but that does not make our opinions of the show any less valid. I don't see how my thinking is "misguided" because I love a show that you and choice others did not; I am not telling anybody that their obsession with JB, however crazy it seems to me, is "misguided" or "wrong" simply because I don't agree with it.

Once again: IN MY OPINION, Jersey Boys was good. Lennon was great. MY opinion. But thank you for deeming everything I say unimportant simply because you don't happen to share that opinion. That makes me value your opinion all the more.

Strong Jersey accents are a result of research? Funny how no one over at JB thought to research the vocal technique of the Angels.

Your frequent and incorrect use of the forward slash hurts my brain, by the way.

[Harpo]

Posted: 5/18/06 at 10:02pm

My name is Harpo and I'm a Lennon lover.

OvertheMoon, I just wanted to add my thoughts as someone with a staunch record of Lennon-love. I was on that apprecation thread last August/September. I was there at the final performance. I am 'over the moon' about every member of that talented cast. I took crap from people for defending the show (not on this board).

That said, to me the difference between Lennon and JB is so vast they aren't in the same league. The difference is so great I can't say it's an apples to oranges comparison...the difference is more like apples to orangutans. I know, I know, just my opinion, just as you are entitled to yours.


Ahem, back to the stated topic...It's all about JLY and I hope he is awarded the Tony.

[treyisthekiller]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 12:15am

JLY is an all around great catch though...

this guy can sing incredibly, after all he ahs one of the best voice teachers ever.

not to mention he has said that acting is his strong point. he says he enjoys singing, but his passion is straight theatre.

JLY, you get my vote!

[JerseyScoundrel]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 9:15pm

I think JLY is incredibly talented. Out of all the nominees, he has struggled as an actor to get to where he is today. Thats an accomplishment that is worthy compared to all the other nominees.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 10:36pm

Gimme a break...everyone struggles to get where they are, Broadway star or not. The Tony Award is recognition based on PERFORMANCE, regardless of the story behind the success. Just because JLY has struggled to get where he is (Who says Michael, Harry, Bob, and Stephen haven't?) doesn't mean he is more worthy than any other nominee.

[JerseyScoundrel]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 12:07am

I think JLY is doing incredibly well with this role. I was just saying how remarkable it was that he was able to turn from usher and off-broadway performer into a Broadway superstar. He definitely has great talent which got him to where he is today.

[TheHumanTorch]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:16pm

"Look at the other 4 nominees careers up to this point and look at his"

ummm... correct me if i'm wrong but The Drowsy Chaperone is Bob Martin's first Broadway performance, and I don't believe he's ever acted off-Broadway either... so what's the the big deal about JLY ddruitt?