Jose Llana in Spelling Bee...Tony nod???

[Justice]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 9:07am

Did Jose get nominated for Best Supporting Actor? I'm not familiar with the list, and don't have time to search for it.

I wasn't fond of his Flower Drum Song performance, but after seeing Spelling Bee, his "Erection" song redeemed him, as he was hysterical, and performed that song very well. I figured for sure he would win a Tony for best supporting.
The rest of the cast was amazing, of course. There was not one person in the show who I did not like, however, Jose and Deborah S. Craig really stood out, because they had the best songs in the show.
My heart was also fond of Celia Keenan-Bolger, because she was so convincing as a child. They all were, but she had the "look" as well as the characteristics down pact.
All in all, as funny as the show was, I was much more impressed by the cast and their talent. They all worked so well as an ensemble.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 9:11am

Jose Llana was not nominated, Dan Folger and Celia Keenan-Bolger were.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 9:16am

Justice, I am so glad to see you mention José Llana. He and his song was the highlight of SPELLING BEE for me. I thought he was both hysterically funny and the most human of all the participants. I never laughed harder during his "Erection" number.

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 9:25am

I love him in Bee, once someone spills popcorn all over you there is no turning back. The Jesus thing is hilarious! "Also this isn't really the sort of thing that I care about"

[Justice]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 6:37pm

I am disappointed that he isn't nominated. Folger deserves it, as he was very funny, but there was something about Llana that brought humor and realism. To be honest, I'm actually surprised that Deborah S. Craig, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Sarah Saltzberg were not nominated. Then again, if they were, it would be a REALLY tough decision on who was to win the award. Well, even if they don't get recognition, at least they gave some VERY memorable performances.

[Chip1012]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 7:00pm

the categories are crowded, people who deserve to be nominated are left out every year. Instead of writing a long pargraph you could have easily done a simple search

[Justice]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 7:07pm

Wow, Chip...
If you read my "long paragraph", you would have read my personal outtake on Llana and the show itself. I wish I could say that I apologize for wasting your time, but by apologizing, I might end up in a long paragraph and waste more of your time.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 8:16pm

I too thought Jose Llana was the best person in the show! His number was fabulous and audience interaction and he just really personified the character and made it fun.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 9:16pm

The nominees aren't that hard to find- just go to tonyawards.com and the link is on the front page.

Anyway, Dan Fogler and Jesse Tyler Ferguson were my favorites of the cast, so I'm glad at least one of them got a nomination.

[lovettespies]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 11:23pm

Jose Llana is a grad from my high school, a magnet school in Virginia! We just did West Side Story, and went back to looking at the pictures from 1993, where he was playing Tony. Just thought I should share.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:22am

A Filipino as Tony?! There's hope for me! Haha.

I loved Jose Llana in Spelling Bee. He was definitely a highlight for me. The entire show was just wonderful. For me, it's hard to single out anyone in the cast, but I'm glad at least two of them got nominated. If it were up to me, the entire cast would be nominated and each would win, haha. Maybe an ensemble award like the Drama Desks? Sounds good to me.

~Steven

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:27am

what i think is great is that each audience member relates to their own speller. i was so invested in sarah saltzburg and loved her and logainne so much! and i know that others have their own in the show. it's great. i love it.

[andyf]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:44am

As far as I'm concerned Dan and Sarah are at the bottom of my list, for vocals, that is. Maybe it was all the amphetamines I was experimenting with, but I saw the show twice and was thoroughly not-overwhelmed with either of their vocals. I thought their performances were hysterical - especially all the little quirks Sarah adds to Logaine, she makes her SO real - but their vocals were really lacking. But the first time I saw the show I just kept noticing little things Sarah was doing, she really made that character real.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:46am

i know, the sign language and all her little pins. no, she did not have the best voice. but her performance just had me. i literally screamed no when she got her word wrong. and then i was in tears for her reprise of woe is me. it was heartbreaking.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:52am

Funny, Dan and Sarah are the two members of the cast who were in the original play. I understand what you mean, though. But that's part of the characters. Ah, I love them all.

~Steven

[Justice]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 6:32am

i realised, especially with Dan, that those characters didn't need to have the best vocals. About Dan, it was the character, the music, and the staging that made "Magic Foot" a great number, yet, if one hears it on the recording, without seeing the show, it would be understandable that they wouldn't like Dan's voice, or the song.

On a different note...
As for Olive, (and this is why I kinda hope she wins the Tony) Did we all not feel sorry for her? I found myself angry at her father. I love that an actress can make me feel something for someone who was never there on the stage. And I wanted her to win so badly.