I saw Chenoweth on THE APPLE TREE the first time I went to NYC as an adult. She was simply glorious. She gave a comedic tour de force and sang the part with such ease, bringing her signature ability to deliver technically flawless singing while being incredible funny, touching, and sweet at various times (often all at once). She was spectacular in all three roles and had great chemistry with her cast members. Not only did she deserve to be nominated, but it was the kind of performance that could have earned her the award itself. Unfortunately the show was closed by the time the nominations came out and it didn't even get recorded.
Ebersole, Murphy, and McDonald were locks (Ebersole had the award sewn up since the GREY GARDENS transfer was announced, and Donna Murphy and Audra McDonald were so great in their respective shows that they tied for the Drama Desk). The two other slots were up for grabs among Chenoweth, Monk, and Laura "Bland" Bundy. Monk was giving it her all in a show by the recently late Fred Ebb (a show that many thought could be the last new Kander & Ebb show to be on Broadway), someone with whom she collaborated in STEEL PIER. I imagine good will toward her and the show got her in. Then there was Bundy, whom I find incredibly generic but whose role is on stage for about the entire running time; while the show got lukewarm reviews from critics, many thought Bundy's energetic performance deserved recognition. I think Chenoweth should have gotten in over Monk (she truly elevated the material but now that I think about it, she should have been featured) and definitely over Bundy (Sheridan Smith is a million times better on the London recording).
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Updated On: 8/30/15 at 06:02 PM
