Laura Osnes or Patina Miller for the Tony- Page 2

[Kad]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:15pm

"Patina on the other hand is giving a breakout, star making performance."

Didn't people say this exact same thing in regards to her performance in Sister Act?

[jennaisjamazing]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:15pm

Laura! She was brilliant in this role. I will say, if she were nominated this year for Bonnie I think she'd win hands down.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:16pm

As much I loved her performance, I would agree with Someone in a Tree2 to an extent. I also think her "transition" to the "evil" side of the Leading Player felt a bit inauthentic and "showy." It didn't really feel real. I wanted to see her bellow at Catherine and freak the hell out, but it just didn't click for me in the way I hoped it would. I don't think I'd call her performance plastic or cold...I definitely wanted to "join her" the second she came onstage for the opening. I just think her Leading Player is a very different animal than Vereen's. And it (mostly) worked extremely well for me, but I could see how it would be problematic for others. Updated On: 6/4/13 at 09:16 PM

[onedaymore]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:17pm

Many of you are acting like Cinderella is this completely original role that's never ever been done before. She *is* following in Julie Andrews' footsteps, remember, which has pretty much never been proven successful in the past.
Patina, without question, will win the Tony. Though Laura is extremely talented I agree this isn't a breakout role for her. I do have faith, however, that in the future she will get her breakout role that will nab her the Tony she deserves, but not now. As far as leading women this year goes, Patina just has the edge.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:23pm

^ Agreed. Laura Osnes was riveting in creating the role of Bonnie Parker last year. I've no doubt she will be up for Best Actress again and again in the coming years.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:29pm

Neither do I, but I just don't think this is her year.

And I just realized that Alice Ripley was the last time the Best Actress in a musical wasn't from a revival. Four years. We're due for another great female role.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:37pm

A shrink's response for all of you:

This isn't really about Patina or Anne...is it?



Or Laura or Alice or Erin.

Updated On: 6/4/13 at 09:37 PM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:40pm

To those saying Laura's Cinderella isn't a triple-threat role and doesn't carry the show...what production were you watching? That pas de deux with Santino is beautiful and it's the title character.

[Blactor]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 9:49pm

Sliiiiightly off-topic, but I always want to point this out when comparisons to a role's originator come about:

According to Michael Shurtleff, Ben Vereen basically changed the creative team's conception of the Leading Player character (he was originally supposed to be in his sixties!!); he allegedly blew them away during the audition by choreographing his own performance piece. The creatives soon realized what they had on their hands and expanded/shaped the role to Ben Vereen's strengths.

So, no--nobody is going to "top" Ben Vereen in the role...how does one out-Vereen Vereen?

For a more current example, Lola in "Kinky Boots" was basically written for Billy Porter. Whoever replaces him is bound not to fare as well, because there's only ONE Billy Porter.

Come to think of it, are there any iconic performances/roles that have been one-upped by successors?

[Kelly2]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 10:01pm

If Laura wins, it'll garner an eye roll from me. Almost every other lady in that category gave a more interesting performance to me than her Cinderella. Completely uninspired, she brought absolutely nothing I did not completely expect from her, there was nothing unique or surprising about her performance at all. It was Cinderella cliche after Cinderella cliche. For a show whose book is supposed to be reinventing this fairy tale and giving it a new spin, the leading lady sure isn't trying to bring anything new to a character we've seen time and time again in every possible medium and incarnation. A total disappointment, and I was intrigued to see her after her interesting turn in Bonnie & Clyde.

I thought Patina, Stephanie, and Carolee all did much more with the material they were working with. I felt moved in some way or at least surprised in some way by what they did onstage. Laura was a total snooze. I'm rooting for Patina, if I have to choose between only those two.

[KodyMullins]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 10:07pm

I've only seen Cinderella and Laura gave a genuine, charismatic, and overall wonderful performance, but with all the exposure Pippin has gotten, talk show performances, cast recording, etc. I can tell that Patina is the true winner here.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 10:13pm

Blactor, Alan Cumming as the Emcee in CABARET comes to mind, if only because I recall some review of the production with line (I paraphrase) "Alan Cumming is committing grand theatrical larceny by stealing a part once forever-claimed by Joel Grey" or something of that sort.

My take on the race, they are the front-runners for sure in terms of likely chance to win. Carolee deserves all the credit in the world for making a mole-hill of quality out of a mountain of crap, but it will not suffice. Stephanie was delightful, but is overshadowed. I have not seen MOTOWN, and my friends who have swear that Young Diana Ross reincarnates every night, but Patina and Laura are the front-runners.

To me, it's Patina's devilish command of the stage in a difficult part that struggles to try and be the center of a centerless show up against Laura's pitch-perfect and ideally-realized Princess-archetypal title role. Patina was breathtaking when I saw her, all flashing grin and Fosse loose limbs, but I was more impressed by how flawlessly Laura absolutely put across Cinderella (a character well-known for ages) without a shred of doubt or lacking of confidence. Patina has a flashier role, Laura executes hers to a higher level.

Both deserve Tonys for their work. I will be happy for whichever wins Sunday night.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 10:15pm

Patina.

[JarqueLemos]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 10:33pm

" Laura is a beautiful singer and actress who deserves the nomination for sure, but Patina totally killed it as a true triple threat in Pippin. No contest, imho. "


As a true triple threat ???? What so Laura did nothing in the show she just sat there. I am pretty sure she danced acted and sung from the videos I saw !

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 10:50pm

but with all the exposure Pippin has gotten, talk show performances, cast recording, etc. I can tell that Patina is the true winner here.

Were you living under a rock while Laura has been at literally everything and the cast of Cinderella has been all over the place promoting themselves, as well as getting a cast recording of their own? I adore Patina, and I loved her in Sister Act, and while I have yet to see her in Pippin, there's just something truly warm and enchanting about Laura that truly comes across in her performance. Patina is a fierce performer, and kills it, but I've always felt there was just touch of ice and slickness to her - even during Sister Act.

Updated On: 6/4/13 at 10:50 PM

[JarqueLemos]

Posted: 6/4/13 at 10:57pm

I am just saying that Laura is also a triple threat, but Patina does everything from Trapeze singing dancing and circus acts and acting.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 12:32am

Didn't people say this exact same thing in regards to her performance in Sister Act?

I can't speak for everyone but no one who I knew thought Patina had a chance in a show with mixed notices at best against Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 12:47am

"We're due for a new female role"
We got one for Carolee, would be a hoot if she won.

[broadwaybabe1234]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 1:58am

I feel like our memory on these boards is very short. Remember 2011? The "race" between Sutton and Patina? There were a large amount of people on this board who thought that Patina would get it over Sutton when Sutton was giving the better, more awe-inspiring performance. Thats not to say that Patina wasn't fantastic in Sister Act but it was clear Sutton was going to win due to the response of the community, yet this board created a "race."

I am almost 100% sure Patina will win this, she has the community behind her this year and is really giving a well executed performance of an incredibly difficult role. Laura will have her chance come another time but she plays the patina role from 2011. Give her three years and we will be calling another "race" between her and someone else.

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 2:08am

I'm a huge fan of both, but I really think Patina deserves this one (and will get it). As amazing as Laura Osnes is, she sortof falls in the same trap as Kelli O'Hara - their roles are just never 'showy' enough. Don't get me wrong, both are incredible performers, it's just their roles always end up being 'nice' which pales in comparison to the more meaty, showy roles (like the leading player). But who knows? Maybe we're all in for a surprise and one of the other great women will take it..

[John Adams]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 2:57am

It's very hard for me not to see and hear Ben Vereen in Miller's performance. It's not identical by any means, but I have not seen any clip where a portion of Ben Vereen's performance doesn't come though.

Miller's singing voice is extremely similar to Vereen's in spite of the gender difference. It amazes me every time I hear Miller sing these particular songs. They also have very similar, quick vibratos and a lot of the vocal runs (like in Simple Joys) are sung the same way Vereen originally performed them. Miller takes breaths in the same places as Vereen, and she even enunciates certain words the way Vereen did.

Both Vereen and Miller carry the Fosse style extremely well on their long, lean bodies. Both have perfect Fosse shoulders (the extremely straight, military look that's carried slightly shrugged upward, towards their ears). I realize they're doing a specific Fosse style so they should look identical, but coupled with the strong similarities in their singing, I find it hard not to see and hear Ben Vereen coming through. Miller does plenty to make the role her own (her energy is particularly different), but there are too many similarities to Vereen's performance that I can't block out.

Osnes however, has not one, but TWO very well-known predecessors in her role. Her characterization resembles neither of them. Her Cinderella is a tiny bit more "plucky" than either Andrews' or Warren's reserved and dreamy characterizations. Osnes is more like a Disney princess.

Both Osnes and Milller shared a challenge of stepping into roles that are strongly associated with other actors. Regarding which actress did a better job of making the role completely their own, I choose Osnes.

[bdn223]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 4:46am

After forcing myself to listen through the Scandelous cast album I forgot how revising Carmello was in that ****fest of a show. In all honesty if it had a Spring opening the award would have been hers even with the complete pans. She convinced me both on stage and via the cast album that she was a 16 year old girl while she is what in her late 40's?

Neither Osnes or Miller give a "must see" performance like Carmello, which I put on par with Lupone's Mamma Rose, Ripley's Diana. I consider the choice between Miller and Osnes more akin to Zeta Jones vs. Glover, when it should of been Chritiane Noll's or even Baldwin's. Although I must say that who ever wins the award it will be considered "star making" performance because I know Hollywood would just eat them up them both being two young and beautiful women.

My choice between the Osnes and Miller though would be Osnes. I saw both Ms. Miller and her understudy and despite the lack of circus tricks I found myself more engaged with her undstudy's take especially in the finale where she was much more furious at Pippin's refusal to comply which came off as more believe able in my opinion. Please note I have never seen Vereen's portrayal which from the comparisons I read are much more in line with Miller's understudy's portrayal of the Leading Player. I also felt like Miss !iller was upstaged by most of her costars which is an issue for Leading Player and unlike most I felt more for MJM than Miller and think he deserves the credit over her.

Osnes's performance was a breath of fresh air and she was able to walk a fine line between kind naive and intelligent, and a plastic Barbie cartoon character. I also think Miss Osnes is more likly to stay a Broadway Baby while I feel Mis Miller will be on the first flight to Hollywood when her contract is up.

[Tink2]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 5:19am

I choose Osnes. I'm a huge Pippin fan, but I believe Laura deserves this one.

[jkramer123]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 8:52am

PATINA MILLER, oh please!! I was one of the people lucky enough to see Ben Vereen's performance in its original incarnation, and I must say that Patina has done an incredible job of making her own Leading Player resonate to a new generation of theater goers. Sure, there will always be comparisons in any revival, but to me, in the context of this show, Patina's Leading Player left its own individual impression. Her performance was so full-bodied, intoxicating and visceral. I would be so very disappointed if she lost this race.

Laura has always been a lovely performer, and oh so beautiful. But to me, when watching her onstage in Cinderella, I was always charmed, but never transformed. I have seen every performance she's given on Broadway, and I always see a lovely performance. However, for this Tony win, I want the performer that left me transfixed. Patina was mesmerizing - I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

PATINA FOR THE WIN!!!

[tytonius]

Posted: 6/5/13 at 10:04am

Osnes, she's just perfect in the role!