Lea Michele 'Special' Tony Award

[BETTY22]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 7:29am

Judy Garland, Dany Kaye, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Barry Manilow and lots of other stars have been awarded 'special' Tony Awards, I think a strong case could be made for Lea.

If nothing else, I hope she gets to perform on this years broadcast. 

[BJR]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 7:48am

She'll already be out of the show by the time of the ceremony. So, I wouldn't expect a performance.

As for an award, the Tony's have struggled with replacements for 20 years, notably with both Reba and Fantasia. But since they've haven't awarded any of them, I don't think they will Lea. She'll have to be happy with the hugs success she's having.

But crazier things have happened!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 7:49am

The show will close before this year's Tony Awards. Michele isn't anywhere near the level of Garland, Kaye, Minnelli, etc to warranty a special Tony Award.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 8:05am

I bet they'll try and get her to host.

[JanMaxwellsBag]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 8:12am

chewy5000 said: "I bet they'll try and get her to host."

Honestly, her and Groff hosting doesn’t seem like a far fetched idea. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 8:43am

This seems to be the thought of a Lea Michele super-stan that thinks she deserves everything for the success of Funny Girl now. False. That is coming in the form of rave reviews, a broken box office record-she does not need an award. 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 8:55am

They gave one to La Streisand.  

[Valentina3]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 9:03am

I don't think you people are understanding how deeply toxic even mentioning her is. People have moved on from Funny Girl discourse (which lasted almost a full year), but as soon as she is attached to any new high-profile project, it will start again. I am not wanting to open another discussion about whether the criticism is deserved or not, but success of shows like Tony awards thrive on social media commentary and they will not risk anything as dramatic as getting her to host. Not to mention, she'd be a rather dull host with her girl next door persona coupled with lack of self-awareness and inability to laugh at herself.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 9:11am

Valentina, I agree with you. I feel like the success of Funny Girl, and many people agreeing she was born for this role, and (many will say) she is way more successful than the original star, and should have been cast originally all along, I think is enough for her.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 9:36am

Oh Brother. 

[duffny1]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 9:44am

I bet she will be asked to sing as a promotion for the broadway show and the upcoming tour. Whether she will do it, if she is asked is another story. I am not a fan of hers but I think this "toxic" talk should have run it's course by now. Now it is at the point where her detractors are bullying her.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 9:49am

duffny1 said: "I am not a fan of hers but I think this "toxic" talk should have run it's course by now. Now it is at the point where her detractors are bullying her."

This is most painfully naive take I’ve ever read on this saga. 

[duffny1]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 10:16am

I stand by it. The bullying on both sides needs to stop.

[NoItAll]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 12:07pm

ACL2006 said: "The show will close before this year's Tony Awards. Michele isn't anywhere near the level of Garland, Kaye, Minnelli, etc to warranty a special Tony Award."

Minnelli? This Minnelli? Compared to Lea? Reputation and reality are not always the same.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 12:35pm

Valentina3 said: "I don't think you people are understanding how deeply toxic even mentioning her is. People have moved on from Funny Girl discourse (which lasted almost a full year), but as soon as she is attached to any new high-profile project, it will start again. I am not wanting to open another discussion about whether the criticism is deserved or not, but success of shows like Tony awards thrive on social media commentary and they will not risk anything as dramatic as getting her to host. Not to mention, she'd be a rather dull host with her girl next door persona coupled with lack of self-awareness and inability to laugh at herself."

False. There are still idiotic people who are stuck on the "she can't read" thing. It's ENOUGH. Like they're pathetic and need to move on from that 

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 12:36pm

NoItAll said: "ACL2006 said: "The show will close before this year's Tony Awards. Michele isn't anywhere near the level of Garland, Kaye, Minnelli, etc to warranty a special Tony Award."

Minnelli?ThisMinnelli? Compared toLea? Reputation and reality are not always the same."

Michele? “Sh*t in your wig” Michele? Compared to Liza? EG*OT winner? Queen of the Nepo Babies? One of the greatest entertainers of our time? Please exit the standom and get yourself an education because clearly your “reality” is not the same as the one we’re all living in.

[Alex M]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 12:37pm

hearthemsing22 said: "Valentina3 said: "I don't think you people are understanding how deeply toxic even mentioning her is. People have moved on from Funny Girl discourse (which lasted almost a full year), but as soon as she is attached to any new high-profile project, it will start again. I am not wanting to open another discussion about whether the criticism is deserved or not, but success of shows like Tony awards thrive on social media commentary and they will not risk anything as dramatic as getting her to host. Not to mention, she'd be a rather dull host with her girl next door persona coupled with lack of self-awareness and inability to laugh at herself."

False. There are still idiotic people who are stuck on the "she can't read" thing. It's ENOUGH. Like they're pathetic and need to move on from that"

The original poster said nothing false LOL. They were just stating how Lea still has a bad reputation among many people whether you think she does or not. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 12:41pm

Hey Mods -- is it time to shut down this sh*tshow of a thread yet?  Seems to have run its course and is now just people attacking one another...

 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 4:30pm

I think a strong argument could be made for a special Tony, given that all the critics reviewed her and gave her the best reviews I have read in at least a decade. They gave Pearl Bailey — admittedly a bigger name — a special Tony laminate because she re-vitalized HD and made it a hit again.  LM made Funny Girl a huge hit that it never was before in this incarnation.  yeah, the show grossed well in the beginning because of its advance, but it was dying on the vine when she took over, got incredible reviews. Had major critics declaring that it was ‘one of the 5 best…’, a ‘performance for the theatre history books’, etc.  I think that more than justifies serious consideration for a Tony.  I wonder if there will be a single competitive Tony winner in the acting categories who deserves it as much as she does.  She would have won last year if the producers had not been morons in the first place.  

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 5:09pm

Tony awards are competitive categories. You don't normally just hand someone a Tony award no matter how much you loved their performance. The special Tony awards which were not for lifetime achievement seem to have typically been used to recognize an iconic performer who does something closer to a one person show or concert cause that type of performance really doesn't fall under or fit into the acting categories. Bruce Springsteen is a perfect, recent example of that.

It has not been typically used to recognize an acting performance from a replacement because they were not eligible for the standard acting award in that category. I can't recall an example since the 1960's.

But as a dozen threads and more than 3000 posts on this board have spelled out, her performance is not just great but transformative. So what do we do to recognize that? Clearly, there is only one answer. While she is not eligible to win one, is there any reason we can't change the name of the award to the Leas? "The Lea for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play goes to..." Doesn't that have a great ring to it? Who is this Tony guy anyway and why should the awards be named after him? It's Lea's time.

Updated On: 1/12/23 at 05:09 PM

[Phillyguy]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 5:42pm

UncleCharlie said: "The special Tony awards ... have typically been used to recognize an iconic performer who does something closer to a one person show or concert"

That's basically where we are. She single-handedly revived the FG to a performance where the staging, lighting, and book no longer matter. She elevated the entire performance and cast in a way most leads do not do. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 5:46pm

UncleCharlie said: "Tony awards are competitive categories. You don't normally just hand someone a Tony award no matter how much you loved their performance. The special Tony awards which were not for lifetime achievement seem to have typically been used to recognize an iconic performer who does something closer to a one person show or concert cause that type of performance really doesn't fall under or fit into the acting categories. Bruce Springsteen is a perfect, recent example of that.

It has not been typically used to recognize an acting performance from a replacement because they were not eligible for the standard acting award in that category. I can't recall an example since the 1960's.

But as a dozen threads and more than 3000 posts on this board have spelled out, her performance is not just great but transformative. So what do we do to recognize that? Clearly, there is only one answer. While she is not eligible to win one, is there any reason we can't change the name of the award to the Leas? "The Lea for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play goes to..." Doesn't that have a great ring to it? Who is this Tony guy anyway and why should the awards be named after him? It's Lea's time."

HAHA AMAZING. Right?? That's what all her fans want! Give her an award, heck, give her all of them! Just hand them all to her in June. No one else did incredible, transformative performances. No one else broke box office records. I'm sorry, but she does not need a special Tony award. And it's okay for me to think so. 

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 5:50pm

Phillyguy said: "UncleCharlie said: "The special Tony awards ... have typically been used to recognize an iconic performer who does something closer to a one person show or concert"

That's basically where we are. She single-handedly revived the FG to a performance where the staging, lighting, and book no longer matter. She elevated the entire performance and cast in a way most leads do not do."

So you're saying Lea had morphed the stage musical Funny Girl with a cast of over 20 into a one person show/concert. OK then. I guess she qualifies and should be awarded a Lea uh, I mean Tony. Imagine all that money they are wasting on paying Ramin, Jared and Tovah when they're not even needed.

Updated On: 1/12/23 at 05:50 PM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 5:51pm

UncleCharlie said: "Phillyguy said: "UncleCharlie said: "The special Tony awards ... have typically been used to recognize an iconic performer who does something closer to a one person show or concert"

That's basically where we are. She single-handedly revived the FG to a performance where the staging, lighting, and book no longer matter. She elevated the entire performance and cast in a way most leads do not do."

So you're saying Lea had morphed the stage musical Funny Girl with a cast of over 20 into a one person show/concert. OK then. I guess she qualifies and should be awarded a Lea uh, I mean Tony. Imagine all that money their wasting on paying Ramin, Jared and Tovah when they're not even needed."

Thank you for putting into words how i feel but obviously am very bad at expressing 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/12/23 at 6:05pm

Surprised no one has mentioned John Cameron Mitchell’s special Tony for Hedwig. Granted, he wrote the role and by that point had a very long history with it.