Most shocking Tony moment- Page 3

[wildcat]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 8:16am

What did she say? What did she do?

[magruder]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 9:05am

A little bit of what was to come can be glimpsed when she finishes "Gorgeous". She gets a big hand, and turns to walk off stage with an expression like a stone statue.

When she wins a little while later, she comes stalking down the aisle with her eyes half closed, looking mad at the world and not too steady on her feet. Category presenter Zero Mostel helps her to the stage, looking somewhat concerned for her. She mumbles her way through a couple of pleasantries like "...this is nice...thanks" and then someone whom I've read was a party crasher rushes out on stage and kisses her on the cheek, which confuses her even more. She mumbles through a few more thank yous and wanders off stage. It's one of the strangest things you've ever seen.

That moment is almost topped later on in the midst of the performance from "Walking Happy" when star Norman Wisdom accidentally knocks over a cart filled with noisy props that comes perilously close to hitting one of four female chorus dancers. She was in the midst of a turn when she sees the cart falling, does the slightest adjustment to miss getting hit, never losing her plastered on smile or a step. Whoever she was, she's a genius.

Updated On: 12/29/04 at 09:05 AM

Posted: 12/29/04 at 9:17am

When they were making the announcements for Best Actress in a musical and they showed Tonya Pinkins for Jellies Last Jam and her boobs popped out of her strapless dress!!! I don't know if she won!

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 9:30am

I haven't seen "Q" but I'm still kind of blah about it winning. I mean, everyone looks at the financial success of "Wicked," but it's just one of those grand musicals that is just wonderful. I have the OBC of "Ave. Q" and it's cute, but nothing more than that. I feel like it was an off the wall idea by a couple of young guys, "hey, let's write this musical thing, where puppets are onstage, having sex, using naughty language, it'll be cool..." I mean, the music isn't great, by any stretch, at least in my opinion. It sounds like something off of Seasame St. with dirty words. I'm still going to see it, I just dont' think it should have won. Something like "Wicked," or even "Caroline, or Change" which was great (despite Tonya Pinkins MANY ill performances) should have won.

-Vincent

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 10:10am

If you actually see Avenue Q, you will understand why it won. The CD does not do the show justice.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 10:16am

There have been plenty of surprises (pleasant and un) at the Tonys, but very few true "shocks".

As mentioned before, Two Gents over Follies in 1972

Also, Brian Bedford in 1971 over Gielgud, Richardson and Alec McCowan.

My personal biggest upset happened in about 1975, Best Actor in a Play with six nominees including Henry Fonda and Jim Dale although there was no clear favorite. Presenter Jean Stapleton opened the envelope and said "And the winner is..."(she read the contents, looked front, paused for effect and began again), "...and the winners ARE..." I immediately thought 'tie', but no.

There was a double nomination for Best Actor that year. Two South African actors played roles in two plays by Athol Fugard (who also received a single nomination for writing both plays) that were presented in rotating rep in a commercial engagement at the now-gone Edison Theatre and received one nomination (like the Side Show leads), and they pulled out a win.

I cannot exactly remember their names: Winston Ntshona and John Kani come close, but the plays are titled Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island.

The audience reaction was genuine--surprise followed by unalloyed glee and sustained applause as if to say, "The best men won."

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 10:17am

touchme - Ragtime did win two Tonys for its writing. It just didn't win Best Musical because of its uneven staging and rather bland choreography. I'm still not entirely sure it deserved the Tony for Book, but oh well...

[Al Dente]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 10:29am

This thread could go on forever but the most recent being Menzel beating out Pinkins. Say what you will about COC, but Pinkins gave the performance of a liftime and should have been recognized accordingly. Menzel had no business beating out the emotional depth Pinkins showed for hitting a couple of ear splitting high notes whilst in a harness.

If we're going with glaring omissions, Orfeh and Sherie Scott not being nominaated at all for their turns in Saturday Night Fever and Aida. They were, imo, the two brightest spots in mediocre shows.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 10:47am

My shocks from this year were Ann Harada and Carole Shelley not being nominated in the Supporting Actress in a Musical category. (I will be nice and not mention the two who should have been left out!)

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 10:48am

No, DBillyP, please - go ahead and mention.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 10:48am

Though you'll probably get flack for it Al, I have to agree with you about Orfeh and Scott. They were both fantastic as well as the smokin' choreography for Saturday Night Fever.

[MatureDignity]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 12:30pm

I was shocked that Hunter wasn't nominated for Urinetown too. Then I was a little shocked that he WAS nominated for LSOH.

I was surprised when Ragtime lost to The Lion King... just cause I really used to think it was the greatest musical ever. But Avenue Q winning takes the cake. I screamed and jumped on my sister. : )

[Al Dente]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 1:28pm

MisterMatt, I'm thinking I won't get as much flack as I usually do...the truth is undeniable and they were undeniably and shockingly overlooked for nominations that they both more than deserved. It seems to be the one thing pretty much everyone agrees on about the two ladies.

[Justice]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 1:33pm

Contact winning Tony
Lion King winning over Ragtime
Thoroughly Modern Millie winning over Urinetown
Bernadette Peters performing as Mama Rose (not a good thing)

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 1:39pm

Millie winning over Urinetown isn't so shocking. Millie was the bigger musical and even the cast of Urinetown knew it would win.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 1:51pm

"Menzel had no business beating out the emotional depth Pinkins showed for hitting a couple of ear splitting high notes whilst in a harness..."

Well, how would you know if Tonya Pinkins came in a close second? Maybe it was a difference of a couple of votes, and it came down to which actress was in the more popular musical.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 2:20pm

I don't even know how to respond to your post Millie, but I'll try, I am not a Tony voter (way too young, and way too much good taste), so I don't know what "place" Pinkins came in, but "number two" doesn't count in any race, really, and therefore, she goes home empty handed and that was a "shocking Tony moment"...

[magruder]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 2:33pm

MyFairLady, Millie winning over Urinetown seemed like a foregone conclusion, but one had to hope down to the very last minute that the theatre industry wouldn't go through with the elaborate charade of pretending Millie was the better show, despite its more palatable title.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 2:45pm

It just goes to show that what is a shock to one is a foregone conclusion to another...

I was not shocked that Tonya didn't win this year, that Marissa beat out Bernadette or that URINETOWN lost a prize I strongly felt it deserved.

I was shocked that AVENUE Q bested WICKED, and I loved both shows!

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 2:55pm

I love Urinetown and Millie, but I still think Millie deserved the Tony. The only thing I'm upset about from 2002 was that Hunter Foster wasn't nominated.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 2:58pm

I'm upset, looking back, that RENT didn't get more Tony's, or more nominations...

And this thing about Wicked, around the Tony time, I read in a magazine..their review for Wicked was that it was hoplessly lot next to it's novel, so around Tony time I guess not everyone was on Wicked's side, I think that kinda changed when Idina got the Tony..I could be wrong

Posted: 12/29/04 at 4:20pm

Ragtime losing....

I openly wept

[krolockskid]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 5:34pm

Without a doubt when Avenue Q won best score over Taboo. >

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 5:44pm

Ragtime losing and Marin Mazzie losing out for Kiss Me Kate.

[Loge]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 6:52pm

I have two:

1). "The Lion King" winning Best Musical over "Ragtime". Utter travesty. I lost all respect I had for the Tony's with this one. The Tony's are as political as anything else.

2). "Avenue Q" winning Best Musical over "Caroline, or Change". Yes, I still watch the Tony's, and the Tony Committee is STILL F'in up - BIG TIME! Incidentally, I think "Wicked" was the third best show up for the award that year, and understand "Avenue Q" beating it, but "Caroline, or Change" should have walked way with the award! Hands down!