My thoughts on the Tony's this year- Page 5

[doggybone123]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:14pm

Shrek sucked. I think Rock of Ages could totally beat out shrek. did you guys who dog it see it off broadway? ya, its silly fun, but its also very smart in making fun of itself. I mean if Xanadu was nominated...

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:17pm

I don't want to raise any anger here among the 'Du-du-brains, but Xanadu was nominated in a VERY weak year. This is shaping up to be a season where there'll be actual competition for nominations.

[doggybone123]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:21pm

Absolutely. you're right. N2N, Billy elliot, and 9 to 5 seem to be locks. But shrek? you think shrek has more artistic integrity than rock of ages? yay, sutton foster and chris sieber and bway names, but as far as commercial fun... i think they are neck and neck.

[burnsy]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:31pm

Cry-Baby got nominated for best musical, best book & score last year . Anything could happen!

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:40pm

doggybone - there's no way ROA beats out Shrek.

They're trying to boost ticket sales and commercialism here. Shrek wil get a nod.

ROA has all their alcohol and gimmicky "80's rock concert" crap to sell tix. I doubt they'll need help from the commitee. And they know that too.

With STORY OF MY LIFE getting terrible reviews, I'm afraid the last slot will come down to either N2N or ROA. I don't see both shows getting a Best Musical nod.

[doggybone123]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 12:53pm

All I'm saying is, when i went to see ROA off broadway, I wasn't expecting much, I find myself to have high standards for the theatre. I left the theatre that night embarassed that I had had so much fun. Also, with new line buying the rights to the movie, it seems like the committee would want ROA to become as popular as possible. movie musicals, like it or not, help bway sales.
Shrek was lousy. I sat there looking at my watch. But maybe you're right, maybe the politics go deeper than I know.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:31pm

Did I miss something? Are Hilty and Block definitely considered supporting? Their roles were just as big as Janney's...


Anyway, as I've said a thousand times over, [tos] will not be nominated for Best Musical. After this hellish season on Broadway with a ****load of shows closing and cancelling their runs, the Tony committee will want to nominate something that is still running during Tony season as opposed to something that closed almost a year prior to the award ceremony. They, and I don't blame them, would probably rather see SHREK or ROCK OF AGES take that last slot because they will both be still running and will sell tickets with their nomination and performance on the telecast.

I haven't seen ROA but I can say that SHREK is far weaker than [tos] but the [tos]sers need to calm the hell down. The show is NOT reopening and if it does, it will be extremely embarassing for all involved unless it opens again off-Broadway. The show flopped before the financial crisis got so dire and they think it will thrive now that not even WICKED and THE LION KING are sell-outs anymore? Not gonna happen. It was a funny, entertaining, flawed show of which I can pretty much 100% say was ruined for me by the [tos]sers. I mean, look, I love WICKED but it's got some major problems. Major. I'm not a crazy fangirl for it (although my BWW name may suggest otherwise everyone on here who has read my posts can pretty much attest to that) and I have to say the fangirls and [tos]sers and crazies who think [tos] is God's gift to musical theater need to take a chill pill.

And now onto BILLY ELLIOT. It's a fantastic, brilliant show. It really is. But, I have to say, it's not a lock to win Best Musical. And everyone who is taking a royal sh*t on NEXT TO NORMAL should wait and see the changes that are made for the Broadway run. And look, 9 TO 5 is a fun show. But I just do not get the debate of Janney being more worthy of the Tony than Ripley. Ripley's performance is simply astounding. I have a feeling that Best Actress is going to be a lot like the 2004 Tonys..Janney fangirls (Menzel fangirls) vs Ripley (Pinkins). In both cases, the latter is far more deserving. So Janney may very well win in a Menzel-like move, but I just don't see how it is even being argued that Ripley deserves it less than Janney. I just don't get it...

End of rant. Sorry if that was superfluous. I think it was.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:33pm

(applauds)

And yes, Hilty and Block will almost definitely be put in Featured, even though it's really not right.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:37pm

That's ridiculous. Their roles are just as big as Janney's.

I guess I could kinda see Hilty getting pushed to Featured...but not Block. I kinda hope the Tony committee pulls a Kate Winlset-esque move and ignores the producers' campaign for Hilty and Block for Featured.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:39pm

I love them both dearly and think it's ridiculous too, but at the same time it's a good thing to have Block in Featured. That way she has a much better shot at the Tony she deserves. Otherwise she'd be the Anne Hathaway-style "third wheel" in a Meryl Streep-Kate Winslet style race.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:43pm

Stephanie J. Block has the show stopping number and from what I hear steals the show!

I think she should be above featured. I also will be pissed if she doesn't win!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:46pm

True. And it would clearly pave the way for Janney to have more of a stab at winning instead of splitting in the vote if all three women were nominated in one category. BUt still, size-wise, they each have the same size roles.

I just really get frustrated when people claim that Idina deserved the Tony or that Janney deserves the Tony. Pinkins and Ripley both gave performances that should go down in musical theater history as two of the greatest female stage performances of all time. Menzel and Janney are strong (Menzel is leagues more talented than Janney although I love them both) but neither gave performances at the level of Pinkins or Ripley. It's frustrating to me that people can't love a show (like I love WICKED) but acknowledge its flaws and be able to step back and look at the big picture and be fair and level-headed about it. There is simply no contest between Ripley's performance and Janney's performance or between Menzel's and Pinkins'. All four are fantastic but two of them are simply brilliant and that needs to be recognized. BLAH.

[bwayboy976]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:48pm

so well said. wickedrocks, i love you.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:48pm

Honestly? I don't think Allison deserves a Tony. If 9 to 5 was a play, she'd take it in a hearbeat, but she dances minimally and (and no fangirls can deny this) can't really carry a tune. I could understand if it was a weak year, but with Ripley, Foster, Scaglione, and yes, her 9 to 5 costars on the scene, there's really no reason why she should have her name engraved on the Tony already.

[Mamie]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:51pm

I could go along with this if Ripley didn't just irritate the daylights out of me. I can't stand listening to her voice for more than a minute.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:52pm

Agreed, piraguaguy.

She gets a big flashy number that is really great but you can't help but think that the number was so big and flashy to distract the audience from Janney's minimal dancing and vocal talents. I actually liked both Hilty and Block's performances better than Janney's and would rather see them take Best Actress. It's also annoying to be that they selected Janney to be the one Best Actress nominee (mainly) because she's the biggest star. That should have no impact on what category they are campaigning for the Tony award in.

And thanks, bwayboy! Haha!
Updated On: 2/20/09 at 01:52 PM

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:56pm

Ideally, I'd love to see Block get the award, but that's not happening.

I guess we'll just have to let the Janney and Ripley fangirlies duke it out on BroadwaySecrets while other great performances (Foster, Block, Scaglione, Grant, Hilty) get pushed to the sidelines.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 1:56pm

Ripley's vibrato makes me want to shoot myself. It pulls her under a bit, for her longer notes. Mamie is right. Painful to listen to. Great actress though.


"maybe the politics go deeper than I know."

Doggy, the Tonys are all about politics.

[TheatreGal423]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 2:02pm

I see Ripley or Janney taking leading and Haydn Gwynne taking featured. I have heard Stephanie Block's "showstopper", and while its good, I don't think that it could compare to Haydn's performance.

[Broadway 1001]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 2:23pm

As we know the Tony voters love "Hollywood" performers (also they bring in higher ratings and sell more tickets to shows). However, with 9 to 5, Block's performance is stronger then Alison and Megan's. Alison will most likely go Leading but I hope that Stephanie and/or Megan go Featured. Stepahanie has a shot at featured but not in lead. She is due for a Tony(at least a nom) being snubbed for Boy from OZ and Pirate Queen.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 2:38pm

PERFORMANCE CATEGORY BREAKDOWNS:

Best Actor:
THE LOCKS:
David Alvarez/Trent Kowalik/Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot
Brian D'Arcy James, Shrek

THE MAYBES:
Craig Bierko, Guys and Dolls
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal
Gavin Creel, Hair
Malcolm Gets or Will Chase, The Story of My Life

THE LONGSHOTS:
Oliver Platt, Guys and Dolls
James Barbour, A Tale of Two Cities
Matt Cavenaugh, West Side Story

NOT THIS YEAR:
Jeff Bowen or Hunter Bell, [title of show]
Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages

Best Actress:

THE LOCKS:
Allison Janney, 9 to 5
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Sutton Foster, Shrek the Musical

THE MAYBES:
Kate Jennings Grant, Guys and Dolls
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story
Lauren Graham, Guys and Dolls

THE LONGSHOTS:
Stephanie J. Block, 9 to 5
Stockard Channing, Pal Joey

Best Featured Actor:

THE LOCKS:
Christopher Sieber, Shrek
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot

THE MAYBES:
Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5
Craig Bierko, Guys and Dolls
Aaron Tveit, Next to Normal

THE LONGSHOTS:
George Akram, West Side Story
Daniel Breaker, Shrek
Oliver Platt, Guys and Dolls

NOT THIS YEAR:
Santino Fontana, Billy Elliot
Titus Burgess, Guys and Dolls
Cody Green, West Side Story
Andy Karl, 9 to 5

Best Featured Actress:

THE LOCKS:
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot
Stephanie J. Block, 9 to 5
Karen Olivo, West Side Story

THE MAYBES:
Kate Jennings Grant or Lauren Graham, Guys and Dolls
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
Megan Hilty, 9 to 5

THE LONGSHOTS:
Heidi Blickenstaff or Susan Blackwell, [title of show]
Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot
Kathy Fitzgerald, 9 to 5
Mary Testa, Guys and Dolls

NOT THIS YEAR:
Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Caissie Levy, Hair

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 2:47pm

Nice breakdown Piragua. I do agree with the camp that says Hadyn Gwynne will get the Tony. She just inhabits that role so inexplicably. It's really a great performance. (And yes, I do love the show so I am biased. But I still think she's great.) If she'd been put in featured actress in London she probably would have nailed the Olivier (can't understand why she didn't except for the fact they put her in leading).

And I tend to think that it's between Ripley and Janney for leading actress as well. Although I must say I think Stockard Channing will be nominated. (My picks would be (and this all depends on who from 9 to 5 is put in featured): Allison Janney, Alice Ripley, Stockard Channing, Josefina Scaglione, and either Stephanie J. Block (if she's in this category) or Sutton Foster.)

The play categories are much tougher in my opinion, largely because more plays opened or are opening and where some of the actors will be placed remains to be seen.

But actress and featured actress in a musical will be very interesting to watch.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 2/20/09 at 3:21pm

I'm a huge D'Arcy fan but I'm just not sure he's a LOCK.

With weak competition, I guess he is... but I don't wanna get too excited.

Nice breakdown by the way.