NPH in 'Assassins'

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:36pm

I was listening to the Revival Cast Recording of Assassins, and I keep thinking more and more that NPH was robbed of a Tony nomination.

He was as strong as anyone in the show that had the best cast of the year.

And Marc Kudisch deserved a nod, too, but I can see how nominating four people from Assassins (Cerveris, O'Hare, NPH and Kudisch) might have been a bit much.

But I still think NPH was overlooked unjustly.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:38pm

NPH did a GREAT job when I saw him but I really do believe that Cerveris was the glue to the production(as his character is written to be)

[insomniak]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:38pm

His voice is my favorite on Assassins. I didn't see the show so I can't really say whether or not he deserved a nomination, but I think he really stood out in an exceptional cast.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:40pm

Yes, though Cerveris deserved the win, I feel NPH was just as strong as him and at least deserved a nod.

[Racetrack]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:42pm

I agree Priest. I thought he was really good in Assassins and deserved the nod.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:44pm

Ah, Neil.

He was superb in Assassins. My ideal situation would have been Cerveris, Harris, and possibly Barbour being nominated, with Cerveris still winning. O'Hare was great, especially in Ballad of Guiteau, but the others were better.

Neil was in great voice as the Balladeer, but his acting in November 22, 1963 was what made his performance so special.

[zippyjen]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:44pm

NPH i enjoyed very much. As i did Michael and the rest of the cast!

[insomniak]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:45pm

A nod yes, but Micheal Cerevis was fantastic, acting-wise, from what I can tell on the CD. 'Take a Look, Lee', makes me hold my breath every time and a lot of the reason is him (in addition to the erie quality the rest of the cast carries so well). He and NPH were great together on the Ballad of Booth, it was both funny and serious.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:52pm

kudisch wasnt in the show long enough for a nomination

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:54pm

Yeah, Kudisch wasn't, and I it would have been odd if he got a nod, but I still think he was fantastic.

I think one of the reasons I love NPH's performance so much is because he blows Patrick Cassidy out of the water.

[Kris2]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:55pm

I am infatuated with his voice, both in Assassins and Sweeney Todd (not so much in Rent). His Balladeer was wonderfully sung but is not much of an acting part. Can't really sink your teeth into it. He's just supposed to offer commentary when a president is killed. He said on the Broadway.com vid that the Balladeer just sort of smiles and goes, "Oh you assassins, you're so silly." Plus, he really only had one major acting scene in the whole show as Lee Harvey Oswald and I found it to be lacking. Not because of him, but how it was written. It was anticlimactic. I'm not knocking the job he did because I thought he was fabulous, but I don't feel the parts he played were Tony-worthy necessarily. Would love to see him in something else.

Oh, and he's hot. ::shrug::

[insomniak]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:57pm

I think 'Take a Look, Lee', was well-written... for other characters. NPH didn't get to shine, really, but I thought he did well with breathing a bit of life into the Balladeer and making it funny when he could, in addition to having a great voice.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:58pm

The scene between Booth and Oswald is severely cut on the Revival cd.

Oh, and the Assassination playing on his shirt, with the look on his face...Very intense.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 9:58pm

Now I can't really comment on the acting, because I haven't seen the show, I've only listened to the recording. But I don't find Michael Cerveris' portrayal of Booth anywhere near as wonderful as Victor Garber's. Sure, it is well-sung, and he has really gotten hold of the character, but the accent is a little grating and his singing is nowhere near as good as Victor's.

The reason NPH wasn't nominated is because the role of The Balladeer is somewhat of a non-entity. It certainly gets some of the best material to sing, but all it does is sit/stand/watch/comment. (of course I'm probably a little wrong on the staging). Booth, however, (and the other Assassins) are real people that have to be brought back to life by actors. Which is far more difficult to do.

That said, Michael Cerveris certainly deserved the tony, but I wish Victor Garber had played Booth...

NPH certainly sings the part well, but how much did he have to act?

And Nia, I find that interesting, because I always skip that song when I listen to the recording. If I want to listen to the Ballad of Booth then I go listen to the original cast.

[insomniak]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:00pm

I have the original cast but haven't yet listened to it because I've been acquainting myself with other CDs and I can't do more than one at once. I'm interested now... must move it to the top of the list.

To each his/her own, I guess.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:01pm

Both casts are wonderful, but I tend to listen to the original cd more. I find the Revival cd to be a bit lacking in the bite it had in the theater.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:10pm

Paradox-NPH had alot to do in a very short period of time. Within 16 bars he completely changed personas, and the audience GOT the change(rare for an audience these days). As Booth NPH was perfect! He was a terrified young man who had no idea what was going on, and portrayed it as EXACTLY that!

This cast of the revival of Assassins was the PERFECT group of actors.

[Kris2]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:15pm

Right after The Ballad of Guiteau I think, NPH skipped off stage through an exit in the orchestra while humming. I think that embodies what the Balladeer is. Just amusing and honest without any real emotion. He explains the history.

As LHO, when the assassination plays across his shirt, it came off more as a great artistic choice than a moment of intensity to me. I have many problems with the scene in general though, so yeah.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 1:25pm

*GASP*

How did I miss this topic? I totally agree with Priest, I thought NPH never received the credit he deserved for Assassins. I guess the main issue is that the whole male cast was wonderful (NPH, Michael, Denis, Marc, James etc) and every single one of them (especially the five I mentioned) would have deserved a Tony nomination.

Another problem was that Neil's part was really split into two. He was able to show off his lovely voice as The Baladeer but was unable to shine as an actor in that part. Only Oswald allowed him to do that.
I thought he did an incredible job as Oswald. By the time Another National Anthem had finished and he had 'transformed' into Oswald tears were already running down his face.
His performance was perfection in my opinion (just like his portrayal as The Emcee in Cabaret).

I cannot wait to see this guy on Broadway again and I keep everything crossed that he will take The Paris Letter to Off Broadway!

QM

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 1:35pm

I think NPH did an amazing job, but Kudisch was the standout for me. Absolutely focused and intense and he brought something so special to the show. He sung the role beautifully, but It was the best acting I'd seen from him. He played the lighter and darker sides of the role, almost like an eerie leading player. I think he deserved the tony nod...too bad he wasn't in the show long enough.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 1:41pm

Who said that Marc wasn't in Assassins long enough, hence he didn't get his Tony nomination? Marc left Assassins on June 13th. I believe the Tony Awards last year were on June 5th, right?

I know for sure that he was still in the show after the Tony's.

QM

Updated On: 1/2/05 at 01:41 PM

[misterchoi]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 1:45pm

I wasn't an O'Hare fan in the show, though i love everything else he has done.

NPH did a wonderful job, and his performance was funny and warm and everything I could have asked for, as was most of the production.

OK, OT: does anyone know anything about the sort of person NPH dates?

I know, none of my business, and rude. sorry. don't bash me, just want to know if there is any possibility for him and I to join in a Massachusetts wedding one day.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:03pm

Mr. Choi,

With all due respect -- Back off. :)

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 4:15pm

With all due respect?


I don't buy it.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 4:21pm

Priest, did you see ASSASSINS? Just curious, I don't mean anything by it.

I would have preferred to see NPH nominated over O'Hare - I found O'Hare to be awful in ASSASSINS, which is a shame because he's been so amazing in everything else.

As far as the winner, Cerveris deserved it 100% and I knew he would win, although I was definitely rooting for Esparza.

Sadly, O'Hare is quickly turning into one of those actors for me that I don't enjoy watching because he's so similar in everything. Chenoweth, Lane, and Beach are all there too.