Official 2013 - 2014 Tony Awards Thread — Page 19

Hugh's opening: B. Cute, but too obscure of a reference.
After Midnight: B+.
Les Miserables: B-. Nikki was better than I had heard, but Kyle Scatliffe was rough.
Aladdin: B. I heard it's much better in the show, but still fun.
If/Then: A-. Idina's back, y'all.
Rocky: C-. Could have been more well-executed.
Cabaret: B. Nothing special. Surprised Michelle Williams wasn't there.
A Gentleman's Guide: A-. Fun, but probably better in context.
Hedwig: A. Electric.
Violet: A-. Wish they featured Josh Henry, but great!
The Last Ship: D. Put me to sleep.
Wicked: B+. Not necessary, but I liked it. They sounded great. Great exposure for those two.
Beautiful: A-. Great showcase of the show and for Carole to join them!
Bullets Over Broadway: B. Not as exciting as everyone made it sound like it would be.
Finding Neverland: B. Jennifer Hudson sounded great, but SO random.

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I don't get why all the hating on "Aladdin" and the number they performed. It was one of my favorites of the night (but then again, though I'm older now and don't have the time, part of me will always self-identify as a tap dancer). As for it "looking like a cartoon," um...it's a DISNEY production. I'm sure the entire show looks cartoonish. He was directed to perform like that. Heck, in his award speech, he even said "thanks to ____ for imagining the Genie this way." So, not a big surprise at all.

Hedwig was my other favorite. Idina was wonderful, but yeah, as someone said...she's Idina. I am actually surprised no one mentioned catching on to Jonathan Groff's subtle making fun of Travolta when he pushed his voice register up to sound just like Travolta and then totally mimicked his Oscars enunciation, saying "theeee Wicked-leee talented...IDINA MENZEL," as if to make a clear correction on her name. It was, in fact, the intro she should have gotten. Subtle, and clever on Groff's part.

But I digress. Back to Hedwig for a sec. NPH did very clearly say, ostensibly to his children, on camera, "I can't wait til I can come home and read you books at night and put you to sleep, but that's happening soon." Doesn't sound like he wants to renew.

Also loved the "Beautiful" stuff--including Jessie's costume changes! She changed from red carpet, to old Carole, to young Carole, to old Carole, to Tony winner wardrobe, all night long, including one of those within exactly 60 seconds when the "Shirelles" sang their version, in the performance from the show. But I kind of have a feeling that anyone who loves Carole King--and I don't know anyone who doesn't--would love that show. Jessie is very talented. I also think it's cool that while she's not "traditionally" starlet-beautiful like lots of the other young nominees, she's adorably attractive and seems to truly inhabit the characters she plays. Love that. All of that. Congrats to her.

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Updated On: 6/9/14 at 04:13 AM

Yep! Even though we all knew it was coming, it was still a thrilling moment. It was so wonderful to see (and hear) the love in Radio City for Audra, too. History tonight!

Because someone thought they'd be clever for mocking someone that mentionned their faith. How droll.

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For someone who no longer lives in NYC and doesn't visit that often, I thoroughly enjoyed Hugh and the broadcast. I especially liked the way he introduced the women in the leading and featured acting categories. Sutton looked stunning in pink. The Music Man rap made me smile.

This awards show should be celebrating the Broadway season that just ended. I'm sorry the book, score, and design categories are no longer shown. I have been fascinated with sets and costumes since I was a kid. I wish PBS would go back to showing these categories if they're not going to be shown during the telecast.

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I never get why the subject of god being thanked when someone wins an award bothers people soo much. I mean, it's their religion and they have the right to praise God if they want to- what's it to anybody else. I believe that no one should either knock nor make fun of a person's religion or lack there of. ex: i believe in god, but don't knock me for doing so, and i won't knock you for not believing. It should be a two way street of acceptance. End of Rant. LOL

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Because someone thought they'd be clever for mocking someone that mentionned their faith. How droll.

Not droll, but a lot of us find odd the notion that God intervenes in sporting events, beauty contests and award shows. And how arrogant to assume God roots for Miss Mueller over her competitors. (And where WAS He during CLEAR DAY, anyway?)

Personally, I'm with Kathy Griffin: "Nobody has less to do with me winning this award than Jesus!"

(And where WAS He during CLEAR DAY, anyway?)

Good point! I forgot she was nominated for that. I guess Judy Kaye prayed harder that year.

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I am not a person of faith, but I have absolutely no problems with people of faith choosing to thank God at times when they feel particularly blessed. I don't think anyone is thanking their God for getting them the win, or for someone else losing. I think they're thanking God for their gifts and their joy.

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I thought the broadcast very middle of the road, but with a few high points.

The opening was stupid.

I liked After Midnight, but it needed to have proper introduction. Dule needed to come out give a few lines about coming Uptown to the Cotton Club or something like that.

Even needing a better introduction was Gentleman's Guide. The people at the party I was at who weren't theater people/hadn't seen the show were lost. Maybe Jefferson Mayes just needed say, "In this number the presumptuous climber Monty is meeting with..." The tempo felt a little rushed, but their voices were glorious.

Hugh did that Music Man rap in his one man show on Broadway two seasons ago. It was much funnier in the context of his show than on the Tonys last night.

Rocky was pretty terrible, and the one truly thrilling sequence of the show was spoiled and came off as decidedly unimpressive.

I did LOVE the Violet performance and thought Sutton won the evening. It made me want to see the show again. (She also looked stunning in her pink dress.)

Idina did a good job with If/Then. Certainly sounded great and will sell a ticket or two.

Sting was really terrible. That song was boring and it made me considerably less excited to see The Last Ship this fall.

Neverland was just unnecessary. I couldn't understand the words Jennifer Hudson was singing.

Aladdin and Bullets fell into "OK" territory for me, and both those numbers lost much of the magic they had in the theater.

Les Mis was oy vey.

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@ GavestonPS - Just as i think that people who have a problem with other people's religion are obnoxious.

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ROCKY bit off more than they could chew, but a dear friend who loves the movie and was cautiously mortified about the prospects of the stage show told me she was very impressed at the ingenuity of the individual moments they showcased. If anything, doing essentially a montage rather than a medley was an effective table-setter and now she wants to see the show. So, that worked.

I thought the shows came off the best were GENT'S GUIDE and ALADDIN (simply picked the best songs in the show and did them) as well as VIOLET and BEAUTIFUL (very appropriate medleys.)

AFTER MIDNIGHT needed more context, but it's also hard to pick a single number from a show packed with showstoppers, and they were right at the top of the show so it got even more lost in the shuffle because it was still kind of maybe part of the opening number sort of? At least they fared better than IF/THEN, showed to me again that Idina Menzel can belt but I have no idea what she's singing about. That show is like the emotional sledgehammer of LES MIS without the rapturous melodies or archetypal story to support the emotions. So much bombast but nothing underneath, so it just looks foolish in the end.

Speaking of LES MIS, I honestly don't care how well or poorly this revival does, it just cemented in my mind that it needs to retire for ten years at least, come back in another generation. "One Day More" - a number that should be chilling and gorgeous and for all intents and purposes still was - came across in the middle of the broadcast like "yup, this is LES MIS, cool beans" and didn't feel special at all. And that's the time you disappear for a bit and make us want to remember you fondly. Same w/CABARET, but at least now I've seen Alan Cumming's Emcee costume in HD so... yay? (Actually, yeah, probably yay.)

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