Stand-by Joined: 4/22/08
The replacement Tony seems like a good idea until you really start to think about it -- it's hard enough to get the Tony voters to see all the new productions -- can you imagine how hard it would be to see all the replacements each season as well?
And then there's the award itself -- what exactly defines a "best replacement?" The majority of replacements "emulate" the original performer -- some more than others -- to fit into the existing vision of a show. So does a really great "fit" qualify as a "best replacement?" Or does it need to be a replacement that completely reinvents the role in some way? (Keeping in mind that this sort of "reinvention" mid-run is relatively rare.)
Just something to think about.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/16/06
Very true. Although every now and then you get a very different take on the role (example: Sherie Rene Scott and Faith Prince, The Little Mermaid)
"Lillias White in Dreamgirls"
Lillias could've been nominated for the first revival, she just wasnt.
The Tony nominating committee has always had the power to award special replacement Tony Awards and they should be encouraged to award it more frequently.
As a 'special award' though I believe the guideline is that it has to be routinely felt by the committee that the performance is adding 'special and unique luster' to the Broadway season.
A handful of examples listed here I think would qualify for that: Reba in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, Estelle Parsons in AUGUST OSAGE being the obvious standouts, but under those guidelines I don't think you'd ever see a special Tony awarded for a replacement Phantom, or Glinda.
I think Peters in NIGHT MUSIC might make the most obvious case for awarding a special replacement Tony since Reba McEntire.
I wonder if the Tony Committee will consider it.
I agree it'd be difficult to do, but would be good for longer running shows. I suppose they'd probably invite the critics back much more as well, so I'm not sure how they'd determine would should be seen and who wouldn't (ie: the new next to normal cast as opposed to the new leads in Wicked). Suppose it could change year to year.
As for previous replacements -
Rachel York in The Scarlet Pimpernel
John Owen Jones, Lea Salonga and Judy Kuhn - all for the Les Miserables revival
Does anyone think the character has anything to do with it? Because many people have said Bernadette, and CZJ won the Tony for the same role. Alice Ripley won the Tony for Diana, and many people in other threads have said Mazzie would be up for it if it was possible.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Patti LuPone in MASTER CLASS
Corbin Blue in In the Heights
Well, only the nominating committee would have to go see all the replacements. The voters would only have to go see the nominated performances.
Harvey Fierstein in Fiddler on the Roof, definitley. I always thought his performance was very underrated.
Also, Faith Prince was pretty great in The Little Mermaid. A LOT better than Sherie Rene Scott!
I think the real snafu is in having to have the award voted on by the Tony voters - aside from the logistics - that it would require producers to saddle up thousands of additional dollars in comps; a lot of replacements aren't in a show for an entire year and/or wouldn't be available for the voters to see.
Having the producers invite the Tony NOMINATORS back to see certain performers they would like to be considered for a special replacement Tony and then letting the committee decide if among those there is a choice worthy of being given the award is in my opinion probably a more realistic idea.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
"Annaleigh Ashford--Galinda"
You can't be serious.
Here are mine:
*Laura Michelle Kelly for "Mary Poppins"
*Ashley Brown as Belle for "Beauty and the Beast"
*Anneliese van der Pol as Belle in "Beauty and the Beast"
*Patrick Page for either Lumiere in "Beauty and the Beast" or Scar in "The Lion King,"
*Brian d'Arcy James as Dan in "Next to Normal,"
*Stephanie J. Block as Elphaba in "Wicked."
Updated On: 8/22/10 at 11:15 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/21/06
"Having the producers invite the Tony NOMINATORS back to see certain performers they would like to be considered for a special replacement Tony and then letting the committee decide if among those there is a choice worthy of being given the award is in my opinion probably a more realistic idea."
I've alwasys thought the same. Let's be realistic: producers wouldn't want to hand out comps to every new replacement in every role. They could, however, be willing to ask nominators to come for a specific performance by a new replacement - much like they invite back critics. Maybe even saying every show gets 1 or 2 possible slots per year?
And I agree that if they say they can hand out special awards, then they should more often. Many (but certainly not all) of the performances mentioned here added lusted to many a season.
I agree that a more traditional approach to this award would be hard to regulate, but there really should be some sort of special acknowledgment for a first class replacement like Bernadette or Reba. A "special" Tony is still a Tony in my mind.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
Broadway Boy you mention Rose in Gypsy as a part that's had many replacement actresses on Broadway- is that true? I can only think of one Broadway production that's had two (Linda Lavin replaced Tyne Daly).
Justin Johnston as Angel in Rent.
I also think Alexandra Socha could have possibly won supporting actress as Wendla in Spring Awakening. She acted the heck out of the role.
so many great suggestions, I particularly back up: Estelle Parsons in August
And to add to the mix: I thought Blake Bashoff was outstanding in Spring Awakening.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
If *any* Glinda was to be nominated it would have been Jennifer Laura Thompson. She reinvented the role, and didn't play it like the rest. This is probably also why fans hated her, and the producers have never invited her back.
I loved Phylicia Rashad in August, but I didn't see the others to compare.
"Broadway Boy you mention Rose in Gypsy as a part that's had many replacement actresses on Broadway- is that true? I can only think of one Broadway production that's had two (Linda Lavin replaced Tyne Daly)."
I just meant that if perhaps there were some sort of recognition by the Tonys for replacement actors, a first rate actress would be more willing to take over a great role like Rose after another actress. Sorry if I was unclear. We can't pretend that awards don't matter to actors and producers on broadway.
The Broadway Doctor dissects Replacement Tony Awards.
The Replacement Tony Conundrum
I really did not enjoy Bernadette in Night Music. I thought she overacted.
That said, Johanna Day was a better Barbara Fordham than Amy Morton and deserved a Tony.
I'll never accept the fact that this award can't happen in some way.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/19/06
It is funny ..if a show closes for 1 year and is revived someone else can be nomimated for best actor/actress for the same role..but not if they come in (which is hard) and blow everyone away ..(betty buckley SB/bernadette ALNM/Reba AGYG)
they can not. It makes no sense...the perfomance should be nominated becuase it is a new performance..I dont think it should apply to a limited run just a "real" replacement.
I saw Kiss of the SpiderWoman and Chita was unreal ..but Maria Conchita Alonzo also blew me away....I thought Vanessa was posing too much and they slowed the music down a lot for her and the way she over pronounces her words kind of bugged me but I think that is something she does all the time
Pearl Bailey and Ethel Merman in Hello Dolly.
Anne Baxter in Applause.
Harry Groener in Spamalot
Shannon Durig in Hairspray, even though Marissa Jaret Winokur shouldn't have won the Tony in the first place.
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