Riedel on the Tony nominations....

An amusing column, complete with Lane/Addams Family bashing.

Some notes:
- American Idiot's producers are PISSED about the lack of nominations. And the show has a lack of support.

- Memphis could trump Fela! because it is the "safer" choice.

- Come Fly Away producers are "in shock."

- Lucy Liu refused to perform Saturday night because of the bomb scare.

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/second_enron_collapse_ycaAnYNNfgEpn2v2IAciMN/0

Updated On: 5/5/10 at 03:12 AM

best dig ever

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"Memphis" enters the race with a solid voting bloc behind it. "Fela!" -- which would have had the press on its side -- doesn't. If it loses to "Memphis," the Tonys really will be a sham."

He said this a few years ago with if IN THE HEIGHTS were to beat PASSING STRANGE -- and he was right.

At least IN THE HEIGHTS set out to do something new and original. I am scratching my head trying to think of one thing MEMPHIS has done to contribute to the evolution of musical theater.

I agree with you about that. I just don't think it is fair to equate Memphis and In the Heights. In the Heights successfully brought a whole new genre of music to the stage, adding rap to the musical theater cannon. Memphis gave us "Everybody Wants To Be Black on a Saturday Night."

I would say that Memphis is this years Spamalot and Fela is this years Light in the Piazza. In fact, I don't understand how Reidel thinks that the TONYs still are not a sham and will only become a sham if Memphis beats Fela. The second Spamalot beat Light in the Piazza, Spelling Bee, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, I considered them to be a sham. Hell, the second that Millie beat Urinetown, I considered them a sham!

If Lucy Liu chose not to perform the night of the bomb scare, then that's her prerogative. Who's to say what our individual thresholds are regarding fear. As usual, Reidel is an ass.

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I would say that Memphis is this years Spamalot and Fela is this years Light in the Piazza. In fact, I don't understand how Reidel thinks that the TONYs still are not a sham and will only become a sham if Memphis beats Fela.

Riedel thinks they're a sham beginning this year because this is the first year the press isn't allowed to vote. He's got an axe to grind.

If Lucy Liu chose not to perform the night of the bomb scare, then that's her prerogative. Who's to say what our individual thresholds are regarding fear.

The version of the story I heard involves Ms. Liu running around backstage before the show screaming, "I'm a target!" and then ultimately departing the theater. A bit melodramatic, methinks.

I think the Tony's being a sham goes back to 1948, when Mr. Roberts won over Streetcar Named Desire as Best Play.

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He said this a few years ago with if IN THE HEIGHTS were to beat PASSING STRANGE -- and he was right.

Unless you preferred In the Heights to Passing Strange. Then he was wrong. I don't think the Tonys were a sham to choose In the Heights because I love In the Heights and I don't like Passing Strange at all. So, perhaps Riedel wasn't right. Perhaps he was stirring sh*t.

I am scratching my head trying to think of one thing MEMPHIS has done to contribute to the evolution of musical theater.

Here's the thing about the Tonys: the Best Musical winner does not have to contribute to the evolution of musical theatre. Not now or ever. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes the shows that contribute the most don't win. The Tonys do not dictate artistic evolution because a) Broadway is still a commercial venture deeply rooted in entertainment and b) artistic evolution happens slowly (as in less than once a season) and reverberates even more slowly (we often don't recognize artistic influence until we've had time to notice change) and c) politics are always involved in every awards ceremony for absolutely anything and the Tonys are no exception (nor have they ever been).

When Hair originally opened, nobody knew it would move to Broadway and create a new movement in musical theatre. When Hair did move to Broadway, nobody knew if it would last or become influential in any way. When it was clear Hair was a success, it still didn't win Best Musical. But if asked which musical that season contributed most to the evolution of musical theatre, I doubt anyone would say it was 1776, as good as it is.

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"When Hair originally opened, nobody knew it would move to Broadway and create a new movement in musical theatre. When Hair did move to Broadway, nobody knew if it would last or become influential in any way. "

I think originally, it was still "too political" perhaps. and now when many are against war and do not have to be ashamed to be against it, it was a resounding yes for the revival to win last year. that is an exception of course. HAIR was original it its day to show things that stuffy people could not deal with. some of those conservativs went, were changed for an hour, but that's it.

now it is more commercial, and they know this is the vibe so couldn't possibly put up Adaams. commericially successful but critically panned. yet it got 8 drama desk nods.

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What i love is how he makes up all his contacts.
'A Producer said....' or 'a Tony Voter said...' etc

Its very funny how they all seem to sound the same in the tone which comes through in the writing

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'What i love is how he makes up all his contacts.
'A Producer said....' or 'a Tony Voter said...' etc"


That's a trick all Rupert Murdoch employees learn in training. Like at his Faux News Channel where the hosts of their shows want to attack without any knowledge or information, and start questions with "Some people say...", and it's been documented in "Outfoxed". He's nothing more than a cheap gossip columnist and makes it very clear in his glee about hurt feelings, he has nothing but disdain for theater and it's performers.

The New York Post loses about a million dollars a week or 50 mil a year.

The Addams Family has been grossing 1.2-1.3 mil a week since previews began.

One is making money at least for the moment, and the other hasn't made money in years if not decades and requires subsidy from other more profitable arms of the owning conglomerate.

Neither is aimed particularly high on the cultural ladder, but at least The Addams Family has its moments.

Why doesn't Mister Riedel just shut his hole?

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