STEPHEN SONDHEIM'S OLD FRIENDS Previews — Page 5

Ok, that is interesting. If they are above the title in the playbill I think that is the official billing (someone correct if not true). And I would expect the same rules to apply RE: above-title shows.

It is curious why then they choose to market it like this (e.g. on Telecharge). It makes me think maybe it's all part of a wider plan on Cameron Mackintosh's part to have a longer life for this show without potentially either Bernadette or Lea.


Part of me also thought maybe they didn't optically want the star names above Sondheim's name although they didn't seem to mind in London:

MezzA101 said: "The Playbill also had an insert that showed that same page. Looks to me to be the exact same. Don't know why they included it."

There's probably a typo. or a small enough change that the general public doesn't notice but is enough for the production to necessitate an insert...

There are no rules about billing. Sometimes people are above the title on the advertising and then below the title on the Playbill, or vice-versa. I would be a little surprised if the whole cast didn't go Featured, but that would also be a big topic of conversation with Bernadette and her reps.

Updated On: 4/4/25 at 10:51 AM

binau said: "It is curious why then they choose to market it like this (e.g. on Telecharge). It makes me think maybe it's all part of a wider plan on Cameron Mackintosh's part to have a longer life for this show without potentially either Bernadette or Lea.



I’m also surprised they can get away with “Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim” given the heavy featuring of West Side Story and Gypsy.

Updated On: 4/4/25 at 12:14 PM

Dan6 said: "binau said: "It is curious why then they choose to market it like this (e.g. on Telecharge). It makes me think maybe it's all part of a wider plan on Cameron Mackintosh's part to have a longer life for this show without potentially either Bernadette or Lea.



I’m also surprised they can get away with “Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim” given the heavy featuring of West Side Story and Gypsy."

Your question is valid despite a half-page Musical Credits inside the Playbill. An asterisk on the title page only points to that section for "additional orchestration credits."

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "MezzA101 said: "The Playbill also had an insert that showed that same page. Looks to me to be the exact same. Don't know why they included it."

There's probably a typo. or a small enough change that the general public doesn't notice but is enough for the production to necessitate an insert..."

I was trying to figure out what the difference was between the insert and the Playbill page, too. I think I noticed a smudge in the printing, so I guess they wanted a clean printing of the names/info.

I saw the show tonight. I would recommend it just to see Bernadette. Her voice is better than I thought it would be. There is no explanation of anything, which is fine for Sondheim fans, but the uninitiated may not understand the songs without any context. And I having seen most of the shows represented, I sat longing for the original singers of the songs, or, why didn't Bernadette sing that song?, she was in that show (I know she can't sing every song). I have seen enough tributes to Sondheim on Youtube and live whereby I am spoiled by watching the greats do Sondheim. I don't think they used Lea enough. I would have rather them not done WSS, as Steven is embarrassed by his lyrics for that show.

Wayman_Wong said: "''This isn’t 2010 where Barbara Cook got a nod for Sondheim on Sondheim, in a year where there werebarely any viable candidates for the musical categories''

I don't remember 2010 being especially sparse in Tony potential, but there was a dispute over ''Sondheim on Sondheim.'' The Roundabout revue had billed Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams and Tom Wopat above the title. The Roundabout was angling to get Cook a Leading Actress nomination and hoped to get Williams bumped down to Featured, so both women would be nominated. The Tonys disagreed, nominating only Cook in Featured.

Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga are both billed above the title in the Playbill of ''Sondheim's OldFriends,'' but the Tonys have the discretion of bumping them down to Featured if they want. (I'd actually welcome thatsince Leading Actress is so overcrowded, and Featured Actress, so far, doesn't seem to be the most competitive category.)


Just wondering: If Peters and Salonga are above the title in the playbill, does that mean ticket buyers get a notification if they’re out and the chance to get a refund? I left an open slot just in case one of them is out but was uncertain if refunds or exchanges would apply to Old Friends.

Hopefully, it won’t be an issue. But does anyone know?

Updated On: 4/6/25 at 12:27 AM

quizking101 said: "binau said: ""Considering the amount of fully fleshed out roles and characters in new musical this year, I would find it almost insulting if Bernadette (or anything from the show) got nominated. I could understand maybe a special Tony, but to put what is essentially her in a concert where she, as herself, plays fragments of roles from her careerseems almost insulting.

This isn’t 2010 where Barbara Cook got a nod for Sondheim on Sondheim, in a year where there werebarely any viable candidates for the musical categories"

I could not disagree with this opinion more. I would suspect both Bernadette and Lea will both be eligible in the featured actress category. After having seen all of this years eligible productions for musical and musical revival, I would vote for Bernadette Peters to take home the award for this performance with her biggest competition coming from her costar. It’s not everyday that Broadway audiences and actors are given the opportunity to see or give an all encompassing, fully developed career celebrating performance and still be this exceptional and imo, award worthy. I also would not be surprised if we saw this pop up in other categories as well, including the exceptional Sound Design. It encapsulates the Friedman with a rich and lush sound that I don’t believe I’ve ever experienced in that theatre before. If there ever was a year that the Best Theatrical Event competitive Tony Award be reinstated, Ben Platt: Live at the Palace vs. Sondheim’s Old Friends would both be worthy nominees and bring an extra taste of flavor to the Tony Awards that you are unfortunately not going to hear from any of the unimpressive scores that could potentially be nominated for Best Score this season.

Wayman_Wong said: "I don't remember 2010 being especially sparse in Tony potential, but there was a dispute over ''Sondheim on Sondheim.''"

It definitely was sparse. The nominees were Finneran and Lansbury (the only two viable candidates to win), Lilias White for Fela, Karine Plantadit for Come Fly Away (lol), and Cook. The only other POTENTIAL nominees would have been someone from The Addams Family (likely Jackie Hoffman) but the show was universally panned, or the phenomenal Terri White in the long-closed revival of Finnian's Rainbow. There were not a ton of options that year.

binau said: "A win for Bernadette would be a nice kind of ‘make up’ award - her life’s work, her greatest contribution to art is the unique pairing of her extremely expressive, highly unusual sounding voice with his extremely expressive, highly unusual sounding songs. There is no Tony to recognise this construct yet. Bernadette’s “Send in the Clowns” as it is right now on stage in my opinion is the single most definitive interpretation and Tony-worthy enough. Feels like others have done less to win a Tony - but Bernadette also gives a whole set of literal song and dance that essentially encapsulates her work with Sondheim, I mean the opening passages of music are the beginning of Sunday in the Park!"

Isn't what you're describing a lifetime achievement Tony? And not to devalue Bernadette's contributions to the theater but calling it a make up award makes it sound like she's never been Tony recognized, which of course she has been (though I suppose your point might be she's never won for a Sondheim show)

binau said: "This is Bernadette’s ‘stritch at liberty’ moment and she is doing in the best and only way she knows how to - giving 100% committed performance with work that she knows, loves and trust. She is having the time of her life!"

Do you always feel the need to speak in her favor? The predictability of it is really something.

This is a pretty strong year in general both for musicals and for actresses. I don't expect Bernadette to be nominated.

I do think though that if she performs at the Tony's it will be all sorts of awesome.

binau said: "This is Bernadette’s ‘stritch at liberty’ moment and she is doing in the best and only way she knows how to - giving 100% committed performance with work that she knows, loves and trust. She is having the time of her life!

"

Girl, what? Are you seriously comparing Elaine Stritch doing a whole all-encompassing 2.5 hour show on her own to Bernadette doing a dozen Sondheim numbers interwoven with a massive ensemble?

Should they choose to honor Bernadette, it would most befit a Special Tony Award. A competitive Tony when you have the likes of Zoe Roberts, Claire-Marie Hall, Isa Antonetti, Darlesia Cearcy, Jennie Harney-Fleming, and Grace Hodgett-Young in the mix seems like punting an opportunity to award new talent or a vet with a long resume who finally had a role worthy of their talent.

To be honest, love Mincemeat I do, I would hand the award to Darlesia Cearcy on a silver platter because she made herself a presence on stage - just based on her “That’s My Home”. Honestly, had it not conflicted, I would’ve loved to see her as a standby/alternate Rose in GYPSY.