STREETCAR - Not in Drama Leage Nominations?

[MATheaterLover]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:26am

I know that Sweet Charity was ineligible for Drama League Nominations, but what about A Streetcar Named Desire?? I saw the production, its magnificent, the set, the direction, and the fabulous acting of Natasha Richardson ALONE! Surely they must not have included the production because of opening dates??

[sparky310]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:40am

not to be a pain. i personally found ms. richardson to be very detached and un-sympathetic..the show for me..at least was a tad to stagey

[sparky310]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 8:40am

not to be a pain. i personally found ms. richardson to be very detached and un-sympathetic..the show for me..at least was a tad to stagey

[mikewood]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 9:19am

I had very mixed feelings when I saw Streetcar as well...stagey was a good word used to describe. I also do not trust myself to be objective because this is one of the shows that for me I have a tendency to build and to build and to build such high expectations that no show could hope to live up to. Also, my second row orchestra wound up being an obstructed view, and I was TRULY and progressively more angry during the course of the show and naturally all the more critical about what I could see.

John C. Reilly was a paradox. It's one of those odd theater quirks when an actor could do an execellent job, fulfill his objective and develop his character, but still be wrong for the part.

I realize that this may arouse some debate but I think Tennessee Williams would spin in his grave to see Reilly as Stanley. Now this has nothing to do with Reilly the actor who is an excellent actor and found the emotional and animalistic range of Stanley, but this is one of those rare parts in which the character's physical attractiveness is part of the playwright's intent. I forget the phrase because it has been some 5-6 years since the last time I read Streetcar but Williams made note of Stanley being some kind of primitive male archetypal beauty. John C. Reilly...beauty.....uh, no.

As for Nastasha, something was missing, but like I said I was ditracted and I never did quite put my finger on it.

[MATheaterLover]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 10:49am

I'm sorry, but they recognized Jessica Lange for The Glass Menagerie - a fabulous actress in a demanding role that simply is a misfit and is poorly directed.

Surely Natasha Richardson deserves more notice than she does.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 11:31am

Like STREETCAR isn't an over the top "stagey" play to begin with...

I think the production might not have been eligable. All the nominees are from shows that have already opened.
Updated On: 4/20/05 at 11:31 AM

[MATheaterLover]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 12:46pm

I had thought that was a possibility too, MB, but Glengarry Glen Ross hasn't opened yet, but there are nominations for that.

[broadway86]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 1:27pm

How does Eden get a distinguished performance award, and not Richardson?

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 1:52pm

i was really surprised by this, and thought it must be ineligible... but as someone said, glengarry received nominations, so i just don't know what's going on.

[williamsburg]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 4:18pm

Can't understand the omission of Streetcar either, especially the performances of Amy Ryan and Natasha Richardson in the Performances category (and Ryan was so good in "On the Mountain" too). Other big oversights - Portia in "McReele," Eric Bogosian in "Judas Iscariot," Ashlie Atkinson in "Fat Pig," (instead picked Piven??) Ben Stiller or Jeffrey Wright, Adriane Lenox (instead picked, uh, Goldenhersh??), Billy Crudup in "The Pillowman" (though given Mary Louise's presence, no wonder) David Hyde Pierce or Tim Curry in "Spamelot," Adam Arkin in "Brooklyn Boy," Lisa Gay Hamilton in "Gem of the Ocean," and Mirielle Enos in "Virginia Woolf," etc.

I think all of these awards -- especially the Tony's, Drama League and Outer Critics -- are for the most part political (and more tied to friendships and producers) and mean very little in terms of real artistic merit (with the rare exception), and I can say that from experience. But it does mean a nice spring of great parties.
Updated On: 4/20/05 at 04:18 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 4:25pm

I can't believe it, either. Ms. Richardson's performance is, in a single word, astonishing. She most certainly deserves all of the praise possible for her risky, alternative Blanche. A brilliant performance, through and through.

[williamsburg]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 11:27pm

Completely agreed. In fact, the omission of Natasha makes me really question even more the validity of these awards (given how some really mediocre performances were nominated). Other big oversights that occured to me -- Elizabeth Marvel or Ana Reeder in Hedda Gabler, Pamela Grey or Jason Butler Harner in Orange Flower Water, Maureen McGovern in Little Women (the best of a bad musical), Carla Gugino, Will Bond and Stephen Webber in Death and the Ploughman (since the production was nominated) and Vivienne Benesch in Going to St. Ives.
Updated On: 4/20/05 at 11:27 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 11:53pm

Lisa Gay Hamilton got left out? She was incredible, and more than worthy of any award out there. I can't believe they nominated 70 people and left her out.