THE OFFICIAL 2017 TONY AWARDS VIEWING THREAD- Page 25

[deltatee]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:43am

^ I too would have liked to see a performance from Anastasia.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:43am

I know he sings it that way in the show, but I think having DHP sing in front of the curtain was part of the problem.  It left us with the possibility that perhaps Bette would surprise us all and be revealed from behind it.  It was a tease.  I have to commend him for being a trooper in a very difficult position.  Was it a great song or a great representation of the show?  Absolutely not.  But he deserves credit for doing the thing that his co-star would not or could not do.

[DAME]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:44am

ljay889 said: "Not to keep rehashing it, but I don't get using Bette's age as an excuse for some of her antics. She's 71, not 91. Yes, she's doing wonderful work, but I don't think her age is a fair excuse for skipping out on award shows, events, and not performing last night."


What antics?  Your only assuming she had anything to do with it.  She has a producer who is the boss.  I bet Bette just trusted him ( and why shouldn't she?) and did as was asked. 

 

" I imagine she is also too good to meet fans at stage door as well?  She can keep her $750 per orch premium seat,"

 

She shakes everyones hands at the stage door.  And she can't keep the $750.00 seats.. they are already sold. 

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:45am

I know I'm probably super in the minority, but I thought Kevin Spacey was an awesome host. I seriously hope they bring back Sean Hayes or Kevin Spacey before it's another Hugh Jackman year. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:45am

chernjam said: "How awkward would that have been if Glenn gave the Tony to Patti"



 

[froote]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:50am

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:51am

LYLS3637 said: "I know I'm probably super in the minority, but I thought Kevin Spacey was an awesome host. I seriously hope they bring back Sean Hayes or Kevin Spacey before it's another Hugh Jackman year. "

I didn't love him and thought he peaked in the opening number, but I liked him a lot and don't really get the dislikes.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:52am

It was bad enough that the snivelling afterschool special called DEAR EVAN HANSEN won all those incredibly undeserved awards -- we had to suffer through Kevin Spacey's attempts at humor, with his Johnny Carson and Bill Clinton impressions (ever cutting edge, that Spacey).  And his teasing "coming out/closet" jokes seemed really grossly inappropriate in a show where more than one same-sex spouse was acknowledged and thanked by people with the guts to live out and proud, guts which Spacey conspicuously lacks.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 10:59am

Let's face it, Rudin played bad cop. Midler didn't want to perform and he took the heat. If Midler wanted to perform it would have happened and she would have been accommodated however she needed. I'm moving on from this now. I think a little less of her now to be honest, but she's still brilliant in the part and deserved the Tony. She gave a nod to Channing, who would have gratefully performed a full number from the show to share with America. Midler comes off as a shrew.

I thought Spacey was good, but the fey coming out and gay jokes are in poor taste on the anniversary of the Pulse massacre and the crowd, which openly celebrates the LGBTQ community. He needs to deal with himself.

 

[SNAFU]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:02am

I also found Midler's acceptance speech; uncomfortable, pretentious, and disrespectful. I turned the show off halfway through her ramble.

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:05am

I also didn't find Midler's acceptance speech funny. They're recycled jokes from her decades of nightclub shows, and really stood out in contrast to the simple, short, heartfelt speeches of the other winners like Rachel Bay Jones, Ben Platt and Gavin Creel. 

[froote]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:06am

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:07am

I know that people are up in arms about the DEH sweep, but I'd like to play devil's advocate for a minute. Some are saying that the show's wins won't age well, but I disagree. I think it will inspire kids around the world, for years to come, in a way that the other shows never could. Ben Platt always talks about how much he's loved musical theatre since he was child. Having an example like that for theatre kids to look up to is priceless. Even Pasek and Paul speak to kids who are "different." Since no youngsters appear to be on this message board, all we tend to see is people analyzing DEH to death, so we aren't seeing the incredible enthusiasm it's generating among school-age kids. Every time I walk by the Music Box before a Wednesday matinee, though, I see young people excited about theatre, and that's a great thing. Like HAMILTON before it, DEH is helping to create the next generation of theatregoers and theatre makers. Is that a good enough reason for it to have won all the awards that it did last night? Maybe not, but its power to affect people's lives is undeniable, so I'm OK with it.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:10am

I agree about the "coming out of the closet" jokes.

I think Ben Platt and Michael Arnov had the best speeches of the night. Arnav and Platt raving about their parents show you what kind of people they are and Platt genuinely crying of happiness was super sweet.

[froote]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:12am

Ratings down 31%.

[DAME]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:18am

SNAFU said: "I also found Midler's acceptance speech; uncomfortable, pretentious, and disrespectful. I turned the show off halfway through her ramble.

 

 

"

Her speech was wonderful.  You all just approached things with your fangs out. 

Updated On: 6/12/17 at 11:18 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 11:21am

Bettyboy72 said: "Let's face it, Rudin played bad cop. Midler didn't want to perform and he took the heat. If Midler wanted to perform it would have happened and she would have been accommodated however she needed. I'm moving on from this now. I think a little less of her now to be honest, but she's still brilliant in the part and deserved the Tony. She gave a nod to Channing, who would have gratefully performed a full number from the show to share with America. Midler comes off as a shrew.

I thought Spacey was good, but the fey coming out and gay jokes are in poor taste on the anniversary of the Pulse massacre and the crowd, which openly celebrates the LGBTQ community. He needs to deal with himself.

 

 

"

Bettyboy; Rudin doesn't play bad cop for anyone.  You are all making a lot of assumptions.  But I can't blame you.  

[loveinnewyorkcity]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 12:05pm

DAME said: "SNAFU said: "I also found Midler's acceptance speech; uncomfortable, pretentious, and disrespectful. I turned the show off halfway through her ramble.

 

 

"

Her speach was wonderful.  You all just approached things with your fangs out. 

 

"

Speech*

And you seem to approach things with half a brain.

 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 12:10pm

I was so tired of Spacey's lazy hack jokes about coming out. It felt tasteless in light of the anniversary of the Pulse shooting and Pride month in general. This is a field when there are scores of openly LGBT artists and you do some dumb schtick about how *wink* I'm not really out? Bye. 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 12:11pm

Bette is now incapable of anything but shtick...  And damn, she did look tired.

Clearly, she didn't want to perform and she got her way.  LuPone and Ebersole, in addition to the other nominees, showed their true Broadway chops and did their job.  That's why Midler, no matter how hard she appears to be working, will never be a true Broadway baby.  She's simply a visitor.

She pulled the same routine with her Vegas show:  The longer it went on, the more contempt she had for doing it.  By the end of the run, she was openly hostile towards her audiences (or, what was left of them) and the entire city.  Let's see how Midler now acts now that she's gotten the brass ring.  

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 12:31pm

You mean like Rent and Wicked and Fun Home?   

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 12:33pm

"Getting texts from non-theatre friends watching the Tonys who are beyond confused why Bette wouldn't be performing for Hello, Dolly!. I'm with 'em. Poor DHP.

 

As they say in sports, David Hyde Pierce took one for the team - lol

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 12:45pm

"Great speech from ben. And very fast too!"

He can't tell the orchestra to cut the crap like Bette - lol

[mmFan]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 1:00pm

theater_tech said: "Considering Rachel Bay Jones and Mike Faist were also nominated, I also thought they were going to do another song."

Reading back on threads...

I thought Ben Platt's performance was amazing.  Very moving and I loved seeing him again, even in not in person.  I love Waving Through a Window, and I only had to hear it once to be captured and know that when we came to NY this is the musical I wanted to see (little did I know at the time it was such a hit).

But I do agree with above....the one issue with that song is that it doesn't involve the cast (aside from them walking by while not seeing him).  Thought maybe they were going to go medley or something to get a few songs in.

Anyways...great got DEH!  Wow...they really took all the awards.  An amazing musical and cast so well deserved.

 

[Marlothom]

Posted: 6/12/17 at 1:02pm

I can never "hate" a Tony Awards show, always thrilling to see Broadway in my living room.  I am fortunate to be able to see several productions a year, so always have an opinion/preference for the numbers I wish these shows should perform to highlight their productions.  This year, my preferred numbers were not performed, oh well.  

I will say, I was very disappointed by the Dolly number - even Elegance (highlighting two nominees) would have been plus.  I appreciated Patti and Christine showing what Broadway divas are all about.