The 63rd Annual Tony Awards Megathread- Page 31

[Jennifer Lynn]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:22pm

Actually, I just read on Jim Hill's Disney news site that basically, after the performers had been rehearsing the Jerry Herman tribute number (which included Hello Dolly) for weeks and the programmers had worked hard to program the live-action WALL-E, the Tony producers just up and told them, "Sorry, we're going to go a different direction and just show clips of the classic actors." Which screwed over the hard work of both the performers and the Disney Imagineers. Pretty damn shoddy, you ask me.

I'm going to open a can of worms here. I don't frequent this board as often as I ought to these days, and my only familiarity with Billy Elliot are the songs I've heard on Comcast Music Choice (and they do seem pretty good). So why is the consensus that Billy Elliot didn't deserve the Tony? What's wrong with the show? (I will also admit to liking the number from N2N that I heard...I'll have to get my hands on the cast album.)
Updated On: 6/7/09 at 11:22 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:23pm

The director and tech crew of the Tony broadcast deserve to be shot.

That said, with all the difficulties, it was a very enjoyable, speedy telecast.

Night, all.

[raker]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:25pm

I seem to be the only one who thinks Hair has a trying-too-hard Fame vibe, and find it silly to see men in wigs singing about their hair.

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:25pm

Overall I enjoyed the show. The sound guy needs to get axed. And no more tour performances. NPH was great, as was his closing number.

[BamaEd]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:25pm

I want to see Hair and N2N now. I thought their performances were great. Props to ROA. Loved it when I saw it, loved it here. NPH was great, loved the Piv dig, especially since they will more than likely be competing for an Emmy against each other.

I think the 2 Shrek performances should have been switched. Freak Flag should have been used to highlight the show. I wish WSS hadn't focused as much on the dancing. I can kinda understand why BE focused on just the dancing, but I wished they had incorporated more of the cast or at least more of the Billys. Wasn't feeling Guys & Dolls' performance. Would have liked to have seen at least 1 of the 4 leads there. But at least Lauren Graham looked AWESOME!

The touring performances added nothing. I liked the opening and loved the ending of the opening. Liza and Stockard scared me.

Oh, and I do wonder why Aaron, a non-nominee sang twice for N2N, but Jennifer, a nominee didn't sing at all. Is it cause he's pretty?

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:30pm

I enjoyed the show as well. I was wondering what was going on with the sound. Terrible, and it should have been fixed.

I'm really happy that Karen Olivo won. I'm disappointed that Christopher Seiber did not. My favorite performances were the opening and closing, Next to Normal, and strangely, Shrek.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:32pm

I agree about the tour performances. They. Must. Go. Or, at least, be something worth seeing, which these were not. The acceptance speeches were very nice. The house clearly thundered for Angela and Geoffrey when their names were read off before their wins; just lovely. Marcia Gay Harden's speech was particularly touching. Shrek revealed itself for what it really is - Dreck. Hair's performance was riveting, as was West Side Story's, save for Cavenaugh - good looks do not an excellent musical theatre performer make. I got chills when Geoffrey Rush and Karen Olivo won, and I had tears in my eyes when Angela won. Bebe Neuwirth looked fantastic, and the opening number was absolutely awesome. Liza's "...And the World Goes Round" gave me chills; absolutely thrilling. Sarandon flubbed a bit but looked absolutely stunning. Gavin Creel is a legend in the making. Ripley's speech was awesome and stirring. It was very amusing to see Brian in his Shrek costume, especially right behind Angela. Gregory Jbara's speech was so sweet, as was his wife steadying him. I'm glad Christopher Sieber got spotlighted - he absolutely deserves it.

My favorite moment - Frank Langella. I was pumping my fist! YEAH MAN! Hilarious and well-said.

Updated On: 6/7/09 at 11:32 PM

[NGeorgiaBwayFan]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:35pm

I think the Tony Awards for this year was pretty entertaining.
Have to agree that the touring show performances just seemed unnecessary. Would have rather given those minutes to the new musicals.
The number from Billy did not inspire me to want to see the show. ROA, whether you like the show or not, really gave a great performance. I really liked the N2N performance -- would prob like to see it based on their performance.
I think that the only performance that really inspired me to want to see their show was WSS.

I am very happy about Karen's win & would like to see WSS just to see her since I missed her by a week in ITH.

NPH did a great job. Closing number was hilarious.

Oh, and FindingNamo, when I read your BWWTONY award winning comment to my husband, he said he had thought the same thing but gives you full credit.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:39pm

The opening and closing numbers were by far the best thing about the telecast tonight. The number from Mamma Mia was downright embarassing. No more numbers from touring productions. They aren't necessary.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:40pm

The sound was absolutely HORRIBLE this year. I could hardly hear anything in the opening number... and them having to run on stage with a mic... just RIDICULOUS. I think I could have done a better job while blindfolded and getting a root canal, and a hand job at the same time. Frigin ridiculous!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:41pm

I only hope those of you who enjoyed the opening number aren't subjected to random drug testing this week.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:43pm

raker, I believe there are only two men in Hair who wear wigs, and that's because of either cast doubling (playing different characters) or because the character loses their hair at the end of the show (Gavin, duh).

~Steven

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:44pm

There were a lot of production aspects that should be embarrassing to these professionals. I think the student crew I worked with at my college on a telethon would have done a much more professional job.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:44pm

The tour performances were a WASTE OF TIME. NEVER, EVER AGAIN

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:47pm

What was wrong with the opening number? It was a little too much in too little a time, but I thought it was awesome. Perhaps Liza's inclusion makes me biased.

Don't you just love Liza? The BWW interview, on the subject of the Tony opener: "Oh, I don't know a thing! They haven't told me anything." :)

Also, I loved Will Ferrell. Hilarious self-deprecation. Hopefully he will not be a stranger.

[minicko88]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:47pm

Ok... GREAT SHOW!!! Mostly all the winners deserved it... except for two awards in my opinion...

Christopher Seiber deserved the tony! sorry... And also Brian D'arcy James! GOD HE IS FANTASTIC... These three boys don't even compare to the talent of this man... I am sorry! Plus, he does this 8 times a week... They simply don't. GLAD FOR NEXT TO NORMAL... was rooting for ya in the best musical category... just didn't get it done =(, but Billy was great too!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:49pm

GREAT SHOW?

What station were you watching? Weren't all the other channels repeats?

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:49pm

Overall I really enjoyed it and also for the first time in my life my mom watched almost all of the Tonys and I think she finally realized I why I love Theatre and she wants me to take her to her first Broadway show!!!!!!!!! So overall I was completely happy with the results the shows that deserved won IMO. The tech aspect was horrible but NPH was amazing and should be on Broadway! Night everyone!

[Man in Chair]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:49pm

Sit down Trent Kowalik! Take that lip-syncing Bret Michaels.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:52pm

The sound folks should be shot. For real. Just shameful.

That opening number was the most expensive in Tony history? Are they kidding us? It was very sloppily executed. I'd ask for a refund.

Neil Patrick Harris was quite entertaining though. He was really funny. And no more touring production musical numbers please!

[Pgenre]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:53pm

The opening was exactly what the opening of the Tony awards this season should have been. Take that as you will.

You can't deny the reveal of the entire cast after Liza singing "And World Goes 'Round" which is from a movie, of course, wasn't impressive. Sure, it's a cheap thrill.

I think this is the most lively telecast since 1984, which is the best along with 1970, I'd say. Sure, most of the new shows weren't the calibre of past seasons but at least the telecast showcased pretty much all the shows to their best extent.

I thought it was quite an obvious slight to Sondheim that the WEST SIDE STORY performance highlighted the dancing and book (?!) and two lines of his lyrics. Not cool.

Last song was the best part!

P

P.S. Elton's speech could not have been classier. He is an asset to Broadway in general as disdainful as some may be of the shows he has written (I think AIDA was his best score).

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:58pm

"You can't deny the reveal of the entire cast after Liza singing "And World Goes 'Round" which is from a movie, of course, wasn't impressive."

I couldn't agree with you more.

It wasn't impressive and I can't deny it.

[mntwister]

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:59pm

I enjoyed the show, it was the first time I was able to watch it on my 150" screen because we just got our local networks in High Def, it looked and sounded fantastic!

I agree with the poster above, the musical numbers with the touring shows was OK, but I felt it would have been quite spectacular to instead of one of them have a great production number right before the special award to Jerry Herman. There wasn't much of "traditional" Broadway on the show except for Guys and Dolls and West Side Story, and I really feel they missed an opportunity to present the title song of MAME and mix it with the title song of Hello Dolly for a really awesome showstopping number. Missed opportunity!

[bryan]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 12:03am

it was a great show i am gald hair won

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 12:05am

Oh for frack's sake. Another voice declaring a horribly put together show with disastrous sound gaffes was EVEN BETTER on a large scale.