The 63rd Annual Tony Awards Megathread- Page 33

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:03am

Rudy, Liza is a legend. She could cartwheel and fart and I would pay 200 bucks for it. I recently saw her live and thought she was divine even though her voice wasn't what it used to be. I was introduced to Chita during The Dancers Life on Broadway and fell in love with her. Saw it 3 times. Most felt the show was lame, her voice was gone and it did her no favors, but I defended it. I totally understand how you feel. I wasnt trying to correct you. :)

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:06am

"totally unobjective devotee of any performer, especially when it comes to singers."

That's what your posts previous to this one suggest. Clearly.

Thank you, bettyboy. I was never enamored of Liza, way, way too square for a woman of her generation so it seemed only logical that after skipping rock and roll she'd go directly to Studio 54. So I have no warm thoughts of her, no happy memories of a better time when she was able to corral some in my opinion corny show-bizzy skills and put them to use in ways that pleased so many people over the years. So when I see her now, I am not brought to mind of the good old days when I thought she was good, because I never really did. So I have no Pavolvian, "Oh you know, I've always loved her so and so I can forgive all this and just be glad she's standing before me!"

I don't even know why she hasn't even been able to marshall up something a la Elaine Stritch, who also was never much of a singer but certainly enthralls me when I'm in her audience, and I think it's that Elaine knows how to appear genuine. Liza has never seemed to be anything but on and fake and phony to me. And she seems blessed to have an audience that has agreed to pretend that she's what she used to be for them.

But somebody has to stand outside the hallucination and ask, uh, WHAT?

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:07am

I agree that the Billy Elliot performance did not make me want to see the show. I have seen that number plus others and I am not a big fan. But I want to see it and might have a different opinion after doing so.

I also agree that Liza sounded awful tonight. my friend from NYC called me after he knew it had aired here in Denver and he agreed and wondered what happened. I saw clips of her show and my friend saw it twice. She sounded way better for the show.

And I am not over the Avenue Q win! I have tried to get over it. Went to therapy for it. But nothing. And I just watched "Show Business: The Road to Broadway" the other day and it brought it all back up in my mind!!!

:)

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:08am

This is how my night went

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:13am

FindingNamo, I might ask which posts you're referring to, but I won't. People have misjudged my enthusiasm before. Just because one says positive things doesn't mean one has nothing negative on his or her mind. It only means it has not been disclosed. For instance, I will agree with you that I find Liza's persona to be quite fake. I found her quite off-putting when I saw her one occassions when the cameras were off. But I still find her talented, and I have purchased her latest CD release and saw two performances and found nothing to *complain* about. Could she be better? Of course! I am willing to concede, perhaps more than I realize.

BettyBoy, LOL, thanks. I did not think you were. :)

Perhaps the way I experience Liza has to do with the fact that I am new to her (although I grew up on "Arthur"). It seems to me that her present incarnation is still more riveting and emotionally charged (entertaining) than nearly all of the contemporary singers I find myself exposed to.

I think that there are different types of singers. If I want to hear a voice that sounds warm, lush and pretty I will listen to Sinatra. If I want to hear someone *act* through song, I will listen to Tony Bennett. If I want to see someone *perform* a song, I think Liza - 2008/09 Liza - is ideal.

To make any sense of me, it might help to know that I think Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson are the only two truly outstanding performers to have emerged from "American Idol," with Fantasia the better of the two. I believe the consensus was that she was awful in "Color Purple," but I thought it was a perfect role/actress set-up.

Anyway, who can we all agree sounded impressive tonight? I'm not thinking Matt Cavenaugh.

Updated On: 6/8/09 at 01:13 AM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:15am

Neil Patrick Harris! That's WHO!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:15am

I think Alice Ripley gave the best performance of the evening, personally. I know a lot of people have ragged on her, but I really can't imagine people not thinking she was wonderful.

I also though, per usual, that Josefina Scaglione sounded like an angel.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:17am

You've really got to get out more. Your references are Sinatra, Bennett, Liza and American Idol. You have GOT to get out more.

Nobody but Neil Patrick Harris sounded impressive tonight because the rest were all mixed abysmally.

Only HAIR and to some degree Next to Normal were able to overcome the sound disasters through sheer energy.

Updated On: 6/8/09 at 01:17 AM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:24am

Actually, Fantasia got tons of praise for TCP. It was her attendance record that was atrocious. She was probably the most lauded Celie ever and netted TCP its biggest box office during her run. However, she crapped on her musical theatre career by bad attendance.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:26am

^Finding Namo, do you talk this way to everyone? You mustn't make many friends. So my *references* aren't hip? Maybe so. I have been called old-fashioned by many. However, I do *get out* plenty. I know every song on the Hot 100, and read the trades frequently. When I find an excellent singer on the scene who really grabs my attention I will let you know. I'm not holding my breath. I don't find very much out there right now impressive, but like I said...old-fashioned.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:28am

BB, That's right, now I remember. Weren't many more taken by her understudy?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:28am

Here's the deal. "The scene." The trades. The Hot 100. Ugh.

Old-fashioned. So, yeah, I think I grasp that you're somebody who enjoys the Liza Kool-Aid and shall cling to the delusion that what you saw had any redeeming quality at all. Enjoy!

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:30am

My oh my.

[sgv123]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:33am

Well---this guy is pretty straightforward.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VFEvsrcKdI

[rwlevin]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:34am

Everyone focuses on Bret Michaels, I was excited to see CC Demille and that's when I realized all of Poison was at the show. You could throw Bret Michaels off the stage, I'm CC Demille's girl.

Loved Doogie (he is and always in my mind will be Doogie, even when he's Barney or Lee Harvey Oswald). Loved his sushi joke. Gushed at his closing number.

During the beginning of the opener and the Billy Elliot number I couldn't stop thinking of the line from The Drowsy Chaperone "Can't Elton John just give up the charade?" To me Billy Elliot is one giant publicity stunt, having 3 (now 4, oh how I feel sorry for that 4th boy not being a part of the Tony love) boys play and be nominated for one role. You kind of forget that he's not the only child character in the show and that the other kids aren't quadrupled.

I don't understand why people bash Rock of Ages. Usually I'm hardcore anti-jukebox musical but this show is, for lack of a better word, fun. The actors realize how cheesy it is and are having fun in it and that makes the show all that more enjoyable. I did enjoy Doogie's Constantine joke in the beginning. Who needs to make jokes? Just admitting how easy it is to make fun of him is joke enough.

After watching the revival version of Sit Down, I had to google the 1992 version. I remember seeing that show on Broadway when I was 12 and I remember how it just stopped the show. I fell a little bit in love with Walter Bobbie and Titus Burgess is no Walter Bobbie.

Other than that, I thought it was cute Hunter was Sutton's date. He's a playwright, why doesn't he write a show for her, something that isn't crap? I'm just saying...And that's it for now I guess.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:37am

RW, Its CC Deville, so I question your devotion. Just kidding... I think CC is hot too.. White hot. Plus he is uber gay friendly...

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:40am

On the whole, the show improved towards the end of the night (sound issues notwithstanding)... but it started off so badly that it would've been difficult not to have. Angela's win was the only redeeming moment in the first hour.

I still think that Rock of Ages gave the best performance of the night (and I kind of can't believe I'm saying that). Next to Normal and Hair also had strong showings, although sound issued really hurt the former. Billy Elliot's actual performance was good, although it was an odd choice. Still, the bad or lackluster performances much outnumber the good. The opening number and tour performances were particularly painful.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:47am

rwlevin, Sutton will take part in a reading of Hunter's Bonnie and Clyde, so I guess he did write a show for her.

~Steven

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:48am

I'll say this about the touring performances - I watched them front to back and already only have vague twinges of memory of them, with no accompanying sound.

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:49am

I'm just going to do one big post with my thoughts.

The Performances:

West Side Story- I really hated the changes to the dialouge. I thought the overall number was good until they got to the meeting of Tony and Maria. Then they totally lost me.

Guys and Dolls:The guy who played Nicely had a good voice but the rest of the number was flat. Mary Testa also did nothing for me, and I usually like her.

Hair: The best number of the show. You could tell the cast were totally enjoying themselves, and really believed in the show. The thing that permeated the rest of the evening for me and my friends was how we could all go together and see this show.

Shrek:I liked Christopher Seiber, but this number did nothing for me. It was cute, but nothing I wanted to spend money on. I thought it was an odd number choice for the show.

Rock of Ages: As much as I like Amy Spanger, the number they chose was high engery, but seemed empty.

Next to Normal: AMAZING number. Alice Ripley was phenomenal and the chemisty on stage was tangible. Having seen or heard nothing from this show before, the number definatly made me want to see it.

Billy Elliot: I think it is a good show, but the performance did not showcase the show well. Most of us were looking at the screen going "what the heck is going on?" I kind of wished they had showcased more then one Billy, perhaps in a medley.

The Awards: No big surprises here. I am glad they gave Angela Lansbury the award for this show rather then Deuce.

The Tribute: The tribute section was gorgeous and much better done then in previous years. The camera angles were dizzing, but the use the singers and song were very touching and actually moved my friend to tears.

Neil Patrick Harris: I loved him, and I thought his finale was spot on. Well done.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:58am

So sorry this show didn't work well on television because LIVE, it was spectacular!

[yay_gerb]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 2:11am

moment's of the night for me were both of Hair's performances and Laura Benanti during the pre-show she was hilarious and incredibly beautiful!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 2:12am

I hated the opening number as well as eleven o'clock number. It wasn't very funny and completely unnecessary. I thought Next to Normal and Hair came across the best with West Side Story and Billy Elliot being real head scratches as to why two musicals chose to showcase their show with instrumental songs. The show as a whole was a complete mess and those in charge should take some serious notes in preparation for next year.

And the whole scratching Billy Elliot gag. What the fu*k was that? I can't even wrap my mind around how in the world that made it to air. I'm in no way a prude, but that was pretty tasteless and vulgar. And to have it be delivered by an openly gay man could possibly send the wrong message. I don't even know what to say to that.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 2:12am

^ Agreed, Benanti is an absolute stunner.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 2:18am

It's a shame Laura and Stokes didn't make it onto the telecast. They were great presenters!

~Steven