The 74th Annual Tony Awards (2021) - News & Discussion Thread- Page 3

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 1:37pm

Sutton Ross said: "Yes to all of these, and I absolutely think Aaron will be nominated for his heartbreaking, gorgeous work in Moulin Rouge! over anything in the extremely problematic WSS."

 

Obviously you and I disagree about Tveit, which is totally fine - it's all subjective, and we're all entitled to our opinions. But some food for thought: 

If we're introducing "problematic" into the equation, is it really better to award a white actor over an actor of color, simply because the actor of color is in the same cast as a sex offender? Especially when the actor of color has received a ton of praise for his performance? 

Not trying to attack you or criticize you. I mean this all with respect. It's just an alternate perspective on the reasoning you gave. And ultimately, I don't expect to change your mind about Tveit, or West Side Story. 

 

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 1:50pm

For those reading this in the future:

No, Moulin Rouge was not good. It was mediocre at best and didn't deserve to win all the awards by default.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 2:06pm

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "uncageg said: "I am a bit confused. Why would "Girl From the North Country" not be eligible because it opened too close to the shutdown? Are they possibly using a date prior to their opening as a cut off date for eligibility?"

The eligibility cutoff date is Feb 19."

That's not the normal cut off date is it?  When did they change it? I totally missed that if they did!

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 2:09pm

If we're introducing "problematic" into the equation, is it really better to award a white actor over an actor of color, simply because the actor of color is in the same cast as a sex offender? Especially when the actor of color has received a ton of praise for his performance? Not trying to attack you or criticize you. I mean this all with respect. It's just an alternate perspective on the reasoning you gave. And ultimately, I don't expect to change your mind about Tveit, or West Side Story.

I think it's interesting that anyone thinking giving an actor of color a Tony over a white actor simply because he is a person of color is a good idea. It's not. This version has had tons of problems, and it had mixed reviews. Now, the NYT typically does one article about a show, right? They did FOUR in January and February alone about this production. Dragging pretty much everything about it especially the videos and choreography, but the one statement that made me say "YES" was when this article stated "Isaac Powell, as Tony, has many charms as an actor, but when he moves — even just stretching his arms from side to side — he suddenly looks like he’s the lead in a rom-com."

He did not work for me, and the show is not even eligible for award consideration anyways, so it's a moot point. 
 

 

Updated On: 8/21/20 at 02:09 PM

[djoko84]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 2:13pm

This is absolutely awful. Expect some of the worst winners in Broadway history.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 2:15pm

Ha ha ha ha ha. This is not even a fair competition, and '19-'21 should have been combined in some way for a mega-sized 2021 Tonys. 

I'm probably going to pass on watching the ceremony. The rumored NBC B'way special sounds much more intriguing than this nonsense.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 2:18pm

Would love to see Slave Play win. 

[binau]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 2:21pm

Well, I for one think Warren gave a Tony-worthy performance so I’m glad she will have her day.

Updated On: 8/21/20 at 02:21 PM

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 2:46pm

uncageg said: "itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "uncageg said: "I am a bit confused. Why would "Girl From the North Country" not be eligible because it opened too close to the shutdown? Are they possibly using a date prior to their opening as a cut off date for eligibility?"

The eligibility cutoff date is Feb 19."

That's not the normal cut off date is it? When did they change it? I totally missed that if they did!

"

I believe the cutoff was originally April 25 (I could be off by a couple of days.)

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 3:14pm

Update: Just found the source of the Feb. 19 cutoff in the N.Y. Times:

"Twenty plays and musicals opened on Broadway during the abbreviated 2019-20 season, but only the 18 shows that opened before Feb. 19 will be eligible for Tony Awards. A revival of “West Side Story” that opened Feb. 20 and the new musical “Girl From the North Country,” which opened March 5, will not be eligible because too few nominators and voters saw them before Broadway shut down March 12."

Updated On: 8/21/20 at 03:14 PM

[goodlead]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 4:50pm

Very few performers get billing above the title these day. The producers want to emphasize the show because the stars (those billed above) may -- horrors! -- leave.

[goodlead]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 4:50pm

Very few performers get billing above the title these day. The producers want to emphasize the show because the stars (those billed above) may -- horrors! -- leave.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 5:43pm

Wayman_Wong said: "Update: Just found the source of the Feb. 19 cutoff in the N.Y. Times:

"Twenty plays and musicals opened on Broadway during the abbreviated 2019-20 season, but only the 18 shows that opened before Feb. 19 will be eligible for Tony Awards. A revival of “West Side Story” that opened Feb. 20 and the new musical “Girl From the North Country,” which opened March 5, will not be eligible because too few nominators and voters saw them before Broadway shut down March 12.""

 

 

Well that settles that. Sorry to hear it. That makes me feel even less invested in these awards. 

Honestly, I think the best thing they can do to make it an interesting competition would be to lump categories together, so the men compete against the women (as it should be anyway, IMO). And/or getting rid of nominees like others have suggested. 

 

@LesWickedly made a post above about “throwing a bone” to these shows, giving them closure, and the “who cares?” of it all. And to all those points, I would say: 

Sure. 

If giving out Tony Awards like candy at Halloween is the best way to help the industry, to help those shows stay afloat, and to uplift these artist, then who am I to argue? I know I say that with a snarky tone, but on some level, I do mean it. Awards only matter so much, and if these awards can create tangible, positive consequences, then all power to them. 

But as a follower of theatre, I feel zero investment in these awards, except maybe for a few select categories like Best Play. And the cynic in me feels frustrated that a bunch of work that I hated will now be able to call themselves Tony-Winners or Tony-Nominees without even really earning it. But I recognize that this is just pettiness on my part, and has no basis in real-world  consequences.

 I also have to imagine that most of the artists are smart enough to know when they’re getting a participation trophy, but that’s not my issue to worry about.

 

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 5:57pm

Perhaps they will lump everyone into Featured Actor/Actress in a Musical like they did in 1985. I think Burstein and Warren would be our winners in this case.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 6:34pm

I'm for one thrilled. I know it'll be weird, but let's just celebrate what we have now.

qolbinau said: "Well, I for one think Warren gave a Tony-worthy performance so I’m glad she will have her day."

THIS. And ditto with Aaron Tviet, unless they put up Daniel J. Watts and Sean Krill for Leading.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 6:56pm

This is going to be a VERY lucky break for a few of these shows. Things that were about to be buried under the wave of things opening up now have less competition. It's a mixed bag and I can't decide how I feel about it. On one side... yeah Tony awards! On the other side, some people are about to win awards only because there was no one else to win it. I mean, dear lord Leading actor in a musical there are like 2 options. And one of them might not even be eligible because of how close it opened to the date. How prestigious is an award where you only got it because there was no one else to win it? After all the snubs of Aaron Tviett's career, how insane would it end up being it this, THIS is his Tony moment?

[KingOfTheMine]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 6:58pm

Since Girl from the North Country is ineligible, this will be the first year since 2014 that the Best Musical winner will not have had a critically successful run off-broadway before making the move to the Main Stem.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 7:26pm

Warren was great, so I’m totally fine with her winning!

Tveit like really annoyed me. He just dragged the whole show down to me with his lackluster performance and bland line readings. I’d hate for people to associate that with “best.”

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 7:47pm

That's your opinion only, don't worry about what other people associate with him. He was energetic, gorgeous, and sounded amazing when I saw him in Moulin Rouge! and every other show I have been him in. He's also a huge sweetheart in real life. 
 

Updated On: 8/21/20 at 07:47 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 7:47pm

Updated On: 8/21/20 at 07:47 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 8:30pm

Musicals are really kind of a sad grouping this year, though the Play categories have me genuinely excited because of the sheer amount of acting potential that is available in just Half a season (though I’m a bit bummed that F&J with Audra and Michael Shannon will certainly get the short end of the stick).

Pity they won’t petition Daniel J. Watts up to Leading Actor (since there is precedent from the Oliviers with Kobna Holdbrook-Smith winning Best Actor). I’m not sure if they will even award this category given the lack of truly viable candidates. I also can’t see Kristen Stokes going in Leading Actress by default. (remembering how Sherie Rene Scott was shut out for WOTV in 2011 when there were only 5 eligible performances for the category).

Here are my thoughts on the potential for categories:

Actor (Musical):
(Won’t be awarded due to a lack of viable nominees)

Actress (Musical)
- Elizabeth Stanley - Jagged Little Pill
- Adrienne Warren - Tina
- Karen Olivo - Moulin Rouge

Featured Actor (Musical)
- Danny Burstein - Moulin Rouge
- Sean Allan Krill - Jagged Little Pill
- Sahr Ngaujah - Moulin Rouge
- Daniel J. Watts - Tina

Featured Actress (Musical)
- Lauren Patten - Jagged Little Pill
- Kathryn Gallagher - Jagged Little Pill
- Dawnn Lewis - Tina
- Robyn Hurder - Moulin Rouge

-
Actor (Play)
- Tom Hiddleston - Betrayal
- Charlie Cox - Betrayal
- Jake Gyllenhaal - A Life
- Kyle Soller - The Inheritance
- James Cromwell - Grand Horizons 

Actress (Play)
- Joaquina Kalukango - Slave Play
- Jane Alexander - Grand Horizons
- Marisa Tomei - The Rose Tattoo
- Mary-Louise Parker - The Sound Inside
- Zawe Ashton - Betrayal

Featured Actor (Play)
- Ato Blankson-Wood - Slave Play
- Paul Alexander Nolan - Slave Play
- Paul Hilton - The Inheritance
- John Benjamin Hickey - The Inheritance
- Michael Urie - Grand Horizons

Featured Actress (Play) 
- Lois Smith - The Inheritance
- Ashley Park - Grand Horizons
(It’s possible they may not award this category either due to lack of viable nominees)


Feel free to disagree with these thoughts (respectfully).

[George in DC]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 8:32pm

Any wins this year will be completely meaningless. Almost every year the winners of the Tony Awrds shows have opened in the last 3 weeks. This year is Pathetic.

TheTony Awards are trying to be relevant when more and more they are irrelevant. The best theatre in this country is no longer on Broadway.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 8:46pm

^ Yeah, none of that is true. Literally every word.

Actor (Musical):
(Won’t be awarded due to a lack of viable nominees)

I strongly disagree, there are outstanding performers for this category. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 8:57pm

Sutton Ross said: "^ Yeah, none of that is true. Literally every word.

Actor (Musical):
(Won’t be awarded due to a lack of viable nominees)

I strongly disagree, there are outstanding performers for this category."

There's only two people unfortuanely. I don't think they'll erase the category since it's only two people and it'd be shame if the Tonys don't recongize their work.

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/21/20 at 9:05pm

Did I miss where it said they would only be nominating two people for that category? If so, my apologies.