Skip to main content
My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!
Home For You Chat My Shows Register/Login Games Grosses

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

New Post Search Report Abuse Rules

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.

#1

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 8:46pm

How about Barbara Cook's 2010 Tony nomination for 'Sondheim on Sondheim' - random or what?

Also, George Rose winning the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance as Alfred Doolittle in the 1976 Broadway revival of 'My Fair Lady' for what is / was clearly a Featured role, no question about it.

I also find it hilarious that Yul Brynner was nominated in the featured category for his original KING AND I performance, because he was not given above-the-title-star-billing.

What are some other weird Tony nominations, or what are some other RANDOM, undeserving Tony nominations of the past??
#4

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 8:59pm

Good one! I mean I think they were just trying to fill that category. I'm not trying to be mean but seriously, they might as well have nominated Mr Braithwaite the ****ing pianist
#5

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 9:09pm

Million Dollar Quartet for best musical in 2010. I know there were slim pickings, but really????

Scratch and claw for every day you're worth! Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming You'll live forever here on earth.
#6

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 9:30pm

I also find it hilarious that Yul Brynner was nominated in the featured category for his original KING AND I performance, because he was not given above-the-title-star-billing.

Tom Bosley also won in the featured category for the title role in Fiorello!
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad
#11

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 9:56pm

Aww. I'm so sad to see Rory O'Malley named here. His is a tiny part, but I find him incredible and magnetic. My favorite musical performance on Broadway this season. I admit, I'm a sucker for a slapstick performance. I also adored Jeff Hiller in Bloody, Bloody and was rooting for him to get a nomination.
#12

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 10:17pm

I think the most horrifying moments for me in Tony nominations history (or at least the first ones to come to mind) were ALL the nominations given to the dreadful, pitiful and amateurish STARMITES [1989] and the single most laughable nomination was Lisa Mordente in MARLOWE (were they f***ing kidding???) -- against Jennifer Holliday no less!
#13

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 10:22pm

CONTACT, anyone?
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#14

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 10:32pm

I have to agree with the Rory O'Malley opinions.... I honestly cannot place him --- the boys did a great job as an ensemble, but I don't remember just one of them standing out in a Tony-worthy turn. It is bizarre to me.

Otherwise, I would say --- ANYONE ever nominated for either of those two Twyla Tharp danceathons as "Best Actor/Actress" -- Yes, you can act through dance, but there was none of it in MOVIN OUT or COME FLY AWAY.

And --- I also remember when I saw MILLIE, I (embarrassingly) didn't know who Harriet Harris was at the time, and I kept thinking "who is this awful woman who keeps showing up and singing songs with this horrible strident voice, and ruining the show?!" .... Then she gets nominated, and WINS. It has always puzzled me.
#15

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 10:58pm

Karen Ziemba for Never Gonna Dance.
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#16

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/7/11 at 11:18pm

Absolutely! I love Harriet Harris ...especially her work on FRASIER...but nothing she did in MILLIE was good in my opinion. She never even made me smile, much less laugh. That season, my choice for Best Featured Actress in a Musical was Spencer Kayden as 'Little Sally' in URINETOWN.
#18

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/8/11 at 12:40am

The stupid rule about needing to have above-the-title billing to receive a nomination in the lead acting categories has caused several puzzling nominations. One example is Tammy Grimes in "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"-- she was the title character and was almost always on stage, yet because she was a newcomer she received a nomination (and later won) in the featured actress category. LaChanze also received a nomination in the featured actress category for what was clearly a lead role in "Once on this Island." In 1985 Mary Beth Peil was nominated for Best Featured Actress for playing Anna Leonowens, again clearly a lead role (that was the infamous season where no lead acting nominations for musicals were given).

Updated On: 6/8/11 at 12:40 AM

#19

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/8/11 at 12:45am

Thought up another weird Tony nomination. I believe that the Liesl from the original broadway cast was nominated for Best Featured Actress along with her six stage siblings, even though two of the von Trapp children were (of course) boys. Would have been a more than a little odd had they won!
#20

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/8/11 at 12:53am

LaChanze also received a nomination in the featured actress category for what was clearly a lead role in "Once on this Island." In 1985 Mary Beth Peil was nominated for Best Featured Actress for playing Anna Leonowens, again clearly a lead role (that was the infamous season where no lead acting nominations for musicals were given).

I believe both of those were the producers' doing, Matt, as opposed to a rule still being in place. I'm sure there are more examples, but both Donna McKechnie and Patti LuPone had won Leading Actress Tonys without being billed above the title of their shows.

I swear I've asked this before, but when was the rule about above the title billing changed? I know William Daniels turned down a nomination for Featured Actor because he believed John Adams was a leading role (it kind of is). Was it changed because of that?
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

Updated On: 6/8/11 at 12:53 AM

#21

The most random or undeserving Tony nominations of the past

Posted: 6/8/11 at 1:06am

I also am puzzled about the rules regarding eligibility for a lead acting Tony nomination. So many reasons why actors are placed in certain roles are so arbitrary. Like how stars who play roles considered featured are sometimes nominated as a lead actor (ex. George Rose in My Fair Lady and Frances McDormand in A Streetcar Named Desire). Viola Davis' role in the revival of Fences was previously considered featured, yet she was nominated and won a lead actress tony when she played the part. What changed between the two productions? How much say does the committee have in choosing whether a part is lead or featured?

Updated On: 6/8/11 at 01:06 AM

← Back to Message Board

BroadwayWorld TV

View all Videos

Ticket Central
Ticket Central
Ticket Central
Hot Show
Tickets From $59
Hot Show
Tickets From $71
Hot Show
Tickets From $71
Hot Show
Tickets From $95
More Hot Shows Discounts
Recommended For You