Victoria Clark Overdue? I think NOT!

Posted: 3/31/05 at 4:35am

Im VERY curious as to why alot of people are saying "Victoria Clark is Overdue to win somthing" ...What has she been in before that people think shes so wonderful? basecly shes done nothing more than small featured ensamble roles on Broadway. Her biggest role was SMITTY! and thats a nothing role. I havnt seen her performance in Piazza, so Im not to judge THIS years Tony Race, although I wouldnt say shes "overdue."

Was there somthing in the past that she was good in and had a big part that Im forgetting?

Updated On: 3/31/05 at 04:35 AM

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 6:30am

Suportting Actress maybe for Titanic she was quite good as Alice Beane.

[Jon]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 9:11am

Smitty is only a "nothing" role if "Cinderella Darling" is cut from the show (as it was in the revival), and you have a mediocre performer without a good sense of comedy in the role. A really good Smitty can steal the show - it's certainly a more interesting role than Rosemary or Hedy.

I found Clark incredibly annoying in Titanic.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 9:12am

All good points, ddtruit. And exhaustive research!

How we remember peformances is a subjective yet still valuable yardstick. I think Clark was rather extraordinary in TITANTIC. She was the female character to make the biggest impression in that show, and her heart-wrenching moment of parting with her husband remains an indelible memory, oddly enough, more moving than tht rather more sentimental number between the Gimbels owner old couple (Alma Cuervo and Larry Keith). She played the shallow, gossipy Alice, and made us care about her. And even sang the role harshly, to match the temperament of the woman. A singing character actor is gold in the musical theater, no?

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 4:36pm

Brava, DD! Let's hear it for the hard-working, talented gang of Broadway regulars who AREN'T household (or chatroom) names that usually rely on being either blandly hunky or teenybopper beltresses. Victoria Clark is one of the brightest lights of this group of Broadway pros and I am so glad to see her finally get a chance - and not have to cover a bigger "star" whom she could out-perform in her sleep. This woman has paid her dues slowly and splendidly and it's nice to see her succeed.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 4:56pm

May I ask what your point was in attacking a brilliant actress/singer for getting acclaim she so richly deserves for a performance you have yet to even see?
And overdue does not just mean well-known.

Posted: 3/31/05 at 4:59pm

I most certainly was not attacking her. She may very well deserve a tony for TLITP, I just dont think its "overdue"

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:05pm

Was Victoria the first replacement for Dot/Marie in SUNDAY?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:06pm

I dunno. It sure came off to me as an attack.

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:07pm

It depends on what you mean by "overdue."

Regrettably, my knowledge of her career is only what I have read in this thread by dd.

Just because she hasn't been up for 9 Tony's (just making up that number) and lost doesn't mean she isn't overdue. Just because she didn't originate many roles doesn't mean she is any less deserving. In my opinion, a life long career of replacement and thankless recreations of roles is harder than originating.

Heck, last year people were screaming that Idina was "overdue." I think everyone can agree that Clark is more "overdue" than Menzel was last year.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:08pm

I went back and re-read the original post. If that isn't an attack, I don't know what is.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:15pm

Besides almost all of her roles already said, I absolutley LOVED her as The Beggar Woman in Sweeney.

[Dummy]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:22pm

Among Clark's amazing talents is her ability to move seamlessly, apparently effortlessly, from sharply comic to heartbreakingly poignant. Not to mention she has a spectacular voice. Go see The Light in the Piazza if you need proof of her abilities. She's brilliant, funny, and quite capable of moving an audience to tears.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:23pm

Where were all of the Victoria Clark supporters last year when Donna Murphy, one of the lessor known names *next to Idina & Kristen* should have won a Tony!?!?

Clark, in my humble opinion is completely overrated and deserves only a nomination for her good, but less than enthralling performance in Light In the Piazza!

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:25pm

But Donna (though I ADORE her) had her two Tonys already, and thus was not "overdue" to win a Tony. Not saying she should or shouldn't have won, but it's a slightly different scenario.

Updated On: 3/31/05 at 05:25 PM

[PJ]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:27pm

Victoria Clark will have to pry the 2005 Tony for Best Actress in a Musical out of Sutton Foster's cold, dead hands.

Just kidding. If Clark deserves it, then she should be rewarded. Until I see Piazza, I'm all about La Sutton.

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:36pm

Not going to say who I think should win cuz I havent seen Sutton but Im not a fan of this "overdue" concept on the whole. I would like to see the Tony go to the person who gives the best performance in the role theyre playing CURRENTLY. I think people should be judged performance to performance, not given a Tony because theyve had a great career-- unless its exactly that, a lifetime achievement award. Victoria was amazing both times that I saw Piazza, and I could certainly see her winning the Tony but I cant comment on her competition when I havent seen it.

[robbiej]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:36pm

I'm sorry...but in what crack den are we living that Donna Murphy is lesser known than Ms. Menzel or Ms. Chenoweth??

A two-time Tony winner is lesser known? Amongst the chillun, maybe.

And if you think her losing the Tony had ANYTHING to do with being lesser known, I've got some real estate I'd like to sell you!

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:39pm

Just because someone has a tony doesnt make them well known...how many people actually watch the tonys?
Im not arguing that Murphy isn't famous, im just saying...
Updated On: 3/31/05 at 05:39 PM

[robbiej]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:47pm

And I'm not saying that she IS famous.

I AM saying that she certainly cannot, in the theater world, be deemed lesser-known next to the Witches East and West.

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:49pm

Ok, yeah, plus she's more talented

[robbiej]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 5:54pm

Well...I'm not about to open THAT can of worms.

Be careful.

They're watching.

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 6:26pm

Mistress brings up a very good point that I think many have lost sight off over the years.

So lets look at this hypothetically...

Lets all agree for arguments sake that Clack is "overdue" for a Tony. Lets also assume that Sutton Foster deserves this years Tony compared to Clark and the other females this year. (NOTE: not saying this is what I think).

So they give Clark the Tony. Now people will be saying that Foster was cheated out of the 2005 Tony and the next role she is in, deserving or not people will be screaming for a Tony because of her role in LW. Now she is considered "overdue" for a Tony.

It turns into a vicious cycle of righting wrongs of the past.

[PJ]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 7:40pm

TGIF: Exactly! I don't go for the "it's about time" crap at these awards shows. That's how the Academy Awards are as well. The winner in any given category should only win in the event that they are the best candidate for the prize--not because they were gyped out of the award several years before.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 8:27pm

Wasn't Victoria Clark in the film "Cradle will Rock"? and she was fantastic as the beggar woman in the concert version of Sweeney Todd.