What happens to performances nominated after their show has closed?

[Madeinthe80s]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 6:52pm

Basically, this thread is in reference to Julie White in THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED.

But, basically, my question is in reference to how TONY voters handle critiquing a nominee's performance after their show has closed.

If (and when) Julie White gets nominated, are the TONY voters supplied with a video of her performance?

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 6:57pm

They don't. You either see it while it's playing or you miss it.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 7:05pm

Which is why it's very rare for anyone nominated for a closed show to win (not to mention, voters don't like to "waste" a vote on something or someone that can't use the publicity boost that comes with a Tony win).

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 7:09pm

Wasn't last year crazy because all of women in leading actress in a play shows' had closed.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 7:21pm

Yeah, that happens sometimes in the play categories, because so many plays are limited engagements or have short commercial runs due to lack of sales.

It's much harder for a performer in a closed musical to win.

[Jon]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 7:25pm

And that's one reason the Tonys don't include Off-broadway shows. Think how many shows open Off-Bway each season, and how many only run a few weeks. There would be no way for the Tony voters to see all of them.

[myManCape]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 8:45pm

Last year was a strange year all around. The Best Revival Tony went to a sold out limited engagement that closed weeks after the Tonys.
Compared to other seasons last year was kind of slow.
Regarding the Little Dog / Julie White situation; the show has been open long enough and she has gotten enough raves that all of the Tony voters would have seen the show at this point. Its not like Little Dog opened and closed in a week.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 8:58pm

Last year was a strange year all around. The Best Revival Tony went to a sold out limited engagement that closed weeks after the Tonys.

Well, didn't they announce that they were transfering it to another theatre and having an open-ended run? (Of course, they announced that it was cancelled after it won the Tony)

[myManCape]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 9:02pm

I dont think anyone ever took that announcement seriously. There was no way it was going to transfer and be successful without Connick.

[Julian2]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 9:03pm

"Last year was a strange year all around. The Best Revival Tony went to a sold out limited engagement that closed weeks after the Tonys.

Well, didn't they announce that they were transfering it to another theatre and having an open-ended run? (Of course, they announced that it was cancelled after it won the Tony)"

I was just thinking about that today. I'm guessing that beacause of that announcement, it became likely it could tour, and so the out-of-town voters swinged what was close to being a purely artistic category. (Except of course that Sweeney could still use the boost)

[BobPopa]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 9:12pm

This is not why Off-Broadway is not part of the Tony Awards, The reason they aren't part of the Tony Awards is because the ARE Off-Broadway.

Posted: 2/17/07 at 9:34pm

Think Dorothy Louden in The Fig Leaves Are Falling

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 9:37pm

Patrica Routledge in "Darling of the Day," she won after it had been closed for a little over 2-3 months.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 10:18pm

Michele Pawk - HOLLYWOOD ARMS. The show had closed in early January. The favorite to win was Linda Emond in LIFE (x) 3, which was still open at Tony time.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 10:42pm

I think that Julie White is still the front-runner, unless one of two things happens:

1) The voters get overly sentimental and decide to reward Lansbury

or

2) Redgrave is so good that they overlook the fact that she just won a Tony four years ago

Anyone who sees White's performance will never forget it.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 10:43pm

Leslie Uggams tied Patricia Routledge in 1968 for Best Actress for Hallelujah Baby -- one of the few Best Musicals to have been long closed (4 months) by the time the ceremony came around (it was a truly lousy season anyway, where most of the nominated musicals either flopped or had a short run -- none lasted a year).

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 10:54pm

Julie White (as per her Broadway.com interview) is predicting Lansbury to win. Lansbury will no doubt be the sentimental favorite. Still, White's performance is one of the most acclaimed in a number of years. She got the same reviews as Christine Ebersole, only in a non-musical category.

Vanessa Redgrave is also a strong contender. Despite her controversial political affiliation that many disagree with, she's still a great actor.

However, at this stage of the game, not giving White the Tony would be like not giving Ebersole the Tony - one of the biggest upsets in recent memory (arguably since Avenue Q over Wicked), maybe even Tony Awards history.

The weird thing about the 2006 category was not only that all of the nominees were from closed shows, but one of them was in a supporting part, but was above the title so ruled a lead. The nominating committee went to EXTRAORDINARY lengths not to nominate Julia Roberts (Three Days). Roberts was the shoo-in for the nomination, but the last spot went to Lynn Redgrace (Constant Wife), in a supporting role.

The Sweeney vs. Pajama Game debate is in the same vein as Avenue Q/Wicked. Sweeney was an artistic success: a brilliant restaging and reimagining of a brilliant show. However, it has the same problem as Grey Gardens and Spring Awakening do this year - it plays to a particular niche and the typical tourist ain't interested. Pajama Game, while fluff, was such fun fluff that it's not hard to see why it won. Updated On: 2/17/07 at 10:54 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 10:57pm

I loved Julie White, but she's at a tremendous disadvantage now with her show closing almost four months before the awards are handed out (and that means lots of voters -- including most of the road and out of town voters who usually make up, I believe, as much as a fifth of the total -- will not have seen her). I think that Lansbury, Redgrave, Eve Best and Tonya Pinkins all now might have a better shot at picking up the award than White does (and let's not forget Seldes and Ann Parisse of Prelude to a Kiss as well).

I'm assuming Jennifer Ehle and Martha Plimpton (Coast of Utopia), Jan Maxwell (Coram Boy), Swoosie Kurtz and Lily Rabe (Heartbreak House) and Susan Lynch (Translations) are Featured.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 10:58pm

You think she'll be nominated, at least? Wattaya say, Margo?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 11:03pm

I'm almost sure that the nominating committee -- all of whom HAVE seen her -- will certainly list her among the five nominees. Whether enough of the 750 voters will have seen her or remember her or prefer her performance over some VERY formidable (and more recently seen) competitors (including a legend or two) for her to win remains to be seen.

Updated On: 2/17/07 at 11:03 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 11:03pm

Kurtz has already been ruled leading, I believe. Laila Robins and Lily Rabe are featured. I believe Robins will garner a nod.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 11:05pm

I tossed in Kurtz for the sake of completeness. I doubt she'll get a nod this year (despite two previous wins). Julianne Moore will also likely be left off the list.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 11:08pm

Margo, why did the voters go to such lengths not to nominate Julia Roberts?

I know I'm in the minority, but I don't think she was as bad as reviewers made her out to be.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 11:09pm

If she were in featured, she'd at least have a chance. As a lead, there's no way.

Tonya Pinkins' joining RADIO GOLF seems to complicate the list. I had mine frozen for months as White, Best, Lansbury, Seldes and Redgrave...now that she's coming, I don't know.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 11:20pm

Foa - my understanding of the whole situation (based solely on what I've read and no insider info):

Julia wasn't nominated because she wasn't giving a performance that was in the same realm as the other nominees - Burton, Redgrave, Nixon, Kaye, and Kron. She was servicable at best but did nothing worthy of a nomination. It struck me, though, that it was ultimately done to prove that her name alone doesn't warrent accolages (though I'm sure the nominators weren't in cahoots.)