Why Didn't Bernadette receive a Tony Nomination for ITW?

[bwguyhottie]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 12:05am

???

I still think Joanna deserved the win...just wondering why Bernadette didn't even get nominated...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 12:26am

Was that the show where her understudy was on more than she was?

[theatreguy]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 2:15am

Bernadette was only in the show for about three months. By the time nominations came out, her replacement (Phylicia Rashad, I think) had taken over. Coincidentally, Bernadette actually prsented the Best Actress award that year to her former castmate.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 8:57am

So when did they do the movie? Was that a Lincoln Center Library filming that miraculously made it to video or was it a reunion type thing?

[Jon]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 9:03am

The original cast reunited near the end of the run to make the video.

I saw the show near the end of the run, and Bob Westenberg, Chip Zien and Tom Aldredge, who had all been out of the show for months, came back to do the last few weeks. Others such as Peters and GHleason just came in for the video shoot.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 11:14am

Is the show recorded at the Martin Beck? Because when I saw "Wonderful Town," it didn't look like the same theatre (interior).

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 1:01pm

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that Bernadette WAS nominated for featured actress! She unfortuantly didn't win though Also, It was filmed at the London Royal Hall (well somewhere in London) and not at the theater it was being performed at in NYC.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 1:20pm

Unfortunately, GYPSY, she was not nominated in any way, shape or form for that show. The nominees that year for featured actress in a musical were:

Judy Kuhn (winner) for POTO
Leleti Khumalo for Sarafina!
Alyson Reid for Cabaret
and
Regina Resnik for Cabaret

And it most certainly was filmed in NYC's Martin Beck Theatre.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 1:22pm

robbiej - I think you mean Judy Kaye, not Judy Kuhn. Though Kuhn was nominated for Lead Actress in Chess that year.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 1:27pm

I've always thought it was a great shame she wasn't nominated that year. At least it was captured on video and actually released to the public so even though she didn't win, it's one of the most recognized theatrical roles ever.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 1:29pm

OOOOOOOOOOOOH...mistype!!!

Thanks, Mr. Matt!!! Yes...Judy Kaye! Too many Judys on one page and a girl gets so confused!

Judy Bernlee, please hold!

[cocoloco]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 2:03pm

Why was Bernadette only in the show 3 months? Is that when she left to do that terrible Merchant-Ivory movie?

[DivaMommy]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 4:58pm

I have to say, the recording of Into the Woods is one I treasure! So much to glean from some amazing performances. Joanna Gleason is my musical theatre HERO!!!

Hats off to Stephen Sondheim for releasing recordings of his shows so that the little people can see them. I'm looking forward to getting Sweeney Todd.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 6:49pm

The Sweeney Todd recording is excellent.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 8:56pm

I don't want to start a new thread, and since this is kind of related, I'll say it here; I just got the revival cd (a friend gave it to me), and I don't have the original. I will get the original because I've heard it's better, but does anyone have a comment about the two different recordings (Priest, I'm looking at you )

[Matt_G]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 9:06pm

The original is one of my favorite cast recordings of all time. I do not particularly care for the revival recording (although I thoroughly enjoyed the show when I saw it), but if you like the show go get OBC. Joanna Gleason still makes me cry at the end of that show.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 9:26pm

I (as you can see) really liked the revival. It still remains my favorite night at the theatre. The recording, however, is a little rough at spots. Vanessa Williams comes off a little nasally, but she's fantastic during "Last Midnight" (except for the "Aaaaaaaaaaah!" at the end). Bernadette Peters is a little funnier in the role, but then again Williams took a whole new approach to the role. (Peters can out-rap Williams, though, during the "Greens..." part) Molly Ephraim (Little Red) is a lot sweeter than Danielle Ferland (the original), which makes her easier on the ears but not necessarily perfect for the part. The two princes are very good, Gregg Edelman tends to outshine Christopher Seiber, though. The two princes in the original are also great. The baker and his wife in the revival are excellent. Kerry O'Malley is spectacular, warm and funny. She holds her own against Joanna Gleason, who was excellent in the original cast. Stephen DeRosa has a very nice voice and isn't as overdramatic as Chip Zien from the original. Adam Wylie as Jack is pretty bad because his voice isn't quite developed and his vibrato is pretty out of control, but he much better when I saw him live. The orignal Jack, Ben Wright I believe his name is, was very good. Jack's Mother (Marylouise Burke) in the revival sounds like she was hit by a car, but she was very funny in the show (which, unfortunately, the recording doesn't show). The original Jack's Mother, Barbara Bryne, is very sweet and better sung than Marylouise Burke.

So, in conclusion, I enjoyed the revival when I saw it live moreso than I did the original video. However, the recording for the revival is a little weak and the original Broadway cast recording is excellent, nearly flawless. The revival recording is servicable (although I'm more likely to listen to the revival than the OBC just because of how much I enjoyed it live and it's a wonderful thing to look back on). Hope this long schpeel helped.

[DivaMommy]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 9:29pm

Hands down, the OBC of Into the Woods is the winner. And once you get those voices stuck in you head, it's hard to hear the revival.

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 9:47pm

why did bernadette peters leave into the woods so early during its run??? why was she in the show just for 3months?? thanks :)

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 11:23pm

Gov----There is absolutely no question that the Original Broadway Cast Recording of 'Into the Woods' is completely superior to the Revival Recording. Vanessa is adequate, but Bernadette is extraordinary. And there's a reason Joanne won the TONY. Robert Westenberg and Chuck Wagner's 'Agony' and 'Agony (Reprise)' are comic gems. The only reason to even consider getting the new recording is that it has the song 'Our Little World', which is a great song. But there is no competition between the recordings....

[skingdom]

Posted: 7/1/04 at 3:42am

I disagree and btw the quibbler i believe said that he preferred he liked the revival better. loved it...i live in san diego and saw stephen de rosa at the movie theatre the other night...i freaked out....


and wasnt the obc video filmed at lincoln center in 1997? yes i think so.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 7/1/04 at 9:29am

According to IMDb, the video premiered March 20, 1991.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/1/04 at 9:40am

The Witch is one of the most recognized theatrical roles ever?

Um, no.

Not even close.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/1/04 at 10:35am

The obc video was not recorded at Lincoln Center (if you look at the interior of the theatre, you'd know right away) and not in 1997 (as the show ran only 1987-1989). There was a 10th anniversary benefit concert that performed at the Broadway Theatre Nov 9, 1997 that reunited the original cast. No video was released of that concert.

[tark53]

Posted: 7/1/04 at 11:04am

Thanks, Mister Matt, I was about to post a brief, hopefully fully correct, message to counter the odd misinformation that's been floating around here.

The only other things I'd like to add are that the video was shot at the Martin Beck Theater, where they were performing; I have the playbill from May 1989 when most of the original cast returned to do the filming.

Also, Bernadette was replaced by Phylicia Rashad in April 1988. Since she was in the opening cast --opened Nov. 5, 1987, that would make Bernadette's time in Into the Woods 5 months, plus whatever previews she was in--previews started in Sept. 1987. She did not perform in the previews in San Diego in Dec. 1986--the Witch there was Ellen Foley. A good source for all things Sondheim, in addition to sondheim.com of course, is geocities.com/sondheimguide. (I believe that Bernadette filmed 3 movies in 1988- "David"-made for tv, "Pink Cadillac", and "Slaves of New York".)

To respond to the original question, I think at the time the show was written, the Witch was conceived as a supporting role--having Bernadette play her possibly pushed it into the spotlight, but it still may have been thought by the Tony nominators as featured or supporting. Now whether Bernadette or her handlers would even want a nomination as a featured performer at that stage of her career I have no idea, but...
(She was, of course, nominated for a Drama Desk for the Witch.)
Updated On: 7/3/04 at 11:04 AM