Why didn't Norm win a Tony for Porgy & Bess?

[binau]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 11:15am

I never saw this live but finally decided to find a way to 'watch' it - I must admit I was a bit surprised at what I saw. Yes Audra was excellent but despite the NYTimes rave and hype around her performance I was surprised at how much her character fades into the background, especially during Act one. Whereas Norm really shines and feels like the heart of the show with some EXCELLENT acting - some of the supporting cast also seem very strong too (i.e. again it's not just like Audra is carrying this show). Was he ever hyped to win?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 11:32am

He was never expected to win. A lot of folks thought Danny Burstein would win for FOLLIES, and then Steve Kazee won for ONCE. Jeremy Jordan might have even had a better shot at winning than Norm. Consensus also was at the time was that Norm was solid, if not a perfect vocal fit for the demands of that role, and Audra and David Alan Grier and Boykin were doing laps around him imho.

Its win for Best Revival was also something of a surprise, as it seemed finally to be FOLLIES' moment. But Porgy was running and Follies was not, Porgy had a lot more League co-producers & investors (which in a tight race can help a bit), and I think Porgy was seen as an underdog after Sondheim's op-ed lambasting the revisions (revisions that he had not yet seen).

Updated On: 4/30/23 at 11:32 AM

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 11:58am

No disrespect to Steve Kazee, but this should have been Danny Burstein's Tony. I personally would have voted for Burstein, but Lewis would have been my second pick. I agree that he was the heart of P&B that grounded all of the performances around him. Kazee and Jordan were fine but I wasn't particularly enthralled with either. 

[JoeW4]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 12:05pm

I saw all 5 nominees, and I was very much on the Norm Lewis train. I do remember that people were rooting for Burstein, but I've never been as blown away by Burstein as others are. I've continued to feel that way for the last decade, but I remember it all started there, when I realized how hyped up his performance was, and I just wasn't clicking with it.

I do agree that Norm was stretching vocally a bit, but I still think it was a beautiful performance. I don't think he's topped it, in the years since.

At the time I was kind of surprised and disappointed that Kazee won. But after listening to the album for many years, and thinking back on the performance, I kind of get it. The performance was understated, but it was nuanced, and incredibly raw. The degree to which he poured his emotions into his vocals is something we seldom see executed on this level.

Updated On: 4/30/23 at 12:05 PM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 12:06pm

2012 was such a competitive year, especially for Best Actor in a Musical. I loved and saw ''Newsies'' multiple times. I also loved and saw ''Porgy & Bes'' multiple times. In my dream Tony world, Jeremy Jordan and Norm Lewis would've tied for Best Actor. Jordan's ringing rendition of ''Santa Fe'' and Lewis' ''I Got Plenty of Norhing'' are among my all-time favorites. (On the other hand, I found ''Once'' ho-hum Off-Broadway and gave it another try on Broadway, but ''Once'' was never enough.)

Updated On: 4/30/23 at 12:06 PM

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 12:10pm

JoeW4 said: "At the time I was kind of surprised and disappointed that Kazee one. But after listening to the album for many years, and thinking back on the performance, I kind of get it. The performance was understated, but it was nuanced, and incredibly raw. The degree to which he poured his emotions into his vocals is something we seldom see executed on this level."

There was also a ton of highly-publicized stuff going on in Kazee's personal life at the time (his breakup with Megan Hilty, his mother passing shortly before the Tonys, etc.) that made him easy to root for and likely got him at least a handful of sentimental votes. I don't mean that to take away from his performance at all, which was also excellent, but we know awards voters are always looking for a good story to award and he certainly had it. Plus the overall love for Once swept him up with it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 1:16pm

People will always pick the person playing the instrument because it is somehow more “talent” than just really good acting and singing. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 1:35pm

LOL it always amuses me when people either say "so and so should have won", "so and so was robbed!" or "why didn't so and so win?". Because that's how they voted that year. Because they saw something in another performance that was above the other people. Why dwell on it?

[binau]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 1:51pm

hearthemsing22 said: "LOL it always amuses me when people either say "so and so should have won", "so and so was robbed!" or "why didn't so and so win?". Because that's how they voted that year. Because they saw something in another performance that was above the other people. Why dwell on it?"

Because it's fun to think about and we're on a Broadway message board lol. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 1:52pm

binau said: "hearthemsing22 said: "LOL it always amuses me when people either say "so and so should have won", "so and so was robbed!" or "why didn't so and so win?". Because that's how they voted that year. Because they saw something in another performance that was above the other people. Why dwell on it?"

Because it's fun to think about and we're on a Broadway message board lol."

So you can think about that, and I can think about how I wonder why people don't just move on and think about future awards. :) 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 2:42pm

hearthemsing22 said: "LOL it always amuses me when people either say "so and so should have won", "so and so was robbed!" or "why didn't so and so win?". Because that's how they voted that year. Because they saw something in another performance that was above the other people. Why dwell on it?"


Try being less boring and insufferable, dear.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 3:52pm

hearthemsing22 said: "binau said: "hearthemsing22 said: "LOL it always amuses me when people either say "so and so should have won", "so and so was robbed!" or "why didn't so and so win?". Because that's how they voted that year. Because they saw something in another performance that was above the other people. Why dwell on it?"

Because it's fun to think about and we're on a Broadway message board lol."

So you can think about that, and I can think about how I wonder why people don't just move on and think about future awards. :)"

This is a discussion board, people enjoy discussing different things. If you don’t want to partake in a specific discussion you don’t have to.

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 4:24pm

I wish they'd publish the percentage of votes each actor received (or at least publish it after a number of years has passed.) 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 4:26pm

hearthemsing22 said: "binau said: "hearthemsing22 said: "LOL it always amuses me when people either say "so and so should have won", "so and so was robbed!" or "why didn't so and so win?". Because that's how they voted that year. Because they saw something in another performance that was above the other people. Why dwell on it?"

Because it's fun to think about and we're on a Broadway message board lol."

So you can think about that, and I can think about how I wonder why people don't just move on and think about future awards. :)"

Or you could just maybe not comment if you don't have anything useful to contribute?

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 7:15pm

And another pile on. *eye roll* 

I saw Porgy and Bess and as a huge Norm Lewis fan I have zero memory of his performance. Or most of the show as a whole. I thought it was all a bore.

Once is a great show with great direction and design and it’s emotional and I could see why they’d vote that way. 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 9:29pm

Complaining about an award that was handed out 11 years ago?  

I don't understand this obsession with Tony Awards.

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 11:56pm

Steve WAS Once.  The show would not have happened without his performance. it took the show to another level.

He should get another Tony just for reminding people how great he was!

[binau]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 3:09am

Dollypop said: "Complaining about an award that was handed out 11 years ago?

I don't understand this obsession with Tony Awards."

Gurl, I probably think about Bernadette being snubbed in Follies daily. Maybe I’m obsessed, mainly I need to get a life. But I love it and don’t want to.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 3:19am

Dollypop said: "Complaining about an award that was handed out 11 years ago?

I don't understand this obsession with Tony Awards."


Your entire personality is based on a show that opened sixty years ago.

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 6:29am

LOL--While we are on the subject--Barbra should have gotten it for FG.

Updated On: 5/1/23 at 06:29 AM

[BJR]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 7:45am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "[...] and I think Porgy was seen as an underdog after Sondheim's op-ed lambasting the revisions (revisions that he had not yet seen)."

He didn't criticize the revisions, he criticized the way the creative team were discussing the revisions and P&B itself. And it was a letter to the Editor. The team was regarding it as flawed and in need of their help. He took umbrage to this, since P&B was one of his favorite pieces (and it didn't need their help).

But your point is correct that, even by the end of the season, this was was misremembered just this way and it indeed turned them into an underdog. Silly.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 8:39am

bwayphreak234 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "binau said: "hearthemsing22 said: "LOL it always amuses me when people either say "so and so should have won", "so and so was robbed!" or "why didn't so and so win?". Because that's how they voted that year. Because they saw something in another performance that was above the other people. Why dwell on it?"

Because it's fun to think about and we're on a Broadway message board lol."

So you can think about that, and I can think about how I wonder why people don't just move on and think about future awards. :)"

Or you could just maybe not comment if you don't have anything useful to contribute?

"

Not useful according to you, and luckily I don't care what you think because as YOU said, it's a message board, and I can say what I want hun. :) Don't like it? Keep scrolling. Why are y'all so obsessed with me lol. I actually do contribute to the boards. Y'all like being so incredibly rude and acting like you're not doing anything wrong. Maybe look at yourselves instead of being so focused on my comments. Move on sweethearts. 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 5:16pm

Updated On: 5/1/23 at 05:16 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 5:47pm

TotallyEffed said: "Dollypop said: "Complaining about an award that was handed out 11 years ago?

I don't understand this obsession with Tony Awards."


Your entire personality is based on a show that opened sixty years ago."

You may consider it "a show", I consider it a religious exerience.  Thank you very much.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/1/23 at 6:13pm

binau said: "Dollypop said: "Complaining about an award that was handed out 11 years ago?

I don't understand this obsession with Tony Awards."

Gurl, I probably think about Bernadette being snubbed in Follies daily. Maybe I’m obsessed, mainly I need to get a life. But I love it and don’t want to."

I generally love BP, but I thought she was terrible in Follies, change that to not got.  She started so overwrought that there was no place to go; also, at least the two times I saw her, she was straining noticeably, which detracted from the experience.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO STEVE KAZEE??