Will Julie White Whiffle Away With the Tony? YES, BEBE!!!

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:07pm

Seems to me her Little Dog Laughed was a coup de theatre...

Updated On: 6/10/07 at 03:07 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:36pm

I hope so. Some of her monologues should have been Olympic events. Great voice and breathwork in that show for her. She deserves the Tony for her performance.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:37pm

I loved it when she slapped her scarlet coat right on the middle of the bed.

Talk about an entrance.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:44pm

Everytime the music pumped and she crossed the stage in those divine costumes with those legs to die for I just died a little inside. She was purely divine.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:46pm

She has an elegant figure.

I think they should give her the Tony just for being able to walk so well in those high heels.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:47pm

DEUCE begins performances tomorrow, so we'll be able to assess two more of the leading lady candidates. Then we have Jan Maxwell and Tonya Pinkins starting performances in their shows next week. It should be a very tight race!

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 03:47 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:48pm

Her performance was terrific and will most likely be nominated, however the fact that her show has closed (and some voters won't have a chance to see her) will probably prevent her from winning in June. It also doesn't help that she will be competing with legends like Angela Lansbury, Marian Seldes, and Vanessa Redgrave, as well as Eve Best and Tonya Pinkins, all of whose shows will still be running in June. It's a very tough year and while it looked like White had a good shot at winning a few months ago, at this point there doesn't appear to be a clear favorite.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:49pm

Perhaps my favorite line of hers was when she and her client were supposedly sitting facing the playwright, who suggested her movie star should act in his play and her true feelings about theatre came out:

"A play-ay??????"

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:53pm

Still, Margo, Julie White was very distinct, original and truly memorable in the role.

I can remember her performance vividly, and so many other performances that you see just drift off into the void.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:59pm

Nom, that's true, but the fact that her play only lasted three months means that a large chunk of voters (especially the out of town ones) never even got a chance to see her and that's going to hurt her chances, especially in what looks to be a tight race with so many other great performers to choose from.

By the way, I'm pretty sure that Jan Maxwell's role is Featured, not Lead.

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 03:59 PM

[courtnyj]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:00pm

Julie White made that play, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to make the play last.

Still, I'd jump up and cheer if she won.
Updated On: 4/10/07 at 04:00 PM

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:10pm

I don't think a play should have to last or to return its investment for an incredible performance to be honored.

And since we're talking about The Little Dog Laughed, I think Douglas Carter Beane should have a good chance at the Tony for the play, and I could see it playing all over the country and beyond if it won.
Updated On: 4/10/07 at 04:10 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:13pm

With at least six major leading performances by an actress in a play, I wonder which one will be left out from: Redgrave, Lansbury, Seldes, Pinkins, Best, and White.

[D2]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:21pm

While it is true that THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED did not make much of a splash, White's performance did, and is still being talked about. I think a nomination is a given, and I wouldn't be surprised if she did win. I'm not saying she will win, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did. Let's not forget Michele Pawk, who was in a similar situation several years ago.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:24pm

The second time I saw LDL, I saw plenty of Tony voter-types in the audience, so clearly they got them in. Obviously, they may not have had a lot of the road voters, but I imagine a goodly portion of the local voters saw her.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:26pm

I still remember that lovely yoga pose where she told the story of the Tibetan sand mandala.

It was such an image provoking monologue it reminded me of seeing the monks make the mandala for their cultural visits when the Dalai Lama would come. Analogizing the mandala to the temporality of luncheon salads was a genius bit of hilarity in the writing--and how Julie delivered.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:28pm

I'd be willing to bet almost anything that the Best Play race is a done deal with THE COAST OF UTOPIA taking the prize hands down. It's exactly the kind of "important", artistic, snob appeal EVENT that the Tonys tend to fall all over themselves to honor with the Best Play statuette when they come along (in contrast, Best Musical tends to usually go the fun, mainstream, commercial entry that'll have widespread appeal on the road -- they occasionally give the Book and/or Score prizes as a consulation to the serious, "artistic," or edgy choice). And if somehow there's an upset (which is doubtful), then Best Play would probably go to something like CORAM BOY or FROST/NIXON. If you look back over the 60 years of Tony history, very very few light comedies like LITTLE DOG have ever won the Tony for Best Play.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:32pm

Satire is the highest form of comedy, though it seldom gets its due.

I am hoping it gets at least a nomination and some attention. A small cast play like that would play beautifully in regional and smaller theatres all over.

I have boycotted all the Utopia plays as I am not keen on Stoppard. He bores me. Plus the stuff I've seen of his has been materialist in nature and void of spirituality.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:35pm

Pawk won for Featured and not Lead, and her competition that season was nowhere near the level that White is facing this year (with four former Tony winners, including three legends, and an Olivier Award winner).

[D2]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:36pm

And the powers that be at Lincoln Center Theater are very upset with you, Nom.

I knew you'd come back with that Margo, and I'm just saying anything can happen this year.

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 04:36 PM

[jv92]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:39pm

Not with Angela Lansbury as competition.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:40pm

And Vanessa Redgrave. And a spectacular performance by Eve Best.

[jv92]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:41pm

Redgrave too, but Lansbury is the Tony Awards darling.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:45pm

Well, I love Lincoln Center, even still.

For The Light in the Piazza, and for all the opera and ballet and festival shows I have seen there. Unusual performances like Benjamin Bagby.

I'm sure they feel they have to help out the poor misguided Stoppard fans with something for them; it was their turn.

Now if Lincoln Center could only get Julie White in a show.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:53pm

Angela Lansbury was the first professional actress I can remember seeing onstage and she was great. Very likely helped inspire my love of theatre.

It's nice to have an unknown or lesser known actress in Julie White giving the greats a run for the money.

Puts a little pizzazz in the season...