Ok, I wasn't going to get involved in this, but after reading the posts, I feel like I had to - not to trash anyone's opinion, but just to add another perspective on it. Take it or leave it. Above all, though, remember that they were told to keep things personal by the Tony's at the Tony luncheon. Which really means "if you list off a boatload of names, we WILL be cutting you off; but if you give a personal story, we'll try to let you go as long as possible to at least finish your story".
John Lloyd Young: Who cares if it was rehearsed or not? Actors spend their whole entire lives/careers memorizing lines and preparing to be up on stage ready to go. Why should an awards ceremony be any different unless someone has had a lot of improv experience and is good at winging it off the cuff? Not every great actor is great on their feet without knowing what they're going to say. Whether it was rehearsed or not, JLY obviously felt VERY strongly that he had something to say to his father in a very public way. His father and he have a lifetime together, and from the sounds of it, much of it had been at odds, with two people not understanding each other. Winning this award (or even being nominated if he did write the speech ahead of time) apparently took him back emotionally to when his father and he weren't at odds over lifestyle and career choices. Anyone who has a military father will tell you that it's VERY tough when they choose something in the arts as a career path. Most lifetime military guys don't understand it, find it weak and probably even "sissy" (which is what a friend's military father told him about successful singing career). People have to remember that the parents DO share the success of their kids when they win awards - they were the ones who raised them, fed them, clothed them, educated them, got them their acting lessons or dance classes, etc. Some had parents that believed in them, others had parents who disgusted by the arts as a career for their kids. But deep down inside, most people want that acceptance from their parents and to have them be proud of them. Obviously that was a HUGE issue for JLY last night. On the FLIP side, though, it was a poor choice to not say something about the other cast members, production team, etc. A simple point out to the audience and a "this couldn't have happened without all of YOU involved, I'm just one part of this whole thing" would suffice. But he shouldn't be slaughtered for it, though. You have to realized that you have a clock that is there to watch in front of you when you're up there - as well as a conductor with the baton raised ready to cut you off. How many of YOU could be in that kind of pressure situation where the anticipation of the award announcement is about to make your head explode, then finding out your name has been called, and then getting up in front of ALL of your Broadway Peers and having to say the right thing, knowing that whatever you DO say will be forever on film and forever remembered or quoted. He might have fully planned to say something about the production people that helped make his success - but it got away from him. If he never planned to - then it was a poor choice, definitely. But away from the theater, we ARE talking about a human being with an entire life that he's lived filled with experiences and emotions and relationships. Just cut him a break. I can PROMISE you that his Agent/Manager/PR people are doing MAJOR damage control today about not mentioning anyone in his speech. And I can also promise you that he's been told by umpteen people how wrong that was. And remember, until you walk in their shoes and have been up there yourself, you really DON'T know what the experience is like and if you'd do any better.
LaChanze: Duh, you HAVE to thank Oprah. She not only dropped her money into it, she lent her name to it, which is more important than a million dollars. My sister is a publisher with a major publishing house and they BEG to get Oprah to even mention a book once. One word from Oprah and a book or a product sells like crazy and becomes a huge money making success. The producers of TCP know that and so do the actors. Without her name (and money), no show - no Tony - no jobs for ALL of those people, etc. Who cares if it was expected or not - it was the right thing to do. Pure and simple. The other producers know that as well. Behind closed doors they may say "damn, I put in more to this than Oprah did!", but out there in public, they know that Oprah's name guaranteed a Broadway run longer than a minute or two. Because whether we like it or not, if those tickets aren't sold, the show will close - pure and simple - no matter HOW great it is. Not to mention, you REALLY don't want to be on Oprah's bad side. Again, like I said before - there's a LOT of pressure that leads up to that moment.
Julia Roberts: You KNOW she knows the buzz about how much people hated her performance in the show she's in. You KNOW she knows that the theater community is watching her thinking "you don't belong here Hollywood Star". You also know that whenever she's up on stage at an award show anywhere else (i.e., the Oscars or Golden Globes) that she's one of the reigning princesses of that world. I work and live in Hollywood - and trust me, she is adored and respected by all. Never heard one bad word from people who actually WORK with her on set about her. There are some you're ready to kill after a day of shooting - Julia Roberts isn't one of them. So anyway, you KNOW all that was going through her head. The poor girl must have been scared out of her wits to walk out there KNOWING all that stuff. It was only right for her to acknowledge in an understated way that she respects and looks up to the stage actors of Broadway. It was her way of saying "I know I'm out of your league". But remember, not every Broadway star can do what she does either - I can't name many (or any, actually) that can guarantee a box office that is in the hundreds of millions. If we all support the creative community, we all should also realize that Julia Roberts is the reason that hundreds and thousands of creative people have gotten work. And why wouldn't she want to experience live theater? She's obviously heard that there's nothing like the instant gratification of a live audience and the fulfillment of creating a role that you play night after night. Remember, when she filmed Pretty Woman, the minute a scene was shot and wrapped, she never got to do it again. I know SO many film actors that wish they could experience a certain role or certain scenes or certain characters over and over. So cut her a break - she should have said something, and I think she did it in her own way.
Beth Leavel: Unless you've seen Drowsy Chaperone, you wouldn't get why her speech was so funny. And in some ways - isn't she honoring the character that brought her the Tony award? She's been playing that character for a long time (remember, the show had a good pre-Bway run) - it's easy to slip into your character at a moment's notice when you're THAT familiar with it. She was obviously enjoying the fun of the moment. And did you really think that she thought she'd win? I'd bet money that deep down inside she didn't consider herself a front-runner. Not when you have more emotionally charged roles like Sophia and Shug Avery to compete with. She obviously just wanted to have fun with the moment. A moment that I would bet she never expected to happen.
Hal Prince: Yeah, what WAS that? That's the problem with pre-taped speeches. They never resonate with the pure emotion of being there in person. And I'm sorry, but why in the world couldn't he fly out for the night? Is missing one day of Phantom rehearsals going to make or break the Las Vegas show? They could have made Sunday and Monday a dance rehearsal day. Unless, of course, he isn't in the health to do that much travelling. But in that case, someone should have paid for a private jet for him. Lifetime achievement - that's a big deal. I think it's wrong to miss it unless you have health reasons. And if that's the case, then I take back everything I've said.
Bob Crowley: a little unappreciative maybe? "yeah, thanks for the award, but if you people were worth anything, you'd have given me one for something else" What WAS that about anyway?
"less talen than a chorus boy" - someone on this board made that comment. that was an unfortunate choice of words. Some of the most talented people in this country are chorus members of Bway shows. Have YOU been to an audition and seen what it's like to compete with hundreds of people who look exactly like you, sound like you, etc.? You watch someone like Dennis Jones dance and then tell me that the chorus boy is the least talented in the cast. I know what you were saying the point you were making, but it's a really disrespectful comment to make about those rank and file performers who are SO talented and have to live in the shadows of the stars.
There you go. Take it or leave it. Just one man's opinion.
Hey, anyone that wants to come on my radio show and debate this subject - we'll be doing a Tony wrap up show this coming Sunday. Would LOVE to have this thing debated live on the show.
Broadway and More Radio Show Link
