Worst Tony Award Performance Ever

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:11pm

I'm sure there are other threads on this and I know it's September but ROCKY HORROR just came on my iTunes.

It reminded me of their live performance, on the Tonys, and how horrible that performance was. The sound was also terrible for that peformance.

What's the worst Tony performance you've ever witnessed?

[bwayfan9]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:13pm

wicked was horrible. I love that show but that performance was a major let down.

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:20pm

i'd say Tonya's "Caroline Or Change" performance..

[Mood_Indigo]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:22pm

I second Wicked. Though I've heard Idina was sick that night which probably affected her performance.

I'd also like to add The Little Mermaid

[bwayfan9]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:23pm

that would have to be one of my favorite broadway seasons, but my least favorite tony awards performance. Tonya's was horrible, wicked was weak, the clean version of avenue Q wasn't sitting with me. That night was awful.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:28pm

Meet the horror that is STARMITES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEenp3n7T6g

Definitely the worst musical I've ever been in, and the Tony performance was even worse than my school's production.

[bwayfan9]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:32pm

that wasn't a bad performance STI, that was just a terrible show

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:33pm

A Catered Affair

Hey, at least Starmites had some energy. I'm not sure why anyone would list Wicked as one of the worst Tony performances unless they simply haven't seen many broadcasts. The poorly lip-synced performances of the early 80s were pretty awful as well. And hey, there's always Leader of the Pack with its uninspired choreography and design or the meandering quintet from A Grand Night for Singing, who sang lovely enough, but...why was this nominated?

[BNN]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:36pm

I don't know if I would call it the worst or terrible, but Grease's this year was very awkward and hard to watch.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:39pm

The Wicked and Caroline or Change performances were not the greatest but for me, in recent memory, was that tribute to Phantom in 2006. I was there and everyone around me just kind of looked at each other as if to say "What the heck was that"? Someone correct me if I am wrong (And I am sure they will) but I read or heard somewhere that Ms. Pinkins didn't want to do Lot's Wife at the Tony's because she was under the weather but had to do it or was told she had to. Something like that. I seem to remember it was at the suggestion of George C. Wolfe.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:39pm

bwayfan9-- I felt that the vocals were good (though the Diva was rather irritating)and the performance went smoothly, but the costumes, the "choreography," and the ridiculous sincerity with which it was performed made it downright painful to watch. If it's all played for laughs, that's one thing, and if it's taken down a notch, that's another, but they looked so involved in what they were doing that it was like watching a bad Disney theme park show. And the lizard guy... well, what can I say?

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 05:39 PM

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:50pm

Besides Idina/Wicked, can we group those three one minute performances from the most recent Tonys into one "performance" and label it as really bad? Yikes.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:53pm

I'm not sure why anyone would list Wicked as one of the worst Tony performances unless they simply haven't seen many broadcasts

Perhaps because the individual who played the lead hit one note out of twenty in that performance?

[Bodes08]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 5:56pm

I don't really think it's fair to judge A Catered Affair, Young Frankenstein, and The Little Mermaid on this years Tony's.
They weren't given the opportunity to perform to their full potential with major sets and orchestrations and such.
They were very rushed.
They shouldn't even be brought into consideration for this thread. In my opinion, that is.
That being said, I can't really think of a specific "worst" tony performance. There have been numerous stinkers.
But if I had to pick the best Tony performance, I'd go with Peter Pan. Cathy Rigby flying over the audience at the end was such a spectacular, moving moment.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:05pm

Ooh, thought of another one. As much as I love, love, love the Tony performance of Les Miserables and watch it on, like, a weekly basis... David Bryant (Marius) was absolutely terrible in it. I think his mic wasn't working, but he was more reptilian than that lizard from Starmites. Just the face he made when he "sang" 'do I follow where she goes' is enough to sum up his performance. Worse than he sounded on the OBC recording.

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 06:05 PM

[lakezurich]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:05pm

I have to agree that Idina's performance was quite bad.

And as far as last year's one minute performances, I thought Young Frankenstein was the best. Yeah, it's not a good show, but Meghan knocked that ending note out of the park.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:08pm

Exactly.

Not a fan of YF or TLM, but compare the final note of Megan's song to Sierra's song. Such a stark difference...

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:09pm

Does anybody remember Sweet Charity's performance...
Yikes.

I also agree with the Grease performance this year...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:16pm

Perhaps because the individual who played the lead hit one note out of twenty in that performance?

You misunderstood. I was talking about Wicked, not Caroline, or Change.

And I almost forgot the horror of the Annie revival. The bug-eyed jaw-stretching robotic vapidness of that performance haunted my dreams for weeks.

And as far as best Tony Award performances go, Grand Hotel and Promises Promises immediately spring to mind.

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 06:16 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:19pm

I definitely think Grand Hotel is one of the best Tony performances, along with Evita.

I...think Wicked is one of the worst ones, too.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:35pm

Grease at this years Tony's was boring.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:39pm

You misunderstood. I was talking about Wicked, not Caroline, or Change.

No, love, no misunderstanding. That lady in green, Eyedine Minzelli. I wanted to literally bring her down to stop the humiliation!

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:40pm

Wicked's Tony performance started off okay, nothing too notable except Idina's odd gasping breaths, but by the end, it was just really... really... bad. Painful to watch.

My favourite Tony performance to watch is The Scarlet Pimpernel, because I've never seen someone with so much enthusiasm as Douglas Sills as Sir Percy. But then, I'm biased.

Erm... is anyone else really annoyed by Bob Gunton's accent as Juan Peron on the Tony performance of Evita? He has a good voice, but for me, it's terribly distracting.

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 06:40 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 6:51pm

I'm actually completely obsessed with Bob Gunton's accent in Evita, because no one else had one. it's hysterical, having an Eva from Long Island, a Jewish Che and a Juan with...the greatest Argentine accent ever of all time.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 7:02pm

I'm a huge Idina fan and I loved her as Elphaba, but her Tony performance was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread.