And The 2008 Tony Awards Go To …
While I was happily celebrating the LA Lakers victory over the Boston Celtics last night, I was mourning the shaft that was given to two of my fave Broadway shows at last night’s 62nd annual Tony Awards, which were held live at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. While I was very impressed with the production value of the show (especially the bits that involved host Whoopi Goldberg, who was brills all night long) and the live cast performances (some more than others … loved Xanadu, was a tiny bit let down by both The Little Mermaid and Rent), I was just really bummed that neither Xanadu (my Best Musical) nor Macbeth (my Best Play) got any love at all from the stogy old Tony voters. Boo. Here are a few pics from the Tony Awards red carpet:
Everyone looked amazing on the red carpet … I love that Xanadu’s Cheyenne Jackson had to show up on the red carpet in a tux and then had to strip it off to don his shorty jean shorts for the live performance and then had to get all dolled up in his tux again — and he wasn’t even nominated for an award! That’s dedication, y’all. I cannot stress enough how fun and inventive both Xanadu and Macbeth are as Broadway productions … and I’m convinced that is why neither show took home any awards. Tony voters seem to love being mired in the past (South Pacific), bucking the new and innovative and choosing instead to stick with the traditional, tired yet true (the same thing happened last year when Legally Blonde got the shaft).
The Tony Awards show itself, tho, was really fun to watch (it normally isn’t fun to watch at all). Here are a few pics from some of my fave parts of the show:
“Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific” dominated Broadway’s top honors, the Tony Awards, with seven prizes on Sunday, followed by the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “August: Osage County” with five wins. “South Pacific,” nominated for 11 Tonys, picked up awards for best musical revival, best musical director (Bartlett Sher), best leading actor in a musical (Paulo Szot), scenery, costume, lighting and sound. Sher said audiences seemed to find contemporary resonance in the show’s themes of racial tension at a time of war — issues of heightened interest in the U.S. presidential election campaign with black candidate Sen. Barack Obama winning the Democratic nomination. “The reception was completely overwhelming,” Sher told reporters, adding the show happened “to hit this weird crease in the culture around the election.” “August: Osage County,” the Tracy Letts play that won the Pulitzer Prize for drama this year, won Tonys for best play, best featured actress (Rondi Reed), best leading actress (Deanna Dunagan), scenic design and direction (Anna D. Shapiro). Cast members signaled that the sprawling drama about a dysfunctional family in rural Oklahoma could transfer to London’s West End later this year. Broadway veteran Patti LuPone won best actress in a musical for her role in “Gypsy,” while her co-stars won best featured actor (Boyd Gaines) and featured actress (Laura Benanti). The show is a revival of a musical suggested by a stripper’s memoir with Stephen Sondheim lyrics. It was the second Tony for LuPone, who last won for “Evita.” “Shut up, it’s been 29 years,” she yelled as the orchestra began playing at New York City’s Radio City Hall. “It’s such a wonderful gift to be an actor who makes her living on the Broadway stage and then once every 30 years or so pick up one of these.” Rock musician Stew, whose real name is Mark Stewart, won best book of a musical for “Passing Strange,” the show’s single award from seven nominations. “It’s incredibly insane to be up here,” he told reporters. “Our goal was to put music on stage that people are actually listening to, the music people actually listen to on subways or when at they’re at home getting stoned.” “In the Heights,” a musical about a largely Dominican northern Manhattan neighborhood, won four awards, including best original score for creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda. It had led the Tony nominations with 13. “I used to dream about this moment, now I’m in it,” Miranda, 28, who thought up the show during his second year in college and worked on it for eight years, said in a speech he rapped to the crowd. “I wrote a little show about home.” “Boeing-Boeing,” the classic farce which is the most performed French play, won best revival of a play … Around 750 people from the theater industry — from actors, to directors to journalists — vote for the Tony Awards. Sondheim, who wrote music and lyrics for such shows as “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Sweeney Todd” was given a special Tony for lifetime achievement.
I do have to send out huge props to August: Osage County. Altho I’ve yet to see it (David has), I hear it’s a stunning play and well deserved the accolades it received last night. In fact, I don’t want to take away from any of the winners — they are all deserving. I just wish that the fun, new Broadway shows that are bringing in the dollars on Broadway could get a little lovin’ too. Meh. I’m over it … but I will continue to sing the praises of shows that I LOVE and know that others of like mind will love as well :)
While I’m glad they squeezed in time (what felt like 1 1/2 mins.) for The Little Mermaid to have a performance, I was upset that it was so … bare. I get that the show wasn’t one of the big nominees but a flashy, sorry, splashy performance might’ve helped with ratings. The Rent performance was touching … but fell flat for me. I love Jonathan Larson and his masterpiece but a better celebration of his life and work would’ve been the Original Broadway cast coming out in full costume to put on a raucous performance. I dunno, that’s just what I would’ve loved to have seen. Click HERE to watch the somber Rent performance that we did get. All in all, I guess it’s impossible for all the shows to win awards and maybe I’m a bit miffed that my faves didn’t win … but eh, I can be miffed if I want to. I can’t even begin to guess what poor Cubby Bernstein is feeling today. Click HERE for a full list of this year’s Tony Award winners.
[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin, Wireimage; Source, Source]
Tags: 'Xanadu' The Musical, Brooke Shields, Cheyenne Jackson, Daniel Radcliffe, Idina Menzel, Kate Fleetwood, Kristin Chenoweth, Patrick Stewart, Sierra Boggess, Taye Diggs, The Tony Awards, Whoopi Goldberg
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June 16th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Hey Trent!
While I agree that Xanadu is completely brills, you’re giving no props at all to In the Heights, the absolutely AMAZING show that won Best Musical, etc. I think it definitely shows that the Tony voters ARE beginning to see beyond the traditional…I mean, the show is partly rapped. Lin-Manuel Miranda is an amazing performer and artist, you should definitely check the show out and see for yourself : )
ps. laura benanti’s win made the night for me, that girl’s been working hard rocking the stage for years!
June 16th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Trent I believe Xanadu just like Legally Blonde are very commercial shows that are meant to appeal to mass audiences. The Tony’s are not a popularity contest but rather a recognition to deep storytelling and powerful performance that not only entertain but provide audiences with an almost life changing experience. In the Heights absolutely deserves the award.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Trent,
I have to agree with you on the Rent performance. When I heard the original cast would be returning I pictured everyone in full costume doing a full number together. Although, it was touching I felt a better tribute could have been paid to Jonathan Larson and his wonderful show. I went to see it 2 weeks ago for the last time and walking out the door of that theatre for the last time made me incredibly sad.
In the Heights is absolutely AMAZING. I went to see it 2 weeks ago as well and was completely blown away. Lin Manuel-Miranda is a complete genius and this show he made is truly outstanding. I recommend the next time you are in NY you try and see the show I really think you will like it. It is truly original and a breath of fresh air for Broadway it deserved every award it received last night.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Sorry to be picky, but I remember a certain name being “Whoopi Goldberg” instead of “Whoppi Goldberg”…
June 16th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I agree that the Little Mermaid number was just sad… in a neglected kind of way…. but that show has gotten horrible reviews. I also agree with the above poster, shows like Legally Blonde and Xanadu- they are kind of like the blockbuster movies of theatre- lots of fun to see, but never get nominated for oscars (or in this case, Tonys). Macbeth, however was woefully neglected.
I did love how many musical numbers were in the program, that made it much more watchable. The Lion King performance was great, made me want to see the show again.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Stodgy? That makes no sense considering they chose the show that is largely rapped. Thank god they do not pick best musicals based on how much money they bring in. Rather they choose the best shows and that is why In the Heights won last night.
June 16th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Props to the Tonys for putting on the most entertaining awards so this year. I absolutely loved all the musical numbers in the show last night. I also agree that In the Heights is an amazing show that completely deserved to win (although Xanadu is great too, not to knock your fav). But I don’t think Xanadu was passed over for something “traditional.” In the Heights is based on salsa/rap music and set in north Manhattan, so I definately think the Tony voters are not just stuck in the past (by the way tho, the South Pacific revival is absolutely spectacular, and I highly recommend it)
June 16th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
The ads and commercials for In The Heights do no justice to how amazing it looks based on the performance last night. I definitely have to see it now. I agree about the little mermaid performance. It was disappointing to see such an abridged format of such a good song especially when the musical is filled with so many fun numbers. A full performance may have swayed some people who were reading the bad reviews to actually go see it. And while I love Sierra as Ariel, Sherie Rene Scott really steals the show as Ursula ;)
June 16th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
“South Pacific” is beautiful! It is hardly mired. “Gypsy” is also arguably the greatest musical ever written. “Xanadu” and “Legally Blonde” are a lot of fun, but not really on the same level from a structural, musical, or overall storytelling point of view. And I agree with the above – Tony voters may be a bit stodgy at times, but “In the Heights” (as well as last year’s winner for Best Musical, “Spring Awakening”) proves that innovative, contemporary, and fresh musicals are still making a big impact with audiences and voters alike. Thanks for featuring the Tony Awards on the blog! Yay Broadway!
June 16th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Um, so I’m sorry, but when it comes to theatre you clearly have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. I’ve been reading your blog for a pretty long time now, but I generally have to skip over any posts you write that have to do with theatre, because your opinions are so ass-backwards. To say that Legally Blonde got shafted last year is a ridiculous claim. Spring Awakening reshaped the limits of Broadway theatre acceptability last year while still being tasteful and having artistic merit, things that Legally Blonde lacks. And to claim that Xanadu was shafted last night? You have to be kidding me! I adore Kerry Butler, and who doesn’t like a man as gorgeous as Cheyenne Jackson in short shorts like that? …But to even begin to claim that Xanadu was worthy of a Tony win is absolutely ludicrous! Had this been any other year on Broadway, Xanadu probably would not have even recieved a nomination. A terrible movie was taken and turned into an equally terrible theatre production. It pushes no boundaries and does nothing innovative or creative at all. There is little to no merit to this production at all. While I can agree with you on Macbeth possibly being worthy of awards last night, I cannot reconcile your ideas about Xanadu with common sense. Please learn a bit about theatre before you state your opinions so strongly.
June 16th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I loved Whoopi’s Mary Poppins bit, she’s so great at playing characters.
Cosmo Guy
http://www.cosmoguyonline.com
June 16th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Honestly, Trent, I love you, I do. But some of these other commenters are right. Xanadu and Legally Blonde are what we call “fluff” musicals. There’s no mature meat at the heart of it. Musicals like South Pacific and Gypsy have heart, they have drive, they have deep feeling. They’re complex! It’s like comparing reading Shakespeare to reading Cosmopolitan. Both are great, but really now, which took more thought, more skill, and more heart to write? What is more challenging to perform, and therefore more rewarding to see performed well?
Last night Patti LuPone ripped her heart out onstage for you! That’s hardly worth scoffing at.
I challenge you to go see South Pacific or Gypsy or some other “mired” musical that you think you might not like. Go into the theatre with an open mind and heart, and prepare to be blown away. These are NOT your Grandma’s musicals!
June 16th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I understand that you’re disappointed about your faves not winner, but you’re dead wrong about new, innovative shows not winning. Check out Spring Awakening – it’s based off a play written over 100 years ago that was always controversial (sex, abortion, suicide, coming out, incest, abuse, rape, s&m) and was turned into practically a rock musical. There is nothing stodgy about it – it’s MUCH edgier than Legally Blonde.
June 16th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
The RENT performance disappointed me a little too. :( I was hoping they’d do something really cool, but the only people really in costume weren’t the major cast members! And where was Jesse L. Martin?! I kept looking for him but I don’t think he was there.
June 16th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Yah, sorry to hop on this loaded bandwagon, but “stodgy” was not an apropos description for this year’s winners. If anything, The Scottish Play, as legendary as it is (with excellent reason) would be the epitome of old school as the come, whereas “In The Heights” is “old skool” as in hiphop, which if you’d told me as little as five years ago would have 1)existed on broadway 2)would WIN, I’d have told you to straight up “Stop Lying”. If this show, plus “Passing Strange” and last seaon’s “Spring Awakening” are harbingers of what’s coming on Broadway, it’s 180 degrees from “stodgy”, and I say BRING. IT.
(If anything, what runs the risk of being played out in the coming seasons are the ubiquitous movie musicals. I know that Disney led the way to accessibilty via their adaptations, and it’s injected some interest into the scene post-Lloyd-Webber, but do we need another camp movie turned play EVERY DAMN YEAR?)
Finally, at the risk of catching hell and being banned from my fave pinktasitc-blog, “Rent” is dead. Stop pining for Idina, Jessie and co. They’ve all moved on! You’ve got the cast CD (and The Movie). That should be enough.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:25 am
wow I am so proud because as a Latino having grown up in Washington Heights I would have never thought that a play about my birthplace would ever see the light of day let alone receive such an honored award. I am proud to know that a latino won the most coveted Tony this year, and if that’s not breakthrough, I don’t know what is. I would have thought that you would have been a little bit more open minded, especially as a fellow latino, and given props to Lin-Manuel for this. Please watch this musical when you get a chance and then you can make a fair judgement on whether Xanadu should have still won or not.
Remember you felt the same way about Sex and the City until you saw the episodes, give In the Heights a fair shot, you won’t regret it :)