Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals

The 2011 Tony Award Winners - My Take

 I haven't watched the Tony Awards yet. I know that sounds strange, but I had a concert to attend last night, and earlier this year I disconnected my TiVo and got rid of cable, and I haven't had the desire nor the ambition to do whatever it is I need to do to get my TV up and running without cable. Lately, I've been perfectly content with my DVD collection and Netflix.

Of course, as soon as I got home, I fired up my computer to see who won what. Here's a breakdown of how many awards each musical production won:

The Book of Mormon: 9
Anything Goes: 3
Catch Me If You Can: 1
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: 1
Priscilla Queen of the Desert: 1

Before I launch into my take on the individual winners, I just want to give a shout out to whoever designed the logo/poster/Playbill cover for this year's awards. I guess it wouldn't seem so remarkable if last year's poster hadn't been so heinous. Anyway, here are the winners:

Best Musical
*The Book of Mormon
Catch Me If You Can 
The Scottsboro Boys 
Sister Act
My Take: Pretty much as expected, and well-deserved. Catch Me If You Can and Sister Act were inept and lackluster, and there was no way the Tony was going to go to The Scottsboro Boys. Remember, the Tonys are about marketing, not artistic quality, and you can't market a closed show.

Best Revival of a Musical
*Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
My Take: You know, the more I think about it, the more I like the new How to Succeed more than the current Anything Goes. Both were immensely enjoyable to sit through, but I find that How to Succeed has lingered with me longer. I sort of have to actively think about Anything Goes to recall specific things about the production. So, on the whole, I would rather the Tony had gone to How to Succeed.

Best Actor in a Musical
*Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can
Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
My Take: Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells appear to have split the Book of Mormon vote, giving previous winner Butz a chance to pick up his second Tony. Don't get me wrong: Butz is great, in this show as well as in everything he does. But I kinda would have rather seen the award go to Rannells, or Gad, who both give impeccable comic performances. Why couldn't Gad and Rannells have gotten a single nomination, like those oh-so-adorable and three young men who undeservedly won a three-way Tony a few years back for Billy Elliot? Yeah, I know, the kids were all playing the same part. But Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley weren't playing the same part in Side Show, and they got a tandem nomination. I'm only half serious here, but honestly, if the Tonys can make the rules up as they go along, why can't I speculate with reckless abandon?  

Best Actress in a Musical
*Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Beth Leavel, Baby It's You!
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture
My Take: Just as it should be. Sutton Foster is a gift to musical comedy. Both Beth Leavel and Donna Murphy are remarkable performers, but they're really the only reasons to see the otherwise execrable shows that they are unfortunately appearing in. Patina Miller is a very talented newcomer, and I wish her well, but I wasn't all that thrilled with her performance in Sister Act, nor indeed with the show itself. Sister Act was very deservedly shut out in every category.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Tammy Blanchard, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Victoria Clark, Sister Act
*Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
My Take: Word on the street had Laura Benanti winning for a second time. But Women on the Verge appears to have left far too bitter an aftertaste for many of the Tony voters. (Not to mention me.) Plus, Nikki James, although she is wonderful in her role, clearly benefited from the Book of Mormon behemoth. I would love to have seen the award go to Tammy Blanchard, who does a wonderful job of making Hedy Larue her own.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Adam Godley, Anything Goes
*John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
Rory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon
My Take: A genuine surprise. The smart money was on Rory O'Malley, who's an absolute stitch as the closeted gay Mormon. (Must...resist...redundancy reference...) Godley didn't do much for me in Anything Goes. And for Domingo and McClendon, well, nomination is its own reward. Larroquette was terrific as Bigley, evincing much of the smart comic timing that won him so many Emmy Awards. I would have given the award to John McMartin in Anything Goes, but he wasn't nominated. So I guess I'm pretty happy it went to Larroquette.

Best Book of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Alex Timbers
*The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys, David Thompson
Sister Act, Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane
My Take: Bingo. Jackpot. Straight Across. Bloody Bloody and Scottsboro were both worthy contenders, but clearly this award was going to go to the funniest book to hit Broadway in many a season. And as for Sister Act, well, the less said the better, really.

Best Costume Design of a Musical
*Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Martin Pakledinaz, Anything Goes
Ann Roth, The Book of Mormon
Catherine Zuber, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
My Take: PUH-LEEZ. Predictable and disappointing. The Tony voters appear to have caught on to the American mania for more, More, MORE! Sure the costumes for Priscilla are lavish, gaudy, expensive, and over-the-top. But are they good? I kinda wish the Tony voters had gone with the Mormon momentum and given the award to Roth. At least her costumes were genuinely witty.

Best Direction of a Musical
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
*Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
My Take: I'm thrilled to see Nicholaw get some much deserved love. My admiration for his work has only grown over time. The man really knows how to dress a stage, shape comic performances, and get the show running at a jaunty pace. I'm looking forward to seeing his career progress, both as a director and a choreographer.

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
*Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
My take: I would love to have seen this one go to Nicholaw, but really any of these fine people were deserving of this award. And Marshall's work on Anything Goes is outstanding, so it's really hard for me to gripe here.

Best Original Score
*The Book of Mormon, Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys, Music & Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb
Sister Act, Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Glenn Slater
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
My take: My sentimental side (and, yes, I do have one) was sort of hoping this would go to Kander and Ebb for their fine work on Scottsboro Boys. But I genuinely enjoy the score to Book of Mormon, and find new things to love in it every time I listen to the recording. Sister Act and Women on the Verge were merely placeholders this year, although the more I listen to the Women on the Verge CD, the more begrudgingly fond I become of certain numbers (especially "Island" and "Lovesick").

Best Lighting Design of a Musical - *Brian MacDevitt, The Book of Mormon
Best Scenic Design of a Musical - *Scott Pask, The Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design of a Musical - *Brian Ronan, The Book of Mormon
Best Orchestrations - *Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, The Book of Mormon
My take: Clearly, this year we saw the Tony momentum go to Book of Mormon. Much as The Producers got more Tonys than it deserved simply because the Tony voters wanted to set a record, so too Book of Mormon won in more categories than was probably warranted because the Tony voters wanted to congratulate themselves on finally having another smash hit on the boards. So Best Lighting? Best Scenic Design? Best Orchestrations? These fine upstanding professionals can, for the most part, thank the Book of Mormon juggernaut for their coveted little trophies.

The 2010-2011 Patrick Lee Theater Blogger Award Winners

The Independent Theater Bloggers Association (ITBA) is proud to announce the 2011 recipients of the Third Annual Patrick Lee Theater Blogger Awards.

Patrick Lee was one of the ITBA's founding members, and was the author of the blog Just Shows to Go You. Patrick passed away suddenly last June, and was an erudite, passionate, and tireless advocate for theater in all its forms. Patrick was also the ITBA's first awards director, and was a regular contributor to TheaterMania and TDF Stages.

 

The 2010-2011 Patrick Lee Theater Blogger Award Winners:

 

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

 

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY

Jerusalem

 

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY MUSICAL REVIVAL

Anything Goes

 

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PLAY REVIVAL

The Normal Heart

 

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity

 

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

The Kid

 

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY REVIVAL (PLAY OR MUSICAL)

Angels in America, Part 1: Millennium Approaches

 

OUTSTANDING SOLO SHOW/PERFORMANCE (ALL VENUE CATEGORIES)

Michael Shannon, Mistakes Were Made

 

CITATIONS FOR OUTSTANDING OFF-OFF BROADWAY SHOW

Feeder: A Love Story

Invasion!

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Belarus Free Theater's Discover Love

Black Watch

ReWrite

 

UNIQUE OFF-OFF BROADWAY EXPERIENCE

Sleep No More

 

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

The Scottsboro Boys

 

CITATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE BY INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS

Nina Arianda, Born Yesterday

Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Reed Birney, A Small Fire

Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher

Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can

Bobby Cannavale, The Motherfucker with the Hat

Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys

Sutton Foster, Anything Goes

Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon

Hamish Linklater, School for Lies

Joe Mantello, The Normal Heart

Arian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Lily Rabe, The Merchant of Venice

Mark Rylance, Jerusalem

Michael Shannon, Mistakes Were Made

Benjamin Walker, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

 

CITATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN OFF-OFF BROADWAY THEATRE

La Mama

 

The list of the 2011 recipients of the Patrick Lee Awards is read by Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, Jeff Bowen, and Hunter Bell, the cast and creators of the acclaimed [title of show], who are currently collaborating on Now. Here. This., a Developmental Lab Production at the Vineyard Theatre. A video of their reading is on YouTube, which was filmed by ITBA member Jesse North. 

 

The ITBA, is composed of bloggers who regularly attend live theater in all its forms in New York City and beyond. Members live in New York, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, London, and elsewhere. For further information and a list of our members, please visit our website: www.theaterbloggers.com. If you are interested in learning more about the ITBA, email info@theaterbloggers.com. To invite the members of the ITBA to your show or event, please send an email to invite@theaterbloggers.com.

The 2011 Tony Nominations - My Take

Hmm, maybe this year the Tony Awards won't be a complete and utter embarassment.

It seems as though the Tony nominating committee really took to heart the rampant (and warranted) criticism that the Tonys received last year for bending over big-time for Hollywood stars. Last season, it seems that all you really needed to win was a SAG card. (See Scarlett Johansson, Denzel Washington, Catherine Zeta-Jones.)

But this year's nominations, with a few exceptions, genuinely seem to capture what was good, and what was definitely not good, about the past Broadway season. Take a look at the total nominations per production:

Tony Nominations by Production
The Book of Mormon - 14
The Scottsboro Boys - 12
Anything Goes - 9
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - 8
Sister Act - 5
Catch Me If You Can - 4
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - 3
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson - 2
Priscilla Queen of the Desert - 2
Baby It's You! - 1
The People in the Picture - 1
Elf - 0
Wonderland - 0

There are a few things I would change about the nomination distribution, and I get specific below about people and productions. But, overall, I would take away all of the nods for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, if only because I'm still recovering from the trauma. I'd give a few more nods to Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and subtract a few from Catch Me If You Can and Sister Act.

But, otherwise, kudos to the Tony nominating committee, particularly for remembering that there were some fine shows that opened in the fall. (The committee hasn't always exhibited a fully functioning, collective long-term memory.) I'm thoroughly heartened by the banner showing by The Scottsboro Boys. My sources (OK, my friend Kevin) inform me that 12 nominations for a closed show is very likely to be a record. And the belated recognition for The Scottsboro Boys has sparked interest in regional, non-profit productions for the show, including one that will likely arise at the Old Globe in San Diego, and other prospective productions in Chicago, Boston, and Seattle.

So, here's my take on the Tonys, with a decided and unapologetic focus on musicals. (Structure adapted from a similar feature in the New York Times.)

Best Musical

• The Book of Mormon
• Catch Me If You Can 
• The Scottsboro Boys 
• Sister Act

Will win: The Book of Mormon
Should Win: The Book of Mormon
Should Have Been Nominated: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: Catch Me If You Can, Sister Act

Best Book of a Musical

• Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Alex Timbers
• The Book of Mormon, Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
• The Scottsboro Boys, David Thompson
• Sister Act, Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane

Will win: The Book of Mormon
Should Win: The Book of Mormon
Should Have Been Nominated: None
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: Sister Act

Best Original Score

• The Book of Mormon Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
• The Scottsboro Boys Music & Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb
• Sister Act Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Glenn Slater
• Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

Will win: The Book of Mormon
Should Win: The Scottsboro Boys
Should Have Been Nominated: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Sister Act

Best Revival of a Musical

• Anything Goes
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Will win: Anything Goes
Should Win: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Should Have Been Nominated: None
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: None

Best Actor in a Musical

• Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can
• Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon
• Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
• Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon
• Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Will win: Josh Gad
Should Win: Andrew Rannells
Should Have Been Nominated: Benjamin Walker, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; Daniel Radcliffe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: Tony Sheldon

Best Actress in a Musical

• Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
• Beth Leavel, Baby It's You!
• Patina Miller, Sister Act
• Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture

Will win: Sutton Foster
Should Win: Sutton Foster
Should Have Been Nominated: None
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: None

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

• Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
• Adam Godley, Anything Goes
• John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
• Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
• Rory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon

Will win: Rory O'Malley
Should Win: Coleman Domingo
Should Have Been Nominated: John McMartin, Anything Goes
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: None

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

• Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
• Tammy Blanchard, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
• Victoria Clark, Sister Act
• Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon
• Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Will win: Nikki M. James
Should Win: Tammy Blanchard
Should Have Been Nominated: Laura Osnes, Anything Goes
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: Laura Benanti, Patti LuPone

Best Direction of a Musical

• Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
• Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
• Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon
• Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Will win: Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon
Should Win: Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Should Have Been Nominated: Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: None

Best Choreography

• Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
• Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
• Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon
• Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys

Will win: Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon
Should Win: Any of the above
Should Have Been Nominated: None
Shouldn't Have Been Nominated: None

Third Annual Independent Theater Blogger Awards - Nominations Announced

As a member of the Independent Theater Bloggers Association, I am pleased to announce the nominations for the Third Annual Patrick Lee Theater Blogger Awards.

Patrick Lee was one of the ITBA's founding members. Patrick passed away suddenly last June, and was an erudite, passionate, and tireless advocate for theater in all its forms. He was the author of the popular theater blog, Just Shows to Go You, and was one of the co-founders of the Show Showdown blog. Patrick was also the ITBA's first awards director, and was a regular contributor to Theatermania and TDF Stages.

Conratulations to all of the nominees. The winners will be announced on Friday, May 20th.

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL   

• Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
• Catch Me If You Can
• The Book of Mormon
• The Scottsboro Boys
• Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY   

• Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
• Brief Encounter
• Good People
• Jerusalem
• War Horse

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY MUSICAL REVIVAL

• Anything Goes
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PLAY REVIVAL

• Arcadia
• Born Yesterday
• The Importance of Being Earnest
• The Merchant of Venice
• The Normal Heart

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

• Gatz
• Other Desert Cities
• Peter and the Starcatcher
• The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
• The Metal Children

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

• Freckleface Strawberry
• In Transit
• The Burnt Part Boys
• The Kid
• We the People: America Rocks!

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY REVIVAL (PLAY OR MUSICAL)

• Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches
• Angels in America Part 2: Perestroika
• Hello Again
• The Little Foxes
• Three Sisters

OUTSTANDING SOLO SHOW/PERFORMANCE (ALL VENUE CATEGORIES)   

• Kimberly Faye Greenberg, One Night with Fanny Brice
• John Leguizamo, Ghetto Klown
• Michael Shannon, Mistakes Were Made
• Mike Birbiglia, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
• Tim Watts, Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer

OUTSTANDING OFF-OFF-BROADWAY SHOW   

• Belarus Free Theater's Discover Love
• Black Watch
• Dog Act
• Feeder: A Love Story
• Invasion!
• Reefer Madness, The Gallery Players
• ReWrite
• The Caucasian Chalk Circle
• Treasure Island

There will also be citations for individual performances, but the nominees will not be made public. The winners will be announced along with the rest of the winners on May 20th.

What I Did on My Blogger Vacation

What do you get when you mix seven incipient theater critics, eight professional-critic mentors, two new musicals, three new plays, two community productions, 90-degree weather, 100% humidity, and zero air conditioning? A recipe for theatrical homicide? 

Well, if you're lucky, you get a two-week experience nonpareil, with lots of opportunities for networking, professional growth, and the occasional cat fight.

Regular readers will recall that I spent the last two weeks in southeast Connecticut at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, recipient of the 2010 Regional Theater Tony Award, taking part in the National Critics Institute, sort of a boot camp for theater critics. It was an experience I will never forget, and I hope to share much of what I learned with you, dear reader, over the next few weeks. I'm also hoping that the experience will make me a better blogger, and perhaps help me line up some more paying gigs as a critic and arts journalist.

A typical day at the NCI would go something like this: Each night we'd see a show. Then it was home to write a review, with a 7:45 a.m. deadline. After breakfast, we'd read each other's critiques and get feedback from our critic mentors and each other. After lunch, we'd have workshops on such topics as writing opinion pieces, using new media for self-promotion, and using descriptive language. Then, after dinner we'd see another show in the evening, and the whole process would start again.

The shows we saw and reviewed were part of a number of longstanding programs at The O'Neill that run concurrently with  the NCI. Via the National Playwrights Conference, we saw the following plays in development: Creation by Kathryn Walat, Follow Me to Nellie's by Dominique Morisseau, and The Dream of the Burning Boy by David West Read. Courtesy of the National Music Theater Conference we caught workshop presentations of the nascent musicals Eden, with music by Mel Marvin and words by Jonathan Levi, and Clear by Paul Oakley Stovall.

We also made a couple of off-campus trips to see Carnival! at the Goodspeed Opera House and Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at Ivoryton Playhouse. We're not allowed to blog about any of the productions we saw, since most of them were under development, but it was really a great experience to write about so many shows in such a brief span of time.

We had the great fortune of having the following pros as our mentor critics: Mark Blankenship, Michael Feingold, J. Wynn Rousuk, Michael Phillips, Andy Propst, Leonard Jacobs, and Julius Novick. The NCI program is run by the fabulously avuncular and Yoda-like Dan Sullivan.

One of our sessions took place at the Monte Cristo Cottage, the site of Eugene O'Neill's childhood home. We had a chance to read through Long Day's Journey Into Night in the very room where most of the play is set. I got the chance to read the lines of James Tyrone, the fictionalized version of O'Neill's father, James O'Neill. Were I a drinkin' man, I might have broken out the Irish whiskey, but instead I made do with Diet Coke.

As luck would have it, our stay at The O'Neill coincided with the annual convention for the America Theater Critics Association (ATCA), which gave us the opportunity to sit in on a number of session about how...well, how the industry is going to hell in a hand basket, and that the chances of any of us landing a full-time gig are approximately zero. We also attended a panel discussion about how arts critics can use social media to promote their work. 

OK, enough with the press release. Tune in tomorrow for my "Critic's Manifesto," a distillation of much of the collected wisdom that I gleaned over my two-week stint. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to blast the A/C and watch some trashy TV.

Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch in A Little Night Music

As you most likely know, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury played their final performances in the revival of A Little Night Music this past weekend. You may also know that the show, which was originally scheduled to close upon their departure, will instead take a brief hiatus before Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch take up the parts of Desiree and Madame Armfeldt, respectively, on July 13th.

More on that later, but first I wanted to address some Post-Tony controversy initiated by performer Hunter Foster. As I've said, the Tonys this year were dominated by Broadway congratulating itself for attracting A-list Hollywood stars, and awarded them Tonys, in some people's estimation, simply for showing up. Hunter took it upon himself to start a Facebook group called Give the Tonys Back to Broadway, which at the time of this writing had 7,651 members.

I've admired Hunter's work for years, but I find this effort misguided and naive. The Tonys are about business and marketing. And Hollywood stars are currently seen as the key to box-office success. As long as that ethos remains extant, Tony Awards will continue to go to shows and performers that are most likely to earn the voters money. And nothing will change in that regard until theater critics are restored to the ranks of the Tony voters.

That said, I believe that Catherine Zeta-Jones was undeserving of her Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. (Read my review of this production.) If you didn't get to see her on stage, all you have to do is listen to the cast recording to witness the problem. She was fine in the book scenes, but during the songs she pushed and emoted to an egregious extent. Check out this clip from "The Glamorous Life." It's rather painful to listen to. It's as though she's trying with every note to justify her presence in the show. This otherwise excellent recording is marred by a leading performance nearly devoid of subtlety, although "Send in the Clowns" is admirably restrained.

But the fact remains that this show would never have made it to Broadway without CZJ. And based on the momentum established by CZJ (and the lovely Ms. Lansbury), we now get a chance to see Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch take up the roles. Would the show have made it to Broadway solely based on the draw of Misses Peters and Stritch? It's possible, but I have my doubts. So we very likely have CZJ to thank for providing us with the chance to see two genuine pros of the stage take on the roles. When Peters and Stritch leave, could we possibly see some additional recasting to keep the show afloat? Perhaps the mother/daughter team of Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow, as previously rumored?

Well, if that does happen, Hunter Foster will no doubt be pleased to know that neither would be eligible for a Tony, since only the cast from opening night of a particular production qualifies. Unless, of course, the Tony commission changes the rules to accommodate replacement casts. And, depending on the wattage of the stars in question, is that notion really that far-fetched?

The Tony Awards - Why I Didn't Care This Year

I'm sure that I don't have to tell you that the Tony Awards were presented on Sunday night. I had a concert that night (see post below), so I had to watch the proceedings on TiVo delay. But truth be told, it really didn't matter to me because this season was so lackluster with respect to new musicals. Sure, there were shows that tried to do new things, particularly Fela, American Idiot, and Come Fly Away. But none of them really succeeded, in my humble estimation. (Click on the links above for my reviews of each production.)

So it really wasn't a surprise when Memphis won Best Musical. I would have preferred that Fela win, simply because it was more ambitious. I thought the first act of Memphis was super slick, but the second act descended into predictability and essentially veered off into Hairspray country. (Click on the link above for my full review.) Why did Memphis win? Simple: the critics were dumped from the voting ranks of the Tonys and the remaining voters went for the relatively safe choice. Memphis won not because it's very good (it isn't) but rather because it's more likely to be successful on the road.

So, Memphis has now joined the ranks of Raisin, Redhead, Hallelujah Baby, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Big River, Sunset Boulevard, Fosse, Applause, and Jerome Robbins' Broadway: Big winners in a down year. Will Memphis virtually disappear from circulation as most of the above-listed shows have? Time will tell. 

The Tony Awards broadcast was rather unremarkable, although lots of people seemed to think that Sean Hayes knocked one out of the park as host. I thought he was fine, but he paled in comparison to the charm, ease, and spark that Neil Patrick Harris brought to last year's telecast.

One notable trend this year was Broadway congratulating itself on being able to attract A-list Hollywood stars. Did Scarlett Johansson, Denzel Washington, and Catherine Zeta-Jones genuinely deserve their Tony Awards? I saw neither A View From the Bridge nor Fences, so I'm in no position to judge there. (I concentrated almost exclusively on musicals this season.) But I did see A Little Night Music, and can honestly say no, I don't think she deserved it. (Click on the link for my review.) I would have been happy to see the award go to Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow), Montego Glover (Memphis), or Christiane Noll (Ragtime). I think this is another case of the skewing effect of having producers, presenters, and other business types vote for the awards. Rewarding stars for coming to Broadway means more stars come to Broadway. And in the current environment in which plays and musicals are increasingly reliant on marquee names above the title, that's a very important business proposition.

Of course, it has absolutely nothing to do with merit. Or art.

The Second Annual Theater Blogger Awards

When I was a full-time business journalist, I would often marvel at the remarkably specific nature of the various trade associations that existed out there. There's a National Association of Left-Handed Golfers. There's also a Society of Plastic Engineers - Blow Molding Division. Heck, there's even an Association for Association Leadership.

Well, my esteemed blogger colleagues and I have added to the association madness by uniting to create the Independent Theater Bloggers Association (ITBA). The idea is that, as traditional critics find themselves fewer in number, due to the fragmentation of the established news media, theater bloggers will gain increasing readership and influence with the ticket-buying public. And, heck, we might as well get organized.

And what would a self-respecting theater-related organization be if it didn't add its own series of awards to the already dizzying and copious field, right? Below are the winners of the second annual Theater Blogger Awards. (The "Bloggies"?) I can't say that I agree with all of the winners, but that's the nature of the democratic process. I was part of the nominating committee, and I got to place my vote. So I guess I should be satisfied that I had a say in the process at all, right? 

Here's a video of the awards announcements, by Ann Harada, Susan Blackwell, and Jeannine Frumess, all currently appearing in The Kid at The New Group.

Congratulations to all of the winners. And best wishes for the rest of the zany, kooky, crazy award season.

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY:
In The Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)
Next Fall
Red
Superior Donuts
Time Stands Still

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PLAY REVIVAL:
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Fences
Lend Me a Tenor
Oleanna
A View From The Bridge

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL:
American Idiot
Everyday Rapture
Fela!

OUTSTANDING BROADWAY MUSICAL REVIVAL:
Finian’s Rainbow
La Cage aux Folles
A Little Night Music
Ragtime

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY:
Circle Mirror Transformation
Clybourne Park
The Orphans Home Cycle
The Temperamentals

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL:
Bloodsong of Love
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
YANK!

OUTSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY REVIVAL:
The Glass Menagerie
A Lie Of The Mind
Twelfth Night

OUTSTANDING OFF-OFF BROADWAY SHOW:
Alice In Slasherland
Girls In Trouble
In Fields Where They Lay
Lear
MilkMilkLemonade
Rescue Me
Samuel & Alasdair: A Personal History of the Robot War
The Soup Show
Viral

OUTSTANDING SOLO SHOW:
A Boy And His Soul
Zero Hour

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE:
Circle Mirror Transformation
A Lie Of The Mind
Twelfth Night

CITATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE BY INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS:
Nina Arianda, Venus In Fur
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow
Desiree Burch, The Soup Show
Rebecca Comtois, Viral
Viola Davis, Fences
Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts
Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles
Sarah Lemp, The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side & Happy In The Poorhouse
Laura Linney, Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family & Lend Me A Tenor
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime & Yank!
Amy Lynn Stewart, Viral

The 2010 Theater Blogger Awards - The Nominations

OK, so a bit of backpedaling. Just yesterday, I was bemoaning the "orgy of self-congratulation on the part of the theatrical community" that the awards season represents. And now I'm telling you about yet another series of awards. Yeah, so sue me. But the difference here is that I was involved in the nomination and voting process. So that makes it OK.

OK?

Below are the nominations for the 2nd Annual Independent Theater Bloggers Association (ITBA) Awards. The ITBA Awards cover Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway plays and musicals. The Awards will also include citations of individual performers, although the list of some 30 nominees isn't for public consumption. The winners will be announced on May 20. And you can rest assured that I will be publishing, and commenting on, the results. 

Outstanding Musical - Broadway
American Idiot
Everyday Rapture
Fela!

Outstanding Play - Broadway
In the Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)
Next Fall
Red
Superior Donuts
Time Stands Still

Outstanding Musical Revival - Broadway
Finian's Rainbow
La Cage Aux Folles
A Little Night Music
Ragtime

Outstanding Play Revival - Broadway
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Fences
Lend Me A Tenor
Oleanna
A View From The Bridge

Outstanding Play - Off-Broadway
Circle Mirror Transformation
Clybourne Park
The Orphans' Home Cycle
The Temperamentals

Outstanding Musical - Off-Broadway
Bloodsong of Love
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
YANK!

Outstanding Revival - Off-Broadway (Play or Musical)
The Glass Menagerie
A Lie of the Mind
Twelfth Night

Outstanding Off-Off-Broadway Show
Alice in Slasherland
Girls in Trouble
In Fields Where They Lay
Lear
MilkMilkLemonade
Rescue Me
Samuel & Alasdair: A Personal History of the Robot War
The Soup Show
Viral

Outstanding Solo Show (All Venues)
A Boy And His Soul
Zero Hour

Outstanding Ensemble Performance (All Venues)
Circle Mirror Transformation
A Lie of the Mind
Twelfth Night

Outstanding Unique Off-Off-Broadway Experience
Taylor Mac's The Lily's Revenge

Citation for Excellence in Off-Off-Broadway Theater
Company XIV (Brooklyn)

The Tony Awards - Who's Missing? Who's Gonna Win?

The end of the Broadway season typically becomes an orgy of self-congratulation on the part of the theatrical community. Not that this is any different from the music or movie industry, but the continual announcements of nominations and award winners does get rather bewildering. Even if awards are really nothing but marketing, the awards season does provide an opportune chance to reflect on what was good about the past season.

On the whole, not a lot. Despite the relatively high number of new musicals on Broadway (eight, if you count Everyday Rapture), I found the actual quality of the shows wanting, to say the least. My overall feel for the season, at least with regard to new musicals, can pretty much be summed up visually by the horrid Tony Awards poster to the left: dull, colorless, and uninspired.

There was an ambitious, well-meaning, but seriously flawed exploration of a relatively unknown African musician and activist (Fela), a partially enjoyable but ultimately derivative would-be feel-good musical (Memphis), a visually stunning but narrative-deficient rock concert (American Idiot), a for-fans-only jukebox musical (Million Dollar Quartet), a for-fans-only songbook revue (Sondheim on Sondheim), a dull-as-dishwater dance concert (Come Fly Away), a jokey but undistinguished piece of prepackaged nostalgia (The Addams Family), and a quasi-autobiographical almost-one-woman cabaret show (Everyday Rapture).

Of course, there were also the musical revivals, which were a lot more successful artistically. Included in this number are some genuinely delightful shows that unfortunately didn't last (Ragtime, Finian's Rainbow), a star-laden barge that ironically failed to twinkle (A Little Night Music), a lovely gem that caught a lot of people off guard (La Cage aux Folles), a colorful-but-colorless star show (Promises, Promises), and an utter abomination before all mankind (Bye Bye Birdie). 

Given what the Tony committee had to work with, this year's slate of nominations is actually a fairly accurate indicator of what was relatively good this season. Here are the total nominations by production:

Fela - 11
La Cage aux Folles - 11
Memphis - 8
Ragtime - 7
A Little Night Music - 4
Promises, Promises - 4
American Idiot - 3
Finian's Rainbow - 3
Million Dollar Quartet - 3
The Addams Family - 2
Come Fly Away - 2
Everyday Rapture - 2
Sondheim on Sondheim - 2
Bye Bye Birdie - 0

And here's a selection of the actual nominations by category (musicals only), along with my take on what should have been nominated, who deserves to win, and who's actually going to win. 

Best Musical
    American Idiot
    Fela
    Memphis
    Million Dollar Quartet
Who's Missing: Come Fly Away, The Addams Family, Sondheim on Sondheim, Everyday Rapture
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Maybe Sondheim on Sondheim, but I'm not gonna make a stink about it. Again, it was a fairly lackluster year,
Who's Gonna Win: Who knows? Who cares? I'd say it's toss-up between Fela and American Idiot. Fela is the prestige choice, simply by virtue of the noble subject matter, but American Idiot gives the Tony voters a chance to show that, heck, theater can be cool.
Who Should Win: None of the above. But, gun to my head, I'd have to choose Fela.

Best Book
    Everyday Rapture, Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott
    Fela, Jim Lewis and Bill T. Jones
    Memphis, Joe DiPietro
    Million Dollar Quartet, Colin Escott and Floyd Matrux
Who's Missing: The Addams Family, Come Fly Away, American Idiot
Who Should Have Been Nominated: I agree with the Tony nominators on this one. None of the omitted shows deserved a nomination, in my humble estimation.
Who's Gonna Win: Probably Fela.
Who Should Win: Again, none of the above. But if I had to choose, it would probably be Fela, if only for being the most experimental of the nominees. Even if it was, IMHO, a failed experiment.

Best Score
    The Addams Family, Andrew Lippa
    Enron, Adam Cork, Lucy Prebble
    Fences, Branford Marsalis
    Memphis, David Bryan, Joe DiPietro
Who's Missing: American Idiot and Fela.
Who Should Have Been Nominated: I have to say that I genuinely enjoyed the music to American Idiot. And the album was conceived as a quasi-theatrical piece. How is this any different from Evita or The Life getting a concept album and then going on to gain a Tony nomination? Heck, The Who's Tommy got a nomination. Hey, The Who's Tommy frickin' won. (It tied with Kiss of the Spiderwoman.) I mean, in a year in which they have to resort to nominating Enron and Fences, why not throw American Idiot a bone?
Who's Gonna Win: Probably Memphis. Enron and Fences got in by default, and there's a decided anti-Addams Family vibe.
Who Should Win: None of the above. I would have given it to American Idiot.

Best Musical Revival
    Finian's Rainbow
    La Cage aux Folles
    A Little Night Music
    Ragtime
Who's Missing: Bye Bye Birdie, Promises Promises. And for very good reason.
Who Should Have Been Nominated: No one. The Tony committee got this one spot-on.
Who's Gonna Win: La Cage, all the way. What a delightful surprise. Everyone thought it was too soon to bring the show back, including me. But we were wrong.
Who Should Win: La Cage, all the way.

Best Direction of a Musical
    Christopher Ashley, Memphis
    Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime
    Terry Johnson, La Cage aux Folles
    Bill T. Jones, Fela
Who's Missing: American Idiot
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Say what you want about American Idiot, director Michael Mayer has made the show into a compelling visual and auditory feast. It's not his fault the book is thin. (Oh, wait, it is his fault...) Yes, it's style over substance, but I would have given Mayer the nod over Ashley. Memphis is slick, but American Idiot is arresting.
Who's Gonna Win: Terry Johnson, hands down, no contest, thank you for coming. Johnson made La Cage into the delightful diadem that should hopefully be ensconced at the Longacre Theater for many months to come.
Who Should Win: Again, Terry Johnson.

Best Choreography
    Rob Ashford, Promises, Promises
    Bill T. Jones, Fela
    Lynne Page, La Cage aux Folles
    Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away
Who's Missing: Sergio Trujillo, Memphis and Addams Family
Who Should Have Been Nominated: I'm really kind of stunned that Trujillo was left off this list. His work on Addams Family is laughable, but the dance in Memphis is electrifying. It's one of the best reasons to see the show. Whereas Rob Ashford's work on Promises, Promises is pedestrian at best.
Who's Gonna Win: This one's tough. Tharp and Jones have both won before, which often factors into the Tony voters' decision process. I think it might go to Lynne Page simply because of the La Cage momentum.
Who Should Win: I liked Bill T. Jones' work on Fela much more than that of his Tony-winning Spring Awakening. The dance in Fela is sensational, and in my opinion deserves recognition.

Best Actor in a Musical
    Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles
    Sean Hayes, Promises Promises
    Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles
    Chad Kimball, Memphis
    Sahr Ngaujah, Fela
Who's Missing: Nathan Lane, Kevin Mambo, John Gallagher Jr., Stark Sands, Cheyenne Jackson, Alexander Hanson, Ron Bohmer, Robert Petkoff.
Who Should Have Been Nominated: I feel bad for Kevin Mambo, who shares the role of Fela with Sahr Ngaujah. I saw both, and Ngaujah is electrifying, whereas Mambo is thoroughly competent. I still would have given the nod to Ngaujah, but it's gotta be tough for Mambo to work in that shadow. I could easily have substituted Ron Bohmer for either Kelsey Grammer or Sean Hayes. Bohmer brought a palpable humanity to the role of Father in Ragtime, which is no small feat.
Who's Gonna Win: I'm gonna say Hodge, because it's such a flashy, mannered role.
Who Should Win: I'd give it to Ngaujah, in one of the most stunning debuts I've ever seen.

Best Actress in a Musical
    Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow
    Montego Glover, Memphis
    Christiane Noll, Ragtime
    Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture
    Catherine Zeta Jones, A Little Night Music
Who's Missing: Bebe Neuwirth, Kristen Chenoweth
Who Should Have Been Nominated: I'm pretty solid with the nominees here, mostly because I wasn't all that impressed by either Neuwirth or Chenoweth in their respective roles.
Who's Gonna Win: I think the Tony voters are going to go for star quality here and give it to CZJ.
Who Should Win: I'm thrilled that both Kate Baldwin and Christine Noll were nominated, but I'd take Christine Noll, by a hair.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
    Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
    Robin de Jesus, La Cage aux Folles
    Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow
    Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet
    Bobby Steggart, Ragtime
Who's Missing: Jim Norton, Euan Morton, Tony Vincent
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Much as I love Kevin Chamberlin, I might have substituted Jim Norton in on this one.
Who's Gonna Win: Fitzgerald is a Broadway favorite, and people are pretty high on Bobby Steggart right now, and for good reason. But Robin de Jesus might get this one, in a La Cage sweep.
Who Should Win: I've been enamored of Bobby Steggart since I first saw him in 110 in the Shade. I've thoroughly enjoyed him in The Slug Bearers of Kayroll Island and especially in Yank. And his Younger Brother in Ragtime was smoldering and explosive. So, I'm really hoping it's Bobby.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
    Barbara Cook, Sondheim on Sondheim
    Katie Finneran, Promises Promises
    Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music
    Karine Plantadit, Come Fly Away
    Lilias White, Fela
Who's Missing: Terri White, Jackie Hoffman, Vanessa Williams, Cass Morgan, Carolee Carmello, Leigh Ann Larkin
Who Should Have Been Nominated: I genuinely love me some Jackie Hoffman, and probably would have substituted her in for the Come Fly Away dancer.
Who's Gonna Win: Katie Finneran is really the only reason to see Promises, Promises. Yes, she's won the Tony before, for Noises Off. But her delicious performance as Marge MacDougall is a Tony-worthy bow if ever there was one.
Who Should Win: K-K-K-Katie all the way.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
    Fela
    American Idiot
    Ragtime
    La Cage aux Folles
Who's Missing: Sondheim on Sondheim, The Addams Family
Who Should Have Been Nominated: This is certainly one category in which the Tony committee is demonstrating a clear anti-Addams Family bias. Say what you want about the show itself, the set is phenomenal, including the modular staircases and the ingenious curtain system. And the set for Sondheim on Sondheim is a technical wonder, but also serves the show extremely well. 
Who's Gonna Win: I'm thinking maybe America Idiot, unless the Tony voters go for a La Cage sweep.
Who Should Win: I personally thought the set to Ragtime was marvelous, looking both spare and grand at the same time. It gave the show a monumental feel without upstaging the proceedings. So I'm gonna go with Ragtime.

Best Costume Design for a Musical
    Fela
    Ragtime
    Memphis
    La Cage aux Folles
Who's Missing: Promises, Promises, The Addams Family, A Little Night Music
Who Should Have Been Nominated: I'm fine with the current crop of nominees. 
Who's Gonna Win: I'm going to say La Cage, again assuming a wave of Tony love for the show.
Who Should Win: I would love to see Ragtime take this one. Period pieces often have the edge in costume categories. Plus, I'd love to see the short-lived revival get some retrospective attention.

Next to Normal Wins Pulitzer Prize (Ahem...)

OK, so I know that many of you have been waiting for me to weigh in on Next to Normal winning the Pulitzer Prize. Frankly, I was stunned, but not for the reasons that most people in the theatrical community were similarly stunned. I've been pretty vocal in my criticism of the show, primarily in my review of the Off-Broadway production at the Second Stage Theater, but also in my review of the much-revised Broadway production at the Booth Theater. 

My criticisms of Next to Normal were initially based on the quality of the show as well as its ostensible anti-psychiatry message. Between the show's Off Broadway and Broadway stints, the show's artistic execution has vastly improved, and the apparent message has been toned down considerably. But more on that later.

Coincidentally, the day of the Pulitzer announcement, I had been talking in my musical-theater history class about how no musical that has ever won the Pulitzer has genuinely deserved it. (The eight musicals that have won the award are Of Thee I Sing, South Pacific, Fiorello, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, A Chorus Line, Sunday in the Park With George, Rent, and now Next to Normal.) I don't necessarily agree with that statement, but I often use it as a provocative proposition to start a discussion about awards and their relative worth. (For the record, I think that, if any of these musicals genuinely deserved the Pulitzer, it was Sunday in the Park With George.)

After N2N won the Pulitzer, there was a lot of moaning and hand-wringing about the selection process, and how the Pulitzer board members chose to ignore the recommendations of the nominating jury. Well, according to the Pulitzer rules, they're perfectly free to do, so that part didn't really bother me. I figure the board is free to choose as it sees fit. I did have to raise my eyebrows at the revelation that a significant number of the Pulitzer voters had seen Next to Normal the night before the voting. Why is that a problem? Well, N2N is a heart-wrenching show, and it strikes me that the voters may have been responding on a knee-jerk, emotional basis rather than from a considered, analytical viewpoint.

In contrast to the Pulitzer voters, I wanted to take my time in formulating my response to the Next to Normal win, which is why I've waited this long to post about the topic. In short, I don't think the show deserved the award, but that view is not based on the inherent quality of the show. I think it's a very well-crafted show, with a strong score and an affecting story.

No, my objection remains with the show's romanticizing mental illness (witness the song "I Miss the Mountains") and its implicit rejection of psychiatry. The show's main female character, portrayed very affectingly by Tony-Award winner Alice Ripley, suffers from bipolar disorder, and throughout the course of the show undergoes a number of treatment modalities, including talk therapy, drug therapy, and ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). At the end of the show, she rejects all of the above and decides to go it alone. I took great exception to this apparent repudiation of psychiatry, and said so in very strong terms in my initial review. Librettist/lyricist Brian Yorkey contacted me in a series of vitriolic emails, which at first I did not respond to. When his tone became more measured and collegial, I answered back, and he and I engaged in a productive dialog about his right to craft a show that says whatever he wants it to.

Now, is the show condoning Diana's actions or merely portraying them? Yorkey has never specified to me. Are people free to reject all forms of therapeutic intervention? Absolutely, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it, or stay silent about it. In my experience, there are far too many people who eschew treatment for mental illness based on the archaic and dangerous notion that they should be able to just pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Psychiatric disorders are genuine medical conditions, not imaginary constructs. A diabetic cannot through force of will regulate his own insulin levels. Likewise, the power of positive thinking isn't going to help someone with bipolar disorder regulate the amounts of serotonin and dopamine that are available in her synapses.

Is it possible for a show to be worthy of a Pulitzer Prize yet still espouse a viewpoint that I find questionable at best, dangerous at worst? Well, that's free speech for ya. At the very least, Next to Normal provides the opportunity to create some dialog about the topic of mental illness. And, again, it's a very strong show artistically, and one that audiences seem to have genuinely responded to, based on the fact that the Broadway production, defying all odds and predictions, recently recouped its $4-million investment. And the show will launch its national tour in November. I encourage all my readers to see the show, whether on Broadway or on tour, and decide for themselves. All I ask is that you view the show with both an open mind and a skeptical eye.

More Fallout From Tony Ruling

Apparently, the critics are pissed.

According to Variety, there's been a considerable backlash on the part of the New York critical establishment on the decision by the Tony Awards Powers That Be to remove journalists from the voting rolls. The move has some "journos," as Variety so colorfully coins them, mulling some sort of retaliatory tactic, including "lodging a formal complaint to reopen negotiations, as well as prompting talk of expanding the [New York Drama Critics Circle] annual awards to counter the exclusion from the Tonys."

The article goes on to address various nefarious motivations that different folks have posited as the real reason for the change, with most people dismissing the "conflict of interest" ploy as utter hogwash. Among them:

• Presenters and promoters want to tighten their control over the Tony Awards, further emphasizing that the whole thing's just a marketing ploy anyway.
• Producers are sick of forking over 800 pairs of free tickets, which is ridiculous, since critics see the shows free anyway, even if they're not Tony voters.
• Some theater folk have been pissed at certain theater pundits making Tony predictions and voting to ensure those predictions come true, which even if true seems like an extraordinarily minor point at best.

So, whatever. The Tempest in a Tony Teapot will eventually die down, but another point that the article made really hit home for me, as I'm sure it will for my fellow bloggers:

Others feel the outbreak in recent years of bloggers who disregard established professional etiquette by weighing in before a show's official opening has damaged the reputation of the entire critical community. "Anyone in a position to make editorial comment is now regarded as the enemy," one pundit said.

"Disregard professional etiquette?" I find that wording offensive. "Professional" implies that we're getting paid, which we're not. And "disregard" assumes that bloggers are privy to the inner workings of the critical sanctum sanctorum, which I find arrogant and solipsistic.

But the larger, and more important, point is this: Should bloggers be reviewing shows during previews? I've done so myself, although I've made it plain that the show I was reviewing was in previews. My attitude has always been, if they're charging for admission, the ticket-buying public deserves to know what kind of show they're paying for. But if the bad word gets around before the creators have a chance to make changes, is that fair to the creative staff and the performers?

So, you're on a bobsled and it's snowing out, and it's cold. OK. Go.

Critics No Longer Tony Voters

Last night, the Tony Awards management committee announced that the so-called "First Night" critics -- the ones who (in theory) attend and review shows based on opening nights -- will no longer be eligible to vote in the Tony Awards process. The reason, according to a New York Times report, is that "...the committee concluded that it was a conflict of interest for journalists to vote on Tony contenders when they have a platform to champion a show in news and entertainment media."

So, who's left to vote for the Tonys? Producers, theater owners, publicists, actors, writers, designers, and other union and committee members. You know, the people who have absolutely no conflict of interest. As Robert Diamond, editor-in-chief of BroadwayWorld.com, tweeted last night shortly after the announcement, "As if voting for the Tony Awards needed to find a way to make the process even more insular/biased."

The Tony Awards have really never been more than a thin marketing ploy. (When was the last time the season's best musical actually won Best Musical?) However, as Diamond intimates, this decision brings the voting process in the wrong direction. There were only 800 or so people who voted for the Tonys before this decision, and now there will be only about 700, a reduction of about 13%. And one of the worst kept secrets in the industry is that many of those voters don't bother to see all the shows, although they are supposed to before voting in any particular category. Some shows in recent seasons have seen fewer than 1/3 of the eligible Tony voters show up to see the show. In addition, we're now even more likely to see skewed results: shows with larger casts and crew are even more likely to win because they have more people involved in them to vote, and fewer overall voters to offset that bias.

According to Adam Feldman, critic for Time Out New York, the idea that critics have a conflict of interest is "thin stuff indeed." He writes, "If anything, critics are among the voters least compromised by conflicts of interest, and most likely to vote objectively and fairly for the work they judge to be best." So why did the Tony committee really make this change? Feldman offers this rationale: "...[C]ritics, and indeed criticism, are inconvenient to the modern theater marketer: Old-fashioned in our insistence on quality, unreliable in our support for expensive projects and less necessary in light of the diffusion of information in the Internet age."

Cynical, to be sure, but I'm not so sure he's inaccurate. What do you think, dear reader? Is Feldman right? Is this part of a tacit marginalization of the critical mass? Or is this just sour grapes on the part of the slighted?

Avenue Q to Close September 13th

I was in New York City over the weekend, seeing some shows. (The Norman Conquests: Table Manners, The Wiz, and Knickerbocker Holiday. See my review of NC:TM below. Look for my reviews of the remaining two later in the week. In short: yay, feh, and meh, in that order.)

I had every intention of leaving the city Sunday morning and heading north to Hillsdale to help my dear friend Ann celebrate her birthday. But then Ann called me on Saturday and said, "Stay in the city. I want to come down and see a show."

Twist my arm.

Since it was her birthday, I gave her free reign as to the show we would see. (Although I was dying to suggest that we take in The Norman Conquests: Living Together, I made it a point of honor not to influence her decision.)  She had never seen Avenue Q, and although I had seen it twice already, I found a discount code and ordered up a pair of tickets.

I had heard a rumor that the Broadway production of Avenue Q might be closing in September, and asked one of the staff members at the theater whether that might be true. He said that no official announcement had yet appeared, but that they weren't selling tickets beyond September 13th. Then, this morning, that announcement came: Avenue Q will indeed be closing in September. The show will have played 2,534 regular performances and 22 previews. I'm happy to say that I was at one of those previews, and instantly fell in love with this charming, funny, sweet, and profane show. When it closes, the show will be the 20th longest-running show in Broadway history, putting it past The Producers, Annie, and the recent revival of Cabaret.

Avenue Q holds a special place in Broadway history. First, it pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Tony history by snatching the best-musical award from the hands of Wicked. But, more important, it demonstrated that small shows could make money on Broadway: that you didn't have to have falling chandeliers, or rising tires, or landing helicopters to lure in crowds, make a profit, and provide an entertaining evening out. Subsequent modest shows that became money makers, such as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Drowsy Chaperone, Spring Awakening, and the recent revival of Sweeney Todd, all have Avenue Q to thank for proving to a skeptical producing community that it was possible.

I'm happy to report that the current Broadway cast more than does this delightful little show justice. Particularly good is Howie Michael Smith as Princeton/Rod, who crafts a performance that's thoroughly distinct from that of John Tartaglia, who originated the role. Equally good, and just as individual in his interpretation, is Christian Anderson as Nicky/Trekkie Monster. Overall the show remained tight and fresh: even six years into its run, Avenue Q has retained its ability to charm, to shock, and to entertain. 

If you haven't seen Avenue Q yet, or even if you have, I can't recommend it highly enough. As an added incentive, original cast member Ann Harada will be rejoining the show as part of its final cast. Harada was an absolute riot as Christmas Eve, and no one else I've seen in the part has quite measured up to Harada's masterful portrayal. 

To quote one of the best songs from the show, "Everything in life is only for now."

The Norman Conquests - Table Manners

I finally got a chance to see at least one of the three plays that comprise The Norman Conquests. Last night I caught Table Manners, and based on that experience, I'm really hoping to see Living Together and Round and Round the Garden as well. I get the feeling that part of the fun of this comic trilogy is seeing the connections among the three. All of the plays feature the same characters over one weekend in July. Each play is set in a different area of the same house: the dining room, the garden, and the parlor. As I laughed heartily at the comic goings on in Table Manners, I could already get a sense of what was happening in the other locations, and I really can't wait to see the other two plays.

The Norman Conquests features a prodigiously talented cast of six actors who each craft distinct and rich characterizations. It's a shame to single out any one performer, because the ensemble work here is just so strong, but I was particularly taken with Ben Miles as the awkward and clueless Tom. But there's also superb work here from Amanda Root as uptight harridan Sarah, and Jessica Hynes as the dowdy but burgeoning Annie. No less distinct were the delightfully dorky Paul Ritter and Amelia Bullmore as the acid-tongued and near-sighted Ruth. And at the center of it all is the eponymous Norman, played with charming eccentricity by Stephen Magnan.

But the real star of these three shows is director Matthew Warchus. After spinning comic gold from literary dross with Boeing-Boeing, then turning God of Carnage into the biggest hit play in decades, and a laugh riot to boot, and now shaping the comedic masterpiece that is The Norman Conquests (with more than a little help from playwright Alan Ayckbourn), Warchus has established himself as a masterful director. His work reflects not only a solid flair comedy, but also a deft touch at pathos. Both God of Carnage and Norman Conquests are achingly funny, but they also reveal the pain and loneliness beneath the bluster that make the productions, and the people in them, that much more compelling to watch.

The Norman Conquests run at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre until July 26th. Catch it if you can. You might just see me there.

Post-Tony Handicapping - Who's Gonna Close?

The first official post-Tony casualty will be Neil LaBute's Reasons to Be Pretty, which will close June 14th after about 80 regular performances. But that's a play, right, dear reader? We wanna know which musical will close first, don't we?

My money is on the Guys and Dolls revival, which last week played to 61% capacity, with an average ticket of about $70. The show's grosses have been heading steadily downward since hitting a high of about $750,000 in April, and have lately been around $400,000. And the lackluster Guys and Dolls production number on the Tony broadcast, combined with a grand total of zero Tonys earned, probably won't help to turn that trend around. 

On the "original" musical front, the show that would seem to be in the most immediate danger is 9 to 5, which played to about 75% percent last week, with an average ticket of $75. The show's recent weekly grosses of around $750,000 might be enough to keep it alive, if it can sustain that level of performance. I have a feeling that the show may last through the summer, buoyed by the strong tourist trade in New York, but will probably close come fall.

Then there's Next to Normal. Although the show has recently seen its attendance rise to more than 90%, its average ticket has been about $65. The show's grosses have peaked at around $350,000, although since the show has a cast of six and a modest band, that may be enough to keep the show afloat. Will the show's three Tonys (best score, best actress, and a shared Tony for best orchestrations) give it a much-needed lift in its grosses? N2N does seem to be building a significant following, but then so did [title of show].

As for the musicals that have legs, clearly Billy Elliot and West Side Story are in no danger of closing any time soon. Both are doing spectacularly at the box office. (Click on the show titles for historical grosses.) And Hair, after a slow start, has been growing steadily in ticket sales and grosses, and I see that growing even stronger after its Tony win for best revival and the national exposure from the show's terrific title number.

What's your take, dear reader? Did the Tony broadcast make you more or less likely to see the shows listed above? Which do you think will last, and which are not long for this world? 

P.S. When I originally posted on this topic, I completely forgot about Shrek. Kinda tells you something, doesn't it? Well, Shrek is a real wild card, and rather tough to predict, because rumor has it that the show has pretty much been running in the red since it opened. The show's average ticket price has been about $70, its attendance at about 70%, and its grosses around $650,000. Many other musicals would be able to make a profit at that level, but Shrek has a huge cast and presumably a pretty big weekly nut to meet. But but since Dreamworks has really deep pockets, and a tremendous amount to prove, there's no telling how long they're going to be willing to run the show at a loss before taking it on tour and cleaning up in the provinces. 

P.P.S. Where is my head today? I also forgot about Rock of Ages. Mea culpa, dear reader. Well, ROA has also been seeing its grosses increase steadily since it opened. Lately it's been pulling in about $450,000 a week, and it very well could be making a profit at that level. The average ticket has risen slowly from about $40 to around $64, which is OK, but could be better. But what's interesting is that the attendance percentage has stayed roughly the same, about 90%. Which means that the audience size has been relatively constant, but the amount that people are paying to see the show is rising. If that continues, the show might just return its investment and settle in for a profitable run.

The Tony Awards - Not as Crass as Expected

With all the pre-show hullabaloo about the Tony Awards broadcast, I went in expecting it to be one big crass-fest. Maybe that's why I came out feeling that it was the best Tony show in a number of years. Admittedly, the bar's not very high here.

I wasn't able to watch the show live and provide play-by-play on Twitter. (If you'd like to follow my random theater musings on an ongoing basis, I'm @ccaggiano.) So here are the impressions that I would have been posting, based on watching the show last night on TiVo delay.

The opening number: Was busy and frantic, and had some major sound problems. Actually, the show in general had significant sound issues, but it was most notable in the opening number, as well as during the Guys and Dolls performance. Oddest pairing: Stockard Channing and Aaron Tveit. Um, why?

Shrek number: I was pleased to see that the folks at Dreamworks decided to do an entire number from the show and not a greatest-hits montage, as so many shows have done in the past. The cast from Shrek performed "What's Up, Duloc?," featuring Tony nominee Christopher Sieber. Yeah, it's not the best number, from an admittedly lackluster score, but I give them props for not cutting and pasting bits and pieces from each of the nominees' best numbers.

Neil Patrick Harris: I thought NPH as the show's host was terrific: charming, confident, and self-effacing. I particularly liked the number with which he ended the show -- "Tonight" from West Side Story, with rewritten lyrics -- my favorite line from which was "The show could not be any gayer, if Liza was named mayor, and Elton John took flight." And I loved the sushi joke, at Jeremy Piven's well-deserved expense.

The touring-show numbers: The numbers from the touring productions of Mamma Mia, Legally Blonde and Jersey Boys were pointless. Bend over, Tony: the Broadway League wants a free commercial. The only number I didn't fast-forward through was Jersey Boys, because I found the gimmick of bringing in the five different Frankie Valli actors at least momentarily intriguing. (Be honest: by the end, you had chosen a favorite, right?) Yeah, I know: the Tony Awards in general are just one big commercial. But at least showcasing numbers from the nominated shows has a shred of credibility.

Best score: Yeah, Billy Elliot proved to be the juggernaut of the evening, but plucky little Next to Normal stopped Billy from sweeping up every award in sight. Congrats to Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt for snatching the Tony from the undeserving hands of Elton John and Dolly Parton. And props to the Tony voters for seeing beyond the stars in their eyes.

West Side Story number: "The Dance at the Gym" was a good choice for the show. It showcased the terrific playfulness between Matt Cavenaugh and Josephina Scaglione, as well as Jerome Robbins' kick-ass choreography. I wasn't so hot on the way they ended it, with a snatch from the "Tonight" duet, but again I was glad not to see a montage/commercial.

Rock of Ages number: Speaking of montages, I was rather unimpressed by the custom-made production number from Rock of Ages. Despite the effort, the number really didn't do the show justice, and failed to capture what is actually appealing about this show. If I hadn't already seen the show (twice) this number would not have induced me.

Liza: Is Liza Minnelli falling apart before our very eyes, or what? Did they have paramedics standing by in case she imploded?

Guys and Dolls number: "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" was an unfortunate choice for Guys and Dolls, since that was the number that the 1992 cast performed on the Tonys, and it created an unfortunate reminder of what the present revival is lacking. Plus, it put the miscasting of the otherwise talented Tituss Burgess into unflattering relief. And then there was the microphone trouble: we could hear the backstage folk panicking, but we couldn't hear Burgess sing until a stagehand ran on stage with a hand mike. What is this, 1950? Haven't we mastered the challenges of live TV by now? And how many people are greeting their Monday morning to the sight of a pink slip?

Best supporting actor: One of the genuine surprises of the night was when Greg Jbara won for Billy Elliot. I would have put good money on Will Swenson from Hair. But the voters were probably recognizing Jbara for admittedly strong performances past and present, and were likely caught up in the Billy Elliot tidal wave.

Next to Normal number: Alice Ripley seemed to be having some tempo problems in this number, although it might have been more sound issues with the TV production. But performing "You Don't Know/I Am the One" was a super choice, showing this moving show to its best advantage. Oh, and Alice, lovey, I applaud your winning best actress for Next to Normal, but WHY WERE YOU YELLING DURING YOUR ACCEPTANCE SPEECH?!

In Memoriam: Was anyone else annoyed by the relentless camera pans during the tribute to theater folks who died in the past year? I could barely read Marilyn Cooper's name.

The Billy Elliot monolith: Best sound design? Best SET!? Did the Tony voters actually see the Billy Elliot set? It's hideous and awkward. You might say, "Well it's supposed to be ugly. These people are living in squalor." Granted. But does that mean we have to throw an award at urban blight? Again, we're probably just witnessing the Billy momentum here. 

Frank Langella: I applaud Frank Langella for what some might consider a self-aggrandizing speech. Perhaps it was. But he did serve as a reminder to the Tony nominating committee that, um, there were a bunch of shows that opened in the fall, many of which (The Seagull, anyone?) were entirely shut out. 

Harriet Walter and Janet McTeer: "Hiss!" and "Boo!" to the TV crew for mixing up Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter. And props to the classy Marcia Gay Harden for pointing the gaffe out in her acceptance speech. 

The Hair number: Performing the title song from Hair was a very good choice, nicely capturing the exuberance of the show, which thankfully went on to win Best Revival. I loved it when Oskar Eustis said "Peace now! Freedom now! Equality now!," emphasizing the last one by pointing to his wedding ring, a clear and welcome reference to gay marriage.

Billy Elliot number: On the one hand, I was glad to see that they chose only one Billy Elliot to showcase in the "Angry Dance." (It was Trent Kowalik.) On the other hand, the number, which was one of the moments in the show that I found genuinely compelling, came off as loud, tuneless, and harsh, and was also poorly shot. Oh, and BTW, would that the Tony nominating committee and voters had shown the same strength of character and actually chosen *one* Billy as best actor. But that would hurt somebody's feelings, now wouldn't it? We can't have an awards show hurt someone's feelings, can we? (Yeah, well, talk to Frank Dolce, the poor kid who shares the part of Michael with Tony nominee David Bologna, about that one.) I didn't see David Alvarez, but I heard he's very good. I got Kiril Kulish, who is a terrific dancer, but the heavy acting scenes were a bit of a stretch for him. And now, all three of them have a Tony. Oh, isn't that just adorable?

Best Musical: As for the Billy Elliot sweep, well, all I can say is, I hated the show in London (read my review), but I was moderately engaged by the Broadway production (read my re-review). It's a great big crowd-pleaser, and there's some really solid stagecraft in evidence. But the score is awful, and the dance is IMHO overrated. Is it a classic for the ages? Will it become a stalwart part of the musical theater canon? Will community theaters and high school drama societies be performing Billy Elliot fifty years from now? Oh, sister, I have such doubts.

The Independent Theater Blogger Awards

Yeah, I know. Just what the theater world needs, another set of awards. But at least on this one, I actually got a chance to vote.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's the first annual Independent Theater Blogger Awards. [insert crowd noise.]

Recently, one of my fellow bloggers, Ken Davenport of The Producer's Perspective, proposed that we theater bloggers get together and form our own group, the Independent Theater Bloggers Association. The idea was that, as newspapers face an uncertain future, and theater critics continue to receive pink slips, bloggers would become an increasingly important voice in the theatrical community.

Ken has a number of different ideas about what we can do together as a group, but our first official act was to vote on the best plays and musicals of the season. Everyone loves awards, specious though they may be, and it would help our fledging group to garner attention. To simplify the process, Ken chose to use the nominees from the Tonys and the Lucille Lortel Awards, but in the future I'm hoping that we'll also provide our own nominees.

So here are the winners of this year's ITBA Awards. Look for more news about the ITBA and its activities in the months to come.

• BEST BROADWAY PLAY: Reasons To Be Pretty

• BEST BROADWAY MUSICAL: Billy Elliot

• BEST BROADWAY REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Hair

• BEST BROADWAY REVIVAL OF A PLAY: The Norman Conquests

• BEST OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL: Fela!

• BEST OFF-BROADWAY PLAY: Ruined

• BEST OFF-BROADWAY REVIVAL (PLAY OR MUSICAL): Our Town

• BEST OFF-OFF BROADWAY PLAY: Universal Robots

• BEST OFF-OFF BROADWAY UNIQUE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE: Suspicious Package

• CITATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN OFF-OFF BROADWAY THEATER: Flux Theatre Ensemble

And here is the ITBA membership, thus far. Bloggers interested in joining the ITBA should contact Ken Davenport at the ITBA Web site.

• Bill Brown - Creating Theater (creatingtheater.com)
• Linda Buchwald - Pataphysical Science (pataphysicalscience.blogspot.com)
• Donald Butchko - Me2ism (me2ism.blogspot.com)
• Chris Caggiano - Everything I Know I Learned from Musicals (ccaggiano.typepad.com)
• Zack Calhoon - Visible Soul (zackcalhoon.blogspot.com)
• Jodi Schoenbrun Carter - Off Stage Right (off-stage-right.com)
• Corine Cohen - Corine's Corner (corinescorner.com)
• Kevin Daly - Theatre Aficionado at Large (theatreaficionado.blogspot.com)
• Ken Davenport - The Producer's Perspective (theproducersperspective.com)
• Ryan J. Davis - Ryan J. Davis Blogs (ryanjdavis.blogspot.com)
• Jeremy Dobrish - Jeremy’s Green Room (JeremysGreenRoom.com)
• Donell James Foreman - The DJF (thedjf.blogspot.com)
• Michael Gilboe - Broadway Bullet (broadwaybullet.com)
• Dan Gilloon - One NYC StageHand (onenycstagehand.blogspot.com)
• Diana Glazer - Lezbehonest (lezbehonest.tumblr.com)
• Byrne Harrison - Stage Buzz (stagebuzz.com)
• Leonard Jacobs - The Clyde Fitch Report (clydefitch.com)
• Patrick Lee - Just Shows to Go You (justshowstogoyou.com)
• James Marino - Broadway Stars (broadwaystars.com)
• Tulis McCall - Usher Nonsense (ushernonsense.com)
• Jesse North - Stage Rush (stagerush.blogspot.com)
• Aaron Riccio - That Sounds Cool (thatsoundscool.blogspot.com)
• Sarah Roberts - Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment (sarahbsadventures.blogspot.com)
• Michael Roderick - One Producer in the City (oneproducerinthecity.typepad.com)
• Adam Rothenberg - Adaumbelle’s Quest (adaumbellesquest.com)
• David Spencer - Aisle Say (aislesay.com)
• Ethan Stanislawski - Tynan's Anger (tynansanger.com)
• Gil Varod - Broadway Abridged (BroadwayAbridged.com)
• Kim Weild - kimweild.com

Spring Awakening on Tour

I have to be honest: I wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing Spring Awakening again. There's something about certain musical tragedies that really depresses me, mostly because, although I can appreciate the stagecraft, I dread the inevitable outcome. Shows that fall into this category for me include West Side Story, Parade, Marie Christine, and Lost in the Stars. All very worthy shows, but de-ee-pressing to sit through.

It's not that I demand a happy ending: I could sit through Grey Gardens or Next to Normal again and again, and those shows are hardly carefree romps. (Yes, Next to Normal. I find I'm becoming more and more enamored of this show as I listen to the CD. A woman's prerogative, and all that.)

But since I have two former students who are currently in the tour cast of Spring Awakening, I felt I should at least do them the courtesy. Plus, I wanted to see if my initial positive reaction to the show still held true. (Read my original review here.)

In short, no. I still think the show is a worthy addition to the musical theater canon, and represents some really compelling work on the part of director Michael Mayer and choreographer Bill T. Jones. But I'm becoming less and less a fan of the score, which has music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Steven Sater. Sure, the songs are deliberately anachronistic, with mentions of phone calls and stereos, neither of which existed at the time when the show takes place. But I've always reconciled that, as well as the use of hand-held microphones, with the idea that the production team were trying to make the message of the show more universal, using an almost Brechtian style of presentation.

But some of the things that have soured me on the show include Sater's egregious use of slant rhyme (e.g. paring "written" with "wisdom"), the bland undifferentiated nature of many of Sheik's melodies, and the non-integrated nature of much of the score. Often the numbers seem to bear little relation to what's going on in the plot. This is especially true at the top of act two, where we have "The Guilty Ones," "Don't Do Sadness," and "Blue Wind" in succession. Although I was trying to listen to the lyrics to find some connection to the story, I eventually gave up. My attention waned almost entirely until "Totally Fucked" brought me back into the moment. And I'll be damned if I can figure out what "The Song of Purple Summer" is supposed to mean. The promise of the future, I guess, but the lyrics are so random and vague, it's really hard to care.

That said, the cast for the tour is quite strong. It's hard to live up to the dynamic Jonathan Groff as Melchior, but Kyle Riabko does an admirable job of trying to make the part his own. I actually preferred Blake Bashoff as Moritz to Tony Award winner John Gallagher, Jr. I found Gallagher unbearably mannered in the role, but Bashoff made the part simultaneously frenetic and sympathetic. (Oh, and a special shout out to my BoCo peeps Chase Davidson and Kimiko Glenn in the supporting cast. Super job, guys. And break a leg with the rest of the tour.)

Both Sheik and Sater have announced various other musical-theater projects that they've been working on. Sheik recently released the concept album for Whisper House, which is scheduled to have its premiere at the Old Globe in San Diego during its 2009-2010 season. As I said in my review of the Whisper House CD, my fear is that this new project will suffer from the same randomness and lack of integration as Spring Awakening. But, as always, I maintain an open mind, and look forward to seeing how the show comes together.

The 2009 Tony Award Nominations

Let the orgy of self-congratulation begin!

I haven't been paying much attention to all the awards this season. (You know, The Drama Desk Awards, The Drama League Awards, The Lucille Lortel Awards, The Outer Critics Circle Awards, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Obies, The Actor's Equity Awards, The Theater World Awards, The Left-Handed Jewish Lesbian Mud Wrestlers Awards, etc.)

I guess I'm not all that into the shiny prizes this season because there hasn't been one production that has overwhelmingly won my heart, as there has been in the last few seasons. (Xanadu, Grey Gardens, The Drowsy Chaperone, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Avenue Q). I'm certainly fond of, but not obsessed over, [title of show], although I'll certainly be rooting for Hunter Bell for best book, the show's sole nomination. But other than that, there's not really one show that I'm rooting for over all others. 

The above awards matter mostly to press agents and advertising copywriters, although the Pulitzer is certainly in a league of its own. The awards that truly matter, at least financially, are the Tony Awards, the nominations for which came out yesterday. Below are the major musical categories. (Because those are the only awards that really matter to us, right dear reader?) Here's the tally for the musical productions eligible this season:

• Billy Elliot - 15
• Next to Normal - 11
• Hair - 8
• Shrek - 8
• Rock of Ages - 5
• 9 to 5 - 4
• Pal Joey - 4
• West Side Story - 4
• Guys and Dolls - 2
• Irving Berlin's White Christmas - 2
• [title of show] - 1

The following shows were shut out entirely: 

• A Tale of Two Cities - I don't think anyone expected this abomination to get any recognition whatsoever.
• The Story of My Life - This is understandable, I suppose, since the show only lasted four regular performances, but I would love to have seen Neil Bartram get a nod for his lovely, complex, and underrated score. I strongly recommend the CD when it comes out from PS Classics on June 2nd.
• 13 - I find this thoroughly inexplicable. First of all, the show was really quite good, albeit flawed. But to ignore Jason Robert Brown's terrific score yet nominate Dolly Parton's weak and forgettable work on 9 to 5 is simply beyond me.

Here are the Tony nominations themselves, along with my own commentary on who got left out, as well as whom I'm rooting for. The Tony Awards ceremony this year is on June 7th. 

Best Musical
    Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Next to Normal
    Rock of Ages
    Shrek The Musical
WHO'S MISSING: 9 to 5, [title of show], 13
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Again, I'm not passionate about any one show, and it seems pretty clear that Billy Elliot is going to win, but at this point I'm pulling for Next to Normal. It's certainly the most moving and ambitious of the nominees.

Best Book of a Musical
    Billy Elliot, The Musical, Lee Hall
    Next to Normal, Brian Yorkey
    Shrek The Musical, David Lindsay-Abaire
    [title of show], Hunter Bell
WHO'S MISSING: 9 to 5, Rock of Ages
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: As I mentioned, I'm pulling for Hunter Bell, but I have a feeling this one is going to be a toss-up between Yorkey and Hall.

Best Original Score
    Billy Elliot, The Musical, Music: Elton John, Lyrics: Lee Hall
    Next to Normal, Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey
    9 to 5: The Musical, Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton
    Shrek The Musical, Music: Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
WHO'S MISSING: Again, inexplicably Jason Robert Brown for 13, as well as Neil Bartram for The Story of My Life
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Next to Normal, all the way. People may love Billy Elliot, but Elton John's score is weak and forgettable. Plus, he's already won for Aida, and the Tony voters often prefer to spread the wealth.

Best Revival of a Musical
    Guys and Dolls
    Hair
    Pal Joey
    West Side Story
WHO'S MISSING: Nobody. Pal Joey and Guys and Dolls got this one by default because there were only four revivals.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Hair, big time. West Side Story had the momentum for a while, but Hair seems to have overtaken it. And rightly so.

Best Actor in a Musical
    David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish‚ Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Gavin Creel, Hair
    Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical
    Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages
    J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal
WHO'S MISSING: Matt Cavenaugh for West Side Story
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: First, let me just say nominating all three Billys is annoying. So the Tony voters weren't brave enough to select one over the others? I saw Kiril Kulish, and his dancing was great, but his acting was one-dimensional. This one's a toss-up for me, between Gavin Creel and Brian D'arcy James, but I'm going to have to say BDJ, if only because I went to college with his sister. (You laugh, but do you really think the Tony voters don't take such things into account? I mean, c'mon.)

Best Actress in a Musical
    Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
    Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical
    Allison Janney, 9 to 5: The Musical
    Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
    Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story
WHO'S MISSING: Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty for 9 to 5, Lauren Graham and Kate Jennings Grant for Guys and Dolls. I think the latter two may have been penalized because so many people didn't like the show, but I enjoyed both performances very much.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I really think this is Alice Ripley's year. She absolutely kicks major amounts of butt in N2N. Janney is a contender, but the tide of opinion seems to be turning against her show.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
    David Bologna, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5: The Musical
    Christopher Sieber, Shrek The Musical
    Will Swenson, Hair
WHO'S MISSING: The sexy and dynamic Mitchell Jarvis for Rock of Ages
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Despite my deep affection for Christopher Sieber, and the fact that he's an absolute stitch in Shrek, I'm gonna have to go with Will Swenson, who has this unbelievable stage presence and vibrancy as Berger. Plus, he's frickin' hot as hell. (Why should that matter? Oh, please. As though the Tonys had anything to do with actual quality...)

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
    Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
    Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Karen Olivo, West Side Story
    Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
    Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot, The Musical
WHO'S MISSING: Amy Spanger for Rock of Ages, Allie Trimm from 13
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I'm gonna say Karen Olivo, who is the best thing in West Side Story. She was such a revelation in this show, after being given such an underwritten role in the overrated In the Heights.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
    Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls
    Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Scott Pask, Pal Joey
    Mark Wendland, Next to Normal
WHO'S MISSING: The Story of My Life, with its lovely and simple all-white set, and A Tale of Two Cities. Tony Walton's skeletal, modular wonder was just about the only thing on stage at the Hirschfeld worth looking at.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: The set for Pal Joey was colorless and dull. The Billy Elliot set is hideous beyond belief. Everyone hates Guys and Dolls. So, I'm going with N2N, with its sleek and functional three-tier grid.

Best Costume Design of a Musical
    Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages
    Nicky Gillibrand, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
    Michael McDonald, Hair
WHO'S MISSING: A Tale of Two Cities: Sure the show sucked, but the costumes were glam, and period pieces, even if they're huge flops, often score a nom. Heck, even Lestat got a costume nod.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I'm going with Shrek here. Yeah the reviews were tepid, and the show is losing money every week. But Hatley's costumes add considerable life to this lackluster affair, and all the other shows feature costumes they could have assembled from the casts' collective closets. I'm not saying that they did, but they coulda.

Best Direction of a Musical
    Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Michael Greif, Next to Normal
    Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages
    Diane Paulus, Hair
WHO'S MISSING: So many big hitters were roundly ignored this season, including Arthur Laurents for West Side Story, Joe Mantello for 9 to 5, and Richard Maltby Jr. for The Story of My Life
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I'm going with Diane Paulus, who, with the able assistance of choreographer Karol Armitage, breathed dynamic life into a show that could easily have come off as shaky museum piece.

Best Choreography
    Karole Armitage, Hair
    Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical
    Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin's White Christmas
WHO'S MISSING: Sergio Trujillo for Guys and Dolls, Joey McKneely for West Side Story. (Hey, if Ann Reinking can win a frickin' Tony for Chicago, why couldn't McKneely get a nom for WSS?)
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: He doesn't have a chance, but Randy Skinner did some pretty stellar work on White Christmas. The man is a tap whiz, and he really knows how to dress a stage. But something tells me this one is going to go to Darling. Blankenbuehler's a talented man, but his style was totally wrong for 9 to 5.