I am telling you, girls, this has to be one of the most theatrical May Days on record. Julie Andrews this morning, followed by the TONY nominations. Once again, I was shut out, darlings, which is a crime I cannot excuse. I know, I know, there is always next year, but after over 30 years in the biz, when do I get my TONY????? And just when my voice has returned, in full force! I was doing "Coronet Man" at full force the other day--as good as, if not better, than Barbra!!!!!!!! So just wait till next year, darlings!!!!!!!!! If I hold out, that "Funny Girl" revival could be just around the corner!!!!!!
As to this year's nominees, it was a careful mix of the Old and New Guard. James Earl Jones, Frank Langella, John Lithgow, Audra McDonald, Cynthia Nixon. Then you have Andrew Garfield,
Jessie Mueller, Josh Young and Laura Osnes.
But you think I feel bad about being shut out???? How about Bernadette Peters??????? The celebrated production of "Follies" that was done this season would never have gotten off the ground, if Bernadette had not wanted to do it, and so they nominate practically every leading player from the show...except Bernadette. Oh, but never mind, because they are going to give Bernadette this year the Isabelle Stevenson Award. If I were Bernadette, I would tell them to go screw. This award is like being told to drop dead!!!!!!!!!!
And how about Eric Schaeffer, the brilliant director of "Follies," whose work so impressed me I did a posting on how this is someone to watch!!!!!!!!! And he isn't in there?????????? He and Bernadette should bitch slap that nominating committee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, as to the categories--the important ones, the only thing is to go through them, one by one.
Best Play-- "Clybourne Park"
"Other Desert Cities"
"Peter And The Starcatcher"
"Venus In Fur"
What a strong group, darlings!!!!!!!!! I have only seen one ("Other Desert
Cities") but I want to see them all!!!!!!! Now, personally, I would give it to the Baitz play. And where the
hell was Joe Mantello in the director nominees??????? And Elizabeth Marvel, as Brooke,who was my onstage surrogate?????????? I adored the raw conflict of this play that held me in its grip for all of its two plus hours length. However, my guess is the award will go to "Clybourne Park"; it has issues all over it, and sounds like a close second to the Baitz play, and its strongest competition. We shall see, come TONY time!!!!!
Best Musical-- "Leap Of Faith"
"Newsies"
"Nice Work, If You Can Get It"
"Once"
Jesus Christ, are you kidding me??????? Actually, JC is in here, too, but
not till Best Musical Revival!!!!!! Two of these shows shouldn't be here. 'Nice Work' belongs Off Broadway, and "Leap Of Faith"should have closed, already. Hell, it still might; remember, "Rags" ( a much better show) closed early in the season, but its score was strong enough to still get nominationed. This recycled Steve Martin vehicle may have a star turn by Raul Esparza, but that is about it. And it's not like he has a great score to back him up, like Merman did, with "Gypsy"!!!!!!!! Send this one to the canner's immediately!!!!!!!!! As I said several months back, "Newsies" is the show to beat that cannot be beaten. Thirty five years ago, audiences flocked to see cute little girls dancing in "Annie." Now, queens from the Tri-State area are flocking to see hot, hunky newsboys do the most athletic set of pyrotechnics, since Michael Kidd choreographed "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers." I can't wait to see "Newsies," and I cannot imagine it not winning. "Once" is good, but....fugeddaboutit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best Revival Of A Play--Arthur Miller's "Death Of A Salesman"
Gore Vidal's "The Best Man"
"Master Class"
"Wit"
Oh, my God!!!!!!!!! Poor Terrence McNally and Margaret Edson. Apparently, they do not rate the veneration of Arthur Miller and Gore Vidal by having their names before the title. Can you believe this???????? How silly!!!!!!!!!! But I have to say, Artie scores again; the ground swell on this "Death Of A Salesman," from its replicated Mielziner staging, to everything else, shows there is no room for any winner but this. The rest should pack it up right now!!!!!!!! Willy Loman's story may be one of the most depressing to sit through, but audiences (and TONY voters) sure like it!!!!!!!!!
Best Revival Of A Musical--"Evita"
"Follies"
"The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess"
"Jesus Christ Superstar"
See? There's old JC!!!!!!!! Now, loves, you know where I stand here--"Follies," and only "Follies," no buts about it!!!!!!!!!! "Evita" would have stood a better chance if Ricky Martin had played the title role. What I said about Miller and Vidal applies to 'The Gershwins', which is a truncated version of a classic, Audra or no Audra. I am staking my rep on "Follies" with a nagging suspicion in the back of my mind that I will be pissed, come TONY night, when 'The Gershwins' beats it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best Actor In A Play--James Croden, "One Man, Two Guv'nors"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Arthur Miller's Death Of A
Salesman"
James Earl Jones, "Gore Vidal's The Best Man"
Frank Langella, " Man and Boy"
John Lithgow, "The Columnist"
This is a VERY strong category, darlings!!!!!!!! Now, if we were voting for Biggest Narcissist, Frank Langella would take it, hands down!!!!!!!!!! I think PSH has the thing sewn up, though, with Brian Dennehey, having just gotten it awhile back, we could be looking at James Croden. Does James Earl Jones need an award?????? Hell, no; he's James Earl Jones. John Lithgow is a great actor, who deserves to be in the running, but it is not his time. It is Philip's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best Actress In A Play--Nina Arianda, "Venus In Fur"
Tracie Bennett, "End Of The Rainbow"
Stockard Channing, "Other Desert Cities"
Linda Lavin, "The Lyons"
Cynthia Nixon, "Wit"
Another extremely strong category, with a strong ground swell. And that ground swell is Linda Lavin. This is her award, and goddamnit, no one is going to take it away. Go back to playing Miranda, Cynthia!!!!!!! Stockard, from what I hear, does her usual 'Six Degrees' thing in the Baitz play (I saw her replacement, the superb Lauren Klein) while Tracie Bennett would be a shoo-in for Theater Queens everywhere (she is, after all, playing Judy Garland!!!!!!) if not for Lavin. Nina, you are wonderful in 'Venus'; you were a marvelous Billie Dawn, but your time is just not yet!!!!!!!!! Think how I feel, darling!!!!
At least you have two nominations!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best Actor In A Musical--Danny Burstein, "Follies"
Jeremy Jordan, "Newsies"
Steve Kazee, "Once"
Norm Lewis, "The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess"
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