The Tony Awards

[dws1982]

It sounds like the off-Broadway production of Our Town is trying to outdo Chicago in the stunt-casting department. Joining the cast in a few weeks as the Stage Manager: Helen Hunt.

[The Original BJ]

I watched the show last night, and, having not seen any of these shows, I don't have too much to say. (Beyond It's Hard Out There for a Stage Actor, what with all these movie stars around.)

I actually thought the straight plays were presented fairly well. I felt like I really got a sense of what a lot of them were about (a rarity, in some years) and plenty of them (Red, Fences, Next Fall, In the Next Room) would have excited me to buy a ticket had I the money and a ticket to New York.

But those musicals? You can tell it's a sad crop when the one that comes off best is the umpteenth revival of La Cage aux Folles. Of the originals, I liked the Memphis number the most -- it may have been the conservative choice for the top prize, but it seemed to me the only one that resembled an actual musical.

What's most depressing though, was the delegation of Best Book AND Best Score to the pre-show -- but I guess that's what you get when so few of the big musicals even HAVE those elements.

I knew very little about the show before watching, but of course I knew the Tony producers wouldn't pass up a chance to have cast members from Glee perform. I like the show well enough, and thought both actors' performances were fine, though in this era when musicals seem to be big again in other media, it felt like a disheartening reminder that the original stage musical seems to have gone the way of the buffalo.

And Catherine Zeta-Jones was shockingly bad. I was left speechless by her performance, and, later, her win.

[FilmFan720]

Yeah, Frank's version is pretty atrocious...in the 1970s, he started recording a lot of songs he didn't really need to be recording...ever heard his cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water?

[Damien]

The definitive not in character performance of the song, though, is Judy Collins'.

Judy Collins said the reason she recorded the song -- and had a surprise hit single -- was because she was appalled at what Sinatra had done to it, and didn't want that to be seen as the ultimate recording.



Edited By Damien on 1276573721

[Big Magilla]

The definitive not in character performance of the song, though, is Judy Collins'.

[criddic3]

Sinatra did a nice version of "Send in the Clowns," too. He recorded it twice I think, and often sang it in concert performances during the 70s and 80s. There is even a performance of it on the concert special "Ol' Blue Eyes is Back" from 1973.



Edited By criddic3 on 1276554883

[Mister Tee]

How I would describe the song -- and the way I heard Glynis Johns gorgeously sing it years ago -- is thus: A woman of a certain age has done the whole romantic whirl and tired of it. She's ready to settle in with a contemporary, the man who's suited her best of all those she's known over the years. But when she presents the case, the man in question is caught up in a middle-aged man's folly of pursuing a young, flighty wife, causing him to turn our heroine Desiree down. Desiree has enough mature insight to see the bitter humor in this -- the "what fools we mortals be" aspect -- and, relating it to what she knows best, the conventions of 19th century theatre, she wonders why a dramatist hasn't arranged for clowns to fill the stage, to underline the sheer comic irony of it all.

This, as I say, was all contained in Johns' rendition. Zeta-Jones not only missed every bit, she sang with such suppressed rage that, as one wag at another site put it, you expected her to be backed by a chorus chanting "Swing your razor high, Catherine".

[Big Magilla]

I think that was Tee's description but Glynis Johns and Jean Simmons played it in character the way it was supposed to be played. You can hear them on the cast albums and you can see Johns in one of the Broadway Treasures discs. It doesn't require the fake wiping away of the tears at the end.

As I said in my review of the Zeta-Jones/Lansbury cast recording, neither of the stars is particularly suited to the roles. I doubt Bernadette Peters will do much better than Zeta-Jones as witness her off-kilter Gypsy but Elaine Strich should be able to convey the wistful defeated glory of the older character in much the way Hermione Gingold did.

[OscarGuy]

When I was talking with someone at work about Send in the Clowns, I expressed my dissatisfaction with it, but that's largely because I've never 100% understood the purpose of the song or how the lyrics play into that, but when remembering Magilla's description, we're talking about a character who has to put on a face in public, but should be utterly vulnerable in private, but I didn't get that from Zeta Jones. So, maybe I'm not understanding the purpose of the song, but gah.

[Big Magilla]

The Scottsboro Boys is transferring, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson may. Also planned for next season are Catch Me If You Can, Sister Act, Leap of Faith, and Unchain My Heart, maybe Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Spider-Man, as well as possible revivals of Merrily We Roll Along and Aspects of Love. It sounds like a lot but there'll definitely be a lot of open theatres.

OK, thanks.

A quick check of the IBDb. indicates Women on the Verge has an opening date. Spider-Man has been postponed so many times it may never open.

Merrily We Live has never exactly been successful and Aspects of Love is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's least impressive works and that's saying something.

I have better expectations for Catch Me If You Can; The Scotsboro Boys; Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and the revivals of How to Succeed and Zorba should they make it.

[Big Magilla]

I guess my mild reaction to Zeta-Jones was because I had already heard her wan interpretation of "Send in the Clowns" on the cast recording. It seems to have been a jaw-dropper for everyone, not just OG and Tee, who were witnessing it for the first time.

Her award was the biggest head-scratcher of the night. The gloriously talented Kate Baldwin and Christiane Noll would have been wonderful choices but since their shows had already closed they were not going to win anyway. Sherie Renee Scott may be quite good in Everyday Rapture but the show as I understand it is a concept piece rather than an acted play and those never win, but what was the excuse for ignoring Montego Glover who is really quite good in the Best Musical winner Memphis?

My other bugaboo was the mild reception for Barbara Cook who introduced Zeta-Jones and who, in fact, sings "Send in the Clowns" in Sondheim on Sondheim the way it should be sung. Do these people even know who she is? She not only holds the record for the longest stretch between nominations - 52 years - but in the interim starred in several other shows including two of Broadway's most melodious productions - the justly celebrated She Loves Me and the shamefully neglected The Grass Harp - and has been a concert and recording star for the last quarter century. She deserved a standing ovation as much as Angela Lansbury.

[dws1982]

So what's on tap for next season? When are the Daniel Radcliffe and Antonio Banderas revivals of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Zorba coming?

I think those two are both hoping to make it next season. The Scottsboro Boys is transferring, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson may. Also planned for next season are Catch Me If You Can, Sister Act, Leap of Faith, and Unchain My Heart, maybe Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Spider-Man, as well as possible revivals of Merrily We Roll Along and Aspects of Love. It sounds like a lot but there'll definitely be a lot of open theatres. Other than The Addams Family, it's hard to imagine that any of the 2009-2010 season's new shows will last through the 2010-2011 season, and several long-runners have either already posted a closing notice or will sometime during the season.

Not sure what all is on tap for plays. I know A Free Man of Color and War Horse are both booked for the Vivian Beaumont after South Pacific closes. A revival of La Bete, a new play by David Lindsay-Abaire are already booked into otheatres, according to IBDB.

[Mister Tee]

I'm not remotely a fan of Sean Hayes, but I thought he did surprisingly well last night, with some fairly decent material. Overall, I thought the show moved well.

The concern that eliminating critics from the voting would tip things over decisively to populism was mostly borne out, given the number of wins by moooovie stars. Scarlett and Denzel had at least been extremely well reviewed, but Zeta-Jones seemed a sop to big name-ism. I thought her rendition of Send in the Clowns was ghastly -- all enunciation and anger, not a hint of the bemused wistfulness that's at the core of the song.

Here in NY, we actually go to watch the early awards on NY-1. Marian Seldes (who, to judge by an interview a day earlier, is a bit wobbly these days) accepted her honor silently, so she wouldn't have added anything to the main show. David Hyde-Pierce's speech was the most memorable.

For a brief moment during that pre-show, when American Idiot won the only two other prizes for which it had been nominated, I had an inkling it might, like Titanic back in the 90s, reveal a gap between the nominating committee and the voters by winning the top prize. But instead, blandness prevailed.

I wasn't inspired to see any of the shows highlighted -- though I did think the ultimately-winning Jerry Lee Lewis guy was pretty good.

They have done the In Memoriam before, Magilla.

Nathan and Bebe were quite funny -- even if we Oscar history buffs instantly knew Nathan had ripped off Bob Hope for his opening joke.

[Big Magilla]

I thought the guy who was speaking for Memphis at the end was an egotistical gas bag and his voice annoyed the crap out of me. After Zeta Jones' performance, I was shocked she actually won because I thought the perf was terrible.

I couldn't stand the Memphis producer's voice either.

I wouldn't call Zeta-Jones' performance of "Send in the Clowns" terrible - not after enduring Elizabeth Taylor in the film version - but I found it too mannered.

So what's on tap for next season? Revivals of Annie, Evita and Funny Girl are planned for 2012 but what about the remainder of this year and 2011? When are the Daniel Radcliffe and Antonio Banderas revivals of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Zorba coming?

Was Lea Michele auditioning for Funny Girl last night?

[OscarGuy]

My first impression was just how boring most of the musical productions were. I hated the one from Fela!, the one from Memphis was mostly noise. The only one I actually enjoyed was American Idiot and that's surprising since I don't typically like that music.

I thought the guy who was speaking for Memphis at the end was an egotistical gas bag and his voice annoyed the crap out of me. After Zeta Jones' performance, I was shocked she actually won because I thought the perf was terrible.

Angela Lansbury is still looking quite good considering her age.