Isn't It Time?In the latest issue of
New York magazine,
Jesse Green makes an
excellent case for a Tony ensemble award that's worthy of consideration by the
Tony Administration Committee.
As I said when this year's
Olivier Award nominations were announced in February, London's version of the Tonys at least recognizes companies that are running on all cylinders.
When the collective acting efforts in which one excellent singular performance more often than not depends on the outstanding performances by others in the cast -- and I dare say, one could easily make the case perennially -- hasn't the time finally come for the Tonys to provide a new acting category that duly recognizes each year's Best Ensemble?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Ensembles, Olivier Awards, Tony Awards
Tonys: Sound Designers' Voices To Be Heard
It's about time. Can you hear me cheering?
I also want to voice my support to another idea advanced by Broadway & Me: to provide an award for the burgeoning use of projection design.
As I shared with this exceptional blogger, I've been riveted by the video and projection design incorporated into
Frost/Nixon and other fare on Broadway and elsewhere.
One of the most stunning and haunting uses of video projection I've seen was in the 2004 Broadway revival of
Assassins that showed the notorious Zapruder film on Lee Harvey Oswald's (
Neil Patrick Harris) white T-shirt. I can't wait to see the upcoming revival of
Sunday In The Park With George at the very same
Studio 54; from all I've heard, its projection design plays an integral role in the show.
Personally, I'd like to nominate one more category for Tony consideration. The
Screen Actors Guild bestows an award for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble" for film and television. There are far too many unsung tertiary actors languishing in the background who, because of their performances, actually galvanize the show and make the difference between an excellent production and one that's merely good. An ensemble award would finally recognize the synergy of a great cast.
I'd be interested in hearing your point of view.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Blogs, Broadway, Broadway and Me, Ensembles, Mid Hudson Valley Theatre Blog, Projection Design, Sound Design, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations
As Steppenwolf Ensemble Grows, Effort To Reflect Face Of Chicago ShowsLast year, the Chicago edition of
Time Out thoroughly examined how inclusive the city’s theatre companies were by measuring the number of ensemble roles for actors of color. As one of Chicago’s premier theatrical institutions,
Steppenwolf naturally found itself under the microscope. Although its renowned acting ensemble was 35 strong, there was but one actor of color (the versatile
K. Todd Freeman) to be found.
While it’s easy to look strictly at the number of ensemble members, as
Time Out did, an equally important measure of how inclusive a theatre company is should be the types of plays it performs. Several of my favorite productions over the past couple years --
The Unmentionables,
Master Harold And The Boys,
The Sunset Limited,
Sonia Flew and
The Pain And The Itch -- worked so well because they not only focused squarely on race or ethnic identities, but they provided an array of breathtaking performances by many actors of color.
With the exception of Arenas, I’ve had an opportunity to see each of these tremendously gifted actors tread the boards of Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre over the past couple years. And from what I’ve heard about Arenas’ performances in
The Bluest Eye and
The Sparrow Project, both of which I regretfully missed, she -- along with her new ensemble colleagues -- adds tremendously to the evolving face that is Steppenwolf. Clearly, these six actors are now part of the ensemble, not because Steppenwolf has some quota to fill, but because they’ve earned their place in it.
I applaud the announcement that dovetails exceptionally well with the company’s stated mission:
Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships and contributing new works to the national canon. The company, formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, is dedicated to perpetuating an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through on-going group work. Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of forty-one artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking and textual adaptation.
Indeed, Steppenwolf has stunningly transformed itself from its auspicious beginnings in a church basement when three white buddies --
Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and
Gary Sinese, all formidable talents in their own right -- founded the company that was just born to be wild. I salute the men and women of today’s Steppenwolf for ensuring that this prize theatre continues to reflect its hometown community by welcoming every potential audience member in Chicago.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Chicago, Ensembles, Steppenwolf
