In one of this year's most inspired casting decisions, the producers of the current revival of La Cage Aux Follesannounced today that Harvey Fierstein will replace Tony Award-winning actor Douglas Hodge as Albin starting February 15, 2011, for twelve weeks.
Fierstein won his third Tony Award for writing the book for La Cage Aux Follesback in 1984. The tuner would not only win that year's Tony for Best Musical, but would go on to become the only musical in Tony history to win Best Revival for each successive production -- both in 2005 and again this year.
Surprisingly, for all his acting honors, Fierstein has never before acted in a production of La Cage. His presence come February will certainly make me want to return again.
The only question remains, who will replace Kelsey Grammer after he leaves the show on February 13? If the producers really want to carry their inspiration to the Nth degree, how about bringing on Arthur Laurents, director of the original production? He may be a cantankerous senior and may not have liked the current incarnation, but it would be a hoot to see him tackle the stage.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
So hold this moment fast, And live and love As hard as you know how. And make this moment last, Because the best of times is now, Is now, is now.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending June 20, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.
The week after the Tony Awards is always telling because it demonstrates which shows gained from the broadcast and which ones sadly did not.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending June 20, 2010:
4:30 pm June 20 - Broadway box office totals are up slightly over last week. Grosses $21,957,198
4:31 pm June 20 - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, PROMISES PROMISES, FENCES, BILLY ELLIOT & JERSEY BOYS each gross $1 million+
4:32 pm June 20 - Sold-out WICKED week's top grossing show on Broadway pulling in $1,620,876. Average ticket price: $112.00
4:33 pm June 20 - FENCES continues breaking records at Broadway's Cort grossing $1,135,974 with average ticket now priced at $129.53
4:34 pm June 20 - As week's top grossing play FENCES also hits capacity home run as week's highest at 101.6%. Lots of standing room only
4:35 pm June 20 - Week's highest average ticket price: $130.50-A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC bid farewell to Catherine Zeta-Jones/Angela Lansbury
4:36 pm June 20 - Grossing $950,296, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC played to 97.8% capacity last week.
4:37 pm June 20 - NEXT FALL was week's lowest grossing Broadway show: $154,207. Average ticket price: $55.31 on 59.2% capacity
4:38 pm June 20 - EVERYDAY RAPTURE had week's lowest average ticket price on Broadway: $52.99. Grosses $213,249 on 68% capacity
4:39 pm June 20 - RACE had week's lowest capacity on Broadway: 47.6%. Grosses $253,436 with average tickets priced $62.97
4:40 pm June 20 - Tony Best Musical MEMPHIS enjoys box office bump: Grosses $835,071. Up over $135K week over week. Capacity at 86.5%
4:41 pm June 20 - Tony Best Musical Revival LA CAGE gets slight bump: $687,825 gross. Capacity up 3.5% to 86.5%. Av tix priced $94.02
4:42 pm June 20 - Tony Best Play RED capacity decreases to 98.9% but increases gross by nearly $130K to $666,618. Av tix priced $104.78
4:43 pm June 20 - PROMISES PROMISES gets biggest Tony bump as capacity increases 9% to 97.2%. Grosses $1,237,426. Av tix priced $91.06
4:45 pm June 20 - COME FLY AWAY has week's biggest drop in capacity down 13.2% to just 52.3%. Grosses $667,096. Av tix priced $99.02
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
While musicals Memphis and La Cage Aux Folles fared well by earning Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical, respectively, it was this year's Best Play winner Red that actually earned the most Tonys this year: six Tony Awards. Memphis earned four awards, while La Cage, Fences (this year's Best Revival of a Play) and Fela! each earned three.
Here is the full list of winners, along with my notations for whom I thought would win and those I thought most deserving of wins:
Best Play In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) - Author: Sarah Ruhl Next Fall - Author: Geoffrey Nauffts Red - Author: John LoganWill Win/Should Win Time Stands Still - Author: Donald Margulies
Best Musical American Idiot Fela! Should Win MemphisWill Win Million Dollar Quartet
Best Book of a Musical Everyday Rapture - Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott Should Win Fela! - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones Memphis - Joe DiPietroWill Win Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre The Addams Family - Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Enron - Music: Adam Cork Lyrics: Lucy Prebble Fences - Music: Branford Marsalis Memphis - Music: David Bryan, Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David BryanShould Win/Will Win
Best Revival of a Play Fences Should Win/Will Win Lend Me A Tenor The Royal Family A View From The Bridge
Best Revival of a Musical Finian's Rainbow La Cage Aux FollesShould Win/Will Win A Little Night Music Ragtime
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Jude Law - Hamlet Alfred Molina - Red Should Win Liev Schreiber - A View From The Bridge Christopher Walken - A Behanding In Spokane Denzel Washington - FencesWill Win
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Viola Davis - FencesShould Win/Will Win Valerie Harper - Looped Linda Lavin - Collected Stories Laura Linney - Time Stands Still Jan Maxwell - The Royal Family
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Kelsey Grammer - La Cage Aux Folles Sean Hayes - Promises, Promises Douglas Hodge - La Cage Aux FollesWill Win Chad Kimball - Memphis Sahr Ngaujah - Fela! Should Win
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Kate Baldwin - Finian's Rainbow Sherie Rene Scott - Everyday Rapture Montego Glover - Memphis Should Win Christiane Noll - Ragtime Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night MusicWill Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play David Alan Grier - Race Stephen McKinley Henderson - Fences Jon Michael Hill - Superior Donuts Should Win/Will Win Stephen Kunken - Enron Eddie Redmayne - Red
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Maria Dizzia - In the Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) Rosemary Harris - The Royal Family Jessica Hecht - A View From The Bridge Scarlett Johansson - A View From The Bridge Jan Maxwell - Lend Me A Tenor Should Win/Will Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Kevin Chamberlin - The Addams Family Should Win Robin De Jesús - La Cage Aux Folles Christopher Fitzgerald - Finian's Rainbow Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet Bobby Steggert - Ragtime Will Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Barbara Cook - Sondheim On Sondheim Katie Finneran - Promises, PromisesShould Win/Will Win Angela Lansbury - A Little Night Music Karine Plantadit - Come Fly Away Lillias White - Fela!
Best Direction of a Play Michael Grandage - RedShould Win/Will Win Sheryl Kaller - Next Fall Kenny Leon - Fences Gregory Mosher - A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical Christopher Ashley - Memphis Marcia Milgrom Dodge - Ragtime Terry Johnson - La Cage Aux FollesWill Win Bill T. Jones - Fela! Should Win
Best Choreography Rob Ashford - Promises, Promises Bill T. Jones - Fela!Should Win Lynne Page - La Cage Aux Folles Twyla Tharp - Come Fly Away Will Win
Best Orchestrations Jason Carr - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Aaron Johnson - Fela! Should Win Jonathan Tunick - Promises, Promises Daryl Waters & David Bryan - Memphis
Best Scenic Design of a Play John Lee Beatty - The Royal Family Should Win Alexander Dodge - Present Laughter Santo Loquasto - Fences Christopher Oram - RedWill Win
Best Scenic Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela! Christine Jones - American IdiotShould Win/Will Win Derek McLane - Ragtime Tim Shortall - La Cage aux Folles
Best Costume Design of a Play Martin Pakledinaz - Lend Me a Tenor Constanza Romero - Fences David Zinn - In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) Catherine Zuber - The Royal FamilyShould Win/Will Win
Best Costume Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela!Should Win Paul Tazewell - Memphis Matthew Wright - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Best Lighting Design of a Play Neil Austin - Hamlet Neil Austin - RedWill Win Mark Henderson - Enron Should Win Brian MacDevitt - Fences
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Kevin Adams - American IdiotShould Win Donald Holder - Ragtime Nick Richings - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Robert Wierzel - Fela!
Best Sound Design of a Play Acme Sound Partners - Fences Adam Cork - EnronShould Win/Will Win Adam Cork - Red Scott Lehrer - A View from the Bridge
Best Sound Design of a Musical Jonathan Deans - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Robert Kaplowitz - Fela!Should Win Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen - A Little Night Music Dan Moses Schreier - Sondheim On Sondheim
I'll provide more analysis tomorrow, but until then, please let me know what you thought about this year's Tonys. Did the voters get it right?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
The Tonys remain the highest honors bestowed annually upon Broadway's new and revived plays and musicals. Named for theatre legend Antoinette Perry, the first Tony Awards were held in 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria's Grand Ballroom with 11 awards presented in only 7 categories, along with 8 special awards.
This year, the Tony Award winners will be honored at Radio City Music Hall, where awards will be announced in a 26 categories -- one less than last year (the Special Theatrical Event category has been eliminated).
Just like last year, I'll be viewing tonight's ceremonies from the comfort of my own living room. Look for my full wrap-up later. And just like last year, I invite you to check out my live tweets throughout the course of the Tony Awards along the right hand side of SOB or by clicking here.
In the meantime, whether you're in Radio City Music Hall, in Times Square or watching on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. EDT tonight, here's hoping you enjoy this year's event.
During the 2009-10 Theatrical Season, I've had the opportunity to see over 80 performances of a wide range of new and revived musicals and plays, as well as other theatrical events.
This year's musical revivals were, on the whole, better -- if only marginally -- than the season's new musicals, but there were some major misfires among them. Yet there were some real gems I was fortunate enough to see.
So, without further ado, here is my list of the "5 Best Musical Revivals" over the 12 months ending April 30, 2010:
5 -Ragtime (Neil Simon Theatre, New York City, New York)
Few musicals have captured the shifting American landscape inherently contained at the dawn of the 20th Century as powerfully as Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' underappreciated heartfelt musical Ragtime.
In Marcia Milgrom Dodge's genuinely moving yet short-lived new revival, Christiane Noll imbued her Mother with grace, dignity and substance. She was complemented by Bobby Steggert's brilliant performance as her younger brother.
Yes, Trevor Nunn's revival of Stephen Sondheim's glorious A Little Night Music was at the top of my list last year, but since the Broadway production feels so different, I'm judging this incarnation on its own. While this nearly replicated staging of the London work hardly fills the stage and could have -- should have -- been scaled appropriately upward, it mostly works because of the splendid score and ingenious storyline.
While the incandescent Catherine Zeta-Jones' megawatt star power certainly lights up the stage, albeit with a similarly forced "I'll prove to them I'm up to the challenge" moxie she demonstrated in "Chicago," it's Angela Lansbury (Madame Armfeldt) who commands the stage every time she's on it. It's pure bliss to see her return to Broadway in a musical role, and it's more than enough to land the revival on my list.
Sure, the tale is as old as time. But St. Paul's Ordway made Disney's Beauty And The Beast revival seem like new again. In a surprising delight, Robert Johanson's incredibly fresh and fully-realized revival was stunning with spirited acting, boisterous singing and rousing choreography.
Jeremiah James brought exceptional depth to the role of the Beast, humanizing him with tremendous skill. The comedic triple threat Jonathan Burgard succeeded in stealing practically every scene by adding real muscle to his Gaston. They helped make this Beauty And The Beast offering a feast for the eyes to behold.
Revived with unmistakable sparkle, however tarnished, by director Terry Johnson, this downsized La Cage Aux Follesis what it is. It's a solid period piece populated with men who may dress in drag, but have more guts, ironically enough, in coming to terms with who they are than their less flamboyant counterparts.
Harvey Fierstein's book and Jerry Herman's glorious tunes get to the heart of how any relationship, gay or straight, endures. And as performed by Kelsey Grammer (Georges) and Douglas Hodge (Albin), it's not only deeply moving, it's practically heartbreaking. Hodge in particular scores with his defiantly scorching rendition of "I Am What I Am."
1 - The Full Monty (McKnight Theatre, Theatre Latté Da, Ordway Center For The Performing Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota)
Last fall, I offered just two words to my dear readers: "Drop everything" to get to St. Paul to see The Full Monty.In one of those rarest of rarities, Theater Latté Da's excellent and thoroughly enjoyable production was actually much better than the Broadway original.
Under Peter Rothstein's exceptional, confident direction, Terrence McNally's book and David Yazbek's underrated score became even more salient, all the more gripping and certainly more entertaining today.
Rothstein's direction was a marvel unto itself. In what was his best production yet, he stripped The Full Monty down to its grittiest, barest essentials and dressed it up with one of the best ensembles I saw anywhere this past year. No wonder so many Minnesotans shook their money-makers over to the Ordway to catch this sexy, fun and uplifting Full Monty.
So what were the best new revivals of musicals you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
This Sunday, the American Theatre Wing’s 64th annual Tony Awards ceremonies will honor the best of Broadway's 2009-10 Theatrical Season. As we count down the days to the Tonys, it's time for me to place my wagers on those nominees I believe will actually win, as well as tell you whom I think should win.
As noted on Monday, I've been extraordinarily fortunate to see every single show, eligible and otherwise, that opened on Broadway over the past year. So unlike last year, I'll be able to at least make informed decisions. Whether I'm right or not remains to be seen.
There is plenty of momentum behind Red, La Cage Aux Folles and Fences, and it doesn't hurt that they all remain open to Tony voters and that they're pulling in respectable audiences. In the case of Fences, it's become box office titanium.
Given the dearth of truly new musicals this season, Tony voters are going to reward Memphisfor being one of the lone tuners with original score and an actual book, plus it stands the best chance of being a hit on tour. The exception for Memphis will come (but shouldn't) in Tony voters' starstruck decision for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.
Something also tells me that given the lack of nominations -- except for one key nod -- for one of the season's earlier critical hits, Superior Donuts, along with the love shown already this awards season for its talented nominee that you shouldn't be surprised when they call his name. Similarly, with a certain Ragtimeactor becoming a bona fide darling of the stage, don't be surprised if he pulls off an upset as well as Tony voters recognize the future star they have a chance to honor now.
Here are my picks:
Best Play In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) - Author: Sarah Ruhl Next Fall - Author: Geoffrey Nauffts Red - Author: John Logan Will Win/Should Win Time Stands Still - Author: Donald Margulies
Best Musical American Idiot Fela!Should Win Memphis Will Win Million Dollar Quartet
Best Book of a Musical Everyday Rapture - Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott Should Win Fela! - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones Memphis- Joe DiPietro Will Win Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre The Addams Family - Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Enron - Music: Adam Cork Lyrics: Lucy Prebble Fences - Music: Branford Marsalis Memphis - Music: David Bryan, Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan Should Win/Will Win
Best Revival of a Play Fences Should Win/Will Win Lend Me A Tenor The Royal Family A View From The Bridge
Best Revival of a Musical Finian's Rainbow La Cage Aux Folles Should Win/Will Win A Little Night Music Ragtime
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Jude Law - Hamlet Alfred Molina - RedShould Win Liev Schreiber - A View From The Bridge Christopher Walken - A Behanding In Spokane Denzel Washington - FencesWill Win
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Viola Davis - Fences Should Win/Will Win Valerie Harper - Looped Linda Lavin - Collected Stories Laura Linney - Time Stands Still Jan Maxwell - The Royal Family
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Kelsey Grammer - La Cage Aux Folles Sean Hayes - Promises, Promises Douglas Hodge - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Chad Kimball - Memphis Sahr Ngaujah - Fela!Should Win
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Kate Baldwin - Finian's Rainbow Sherie Rene Scott - Everyday Rapture Montego Glover - MemphisShould Win Christiane Noll - Ragtime Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night MusicWill Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play David Alan Grier - Race Stephen McKinley Henderson - Fences Jon Michael Hill - Superior Donuts Should Win/Will Win Stephen Kunken - Enron Eddie Redmayne - Red
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Maria Dizzia - In the Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) Rosemary Harris - The Royal Family Jessica Hecht - A View From The Bridge Scarlett Johansson - A View From The Bridge Jan Maxwell - Lend Me A Tenor Should Win/Will Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Kevin Chamberlin - The Addams FamilyShould Win Robin De Jesús - La Cage Aux Folles Christopher Fitzgerald - Finian's Rainbow Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet Bobby Steggert - RagtimeWill Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Barbara Cook - Sondheim On Sondheim Katie Finneran - Promises, Promises Should Win/Will Win Angela Lansbury - A Little Night Music Karine Plantadit - Come Fly Away Lillias White - Fela!
Best Direction of a Play Michael Grandage - RedShould Win/Will Win Sheryl Kaller - Next Fall Kenny Leon - Fences Gregory Mosher - A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical Christopher Ashley - Memphis Marcia Milgrom Dodge - Ragtime Terry Johnson - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Bill T. Jones - Fela!Should Win
Best Choreography Rob Ashford - Promises, Promises Bill T. Jones - Fela! Should Win Lynne Page - La Cage Aux Folles Twyla Tharp - Come Fly Away Will Win
Best Orchestrations Jason Carr - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Aaron Johnson - Fela! Should Win Jonathan Tunick - Promises, Promises Daryl Waters & David Bryan - Memphis
Best Scenic Design of a Play John Lee Beatty - The Royal Family Should Win Alexander Dodge - Present Laughter Santo Loquasto - Fences Christopher Oram - RedWill Win
Best Scenic Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela! Christine Jones - American Idiot Should Win/Will Win Derek McLane - Ragtime Tim Shortall - La Cage aux Folles
Best Costume Design of a Play Martin Pakledinaz - Lend Me a Tenor Constanza Romero - Fences David Zinn - In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) Catherine Zuber - The Royal Family Should Win/Will Win
Best Costume Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela!Should Win Paul Tazewell - Memphis Matthew Wright - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Best Lighting Design of a Play Neil Austin - Hamlet Neil Austin - RedWill Win Mark Henderson - Enron Should Win Brian MacDevitt - Fences
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Kevin Adams - American Idiot Should Win Donald Holder - Ragtime Nick Richings - La Cage Aux FollesWill Win Robert Wierzel - Fela!
Best Sound Design of a Play Acme Sound Partners - Fences Adam Cork - Enron Should Win/Will Win Adam Cork - Red Scott Lehrer - A View from the Bridge
Best Sound Design of a Musical Jonathan Deans - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Robert Kaplowitz - Fela!Should Win Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen - A Little Night Music Dan Moses Schreier - Sondheim On Sondheim
Do my picks for this year's Tony Awards match yours? Let me know.
Tune in to CBS this Sunday, June 13, when Sean Hayes hosts the three-hour live broadcast.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
La Cage Aux Folles (The SOB Review) - Longacre Theatre, New York, New York
***1/2 (out of ****)
Chalk my earliest appreciation for Jerry Herman's La Cage Aux Folles to a backyard conversation I had with my childhood next-door-neighbor Virginia Hug back in 1983. Mrs. Hug made routine visits to New York City to get her fix of Broadway shows.
After coming back to Mequon, Wisconsin, from seeing the original Tony-winning production, this meek and mild -- and traditional -- grandmother had nothing but raves to share. Never mind that Harvey Fierstein's book centered squarely on a family that was anything but traditional. Mrs. Hug was captivated by its universal themes of love's unbreakable bonds and was practically singing its joyous score for me. Sadly, I never had a chance to see that incarnation.
Fast forward to 1996 when I was absolutely repulsed by the film "The Birdcage" (based on the same source material ), which I detested for its stereotypical, self-loathing gay characters. I couldn't help but think, "I don't know any gay people like this." I remember leaving the movie theatre beside myself.
So when I finally saw the first Broadway revival of La Cage in 2004, I was bracing myself for the worst. Instead, I was swept away and cheering for Albin's declaration, "I am what I am." Even if it wasn't a perfect production, I liked it.
I love this La Cage Aux Folles even more. Revived with unmistakable sparkle, however tarnished, by director Terry Johnson, this downsized La Cage is what it is. It's a solid period piece populated with men who may dress in drag, but have more guts, ironically enough, in coming to terms with who they are than their less flamboyant counterparts.
While standing up to homophobia, Harvey Fierstein's book and Jerry Herman's glorious tunes get to the heart of how any relationship, gay or straight, endures. And as performed by Kelsey Grammer (Georges) and Douglas Hodge (Albin), it's not only deeply moving, it's practically heartbreaking. Hodge in particular scores with his defiant and scorching "I Am What I Am."
La Cage Aux Folles still may not be the perfect Broadway show -- the second act just doesn't measure up to the first -- but it may be the best version of the show you're ever likely to see anywhere. I only wish Mrs. Hug was still around to see it.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
The top nominees are musicals Fela! (a new musical) and La Cage Aux Folles(a revival), each earning 11 nominations. The revival of Fences scored the most nominations among plays with ten nods. With 7 nominations, Redis the highest ranking new play of the season.
While I fully expected the Tony nominators to try and prove that they exude cool by selecting American Idiot among the Best Musical nominations, they also demonstrated an incredible degree of stodginess by placing Million Dollar Quartetin the same category. Fela! is the show to beat in this category.
It was great seeing some love shown for two musical revivals that closed prematurely: Ragtime (7 nominations) and Finian's Rainbow (3). Nevertheless, the critically-acclaimed La Cage Aux Folles is the odds-on favorite to win Best Revival of a Musical.
As for new plays, Red and Time Stands Stillwere expected to be nominated, but the eleventh hour Pulitzer Prize nomination (and ultimate snub) for In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)assured its place among Best Play nominees. Expect to see Red win. Fences will likely win Best Revival of a Play.
Among acting nominations, Jan Maxwell has earned two well-deserved nominations both for her leading performance in The Royal Family and for her featured role in Lend Me A Tenor. It's interesting to note that in that latter category, she'll be competing against her Royal Family co-star Rosemary Harris, who herself was nominated for Best Actress in the same lead role as Maxwell back in the 1975-76 production.
Here is the full list of nominees. Those with an asterisk (*) were on my list if I had been nominating. Those with two asterisks (**) were among those I accurately predicted the Tony nominators would actually choose (that truncated list only went as far as lead acting nominations).
Best Play In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)** - Author: Sarah Ruhl Next Fall - Author: Geoffrey Nauffts Red* ** - Author: John Logan Time Stands Still* ** - Author: Donald Margulies
Best Musical American Idiot** Fela!* ** Memphis* ** Million Dollar Quartet
Best Book of a Musical Everyday Rapture* - Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott Fela!* - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones Memphis*- Joe DiPietro Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre The Addams Family* - Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Enron* - Music: Adam Cork Lyrics: Lucy Prebble Fences* - Music: Branford Marsalis Memphis* - Music: David Bryan, Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan
Best Revival of a Play Fences* ** Lend Me A Tenor* ** The Royal Family* ** A View From The Bridge**
Best Revival of a Musical Finian's Rainbow* ** La Cage Aux Folles* ** A Little Night Music* ** Ragtime* **
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Jude Law - Hamlet** Alfred Molina - Red* ** Liev Schreiber - A View From The Bridge Christopher Walken - A Behanding In Spokane** Denzel Washington - Fences* **
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Viola Davis - Fences* ** Valerie Harper - Looped* ** Linda Lavin - Collected Stories* ** Laura Linney - Time Stands Still* ** Jan Maxwell - The Royal Family* **
Best Performance by a Leading 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!* **
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Kate Baldwin - Finian's Rainbow* ** Sherie Rene Scott - Everyday Rapture* ** Montego Glover - Memphis* ** Christiane Noll - Ragtime* ** Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night Music* **
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play David Alan Grier - Race Stephen McKinley Henderson - Fences Jon Michael Hill - Superior Donuts* Stephen Kunken - Enron* Eddie Redmayne - Red*
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Maria Dizzia - In the Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)* Rosemary Harris - The Royal Family* Jessica Hecht - A View From The Bridge Scarlett Johansson - A View From The Bridge* Jan Maxwell - Lend Me A Tenor*
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Kevin Chamberlin - The Addams Family* Robin De Jesús - La Cage Aux Folles* Christopher Fitzgerald - Finian's Rainbow* Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet* Bobby Steggert - Ragtime
Best Performance by a 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 Lillias White - Fela!*
Best Direction of a Play Michael Grandage - Red* Sheryl Kaller - Next Fall Kenny Leon - Fences* Gregory Mosher - A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical Christopher Ashley - Memphis* Marcia Milgrom Dodge - Ragtime Terry Johnson - La Cage Aux Folles* Bill T. Jones - Fela!*
Best Choreography Rob Ashford - Promises, Promises Bill T. Jones - Fela!* Lynne Page - La Cage Aux Folles Twyla Tharp - Come Fly Away
Best Orchestrations Jason Carr - La Cage Aux Folles* Aaron Johnson - Fela!* Jonathan Tunick - Promises, Promises Daryl Waters & David Bryan - Memphis
Best Scenic Design of a Play John Lee Beatty - The Royal Family* Alexander Dodge - Present Laughter* Santo Loquasto - Fences Christopher Oram - Red
Best Scenic Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela! Christine Jones - American Idiot* Derek McLane - Ragtime Tim Shortall - La Cage aux Folles*
Best Costume Design of a Play Martin Pakledinaz - Lend Me a Tenor* Constanza Romero - Fences David Zinn - In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play)* Catherine Zuber - The Royal Family*
Best Costume Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela!* Santo Loquasto - Ragtime* Paul Tazewell - Memphis Matthew Wright - La Cage Aux Folles*
Best Lighting Design of a Play Neil Austin - Hamlet* Neil Austin - Red Mark Henderson - Enron* Brian MacDevitt - Fences
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Kevin Adams - American Idiot* Donald Holder - Ragtime Nick Richings - La Cage Aux Folles Robert Wierzel - Fela!
Best Sound Design of a Play Acme Sound Partners - Fences Adam Cork - Enron* Adam Cork - Red Scott Lehrer - A View from the Bridge
Best Sound Design of a Musical Jonathan Deans - La Cage Aux Folles Robert Kaplowitz - Fela!* Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen - A Little Night Music Dan Moses Schreier - Sondheim On Sondheim
This year's Tony Awards will be televised on CBS during a three-hour live broadcast on Sunday, June 13.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Terry Johnson's well-reviewed and well-received West End revival of La Cage Aux Folleshas received 7 nods as the 2009 Laurence Olivier Award nominations were announced. This marks the second year in a row that a show with a Harvey Fierstein association earned the most nominations (Hairspray broke records last year with 11 nominations in all).
Gone is last year's one-time-only category of "Best Newcomer in a Play." Taking its place is a category I only wish the Tony Administration Committee would seriously consider: "Best Company Performance" to recognize ensembles that are running on all cylinders. Returning after a hiatus is the category of "Best Entertainment."
Other noteworthy news is that only two new tuners were nominated in the "Best New Musical" category: Jersey Boysand Zorro. Each show earned five nominations.
Two actors I'm particularly pleased to see receive very well-deserved recognition are Elena Roger for her breathtaking performance in Piaf and Adam Godley for his brilliant turn in Rain Man. Both made their otherwise mediocreshows worth seeing. Given all the accolades for La Cage Aux Folles, I only wish I had taken the West End Whingers' unequivocal advice and seen that production last November.
Nominees include:
Best Actress Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County Lindsay Duncan, That Face Margaret Tyzack, The Chalk Garden Penelope Wilton, The Chalk Garden
Best Actor David Bradley, No Man's Land Michael Gambon, No Man's Land Adam Godley, Rain Man Derek Jacobi, Twelfth Night
Best Performance In A Supporting Role Oliver Ford Davies, Hamlet Kevin R McNally, Ivanov Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests Patrick Stewart, Hamlet
Best Company Performance August: Osage County, directed by Anna D. Shapiro Black Watch, directed by John Tiffany The Histories, directed by Michael Boyd The Norman Conquests, directed by Matthew Warchus Sunset Boulevard, directed by Craig Revel Horwood
Best New Play August: Osage County by Tracy Letts Black Watch by Gregory Burke The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall That Face by Polly Stenham
Best New Comedy Fat Pig by Neil LaBute The Female of the Species by Joanna Murray-Smith God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton
Best Revival The Chalk Garden, directed by Michael Grandage The Histories, directed by Michael Boyd The Norman Conquests, directed by Matthew Warchus
Best Entertainment Noel Coward's Brief Encounter La Clique Maria Friedman: Re-Arranged Best New Musical Jersey Boys, book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe Zorro, book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, music by The Gipsy Kings, original story by Stephen Clark & Helen Edmundson, music co-composed and adapted by John Cameron
Best Musical Revival La Cage Aux Folles, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Harvey Fierstein Piaf by Pam Gems Sunset Boulevard, book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton West Side Story, based on a conception by Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, entire original production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins
Best Actress In A Musical Sofia Escobar, West Side Story Kathryn Evans, Sunset Boulevard Ruthie Henshall, Marguerite Elena Roger, Piaf Emma Williams, Zorro
Best Actor In A Musical Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles Denis Lawson, La Cage Aux Folles Ryan Molloy, Jersey Boys Matt Rawle, Zorro
Best Performance In A Supporting Role In A Musical Alexander Hanson, Marguerite Katherine Kingsley, Piaf Lesli Margherita, Zorro Jason Pennycooke, La Cage Aux Folles Dave Willetts, Sunset Boulevard
Best Director Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys Emma Rice, Brief Encounter John Tiffany, Black Watch
Best Theatre Choreographer Rafael Amargo, Zorro Steven Hoggett, Black Watch Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles Kate Prince, Into the Hoods Sergio Trujillo, Jersey Boys
Best Lighting Design Paule Constable, The Chalk Garden Paule Constable, Ivanov Neil Austin, No Man's Land Neil Austin, Piaf
Best Set Design Todd Rosenthal, August: Osage County Neil Murray (projections by Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll), Brief Encounter Tom Piper, The Histories Soutra Gilmour, The Lover And The Collection Paul Brown, Marguerite Best Costume Design Tom Piper and Emma Williams, The Histories Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests Christopher Oram, Twelfth Night
Best Sound Design Gareth Fry, Black Watch Simon Baker, Brief Encounter Steven Canyon Kennedy, Jersey Boys Christopher Shutt, Max Ringham & Ben Ringham, Piaf
Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre The ensemble cast of Oxford Street (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court) T he Royal Court Theatre's production of The Pride (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs) Clive Rowe for his performance in Mother Goose (Hackney Empire) Jo Newbery for the design of Scarborough (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court)
Best New Opera Production The Royal Opera's Don Carlo The Royal Opera's The Minotaur English National Opera's I Pagliacci English National Opera's Partenope
Outstanding Achievement In Opera Patricia Bardon for her performances in The Royal Opera's The Rake's Progress and in English National Opera's Partenope and Riders To The Sea Feruccio Furlanetto for his performance in the Royal Opera's Don Carlo Ed Gardner for conducting English National Opera's Boris Godunov, Cavalliera Rusticana, Der Rosenkavalier, I Pagliacci, Riders To The Sea and Punch And Judy Christine Rice for her performances in the Royal Opera's The Minotaur and English National Opera's Partenope
Best New Dance Production Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal's Café Muller/The Rite Of Spring The Royal Ballet of Flanders' Impressing The Czar The Royal Ballet's Infra DV8's To Be Straight With You
Outstanding Achievement In Dance The company of the Royal Ballet of Flanders for their performances in Impressing The Czar The company of the The Royal Ballet for their performances in Infra Savion Glover, Marshall Davis, Jr. and Maurice Chestnut for their performances in Bare Soundz
Established in 1976, the Laurence Olivier Awards are widely regarded as London theatre's most prestigious awards in London theatre. It was in 1984 that Lord Laurence Olivier agreed to have his name associated with the honor.
The bronzed Laurence Olivier Awards, designed by sculptor Harry Franchetti to represent Olivier in his role as Henry V, will be presented at a ceremony held at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday, March 8, 2009.
Gavin Creel's World Turned Upside-Down by Mary Poppins
Starting tonight, Ohio native Gavin Creel takes to the rooftops of London as cockney Bert in the unbelievably excellent Olivier Award-winning production of Mary Poppins. Creel is making his West End debut, and right about the moment I am writing this, I'm imagining him dancing upside-down, thanks to Matthew Bourne's breathtaking choreography.
I've truly enjoyed watching the rise of this budding star. Not only did I see Creel's Tony-nominated work in the thoroughly enjoyable Thoroughly Modern Millie back in 2002, but I was also among the relatively few who had a chance to see him in the world premiere of the short-lived Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical Bounce opposite Richard Kind and Howard McGillin at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in August of 2003.
As regular readers may recall, Mary Poppins ranks as my absolute favorite show of the 2004-05 Theatrical Season, but La Cage Aux Folles -- the second regular Broadway show to feature Creel and winner of the 2005 Tony for Best Revival of a Musical --was on my honorable mention list for the same year. I'm pleased to see Creel take on this exciting role. To learn more about Creel's first-hand experience, you may want to visit his official blog.
Perhaps once Gavin Lee -- who originated the role of Bert in London -- concludes his upcoming run in the stateside version of Mary Poppins, the American Gavin might make a triumphant and welcome return to the Great White Way as the world's favorite chimney sweep.
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!
