Steve On Broadway (SOB)

SOB's Best Of 2008-09: Best Musical Revivals

SOB's Best Of 2008-09: Best Musical Revivals

Over the past year, I've managed to see over 70 performances of a wide range of musicals, plays and "special theatrical events." Ten of those were revivals of musicals, including three of my favorite tuners of all time (each of which, sad to say, disappointed me to varying degrees).

While four of the revivals I saw were produced on Broadway, three of the best were found elsewhere. Thankfully, it's been reported that the one musical revival at the top of my "5 Best" list is likely to be Broadway bound.

Drumroll, please:


5 - Pal Joey (Studio 54, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, New York)

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's enduring classic "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" from Pal Joey lived again thanks to Joe Mantello's sparkling revival.

This was certainly not your grandfather's Pal Joey, as John O'Hara's book was substantially updated by Richard Greenberg. Nevertheless, the underlying story of the ne'er-do-well ladies' song-and-dance man Joey Evans, who blithely bounces between women, remained true to the original. Stockard Channing imbued her Vera with a natural grace, style and seductiveness. But the real revelation was the bewitching Martha Plimpton in her absolutely stunning portrayal of Gladys Bumps. Is there nothing this amazing Tony-nominated actress can't do?

In this entertaining Pal Joey, bewitched won out over both bothered and bewildered.


4 - The Pajama Game (Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts, Bloomington Civic Theatre, Bloomington, Minnesota)

"Seven and a half cents," as the song from Richard Adler and Jerry Ross' 1954 musical The Pajama Game duly notes, "doesn't buy a hell of a lot."

But just try telling that to the nearly flawless cast of 27 and 17-piece orchestra members from Minnesota's Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts' production of The Pajama Game. Their indomitable spirit joined forces with John Command's nearly pitch-perfect direction to make this roundly enjoyable revival practically as good as a Broadway show, yet at a fraction of a Rialto budget. It never ceases to astound me when I take in a small regional production that bundles boundless energy and determination to make for an entertaining evening at the theatre, worthy of what "the professionals" of the Great White Way do.

It's true that good things can come in small packages. And for the relatively small package price of just $25 per top ticket, this Pajama Game was most definitely a good thing worth trying on for size.


3 - Caroline, Or Change (Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Finally! Change we can believe in.

An intensely profound, mystical musical, Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's Caroline, Or Change -- as directed and choreographed by Marcela Lorca at Minnesota's Guthrie -- transfixes, even as it transports. Kushner ingeniously uses the coins Caroline Thibodeaux continually finds while washing the pants of young Noah Gellman as a transcendent metaphor for all the sweeping change surrounding her, including the emerging civil rights movement, the swelling Vietnam War and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Greta Oglesby's brave turn as Caroline alone is worth the price of admission. As Oglesby transforms, she breaks your heart.


2 - Hair (Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York, New York)

Want a good buzz? Then go see Diane Paulus' inspired third coming of Hair -- unequivocally Broadway's best musical revival this season. Paulus finds the sun and lets it shine in with her exceptional cast radiating the alternately playful and poignant score from Gerome Ragni, James Rado and Galt MacDermot.

If the second act isn't exactly the first's equal, Paulus more than makes up for it with a heartwrenching conclusion that sneaks up on you with a powerful wallop. It left me teary-eyed.

Credit Tony nominee Gavin Creel with his charisma and exquisite voice for winning the day. With the boundless energy of the cast, you just might find yourself treading the boards of the Hirschfeld yourself.


1 - A Little Night Music (Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom)

Isn't this rich?! Who would have thought that a show staged in a style so deceptively simple could be so sublime, not to mention utterly romantic. Rich, indeed.

Now, if you're not a romantic at heart, you need not bother. But for the rest of us, there's the pure heaven found in Trevor Nunn's gorgeous revival of A Little Night Music. It enveloped every one of my senses like a welcome salve for these troubled times. Only a heart of stone could not be moved by Stephen Sondheim's ravishing score and Hugh Wheeler's über-clever book.

Thanks to Nunn's deft and gentle touch, this tale of requited love in turn-of-the-20th-Century Sweden feels timeless, transcending all expectations. It is sure to make you feel a twinge in your heart and leave a tear in your eye. The bewitching allure of this excellent revival has already transferred to the West End, but how about to Broadway? Well, maybe later this year.


So what were the best musical revivals 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).

Labels: A Little Night Music, Best Revivals of Musicals, Broadway, Caroline Or Change, Hair, London, Minnesota, Musicals, Pal Joey, SOB's Best of 2008-09, The Pajama Game

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, June 03, 2009 3 comments

The Pajama Game (The SOB Review)

The Pajama Game (The SOB Review) - Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts, Blooming-ton Civic Theatre, Blooming-ton, MN

*** (out of ****)

"Seven and a half cents," as the song from Richard Adler and Jerry Ross' 1954 musical The Pajama Game duly notes, "doesn't buy a hell of a lot."

But just try telling that to the nearly flawless cast of 27 and 17-piece orchestra members from Minnesota's Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts' production of The Pajama Game. Their indomitable spirit has joined forces with John Command's nearly pitch-perfect direction to make this roundly enjoyable revival practically as good as a Broadway show, but coming in at a fraction of a Rialto budget.

It never ceases to astound me when I take in a small regional production that bundles boundless energy and determination to make for an entertaining evening at the theatre, worthy of what "the professionals" of the Great White Way do. And that, my friends is exactly what you'll get by taking in this delightful bit of bliss, just six miles or so southwest of the Mall of America.

To be candid, while I'm quite familiar with Adler and Ross' enjoyable score and I understood that George Abbott and Richard Bissell's story centered on the love affair and conflict between pajama factory manager Sid Sorkin and female union member Babe Williams, I had never before seen a live stage production until now. (I found myself disappointed that the short-lived 2006 Tony-winning revival starring Harry Connick, Jr. as Sid opposite Kelli O'Hara as Babe was sold-out every time I tried getting my hands on some tickets.)

The Pajama Game itself is not necessarily one of the greatest or most groundbreaking musicals of all time. Indeed, it feels like a quaint, nostalgic little throwback to the fifties even with its attempts to highlight the disparity between white and blue collar workers. It also contains a number of tunes that, truth be told, fail to advance the story, shoe-horning in numbers like the more or less unrelated "Steam Heat" and "Hernando's Hideaway" merely to showcase the choreography initially provided by Bob Fosse (and recreated here quite well by Command).

But all that is basically a moot point, given the endearing appeal of the talented cast. As Sid, the lanky Michael Kaup scores in capturing the compartmentalized Sid, who's easily able to separate his professional and personal relationships with Babe. Stephanie Anderson imbues her Babe with a savvy, revolutionary verve, never forgetting or betraying her bond with fellow union members, but always a charmer nonetheless. Together, the two have great chemistry blending their voices toward an ultimately harmonious conclusion.

They're buttressed by strong supporting players, including the exceptional loose-limbed Edward Williams, Jr. as the local union Prez and the gorgeous Timmy Hays as one of his many objects of affection Gladys. But most of all, the sensational David Ulrich ignites the show with his Broadway-caliber performance as Sleep Tite's foreman Hines. Ulrich's terrific sense of timing and comedic skills, along with fancy footwork, grabbed hold of my attention right from the start and assured me I was about to see a fantastic production.

Credit also goes to Robin McIntyre for an unusually complex stage design that's most definitely on par with the Great White Way, as well as Ed Gleeman's costume design, which succeeds in evoking the styles of the fifties.

It's true that good things can come in small packages. And for the relatively small package price of just $25 per top ticket, this Pajama Game is most definitely a good thing worth trying on for size.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets.

Labels: David Ulrich, Edward Williams Jr., Jerry Ross, John Command, Michael Kaup, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Musical, Revival, Richard Adler, Stephanie Anderson, The Pajama Game, The SOB Review, Timmy Hays

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Saturday, May 17, 2008 2 comments

Pajama Game Only To Be Played On The Road

Pajama Game Only To Be Played On The Road

The recent, critically-acclaimed revival of The Pajama Game that stunned much of the theatre community with its Best Revival of a Musical Tony win last month is going to tour in 2007-08. The tuner that provided Harry Connick, Jr. with his Broadway debut alongside Kelli O'Hara closed mid-June as part of a limited Roundabout Theatre Company run at the American Airlines Theatre.

While the Kathleen Marshall-helmed musical was expected to reopen at another Broadway venue this fall, that scenario is now unlikely due to the dearth of available space. Details of the tour will be divulged at a later date.

The Pajama Game was the one musical of the 2005-06 season that I really wanted to see, but couldn't get tickets for. It was a sell-out smash hit. Now I find myself disappointed yet again that I simply won't be able to see this incarnation on Broadway and will have to see it on tour.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Broadway, Musical, Revival, The Pajama Game, Touring Production

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, July 11, 2006 0 comments

BOYS' BIG NIGHT OUT: And The Tony Goes To... Complete List of Winners

BOYS' BIG NIGHT OUT: And The Tony Goes To... Complete List of Winners

It was a huge night for Broadway shows about two distinctly different kind of boys -- The History Boys and Jersey Boys -- at last evening's 60th Annual Tony Awards. The History Boys proved the biggest victor throughout the presentation with six coveted awards in play categories including Best Play, while Jersey Boys scored four awards in musical categories including Best Musical.

The Drowsy Chaperone fans were likely disappointed, despite the fact that the completely original musical was awarded five Tonys including Best Original Score and Best Book. Winning two Tonys each, The Pajama Game and Awake and Sing! were the respective choices for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Revival of a Play.

Here is the full list of winners:

Best Play: The History Boys by Alan Bennett

Best Musical: Jersey Boys

Best Book of a Musical: The Drowsy Chaperone - Book by: Bob Martin and Don McKellar

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics): The Drowsy Chaperone - Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison (music & lyrics)

Best Revival of a Play: Awake and Sing!

Best Revival of a Musical: The Pajama Game

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Richard Griffiths, The History Boys

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Cynthia Nixon, Rabbit Hole

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: LaChanze, The Color Purple

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Ian McDiarmid, Faith Healer

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Frances de la Tour, The History Boys

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical: Christian Hoff, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical: Beth Leavel, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Scenic Design of a Play: Bob Crowley, The History Boys

Best Scenic Design of a Musical: David Gallo, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Costume Design of a Play: Catherine Zuber, Awake and Sing!

Best Costume Design of a Musical: Gregg Barnes, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Lighting Design of a Play: Mark Henderson, The History Boys

Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Howell Binkley, Jersey Boys

Best Direction of a Play: Nicholas Hytner, The History Boys

Best Direction of a Musical: John Doyle, Sweeney Todd

Best Choreography: Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game

Best Orchestrations: Sarah Travis, Sweeney Todd

For those fond of the total count, here it is:

The History Boys -- six awards.
The Drowsy Chaperone -- five awards.
Jersey Boys -- four awards.
The Pajama Game -- two awards.
Awake and Sing! -- two awards.
Sweeney Todd -- two awards.
The Color Purple -- one award.
Faith Healer -- one award.
Rabbit Hole -- one award.

Thus the 2005-06 Theatrical Season is now history. Hearty congratulations to all the winners!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
And The Tony Goes To... Top Categories (June 11, 2006)
And The Tony Goes To... Technical Categories (June 11, 2006)
The SOB Picks for 2006 Tony Awards (June 10, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Revival of a Play (June 5, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Revival of a Musical (June 4, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Play (June 3, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)
Tony Award Nominations Announced (May 16, 2006)

Labels: Awake And Sing, Jersey Boys, The History Boys, The Pajama Game, Tony Awards

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, June 12, 2006 0 comments

And The Tony Goes To... Top Categories

And The Tony Goes To... Top Categories


Here are the winners in the top musical and play categories of the American Theatre Wing's 60th Annual Tony Awards, highlighted in red (* denotes my predictions):


Best Play
Rabbit Hole
Shining City
The History Boys*
The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Best Musical
Jersey Boys
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone*
The Wedding Singer

Best Revival of a Play
Awake and Sing!
Edward Albee's Seascape
Faith Healer*
The Constant Wife

Best Revival of a Musical
Sweeney Todd*
The Pajama Game
The Threepenny Opera

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ralph Fiennes, Faith Healer
Richard Griffiths, The History Boys*
Zeljko Ivanek, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Oliver Platt, Shining City
David Wilmot, The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Kate Burton, The Constant Wife
Judy Kaye, Souvenir
Lisa Kron, Well
Cynthia Nixon, Rabbit Hole*
Lynn Redgrave, The Constant Wife

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, Sweeney Todd
Harry Connick, Jr., The Pajama Game*
Stephen Lynch, The Wedding Singer
Bob Martin, The Drowsy Chaperone
John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, The Drowsy Chaperone
La Chanze, The Color Purple
Patti LuPone, Sweeney Todd*
Kelli O'Hara, The Pajama Game
Chita Rivera, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Samuel Barnett, The History Boys
Domhnall Gleeson, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Ian McDiarmid, Faith Healer*
Mark Ruffalo, Awake and Sing!
Pablo Schreiber, Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Tyne Daly, Rabbit Hole*
Frances de la Tour, The History Boys
Jayne Houdyshell, Well
Alison Pill, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Zoë Wanamaker, Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, The Drowsy Chaperone
Jim Dale, The Threepenny Opera*
Brandon Victor Dixon, The Color Purple
Manoel Felciano, Sweeney Todd
Christian Hoff, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Carolee Carmello, Lestat
Felicia P. Fields, The Color Purple*
Megan Lawrence, The Pajama Game
Beth Leavel, The Drowsy Chaperone
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, The Color Purple

Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, The History Boys*
Wilson Milam, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Bartlett Sher, Awake and Sing!
Daniel Sullivan, Rabbit Hole

Best Direction of a Musical
John Doyle, Sweeney Todd*
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, The Wedding Singer
Donald Byrd, The Color Purple
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone*

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Color Purple, Music & Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray
The Drowsy Chaperone, Music & Lyrics: Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
The Wedding Singer, Music: Matthew Sklar; Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
The Woman in White, Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics: David Zippel

Best Book of a Musical
Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, The Wedding Singer
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Jersey Boys
Bob Martin and Don McKellar, The Drowsy Chaperone*
Marsha Norman, The Color Purple

I was truly stunned when The Pajama Game beat Sweeney Todd. I can only hope that as much of the original cast of The Pajama Game as possible will remain intact when the open-ended run of the production opens this fall.

Extremely disappointing was John Lloyd Young's victory for Jersey Boys. At the risk of being whacked, I had a hard time enjoying anything about his victory given that the Friday night I attended, he was not there. I loved his understudy but resent that Young thinks it OK to miss performances so early on. AND, he did not thank Frankie Valli -- shame!

As much I looked forward to Patti LuPone winning, I remarked shortly before LaChanze's victory that I would not cry if she won. She was stunningly wonderful in The Color Purple, and she competed in what I believe was the singular most competitive category -- and rightly so.

And on the win for Jersey Boys, see above. This jukebox musical is the most overrated show of the season.

All in all, I guessed correctly on 12 of the categories. I'll let you decide how well that means I did.
The 60th Tony Awards were telecast on Sunday, June 11 on CBS.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
And The Tony Goes To... Technical Categories (June 11, 2006)
The SOB Picks for 2006 Tony Awards (June 10, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Revival of a Play (June 5, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Revival of a Musical (June 4, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Play (June 3, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)
Tony Award Nominations Announced (May 16, 2006)

Labels: Awake And Sing, Jersey Boys, Rabbit Hole, The History Boys, The Pajama Game, Tony Awards

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Sunday, June 11, 2006 0 comments

Tony Award Nominations Announced

Tony Award Nominations Announced

There are plenty of theatre awards bestowed each year for Broadway and Off-Broadway performances, but none with quite the cachet of the American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards. The nominations for the 60th Annual Tony Awards were announced today in New York City by previous honorees Phylicia Rashad, Natasha Richardson and Liev Schreiber.

The Tony Awards were named for the legendary actress Antionette Perry who starred in 27 Broadway productions over nearly 40 years -- including her career capper in the celebrated comedy Harvey -- until her death in 1946.

The 2005-06 theatrical year nominees are:

Best Play
Rabbit Hole
Shining City
The History Boys
The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Best Musical
Jersey Boys
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Wedding Singer

Best Revival of a Play
Awake and Sing!
Edward Albee's Seascape
Faith Healer
The Constant Wife

Best Revival of a Musical
Sweeney Todd
The Pajama Game
The Threepenny Opera

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ralph Fiennes, Faith Healer
Richard Griffiths, The History Boys
Zeljko Ivanek, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Oliver Platt, Shining City
David Wilmot, The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Kate Burton, The Constant Wife
Judy Kaye, Souvenir
Lisa Kron, Well
Cynthia Nixon, Rabbit Hole
Lynn Redgrave, The Constant Wife

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, Sweeney Todd
Harry Connick, Jr., The Pajama Game
Stephen Lynch, The Wedding Singer
Bob Martin, The Drowsy Chaperone
John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, The Drowsy Chaperone
La Chanze, The Color Purple
Patti LuPone, Sweeney Todd
Kelli O'Hara, The Pajama Game
Chita Rivera, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Samuel Barnett, The History Boys
Domhnall Gleeson, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Ian McDiarmid, Faith Healer
Mark Ruffalo, Awake and Sing!
Pablo Schreiber, Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Tyne Daly, Rabbit Hole
Frances de la Tour, The History Boys
Jayne Houdyshell, Well
Alison Pill, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Zoë Wanamaker, Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, The Drowsy Chaperone
Jim Dale, The Threepenny Opera
Brandon Victor Dixon, The Color Purple
Manoel Felciano, Sweeney Todd
Christian Hoff, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Carolee Carmello, Lestat
Felicia P. Fields, The Color Purple
Megan Lawrence, The Pajama Game
Beth Leavel, The Drowsy Chaperone
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, The Color Purple

Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, The History Boys
Wilson Milam, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Bartlett Sher, Awake and Sing!
Daniel Sullivan, Rabbit Hole

Best Direction of a Musical
John Doyle, Sweeney Todd
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, The Wedding Singer
Donald Byrd, The Color Purple
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Orchestrations
Larry Blank, The Drowsy Chaperone
Dick Lieb and Danny Troob, The Pajama Game
Steve Orich, Jersey Boys
Sarah Travis, Sweeney Todd

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Color Purple, Music & Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray
The Drowsy Chaperone, Music & Lyrics: Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
The Wedding Singer, Music: Matthew Sklar; Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
The Woman in White, Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics: David Zippel

Best Book of a Musical
Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, The Wedding Singer
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Jersey Boys
Bob Martin and Don McKellar, The Drowsy Chaperone
Marsha Norman, The Color Purple

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty, Rabbit Hole
Bob Crowley, The History Boys
Santo Loquasto, Three Days of Rain
Michael Yeargan, Awake and Sing!

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
John Lee Beatty, The Color Purple
David Gallo, The Drowsy Chaperone
Derek McLane, The Pajama Game
Klara Zieglerova, Jersey Boys

Best Costume Design of a Play
Michael Krass, The Constant Wife
Santo Loquasto, A Touch of the Poet
Catherine Zuber, Awake and Sing!
Catherine Zuber, Seascape

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, The Drowsy Chaperone
Susan Hilferty, Lestat
Martin Pakledinaz, The Pajama Game
Paul Tazewell, The Color Purple

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Christopher Akerlind, Awake and Sing!
Paul Gallo, Three Days of Rain
Mark Henderson, Faith Healer
Mark Henderson, The History Boys

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington and Brian Monahan, The Drowsy Chaperone
Howell Binkley, Jersey Boys
Natasha Katz, Tarzan
Brian MacDevitt, The Color Purple

Regional Theatre Tony Award
Intiman Theatre in Seattle, Washington

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Harold Prince

Special Tony Award
Sarah Jones, Bridge and Tunnel

Overall, no big surprises on this list, including the near shut-out of the critically drubbed Tarzan, which managed to get only one nomination in the lighting category (one less than the universally panned Lestat, which garnered nods for featured actress Carolee Carmello and costume designer Susan Hilferty).

While I'm not surprised that Julia Roberts didn't make the cut for her part in Three Days of Rain, I do feel that Paul Rudd and the show itself were extremely deserving. I'm excited by the five nods received by The Wedding Singer, which was pure fun. Even more so, I am especially thrilled by how well Sweeney Todd did and believe that Patti LuPone should be practicing up on her acceptance speech now.

The 60th Tony Awards will be telecast at 8 pm EDT, Sunday, June 11 on CBS.

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Revival of a Play (June 5, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Revival of a Musical (June 4, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote....for Best Play (June 3, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)

Labels: Awake And Sing, Jersey Boys, The History Boys, The Pajama Game, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, May 16, 2006 0 comments