I know, the Tony Awards. We should have announced them. I try to be interested in the Tony Awards. I try. But being as how I don’t regularly attend NY Theater the Tonys are always a bit of a mystery to me in all ways. However, Entertainment Weekly was on the ball and they posted the complete list of winners. Looks like they liked In the Heights in a big way. Here is a sampling:
MUSICAL
In the Heights
PLAY
August: Osage County
REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
South Pacific
REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Boeing-Boeing
DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Bartlett Sher, South Pacific
DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Paulo Szot, South Pacific
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Patti LuPone, Gypsy
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Boyd Gaines, Gypsy
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Benanti, Gypsy
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Jim Norton, The Seafarer
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Rondi Reed, August: Osage County
ORIGINAL SCORE
In the Heights, Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
ORCHESTRATIONS
Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman, In the Heights
CHOREOGRAPHY
Andy Blankenbuehler, In the Heights
And did you notice Matt, how they enforced that resolve by bringing in the music promptly to “escort” the winners off the stage?
I saw the delightful, if somewhat uneven parody of Hitchcock’s THE 39 STEPS last night at the Cort Theatre on 48th Street with my wife Lucille. While the 1935 British thriller was the prime target of some imagnitive pantomine send-ups, a number of other Hitch classics buffooned like PSYCHO, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, VERTIGO, THE LADY VANISHES and THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH. This production is proof parcel that few props and simple sets can go a long way in the hands of excellent actors and deft writing. Definitely a Broadway show for classic film fans!
Pierre, the satin shorts he wears for the finale are actually SHORTER, if you can believe it.
And the Tonys are better at time management because CBS will absolutely not allow them to go even a little past 11.
Good point on Cheyenne there, Pierre!!! LOL!!!!
This year’s telecast seemed to have quite a few scenes from currently playing shows. I liked that. Judging from the reviews — as well as the scene from South Pacific that was on the Tonycast, that revival looked strong.
And how short can Cheyenne Jackson’s cut-offs get before they raid the place?
No doubt Chris. SOUTH PACIFIC was the evening’s big winner, and along with AUGUST, the two shows to see this theatre season.
Actually it would seem they loved South Pacific – 7 awards – or even August:Osage County – 5 wins – more than In the Heights with its 4 wins.
IN THE HEIGHTS was a worthy winner–I managed to see it a few weeks back, and while not a landmark musical, surely the best this year on Broadway. But the best plays I saw this year were multi-winner (for Best Play) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, which exhibited charming dysfunctional characters, envisioned by a cast of excellent thesps, and an off-Broadway comic, omnibus gem written by Ethan Coen titled ALMOST AN EVENING.
SOUTH PACIFIC richly deserved its Best Musical Revival win, while BOEING BOEING features an extraordinary Mark Rylance, whose win over MACBETH’S Patrick Stewart was actually the right decision, even if Stewart was the strongest element in the uneven updating of the great Shakespearean tragedy. At least Stewart was gracious, bolting out of his seat to congratulate Rylance.
As always the Tonys are better at time management than the Oscars.