Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 05/12/2003 08:54 AM PST

It's a day chock full of news. This just in from Playbill On-Line. The complete cast for Bounce has been announced (a rhyme)

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/79505.html

And the very scary news . Although I loved her in Chicago, the idea of Ms. Zeta-Jones and Mr. Douglas doing Private Lives makes me shiver. Here's the link

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/79504.html

Posted by Ben @ 05/12/2003 09:50 AM PST

Also, since Urban Cowboy got a nomination for Best Score and not much else, it's closing on Sunday, May 18th after the matinee.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/79507.html

Even though it's been dissed to death and in spite of the fact that I never had much interest in seeing it, since it was so roundly reviled, I am curious to see it, just to see how bad it really is. I'm off to the Equity office after work tomorrow to see if there will be any free tickets available. If not, I may break down and pay a TDF (Theatre Development Fund) e-tix price of $27 just to see it. That way, I will have heard and seen all the nominated Best Scores. I still need to see Movin Out and then I will have seen all the nominated musicals. It's on half-price so I should be able to squeak that one in before June 8.

Posted by Ben @ 05/12/2003 09:59 AM PST

Since many DRs don't check the late posts from the previous day, here is my comment again which I posted after reading the Tony nominations:

I can sum up the problem with the Tony nominations in 2 words: Paul Newman. I'm sorry, but Mr. Newman, a very good actor, did not give one of his Best Performances or one of the season's Best Performances in OUR TOWN. But Mr. Newman is a movie star and the chance that he will show up for the telecast and help the ratings was the only possible excuse for nominating him. I am so enraged with his nomination that every nomination that AMOUR, HAIRSPRAY, LONG DAY'S JOURNEY and other worthwhile shows got means a lot less. If anything, OUR TOWN and Mr. Newman's performance in it should be voted the most disappointing event of the season. This was the general consensus during the play's run, which sold out before it opened strictly on Mr. Newman's name. Nothing personal against Mr. Newman who is one of my favorite movie stars, but in no way was his work in OUR TOWN Tony (or any other award) quality. His nomination was for being a movie star who gave up a few months of his time to star on Broadway, not for giving one of the Best Performances

I was also surprised that HAIRSPRAY had no Supporting Actress Nominations, but that is probably because every supporting actress in the show deserves one and they couldn't pick out who deserved it most.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/12/2003 09:59 AM PST

Well, Dave, I think I'm going to tell you anyway, because who am I to keep such things from you (oh, a BK reference)?

"I owe my sooooooouuuuul...." pause, and nervously look over to Sparky for support (who has the straw of that instrument in his mouth). Sparky nods encouragingly, gives a thumbs up. You take a deep breath, psych yourself up, push the glasses up on your nose, and go for it. It's funniest if you growl out the last note, especially if you're only close. And even if you CAN hit the note, it's funnier if you don't. Oh, and wrap the bottle in plastic wrap -- they've been known to break.

Posted by Laura @ 05/12/2003 10:32 AM PST

Well - I for one say - that the nominations will provide for one heck of a television show!

As usual, as notable for the omissions as well as the names included - the Tony Awards are a mystery. But I will be watching. Hopefully at least one of the HHW ladies will win. Melissa Errico and Michelle Pawk should be proud of their nominations!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/12/2003 10:42 AM PST

Where is everybody today? I could understand that yesterday a lot of DRs were with their mothers, but it's a workday and (unless someone posts as I type) this is only the 8th post. On Tony day I really expected a lot of posts commenting on the nominations. We can't let BK down. We must make this the most popular site on the internet.

And if you have nothing to say, post and say that. Let us know you are out there and breathing.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/12/2003 10:54 AM PST

Laura,

The funny thing is, our Sparky *can* hit the low C! The director had us alternate in those parts at our first rehearsal, while we sang some harmony stuff, and he liked the blend with me singing the bass part. He never asked me to sing any of the solo stuff, though.

Ah, well...it should be interesting.

As for the Tonys, I can only say this. If I were the producers of URBAN COWBOY, I would be mighty miffed. To be passed over in favour of

a) a children's show, which many have argued has no place on Broadway
b) a pop ballet, which most do not even consider a musical
c) a show that is long-since-closed, and has no chance of road success

...well, that's just got to sting. A Tony nomination, and a chance to perform on the broadcast, might have helped the touring production of this show, which is bound to be better received on the road than in NYC. To overlook it, especially in a pretty slim season, seems to be especially spiteful.

All of this is said regardless of the quality of the show. Many shows have been nominated that were of questionable quality. (Some have even won.)

Posted by Dave @ 05/12/2003 10:59 AM PST

I'm here! I'm here!

I'll post more later. No real surprises in the Tony noms considering the season.

In the meantime, I'm here. -I'm sorry I missed the chat last night, but I was dealing with a personal issue. Thankfully, the air is clearing, and, hopefully, everything will be turning out for the best.

So... Good vibes are welcomed and appreciated.

I'll be back after my run... But I'm here!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/12/2003 11:00 AM PST

I think Edie Falco should have been there for Best Actress (Frankie and Johnny). I don't think she would have won. I think it's probably a lock for Vanessa Redgrave, but Falco should have been nominated. I also wonder that Marian Seldes was nominated for Dinner at Eight. The production got more nominations than I thought it would. It was a perfectly serviceable production but not Tony-worthy. I'm VERY glad that Denis O'Hare got nominated. I don't know if Take Me Out is the best new play, but his performance was an absolute stand out in my mind. I saw it downtown and on Broadway and both times I found a wonder and a magic in his performance. I cross my fingers and hope he wins!

Posted by Ben @ 05/12/2003 11:02 AM PST

I'm not sure that there is no place on Broadway for Frog and Toad. If there is a place for Mamma Mia and Urban Cowboy and Dance of the Vampires, there certainly can be a place for Frog and Toad. It's a charming and whimsical little piece. Granted, the prices are out of whack for most families but from what the little I've seen and heard of Urban Cowboy (clips and opinions of people I respect), Frog and Toad certainly sounds as if it's better in many respects than UC. Movin' Out is bringing up the same issues that Contact brought up, what is a musical? I don't think that discussion will finish anytime soon.

Posted by Ben @ 05/12/2003 11:08 AM PST

Dave---
I argee with you about the children's show and the pop ballet, but AMOUR was a very good show that would (probably) still be running if it had opened in an off-Broadway theatre. While it had its faults, it was a flawed gem in the wrong setting. It was too small and intimate for the large Broadhurst, but had it played a theatre like the Promenade or the Variety Arts it could have developed the kind of following that would have attended multiple times and also spread the word. It would not have had the Tony nominations but it probably would not have lost the money it did. As much as I detested Mr. Newman's nomination as a way to increase the television audience, I don't see why URBAN COWBOY should have been nominated just to expose it to future tour audiences.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/12/2003 11:09 AM PST

).

There--now that pesky parenthesis has been closed.

Posted by Strunk and White @ 05/12/2003 11:09 AM PST

'Bounce' and 'announced' do not rhyme.

Posted by Drumm @ 05/12/2003 11:17 AM PST

I apologize!

Posted by Ben @ 05/12/2003 11:24 AM PST

I was simply thrilled that Ms. Jayne Atkinson got a nomination for Enchanted April -- not that she has a chance of winning against Fiona Shaw or Vanessa Redgrave.

Posted by Philip Crosby @ 05/12/2003 11:57 AM PST

I was not stating an opinion as to the merits or worthiness of any of the nominated shows. I was just placing myself in the shows of the producers of URBAN COWBOY, who have surely been reading the dissenting opinions of the competition. It has been suggested in many different forums that MOVING OUT is no more a musical than CONTACT was, and that a children's show like FROG AND TOAD is not worth Broadway prices. And besides the fact that AMOUR is closed, it was not highly regarded by the critics or audiences when it was around. And whatever its charms (Melissa Errico being chief among them...yum), it is not the type of show that is likely to play well on the road.

In light of all of the above, I can certainly imagine the UC producers having a reasonable expectation of being nominated, and getting a chance to perform on the telecast.

And as regards WEL's last comment:

"I don't see why URBAN COWBOY should have been nominated just to expose it to future tour audiences"

...the answer is simple. That is what the Tony broadcast is for. It is a promotional tool for the producers of Broadway shows. It offers the chance to showcase their wares to the American public, prior to putting their shows on tour.

This is also the explanation for much of the way the nominations and voting takes place. FOSSE beats PARADE for Best Musical because it has a better chance on the road. Same reason LION KING beats RAGTIME. And on and on it goes...

Posted by Dave @ 05/12/2003 12:16 PM PST

WEHT: Orr, Lulu, KT, S. Woody, and many others.

Posted by bk @ 05/12/2003 12:59 PM PST

OK... I'll ask.. WEHT??

Posted by Craig @ 05/12/2003 01:13 PM PST

WEHT - ???

-Guess it was something from last night's chat.

Oh, just in case any one was trying to figure out what the common thread was among the movie themes I listed... All four - and few others - were in The Reader's Digest Collection (Treasury - ?) of Best Loved Songs - at least I think that's the title - it's the gold colored one with the green "sunbursts". I've always like the Reader's Digest music collections. Some nice arrangements, and the little blurbs and factoids about the songs are fun too. When I first started playing piano, my parents had this book, and I would noodle for hours on end. And trust me, I can imagine the sight of a ten-year old playing songs like "More", "A Time for Us", "Tenderly", "All the Things You Are", etc. at a party would have been a little "surprising". But I always enjoyed playing the songs, and I'm still amazed and pleased at how "soloistic" some of the arrangements are.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/12/2003 01:15 PM PST

I'm here. I haven't seen any of the Tony-nominated shows, so it would be unseemly for me to pass comment on the quality of the nominations. I will say, however, that I do hope that the awards recognize the best talent in each of the categories demonstrated over the last season. It would be a shame if the Tonys became more about marketing hype and politics than providing recognition where it is due.

Posted by Jay @ 05/12/2003 01:25 PM PST

Could the puzzle be solved herewit
WEHT
WHERE'S EVERYBODY HIDING TODAY?

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 05/12/2003 01:34 PM PST

WEL:
Bill:
Just to keep this board honest, "Amour" played at the smaller Music Box theatre, not the Broadhurst. The show closed before the date of my TDF tickets and I was disappointed to miss it.

Posted by steveg @ 05/12/2003 01:36 PM PST

The Tonys are supposed to be about rewarding excellence, and if they help ticket sales in New York or for tours that is just a residual benefit. Frankly, the potential audience for URBAN COWBOY probably won't watch the show to begin with, and those people who attend theatre on the road would be more likely to see the hillbilly music and bull and decide to skip it when it came to town as New Yorkers did in droves after the tv ads appeared. It is "theatre for people who don't usually go to the theatre" and being or not being on the Tonys will not matter to the show's potential road audience.

Frankly I think they should go back to the PBS/CBS split only give all the awards on PBS and present a straight variety show on CBS showcasing everything currently playing on Broadway, not just the nominated shows.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/12/2003 01:38 PM PST

Steve---
You're right about the theatre, but even that was too big for the show. The show was not perfect but it's good points far outweighed the bad and I also think if it were presented in French with Supertitles (like the Legrande musical film classics) it would have also been more effective.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/12/2003 01:40 PM PST

Craig, you who are so Internet savvy have to ask WEHT WEHT? WEHT is What Ever Happened To in Internet lingo.

Posted by bk @ 05/12/2003 01:52 PM PST

WEL, the Tonys might be about rewarding excellence (and I did say "might"), but the Tony broadcast is most certainly about promoting Broadway and the shows that play there. Producers campaign long and hard to get their shows on the telecast, so that audiences outside of New York will see just a glimpse of them. Many people plan their NYC theatre trips based on what they see on the Tonys. Many decide which tours to see and which subscriptions to buy based on the broadcast.

One need only look at who is chosen to host the awards to realize that the presentation is designed as a marketing tool. It is not the legends of the stage who are chosen, but more often the television and movie stars who have chosen to take on a role on Broadway.

We agree on one thing, though. The awards belong on PBS. They have consistently handled their portion of the broadcast better than CBS has. But of course, the broadcast is on CBS, because the target audience doesn't watch PBS. Like I said, it's all about marketing.

Posted by Dave @ 05/12/2003 02:27 PM PST

Jose: I thought the Readers Digest sets included every song ever written. I have a few of the sets but not that one.
I just checked the Awards link. La Boheme is a "musical"? Maybe "Rent" is an opera. I didn't think Baz had changed the show that much. Did ALW rewrite it?
Looking forward to the interview with Horton The Elephant - A wonderful performance by an amazing talent (Yes I did see it). Can't comment on the TA as I only have heard "Hairspray" and "MoLA" on CD. I do hope the Telecast is a good surprise this year.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/12/2003 02:27 PM PST

Thanks for the question Jose. One of my favourite from the old sets on record was the Richard Rogers "Victory At Sea" suite. Must see if it available on CD at all. Thanks for the memory jolt.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/12/2003 02:30 PM PST

We are unlikley to see the Tony Awards at all on TV in Australia. I am hopeful that one of my regular correspondents from HHW will be able to video the show for me. Line up with your offers!

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/12/2003 02:33 PM PST

Yes, Tom. La Boheme is a musical now. Just like Swan Lake was a few years ago.

Posted by Laura @ 05/12/2003 02:48 PM PST

I am here. I have not had time to
post with thought and feeling the
past few days, but I do now. So here
I am.
I am not annoyed by the Tony
nominations as others. I have only a
few issues.
Of course La Boheme is a musical.
Story told through music and words.
It definitely deserves a nomination,
at least. (I think that Gypsy will win.)
No nomination for Edie Falco? What
a shame, especially because she
was supposedly better than Tucci.
But whose place would she take? It's
an entirely strong category, with no
bad apples.
Who should have Newman's spot for
"Our Town"? Interesting: he also
stole an Oscar nomination this year,
from Dennis Quaid.
It's a shame that "Frog and Toad" got
no acting nominations. Frank
Vlastnik (Snail) was supposed to be
absolutely divine.
Dinner at Eight over Medea in Best
revival nomination? Huh? It's
generally surprising that it did so
well. I am looking forward to see the
nominated sets on the broadcast,
though.
Is someone missing from the
Featured Actress in a Play category?
Someone seems to be. (I'm betting
on Emond to win, mostly for
Homebody/Kabul.)
I hope that Def Poetry Jam wins for
Special Event. Especially over those
Maher and Mason, who make me
want to scream to the heavens in
lamentation of what they let onto
Broadway these days.
I think that that is all. More drama to
come, I'm sure.

Posted by Hapgood @ 05/12/2003 03:04 PM PST

IMHO there is quite a distinction between opera and musical theatre. Are operas usually nominated in best revival of a musical. I assume there is an Opera season every year in NY. I guess that they would be mostly revivals. Are the performers in the operas nominated for best "musical" categories as well. Just asking. I know not.
Good point Laura. "Swan Lake" has some of my favourite songs. Maybe that was Barbra's song in "Funny Girl". I remember it well. (Gigi).
I still see distinctions but I am old. Opera Companies now do "Sweeney Todd" but is does not make Sondheim's work an Opera.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/12/2003 03:22 PM PST

Aha...I guessed the WEHT, a nano-second before I read the interp.
Hey, I posted yesterday and Friday, I'm sure of it. I know yesterday, I remarked about the major B.A. bouquet I got for Mother's Day...

I can't remark about the Tonys...being so far off-off-off-off-off-off Broadway in this cultural wasteland (but I CAN play video poker at the speed of light); but I love watching them for the elegance of it all, and also seeing excerpts from the season's plays and musicals. Even some of the nominees are unfamiliar to me. It shames me, because I am a native NYC-er.

Posted by KT @ 05/12/2003 03:35 PM PST

Tom, LA BOHEME was booked into the Broadway Theatre, a legitimate house which is what enabled it to be eligible for Tony consideration.

The fact is, the producers of the Tonys could still have a musical sequence from URBAN COWBOY if they want. Many shows not nominated for the Best Musical Tony have had numbers on the show. Three come to mind immediately: THE ACT, THE RINK, and I REMEMBER MAMA. I see no reason to give a nomination to URBAN COWBOY just so it can have a number on the Tonys. It should be nominated if it's worthy of being comsidered a Best Musical. Negotiating with the producers of the show should be the next step that URBAN's producers attempt, and with its score being nominated, they could possibly make a case for it.

Posted by Matt H. @ 05/12/2003 04:38 PM PST

Tom.. also, now in america - if you are a singer who sings in a billy joel cover band you can get a best actor nomination too!

Posted by Craig @ 05/12/2003 05:02 PM PST

WEHT moi? I've been busy over at eGullet.com lately, giving the more snobby foodies h-e-double-toothpicks (and some of them need to use those toothpicks, too). I've even got Anthony Bourdin, of Cook's Tour and Kitchen Confidential fame, pretty much on my side on some of my comments, so it's worth the time I've had to take.

My take on the Tony nominations is that it's all very interesting, but I'm not really clear on what these awards mean any more to those of us who aren't attending theater in NYC. Of the four plays nominated for Best Play, I know what two are about because of what I've read. But I'm unclear on the subject matter of Enchanted April and Vincent in Brixton, and while I'm happy for them to get nominated, the nomination itself isn't enough to make me want to see them. (I got burned badly enough when my ever-lovin' der Brucer and I saw The Beauty Queen of Leenane a few years back, which reaped Tonys galore but I found to be a pile of pigeon droppings (a squab reference).)

As it stands right now, the only two Tony awards that have any meaning for me this year are the Lifetime Achievement award to Cy Feuer, and the Regional Theater award to the Children's Theater Company of Minneapolis, MN. Not that I am familiar with that theater, but I'm always impressed with the Regional Theater award, which usually goes to a theater that has truly earned the recognition over the years.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/12/2003 05:07 PM PST

DR Hapgood: Yes, Frank Vlastnik is great as the Snail. He has a wonderful number reprised three times.

DR Tom: I love Kevin Chamberlin. He was good in Seussical and he was wonderful in Dirty Blonde, a play written by Claudia Schearer (sp) about Mae West.

Posted by Ben @ 05/12/2003 05:11 PM PST

S. Woody: Vincent in Brixton was about a period of time that Vincent van Gogh spent in Brixton in England. I missed seeing it but I read the reviews and the Playbill article.

Enchanted April is a stage version of the 1992 (I believe) film of the same name about 4 women in post-World War I England who rent an Italian villa. I found it quite nice. It's a slight but very pleasant piece and Jayne Atkinson (the lead) was absolutely marvelous.

Posted by Ben @ 05/12/2003 05:18 PM PST

Enchanted April is also based on an
Elizabeth von Arnim novel from the
early 1920's.

I would be against a Metropolitan
Opera-style staging of La Boheme
being nominated as a musical, but
the Luhrmann staging seems to be
presenting it more like a musical,
that is with the attention given to the
totality of the story and production
rather than solely the music with
everything else (particularly acting)
being secondary.
Does anyone else remember the
"Forbidden Broadway" parody of
"Rent" that referred to it as "L. A.
Boheem"? I can't manage to call it
anything else now!

Posted by Hapgood @ 05/12/2003 05:32 PM PST

Yes yes, I've been quite errant
and truant the past few days.
Took an extended weekend
home for Mother's Day and
such. No comments on the
Tony nominations, as I've
never been to NY, let alone
seen this year's nominees
and/or snubs. However, while
home this weekend, my
mother and I did book our trip
to NY next month, and we will
be seeing Hairspray, Gypsy,
and Urinetown while we're
there. What with Bernadette's
attendance, I'm glad I saw to it
that we're seeing a Saturday
night show... figure we're more
likely to see her then.

Posted by Jed @ 05/12/2003 05:49 PM PST

Dear esteemed, guapo, lithesome and sinewy BK...

I am here....I am here.....
I am not truant and errant
like a misdirected parent,

Here am I....Here am I....
no time now to thrust and parry,
I must feed dear reader Kerry.

DR Jose -- If you think it was strange to play the songs from the Reader's Digest songbook, imagine what my family had to put up with....a very gutsy 11 or 12 year old sitting at the piano playing (and sometimes also singing) "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" and "You Gotta See Your Mama Every Night.." It was something to behold alright....I wonder how I ever got through Junior High and High school. DR Hapgood, the above is not recommended!

bye for now all

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/12/2003 06:11 PM PST

MusicGuy: Don't worry, I found my
OWN ways to barely get through
Middle and High schools.

I'm sort of disappointed that nobody
has countered my claims in favor of
L. A. Boheem.
By the way, "Movin' Out" is a musical
because the songs were sung
onstage, which is what makes it
different from "Contact," which was
not a musical. Anyone want to take a
swing at that one?

Posted by Hapgood @ 05/12/2003 07:09 PM PST

Where is everyone tonight? I feel
like an echo-chamber.

I had one more thought that I
needed to add: If Doulgas and Zeta-
Jones do "Private Lives," it will be
quite possibly the worst version of
that show EVER produced in the
history of recorded time. They are
wrong, wrong, wrong, WRONG for
the parts! It should be illegal to do
stuff like that to "Private Lives." It is
possibly the greatest comedy ever
written, and I hate that horrible awful,
miscast actors see it as a way to
make a quick commercial buck.
(Burton and Taylor, anyone?) This
must be stopped. If it is ever booked
into a theater, the theater must be
firebombed, promptly.

Posted by Hapgood @ 05/12/2003 08:15 PM PST

Jed, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't "L.A. Boheme" used in FORBIDDEN BROADWAY when Linda Ronstadt and Gary Morris were actually doing LA BOHEME on Broadway? ? ?
The RENT parody which I remember is the "Out Tonight" take-off about pnats being too tight. . .
As far as the nominations are concerned, I'm glad the the rotating casts of LA BOHEME are being honored; any one who has seen the dvd of Luhrman's production can vouch that the nominating committee made the right decision in putting this in the "musical" category. I think that Baz fared better with BOHEME than he did with his riff on TRAVIATA. . .

Posted by td @ 05/12/2003 08:20 PM PST

td- Not a clue, ask Hapgood :-)

Posted by Jed @ 05/12/2003 08:24 PM PST

Oh, in case anyone has forgotten Katie Couric is guest hosting THE TONIGHT SHOW. BUT, the big thing, pour moi, the musical guest is ROBBIE WILLIAMS! ! !
Just thought I'd share.

Posted by td @ 05/12/2003 08:25 PM PST

Dear Reader Dave -- Can you swallow fine?

Posted by Laura @ 05/12/2003 08:26 PM PST

Yeah, yeah, I saw that as soon as I hit "post."

I'm sure you can swallow just fine. Can you swallow FIRE?

Posted by Laura @ 05/12/2003 08:27 PM PST

Well, I have not seen any of this year's nominated shows, so I cannot say anything about the nominations at this time. No, I cannot say. I'm reticent.

However, I do hope that someone broadcasts the entire show. last year or the year before, our local PBS station chose not to run the first hour. I was so mad and chose not to renew my membership the next time they called.

Posted by Kerry @ 05/12/2003 08:37 PM PST

My biggest disappointment with the Tonys this year, as it has been for the last several years, is that the governing board has not seen fit to honor Julie Andrews with a special award. The woman created four of the most celebrated leading roles on the musical stage during her career, and I think that's worthy of Tony recognition. For heaven's sake, they gave Diana Ross a special Tony for doing a concert in a legitimate theater. Likewise Barry Manilow. They may have talent, but they have not made notable careers for themselves on the Broadway stage.

Even Audrey Hepburn, Barbra Streisand, and Carol Burnett were honored with special Tonys, and by my count each of them had only done two Broadway shows at the time they were honored with special Tonys (and Audrey had already won a Tony for one of her two stage parts.) Carol, at least, has returned to the stage since her Tony presentation. Audrey and Barbra never did, of course.

Posted by Matt H. @ 05/12/2003 08:48 PM PST

Oh, Kerry, CBS will carry the entire three hours this year. There will be no PBS show this year.

Posted by Matt H. @ 05/12/2003 08:49 PM PST

DR Matt H. -- I couldn't agree with you more about Julie Andrews

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/12/2003 08:52 PM PST

Hey Matt H. -- I can't remember, so please tell me again; what city do you live in? and are you just getting ready to go to college??

Inquiring minds, etc.

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/12/2003 08:59 PM PST

Don't you hate it when all of your post goes missing. Now I have to remember what I typed.
Thanks for all the feedback on La Boheme. It is strange for a non NY person and non USA person to "get" these blurred lines. Are your operas usually illegitimate. (At least I can identify with that).
Private Lives. I thought the couple wanted their private lives private!
I had the pleasure of seeing Maggie Smith & John Standing in the 1973 London production. The timing and delivery is so important in Coward's work. I am certainly no fan of Mr Douglas(Snr or Jnr)in the acting department. I have only seen Mrs Douglas in "Chicago" - a performance I enjoyed.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/12/2003 09:23 PM PST

I am back from Toronto. My mother was so devasted. I am glad I was there to comfort here.

As for the Tonys I would never have know they were announced if I didn't sign in today. It would be interesting to point out that if Fiona Shaw wins for her role in Medea it would continue the tradition of the actress who plays the role winning a tony award. The male counterpart is Pseudelous in A Funny Thing Happened... Also ineresting to point out the same four roles in Nine were also nominated.

Why is Frankie and Johnny considered a revival when it never played on Broadway? Just off? Edie Falco's ommission is interesting consider her co-star and only other actor in the play was nominated.

Why did the entire score of Urban Cowboy get nominated? I thought just the new songs were eligable. They flip flopped again here and have now left the field open to more of the film to stage transfers that used the already established songs plus a handful of new songs to be eligable for original score. I think this is wrong.

I guess the rotating casts of laBohem were honored with a special tony award instead of the opening night cast being eligable.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 05/12/2003 09:23 PM PST

I must check my email for all those many videotape offers! Yes! I can play USA videos.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/12/2003 09:24 PM PST

I'm not surprised my the Tony nominations, with the exception of the overlooking of Ms. Kerry Butler. Quite frankly, I'm pretty ticked about that. The thing is, I saw MOVIN' OUT, and I had to think hard to remember who Ashley Tuttle was! She dances on pointe. I guess that earns you a Tony nomination. Maybe having American Ballet Theatre in your bio helps.

I'm glad AMOUR got as many nominations as it did. I loved the show and I'm thrilled to think that they might perform on the broadcast this year.

I'm not at all suprised by the passing over of URBAN COWBOY. While I didn't enjoy the show (at all), I would like to respectfully ask that we not refer to country music as "hillbilly" music any longer. While some of us may not enjoy or appreciate a certain style or genre of music, let's try to keep in mind that others might. Even in Kentucky, "hillbilly" is considered a highly derogatory term, inferring that one is toothless, barefoot (and usually pregnant) and last but not least, ignorant. I assure you that I am none of these things and I enjoy many country music artists. Country music, much like musical theatre, is a purely American breed and, while it may not suit your tastes, please keep in mind that it does suit the tastes of millions of people around the country--I would even say around the world. I don't mean to make a big deal of it; I just cringe when I hear the word "hillbilly."

Now, why didn't DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES get a nomination? ;-)

Someone was asking me if I'd heard any word on the auditions yet (I think it was Tom): Well, no news yet. Apparently they're having another cattle call audition in a week or two for OKLAHOMA! The guys from MUSIC MAN said they'd just keep all of our information on file, whatever that might mean.

Posted by Jason @ 05/12/2003 09:32 PM PST

Re: the Tony Awards
Way out west in Arizona, I have always watched the Tony Awards just to see what was new on Broadway this year. After I began buying the Broadway series of the tours, I see what might be coming sometime in the future. This year, the tour was announced long before the Tony Award nominations. It seems to me that sometimes it's not who performed the best performance, but who had the best role.

Posted by Laura @ 05/12/2003 09:40 PM PST

We pretty much stayed on topic today, didn't we?

Tomorrow I will ask you folks about what I should see when I make my first-ever trip to NYC next month (well, at least the first-ever tip where I'll have time and credit). No doubt some of the shows will close after the Tony Awards.

Posted by Laura @ 05/12/2003 10:26 PM PST

Now BK, if you'd only bothered to read my liner notes for the "From The Terrace" CD - you'd know more than you even wanted to know about good old Ina!

Posted by Nick R @ 05/12/2003 10:27 PM PST

No late posts yet? Am I too early to be late?

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/13/2003 01:37 AM PST

Bruce, How did From the Terrace look. Did you watch the new dVD? the Old laser had no color at all. Is the sound 2.0 or 4.0?

Posted by Joe caporiccio @ 05/13/2003 04:29 AM PST

Jason---
There is a difference between C&W and "Hillbilly". While not my favorite type of music, C&W is melodic and with lyrics that usually make sense. "Hillbilly" is basically shitkickin' dance music that is far less interesting than regular C&W. From the clips I have seen, UC is "hillbilly" which is not meant as a derogatory term, just a description of a type of music. Perhaps the whole score is not "hillbilly" but the music they are using in the television ads to sell the show certainly is. To put it another way, all C&W is not "hillbilly", but all "hillbilly" is C&W.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/13/2003 06:11 AM PST

Prestent and Tardy.

Do you count attendance in our final grade?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/13/2003 07:13 AM PST

Er...uh, Present.

Do you count spelling in our final grade?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/13/2003 07:14 AM PST

RE: BK's inquiry...much is topsy-turvy in LuluLand at present. I am here, if not as verbose as usual. :)

Posted by Lulu @ 05/13/2003 07:48 AM PST

WEL: Being from the south, my idea of "hillbilly" is obviously different than yours. When a southern person refers to a "hillbilly" we are basically referring to a Lil' Abner-type character, chewin' on a piece of straw, pickin' at the banjo, poppin' out babies while puttin' up fruit preserves for the winter and sleepin' ten to a bed. "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," while it may be a basic shitkicking country dance song, is not hillbilly music. In fact, the degree of skill needed for the fiddle player alone makes it an impressive piece of music. The lyrics may not be the best, but I find it to be a VERY interesting piece of music. I am assuming that that's the song they play in the commercial, but you know what happens when we assume. In fact, having seen URBAN COWBOY, I can tell you that there isn't any music in the show that I would call hillbilly music. Bluegrass, maybe (think Dolly Parton's "Halos and Horns".) Country/Western line-dancing, yes. Country-Pop, yes. Hillbilly, no.

Perhaps I'm being more sensitive about this than I should be, but I've noticed how if anything seems even remotely southern up here, its automatically deemed "hillbilly," and that has, at times, included myself. You may not mean to use the word in a derogatory way, but for people from my "neck of the woods," it has a very negative vibe. Its the equivalent of saying "hick" or "white trash."

Posted by Jason @ 05/13/2003 07:55 AM PST

Jason: I love Patsy Cline. :)

Posted by Lulu @ 05/13/2003 07:56 AM PST

Lulu: So do I!

Posted by Jason @ 05/13/2003 07:58 AM PST

Sorry if I offended you in any way Jason. I tend to think of "hillbilly" as Ma and Pa Kettle and I guess that's what the bluegrass reminded me of. I remember a disk jockey (the kind on radio, not at a club or dance) refer to it as "hillbillious" music on a regular basis and I guess that sort of stuck. What I guess I meant was the music in UC doesn't appeal to most regular theatregoers but has an audience of its own who probably wouldn't be watching the Tony awards anyway.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/13/2003 08:08 AM PST

Tom from OZ---
I didn't see your request for the Tony tape until I got to work and I have your e-mail at home. I'll tape and send you a copy. Just e-mail me your address sometime between now and the telecast.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/13/2003 08:12 AM PST

I was here all along (almost a Secret Garden reference). I just had no time to post, even to say that I had no time to post. I wasn't doing anything very interesting, just busy. Well, there it is (a Ragtime reference).

I love the Tony Awards. I don't care so much about who's nominated as "I wanna see the production numbers on TV!" That's all I really care about. I can't imagine that the producers of the shows have any say in whether their show gets to be on the broadcast or not. Remember "It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues"? They got bumped from the broadcast and they were nominated for best musical but a song from the revival of "Little Me" with Martin Short was shown. How often do revivals get to have a song on the broadcast, anyway? I don't remember.

Posted by George @ 05/13/2003 08:13 AM PST

Production numbers from revivals that I can remember off the top of my head (at least the memorable ones...)

"Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat"
Martin Short's LITTLE ME number (that was TERRIBLE)
Faith's BELLS ARE RINGING number
"Shall We Dance?"
"My New Philosophy/Happiness" (That doesn't really count, though, since "Philosophy" was a new number.)
"Oklahoma!" & "The Farmer and the Cowman"
The ANNIE GET YOUR GUN montage (bleh)
"Seventy-Six Trombones"
"42nd Street" opened the show in 2001
"Comedy Tonight" (another opener)
"How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?/Do Re Mi/The Sound of Music"
"The Time Warp"
Wasn't there a big production number from SHOW BOAT?

All in all, there really aren't that many revivals featured on the Awards, are there? I guess they have a hard enough time fitting in all the Best Musical performances. Can anyone else think of any??

Posted by Jason @ 05/13/2003 08:25 AM PST

A few more...

1995
"Brotherhood of Man" from H2$

1997
"Tomorrow" from ANNIE
"Hot Honey Rag" from CHICAGO
"Shy" from ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
something from CANDIDE (can't remember which song right now)

1998
"Willkommen" from CABARET
"Sit Down, John" from 1776
"Do Re Mi" from THE SOUND OF MUSIC

In fact, I can't remember a year that I have watched the Tonys when most if not all of the nominated revivals performed a number on the broadcast.

Posted by Dave @ 05/13/2003 08:41 AM PST

Wow! I hadn't even thought back that far. And I forgot about the "Into the Woods" number last year.

Posted by Jason @ 05/13/2003 08:43 AM PST

They used to do a lot of musical numbers that had nothing to do with shows from the season they were awarding. One year they did a part of a number from every previous winner. This was during the period when Alexander Cohen was producing the show and it was considered "The Tiffany's of Award Shows". Also it was on ABC and they let it run as late as it needed to.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/13/2003 08:48 AM PST