Sunday, June 10, 2012

LIVE Tony Awards Blog

FINALLY!!!  The 66th Annual Antoinette Perry Awards are TONIGHT!!

Like last year, I'll be blogging live throughout the evening.  I'll be starting around 6PM, with the Red Carpet Arrivals, and ending around 11PM after they announce Best Musical.  I am most looking forward to the production numbers and play scenes, Neil Patrick Harris, and to see how I did at picking the winners!


SCROLL DOWN to see the older entries; the NEWEST stuff is on TOP!  
Please come back throughout the evening, and add your thoughts to the "comments" section below.  


Tony Tally: Once - 8, Peter and the Starcatcher - 5, Death of a Salesman, Newsies, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Porgy and Bess - 2, Clybourne Park, Follies, One Man, Two Guvnors, Other Desert Cities, Venus in Fur - 1


BEST MUSICAL JEFF MIKE TONY
Leap of Faith


Disney's Newsies: The Musical W

Nice Work If You Can Get It


Once S S/W Winner

Isn't it nice when art triumphs commercialism in musical theatre.  Bravo, Once.


11:00 Segment:


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Jan Maxwell,
Follies
S S
Audra McDonald,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
W W Winner
Cristin Milioti,
Once



Kelli O'Hara,
Nice Work If You Can Get It



Laura Osnes,
Bonnie and Clyde




Awesome speech, Audra!  Your tribute to your daughter makes me respect you in ways I never even considered.  Thank you.


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS (PLAY) JEFF MIKE TONY
Nina Arianda,
Venus in Fur
S S Winner
Tracie Bennett,
End of the Rainbow
D

Stockard Channing,
Other Desert Cities



Linda Lavin,
The Lyons
W W
Cynthia Nixon,
Wit
D D

YES!!!!!  God, she is great!

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (PLAY)           TONY
Jeff Croiter,
Peter and the Starcatcher
Winner
Peter Kaczorowski,
The Road to Mecca

Brian MacDevitt,
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

Kenneth Posner,
Other Desert Cities



10:27 Segment:


BEST MUSICAL NOMINEE: Leap of Faith "Rise Up" Makes you wonder how they missed Sergio Trujillo's choreography (again) and Raul Esparza.


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR (PLAY)                   TONY
James Corden,
One Man, Two Guvnors
Winner
Philip Seymour Hoffman,
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

James Earl Jones,
Gore Vidal's The Best Man

Frank Langella,
Man and Boy

John Lithgow,
The Columnist


How completely gracious.  And shocking.  And great.


OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Danny Burstein,
Follies
S S/W
Jeremy Jordan,
Disney's Newsies: The Musical



Steve Kazee,
Once


Winner
Norm Lewis,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
W

Ron Raines,
Follies




I've never been so glad to be wrong!  Way to go, Steve Kazee.  I am bawling!


10:15 Segment:


BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL JEFF MIKE TONY
Evita


FolliesW/S W/S
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

Winner
Jesus Christ Superstar




MUSICAL PRODUCTION NUMBER: Godspell "Day By Day"/"You Are the Light of the World" Sorry, Ken.  Corbin and company sounded out of tune, and what they did just wasn't exciting enough.


9:55 Segment:


OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Bob Crowley,
Once


Winner
Ron Howell and Jon Driscoll,
Ghost: The Musical
W

Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel,
Disney's Newsies: The Musical

W
George Tsypin,
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
S S


BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL NOMINEE: Evita "The Money Kept Rolling In" Another great choice, showing off Rick Martin is wise, and Elena looks perfect.  It also highlights just how great the musical staging is...


BEST PLAY JEFF MIKE TONY
Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris W W Winner
Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz S

Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice


Venus in Fur by David Ives
S


PLAY SEGMENT: Clybourne Park, Other Desert Cities, Peter and the Starcatcher, Venus in Fur I'm sure this will divide theatre lovers, but I thought it looked great on TV, and made all four look good.


OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN (PLAY)      JEFF MIKE TONY
John Lee Beatty,
Other Desert Cities



Daniel Osling,
Clybourne Park

S/W
Mark Thompson,
One Man, Two Guvnors



Donyale Werle,
Peter and the Starcatcher
S/W
Winner


OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN  (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Christopher Akerlind,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess



Natasha Katz,
Follies



Natasha Katz,
Once
S S/W Winner
Hugh Vanstone,
Ghost: The Musical
W

(Presented off the air)


9:42 Segment:


BEST MUSICAL NOMINEE: Once "Gold"  Great choice, gives a taste of how thew show will be.  The rare instance (and the only one so far tonight) of a truly theatrical show coming across on television.  And so artfully filmed...


BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY                                    TONY
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Winner
Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Master Class
Wit


OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (PLAY)            TONY
William Ivey Long,
Don't Dress for Dinner

Paul Tazewell,
A Streetcar Named Desire

Mark Thompson,
One Man, Two Guvnors

Paloma Young,
Peter and the Starcatcher
Winner
(Presented off the air)


9:25 Segment:


OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN (PLAY) JEFF MIKE TONY
Paul Arditti,
One Man, Two Guvnors



Scott Lehrer,
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
D D
Gareth Owen,
End of the Rainbow
D

Darron L. West,
Peter and the Starcatcher
S S/W Winner
(Presented off the air)


BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess "Summertime"/"I Got Plenty o' Nothing"/"It Ain't Necessarily So"/"I Love You Porgy/Bess You Are My Woman"  A nice tribute to the piece that makes the cast of nominees look their best!


OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE JEFF MIKE TONY
Frank Wildhorn and Don Black,
Bonnie and Clyde



Alan Menken and Jack Feldman,
Disney's Newsies: The Musical
S/W S/W Winner
Grant Olding,
One Man, Two Guvnors



Wayne Barker and Rick Elice,
Peter and the Starcatcher





Composer Number:  Very clever


9:10 PM Segment:


PLAY SEGMENT:  Including Peter and the Starcatcher, One Man, Two Guvnors, End of the Rainbow  High energy, all three come out looking great.  Will Middle America realize Judy Garland wasn't a drag queen?


OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Elizabeth A. Davis,
Once



Jane Houdyshell,
Follies

W
Judy Kaye,
Nice Work If You Can Get It
S/W S Winner
Jessie Mueller,
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever



Da'Vine Joy Randolph,
Ghost: The Musical





OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Gregg Barnes,
Follies


Winner
ESosa,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess



Eiko Ishioka,
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
S/W S/W
Martin Pakledinaz,
Nice Work If You Can Get It



(Presented off the air)


8:50 PM Segment:


BEST MUSICAL NOMINEE: Nice Work If You Can Get It "Someone To Watch Over Me"/"Sweet and Lowdown" - They included the best moment in the whole show...love the gun... and the most "challenging" dance number in the show...LOL


OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY) JEFF MIKE TONY
Christian Borle,
Peter and the Starcatcher
S S Winner
Michael Cumpsty,
End of the Rainbow
D

Tom Edden,
One Man, Two Guvnors


Andrew Garfield,
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
D D/W
Jeremy Shamos,
Clybourne Park
W



Spider-Man joke is funny, obvious and hilarious with Angela playing up the joke in the boring speech of the night!  Cool all the way around... And Angela looks AMAZING!


8:40 PM Segment:


BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Jesus Christ Superstar "Superstar" Unimpressive in every way.  As flat as the whole production.  Boring costumes, boring choreography.  Josh Young good, but worth $150 a ticket. No.  At least now I know what Jesus was mumbling on that cherry picker... zzzz


OUTSTANDING DIRECTION (PLAY) JEFF MIKE TONY
Nicholas Hytner,
One Man, Two Guvnors

S
Pam MacKinon,
Clybourne Park



Mike Nichols,
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
D/W D/W Winner
Roger Rees and Alex Timbers,
Peter and the Starcatcher
S


OUTSTANDING DIRECTION (Musical): John Tiffany, Once


OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Acme Sound Partners,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
W

Clive Goodwin,
Once
S S/W Winner
Kai Harada,
Follies


Brian Ronan,
Nice Work If You Can Get It





MUSICAL NUMBER: Ghost: The Musical "Unchained Melody/"I Had A Life" Necessary to include "Melody" and what a great showcase of the talent of the three leads.  Nice job!


8:22 PM Segment: 


BEST REVIVAL OF MUSICAL NOMINEE: Follies "Buddy's Blues" Danny Burstein is so great.  Even nuanced in this fantasy number...  out of contest, not too bad, but ... well it is closed.  I'd have gone with a Jan Maxwell number.


OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR  (MUSICAL) JEFF MIKE TONY
Phillip Boykin,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
S

Michael Cerveris,
Evita

S/W
David Alan Grier,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess



Michael McGrath,
Nice Work If You Can Get It
W
Winner
Josh Young,
Jesus Christ Superstar





8:00 PM Segment: The Tonys


BEST MUSICAL NOMINEE: Disney's Newsies: The Musical That newspaper dance never gets old.   Thrilling.  Goose-bumps.


Best Featured Actress in a Play: Judith Light, Other Desert Cities Genuine shock and an adrenaline rush?  YOU GO, JUDITH!


Opening Number, Part I: The Book of Mormon "Hello":  Good sports, all, and so glad they did that number.  "50 Shades of Gay"  Topical. Obvious.  Funny anyway.
Neil looks dapper.
Opening number, Part II: "What If Life Were More Like Theatre?" CHARLIE WILLIAMS!!!  MARY POPPINS!!  PATTI LUPONE!!!  JESSE TYLER FERGUSON!!!  Annie...  clever and so exciting!


7:45 PM: The Creative Arts Tonys




OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRATIONS JEFF MIKE TONY
William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke,
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess



Bill Elliott,
Nice Work If You Can Get It



Martin Lowe,
Once
S/W S/W Winner
Danny Troob,
Disney's Newsies: The Musical





OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY          JEFFMIKE TONY
Rob Ashford,
Evita
S

Christopher Gattelli,
Disney's Newsies: The Musical
W S/W Winner
Steven Hoggett,
Once



Kathleen Marshall,
Nice Work If You Can Get It





OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICALJEFFMIKETONY
Douglas Carter Beane,
Lysistrata Jones



Harvey Fierstein,
Disney's Newsies: The Musical



Joe DiPietro,
Nice Work If You Can Get It
W

Enda Walsh,
Once
SS/W Winner


7:30 PM: The Creative Arts Tonys


Congratulations to the Special Tony Winners: Bernadette Peters, The Isabelle Stevenson Award; Hugh Jackman and Actors Equity, Special Tony Awards; and the truly legendary Emanuel Azenberg for his Lifetime Achievement Tony.

Congratulations to the Regional Theatre Tony Award Winner: Shakespeare Theatre of Washington, DC.


7:15 PM: The Red Carpet Arrivals


Seems the coverage has stopped.  If so, I'm thankful.  Out of the whole thing, maybe three good questions, about a dozen embarrassing/inappropriate ones, and no one at NY1 has taught the on-air "talent" how to use a microphone during an interview.  Two years in a row, crappy coverage and the stars that rose above it all!


7:00 PM: The Red Carpet Arrivals
  • Jessie Mueller, Norm Lewis, Spencer Kayden: Some of the greatest talent on the current Broadway stage.
  • Audra McDonald? Nick Jonas?  It's Nick!  What a nice guy!
  • Diane Paulus is so well-spoken.  I can only imagine her in rehearsal.  Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Condola Rashad are so sweet and humble.  Nice work, ladies.
  • Kelli O'Hara looks stunning!! Nice work, Roma..."We want to see you win for a change."  Idiocy personified.



6:45 PM: The Red Carpet Arrivals
  • The wonderful Hugh Jackman manages to be classy and avoid the embarrassment of Roma's getting wet all over him... can't wait for Houdini!
  • Broadway royalty... Bernadette Peters would be stunning in a burlap bag.  And can't you feel the genuine excitement from Rick Ellice and Roger Rees?  That, to me, is what it is all about.
  • Is it me or does Tracie Bennett look like Elaine Paige?  I love her raspy voice.
  • Nice work, reporter, for mispronouncing Lysistrata Jones.

6:35 PM: The Red Carpet Arrivals
  • Harvey Fierstein and Jeremy Jordan: Old school theatre legend and new generation legend to be!
  • The Keenan-Bolgers and Cristin Milioti.  Together. What more needs to be said?
  • Cynthia Nixon getting her hair back and looking FABOO!
  • Jeremy Shamos.  Enough said.  Jessica Chastain makes me want to see The Heiress.  Beth Leavel.  Enough said.
  • I've never been a huge Josh Groban fan, but if I can get (even more) shallow for a second...the scruffy look on him gets me HOT!  :-)
6:20 PM: The Red Carpet Arrivals
  • Congrats to Michael Cumpsty who made Roma blush with her stupid observation.  Very cool!
  • Awesome reply to the "are you overshadowed by the enormity of the show?" by Ghost stars Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy!
  • Note to Elizabeth A. Davis: You need to weigh more than your violin.  Feel free to eat a whole cheesecake tonight!
  • And David Alan Grier...classy way to turn the light on Elizabeth... and your excitement is contagious!
  • I was wondering how long it would be before one of the interviewers started to sing a show tune to an actor... Michael Cerveris answers the night's first intelligent question very intelligently.
  • I love Jane Houdyshell... a hot mess who carries it well.  Most obvious question of the evening so far... and she gets a "10" for her answer!
  • Isn't it nice that the Times Square girl is getting decent people to interview this year?  I think so.
6PM: The Red Carpet Arrivals
  • Alan Menken is a class act all the way, and you gotta love his "kick ass" daughter's support!
  • I had no idea that Jeff Calhoun was so tall...  "Once and For All/Seize the Day"  Can't wait!
  • Steve Kazee rocks!  Classy...  leave it to Roma Torre to bring up his "low points" of the year.  She's as good an interviewer as she is a critic.  I am one of those who cry every time I hear "Falling Slowly".  Bringing up mom's death...geez.  He handled it with such finesse.
  • Rebecca Luker's hair: A+; Danny Burstein: A+ so cool.
  • 2 time JKTS Award winner Adam Chanler-Berat, the future of Broadway generation.  Smart funn and irreverent.
5:45 PM: On the way




See what I mean?  They aren't even my kids, and I'm bursting with pride!


5:15 PM: More preparation




Speaking of sexy (and awfully nice)... Andrew Keenan-Bolger!  Can you imagine how proud the parents must be?  Celia and Andrew in one family... WOW!


5:00 PM: Our host prepares




My God, Neil Patrick Harris is sexy...


4:30 PM:  The Preparation


At the risk of sounding sexist, I think it is cute/funny, that guys getting ready for the Tonys are Tweeting pictures of them holding up tux bags, while the ladies are Tweeting bags and racks of stuff and all out beauty salon-like situations!  #YetanotherreasontobegladI'maguy


Tony-nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger is putting the "star" in "Starstuff"!


Bonnie and Clyde star Laura Osnes is getting her Nexus on...


...and here's the Tony nominee getting ready... so many choices!

1:30 PM: Tony Awards Rehearsals


Ghost: The Musical at the Tonys!  Yes!! Caissie Levy, Bryce Pinkham and JKTS Award winner Richard Fleeshman, with Tony-nominee Da'Vine Joy Randolph "in spirit"...get it?  LOL



Eva Peron... uh, I mean Elena Roger... en route to rehearsal!




1:00 PM: Tony Awards Rehearsals


Here's our host, Neil Patrick Harris, practice hosting:



The cast of Godspell actually rehearsing!:



12:00 PM: Tony Awards Rehearsals (Backstage)


Here are a few pics Tweeted by the casts of shows rehearsing for tonight's awards presentation.  What I think they show (aside from a lot of fun) is that tonight is not really about competition and winners/losers.  It is about a professional community that has love and respect for each other.  A perfect way to start Tony Day!

Spelling Bee reunion with Newsies' Aaron J. Albano and The Book of Mormon's new Elder Cunningham, Jared Gertner:



It's Porgy meets Peter: Nikki Renee Daniels and Greg Hildreth share a backstage hug:


And my absolute favorite!  Disney's Newsies face off against the Elders of The Book of Mormon!  Finally, all those "West Side Story is too gay" rumors to rest!







Jeff
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@jkstheatrescene (Twitter); jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com (email); Comment below (Blogger)

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