Cast Recording Review: Stereophonic

Cast Recording Review: 

Stereophonic

Opening to universal critical acclaim in April, Stereophonic received a record thirteen Tony nominations, including Best Score and - in what I think is a first for a play - Best Orchestrations. Featuring songs by Will Butler, formerly of Arcade Fire (a Grammy winner for the “big prize” of Album of the Year in 2012 for The Suburbs), the play follows the studio-bound travails of a 1970s band as it struggles to record its magnum opus over the course of a year. On stage, most of these songs are heard in truncated form as works in progress; the recording of course preserves these, and adds a few other completed tracks to give listeners a taste of what the fictional finished product might have sounded like. (Because of this mix of songs written for the stage and for the recording, and because the former aren’t in exactly the same order as they’re performed in the play, I’ll be skipping around the track list in this review.)

Of the three songs that are heard in mostly complete form in the play, “Drive” is sung and (fictionally) written by keyboardist Holly (Juliana Canfield). Its propulsive beat and almost disco-like flourishes contrast with its rather lugubrious harmonies and lyrics, evoking a promise of love that’s always just out of reach (“oh, this world was made for sorrow… is it only in my head?”). Pretty much every song on the recording sticks to this main theme of not-perfectly-requited longing, a theme in perfect consonance with the up-and-down relationships among the play’s seven vividly-drawn characters.

Equally infectious/wistful is the ubiquitous “Masquerade,” with lead vocals by mercurial auteur and guitarist Peter (Tom Pecinka). With lyrics suggesting that people can only really come together when they hide some part of themselves, the song features infectious guitar hooks throughout, and culminates in an epic coda whose repeated intonations of “I’ll see you when I get there” are reminiscent of the similarly striking finale of a certain real-life song from the 1970s (“chains keep us together”). (The association of the unnamed Stereophonic band with Fleetwood Mac is inevitable, but “Masquerade” is the only song that really feels like it would fit comfortably on Rumours.)

The third song from the play is “Bright,” from the band’s rising superstar Diana (Sarah Pidgeon). As in the play, three versions of the song are heard on the recording, as she and the rest of the band (especially Peter) shape it into its final form. In “Bright v1” Diana accompanies herself on the piano to a very slow and soulful delivery that is reminiscent of Adele at her most doleful. “Bright (Fast)” lives up to both adjectives, a sunny and steady pop concoction that emphasizes the light to come rather than the darkness from which it proceeds. The last song on the album is “Bright (Take 22),” where the pieces come together to make for a song with real emotional development: beginning quietly and darkly like the first version, it works its way through grungy guitar chords and a gradual Jim Steinman-like buildup (complete with a grand organ accompaniment), finally reaching its ecstatic climax. (In the play we learn that the song ended up being six minutes long, so even this track apparently isn’t the final version; we also learn that it’s probably going to be cut from the album anyhow.)

Of the remaining complete songs on the CD, “Seven Roads” actually is heard very briefly on stage. Its driving bass line gives it a decidedly funky feel, and the song provides an opportunity for Pacinka to really show off his soaring vocals (both alone and in glorious harmony with band mates). Pigeon’s “East of Eden” boasts the album’s most expansive and haunting melody, as she asks: “why do we have to choose when everything is right in front of you?” Its reveal of the title words is a particularly striking musical moment. Canfield’s “Domino” starts off as pleasantly intense but nondescript, an impression negated by the second half of the song, which (like “Masquerade”) features several dazzling shifts in tone and tempo. Finally, “In Your Arms,” with vocals again by Canfield, superficially presents itself as the most upbeat song on the recording, as the singer sings “in your arms I feel all right” to a rosy lilt. A closer listen, however, reveals a darker truth: she’s struggling to remember a happy time in her youth rather than living one in the present.  

The remaining few tracks, all short, mainly give the listener a feel for the context of the play in which the songs are situated. We hear casual banter among the engineers (Grover/Eli Gelb and Charlie/Andrew R. Butler - “Exorcist II”) and the band members (“It’s made of teak” - a conversation I listened for when I saw the play and never actually caught, though it seems like it would be easy to miss). There’s also a brief track of the three singers recording background vocals (“BVs”), some experimental musical meandering (“Champaign”), and a little acoustic reprise (“Campfire Masquerade”).

Overall, this recording is great the first time you hear it and only gets better on repeat visits, with a musical profile that’s simultaneously retro and not the least bit out of date, and tunes that are always catchy. The sound is rich and detailed - more like a polished studio album than a one-day cast recording - and the five actors do an impressive job sounding like expert musicians. (A shout-out to drummer Simon/Chris Stack, bassist Reg/Will Brill, and orchestrator/guitarist Will Craig is definitely called for here.) I would have liked to have heard more of this music in the theater, but I appreciate the discipline of the creative team in including only what was necessary to support the dramatic situations presented on stage. 

I’ve read that playwright David Adjmi is looking to write a musical with Butler. If that score can match the quality of these Stereophonic songs, I’m there for it, and I’m sure a lot of other fans will be there, too.

Thank you, Mike! A great review befitting a great play and, now, a great cast recording. - Jeff

ReDISCoveries: Whistle Down the Wind (Original London Cast, Disc Two)

ReDISCoveries: 

Whistle Down the Wind (Original London Cast, Disc Two)

Jeff has kindly invited me to revisit and review some of the older cast recordings in my collection. Every other week or so, I’ll write about a new CD, offering some general impressions followed by my thoughts about each individual song. I continue this week with Disc Two (i.e. Act Two) from the 1999 Original London Cast Recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman’s Whistle Down the Wind.

While the end of Act One introduces a series of songs that build nicely towards a clash between the show’s children and adults, Act Two suffers from being pretty much the opposite. It peaks early with one of Lloyd Webber’s most urgent and energetic creations, but sags after that under the weight of music that is mostly recycled from the first act. That’s a shame, because the overall tension of the show continues to build nicely as Swallow and her family come to terms with the identity of the mysterious visitor. I think the relative lack of new music in the second act bothered me less when I saw Whistle Down the Wind on stage than it does when I listen to the recording.

I never saw the London version of the show, as preserved on this recording, but I did see the original Hal Prince-directed production in Washington, D.C., as well as a much later touring production directed by British impresario Bill Kenwright. The D.C. production was certainly unpolished and rightly deemed not ready for Broadway, but I much preferred it to the pallid, cheap-looking tour. 

I particularly disliked the pat, unpersuasive ending of the touring production. Wisely, neither the D.C. version nor the London version explicitly resolve the identity of The Man, but everything about him is consistent with the fact that he is an escaped convict who has convinced some kids that he’s Jesus for his own benefit. Of course he finds some Harold Hill-like redemption in his interaction with Swallow and the other children, but The Man is just a man. In Kenwright’s version, though, Swallow and her family are clearly left with the belief that The Man really was Jesus, and this works against the point of everything else that has happened in the show.

THE SONGS

I use a star (*) to mark the songs I particularly like, and my overall favorite gets two stars (**).

Introduction to Act Two: In typical ALW style, the second act begins with a rollicking potpourri of musical themes from the first act. I give him a lot of credit for sticking to tradition and providing some music to ease the transition out of intermission. I think he provides similar music for most of his shows, up to and including Bad Cinderella.

Try Not to Be Afraid: Unfortunately, the first proper song in the act - and one of only two really new ones - is this low-energy ballad that could easily be replaced by some dialogue.

** A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste: The Jim Steinman influence is strong here, as he and ALW create a true rock epic that really gets things going. (Unsurprisingly, Steinman’s friend Meat Loaf recorded a nice version of this song.) While the lyrics are somewhat repetitive and the coda a little long-winded, this is a song I never tire of listening to. Some of the lyrics are quite striking (“we’ll never be as young as we are right now”), and the music builds and builds until it has nothing to do but collapse on itself. The orchestrations are also gorgeous, particularly the melodic French Horn parts near the end of the song.

If Only (Reprise): Just as nice as it was in the first act, but nothing new about it.

Charlie Christmas: This is the first of several songs in the act which are titled like new songs but, in terms of the music, are actually reprises. This one completes the first-act story of Annie Christmas by telling the tale of her husband, using the same music.

Off Ramp Exit to Paradise: Another semi-reprise, this one mostly rehashes the first-act music for the young rebels, “Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts.”

Safe Haven (Reprise): Here the dramatic tension begins to build but, once again, using music from the first act rather than developing new material. I think it works fine on stage, but makes for a bit of a let-down when listening to the cast recording.

Wrestle With the Devil: Once again, the music and lyrics from this song have mostly been heard before (several times). Technically, those were “pre-prises,” and this is the actual song.

The Hunt: This song pits the adults and children directly against each other as the show reaches its climax, mainly through reprises of “Wrestle With the Devil” for the former and “When Children Rule the World” for the latter. There’s nothing really new here, but in this case the juxtaposition of the two musical styles does create an interesting effect.

* Nature of the Beast: Likewise, this song is mostly built up from pieces of “Unsettled Scores” and a few other motifs from earlier in the show. But those motifs are some of my favorite tunes from the score, and this song does a good job really developing the material rather than rehashing it. 

Whistle Down the Wind: The gentle music of the title song returns for the show’s denouement. 

Next time I’ll discuss the 2006 off-Broadway cast recording of Michael John LaChiusa’s Bernarda Alba.

--Mike

 

ReDISCoveries: Whistle Down the Wind (Original London Cast, Disc One)

ReDISCoveries:

Whistle Down the Wind (Original London Cast, Disc One)

Jeff has kindly invited me to revisit and review some of the older cast recordings in my collection. Each week or so, I’ll write about a new CD, offering some general impressions followed by my thoughts about each individual song. I begin this week with Disc One (i.e. Act One) from the 1999 Original London Cast Recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman’s Whistle Down the Wind.

I’ve had the opportunity to see Whistle twice (more about that next time), and I’ve always found it a messy affair that is nonetheless curiously affecting. Although uneven, the score remains one of my favorites from ALW. It’s a very ambitious effort that, even if it often falls short of its aims, features several moments of intense power. It also includes two of my favorite ALW songs (one from each act). 

Act One admittedly starts very slowly, with a series of unremarkable songs. It reaches a musical peak with “Unsettled Scores,” and the final sequence of songs, starting with “Safe Haven,” constitute a slow but thrilling buildup of tension between the adults of the town and their children, who have very different attitudes about their mysterious visitor.

If you do listen to the recording, several issues become clear very quickly, related both to the performances and the material itself. For one thing, the Southern accents are very hit-or miss, especially among the children (one of whom comes off sounding oddly like Kira from Xanadu). For another, some characters, especially the adult men, are given some very over-the-top dialogue that they deliver with corresponding bombast; it’s not very believable, at least on the recording. More seriously (but also understandably), the show’s late-twentieth-century approach to themes of race and prejudice seems very dated in 2023. Presumably most of this could be fixed if there’s ever another American production of the show.

THE SONGS

I use a star (*) to mark the songs I particularly like, and my overall favorite gets two stars (**).

The Vaults of Heaven: This song does a fine job of introducing the fundamentalist Southern community that provides the setting for the show. It’s a straightforward gospel pastiche with predictable melody and lyrics. In the original (Washington, DC) version of the show, one section of the song sounded perilously like a main theme from John Williams’ Jurassic Park score - which several critics noticed - but that’s been fixed for this version.

I Never Get What I Pray For: This heavily expositional song introduces the three main children in the show and their family situation. It could probably be replaced by a short dialogue scene.

Home By Now: This is little more than a continuation of the previous song, introducing a few of the other characters in the show. It also serves to introduce a couple of musical themes that will recur throughout the score.

It Just Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This: This is an expressive but very short song introducing us to the siblings’ father, Boone. It’s not much more than an introductory verse for the title song.

Whistle Down the Wind: The title song, sung first by Boone and then by his daughter, Swallow, is a very simple musical breath of fresh air. It is a statement of optimism in the face of adversity, an attitude that will be severely tested by the events of the show.

The Vow: This brief exchange between the children and their new friend (The Man) introduces an innocent, soothing melody that will form one of the building blocks of the score.

Cold: Probably my least favorite song from the disc, this rather bland country pastiche mainly exists to give the character of Earl his own song, and to provide an excuse for a little bit of dancing. I’ll admit that some of the lyrics are fairly clever (“they’re evacuatin’ Satan who’s waitin’ for hell to freeze over”).

**Unsettled Scores: This complex, varied, and generally satisfying song begins with a short evocation of the airy melody from “The Vow” and a preview of “A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste” from Act Two, as The Man reflects on his past misdeeds and current predicament. The main song follows, basically a list of happy and painful memories that amount, in the end, to a lifetime of grievances. Its two verses are each followed by an epic chorus, allowing The Man to revel in his glorious hopelessness. The combination of Lloyd Webber’s powerful music, Steinman’s evocative images, and Marcus Lovett’s vivid delivery make this a major highlight.

*If Only: This is a gentle, expansive melody for the main female character of Swallow, putting it in the same general territory as “Memory” from Cats or “Surrender” from Sunset Boulevard, and Lottie Mayor knocks it out of the park. This song adds an appropriately rustic touch to the formula, making it another backbone of the Whistle score.

Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts: The melody of this song is a retread (ha) of “English Girls” from Song and Dance. It’s re-imagined and extended, and of course features a starkly different arrangement, but it’s still patently a version of the same song. While it works at least as well here (embodying the doomed romance between two young rebels) as it does in the earlier show, there’s something very questionable about recycling material from such a relatively successful and well-known work.

Safe Haven: As the children gather around The Man, the adults have their own ideas about justice and how it must be served. The song isn’t really much to listen to on its own, but it does a good job igniting the slow burn that will lead the act to its climax.

Long Overdue for a Miracle: This jaunty song for the children surrounding The Man is really just an introduction for the more substantial one to follow.

*When Children Rule the World: An ebullient Christmas song for the children, this song features a very simple but charming melody, and lyrics that vividly enunciate the group’s own vision for a just world - starkly different from that of the adults.

Annie Christmas: This is a rather strange song, in which The Man does his best to satisfy the children’s need to hear a story. Though it’s called “Annie Christmas,” its music and lyrics are both more appropriate for Halloween. I’ve listened to this song many times and I still don’t know quite what it means, but it does tell an interesting story.

*No Matter What: This song forms a gradual crescendo, beginning with individual statements of devotion on the part of the children before building up to grand promises of unconditional communal dedication to The Man. The Boyzone version of this song might have been a genuine radio hit, but it is really only in context that the song packs a real punch, especially when musical interruptions from the revenge-fueled adults are answered with ever more fervent expressions of allegiance from the children. It’s a highly effective end to the act.

Next time I’ll cover Disc Two of this same recording.

--Mike

GUEST BLOGGER REVIEW: It's Only a Play

It is my pleasure to introduce a fellow theater-blogger, Krloz Ruben!  He had the good fortune to catch a preview of one of Broadway's hottest tickets, It's Only a Play.  Here's what he thought of the show:

Grade: A-

Forget about pathos and logos: ethos the word! 

After an unsuccessful 2014 Spring season, with his play Mothers and Sons, karma is once again kind to Mr. Terrence McNally. For those of us who witnessed the tragedy that Mothers and Sons was, I can't help but to feel happy for Mr. McNally's current hit, It's Only a Play, which is currently playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater to packed house every night. This is the man who penned such TONY winning hits as Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class', and Kiss of the Spider Woman among other successful plays. Although Mothers and Sons is a good choice for a Sunday afternoon reading, a staged production, like the one seen last season, just didn't do it for me.

Now that I got that off of my chest; let's talk about It's Only a Play. 

What was more awaited: the stage reunion of Mr. Lane and Mr. Broderick; or the Broadway debut of once wizard Rupert Grint? Stand outside the stage door and find out. The entire ensemble gave an astounding performance. Perhaps the thought of seeing Matthew Broderick (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - TONY Award) and Nathan Lane (The Producers - TONY Award) in yet another show that has to do with Broadway and opening nights, brings a certain déjà vu feeling. Admittedly, [I was] in search of that déjà vu as my reason for seeing the show. [There was] no similarity between either production. Maybe we will see the similarities during the TONY Award season; then again, with British shows like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time currently playing on Broadway, we might not.

The show opens, and closes, in a luxurious bedroom of a Manhattan townhouse that belongs to wealthy Broadway producer Julia Budder. Every detail of the room, and the entire scenic design, are a masterpiece [from] Scott Pask (The Coast of Utopia - TONY Award). A fun and spontaneous lighting design and sound design - when you see the show you will get the meaning of this- are created by Philip S. Rosenberg (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder) and Fitz Patton (The Other Place), respectively. With an A-list opening night party going on downstairs, and chaos slowly unraveling upstairs (in the bedroom), Jack O'Brien (The Coast of Utopia - TONY Award) directs with perfection a starry cast of Broadway veterans and "muggles" alike. 

If you know much of Mr. McNally's plays, then you already know how he likes to involve current social issues and pop culture in his plays to bring in some strong comedy; perhaps this is what makes him so accurate and successful in his writing. [So it] was no surprise when he focused some of his strongest jokes on Ben Brantley from The New York Times, and threw a few at Harvey Fierstein, the latter with a sense of admiration. And what could be funnier than watching Mr. Lane in character as James Wicker, not Wacker!, refer to his real-life-self in a play: "Nathan Lane I'd understand; BUT HARVEY FIERSTEIN?" The jokes perhaps are a little too much of an inside joke for people who know little of show biz; but with its pop culture references that [range] from Lady Gaga to Barbra Streisand, the show is bound to be an exhilarating night at the theater for everyone. What ever happened to Barbra, the world will never know.

                             

One would think that with such a star-studded cast everyone on stage will be bouncing over each other to grab those scene-stealing moments; but the truth is, they don't. Harmoniously, figuratively speaking, each character has his/her scene-stealing moment. From a diva's lament, to a self-doubted British director, you can see how there's many scene-stealing moments to grab from. We all know Matthew Broderick as an actor who portrays roles of shy characters that towards the end of the show finds [their]true selves, well that's precisely what happens here. Nathan Lane is truly a comedic legend, and he puts everything he's got in his funny bag on that stage. He knows the trick of how to bring an audience to laughter over and over without feeling forced. Please teach that trick to Isabel Keating, who portrayed the role of Virginia Noyes (usually played by Stockard Channing) the night I went to see the play. I don't know if Ms. Keating (The Boy From Oz) was trying to summon the diva madness of the role, or if she was trying to reincarnate Ms. Channing. Critic, and frustrated writer, Mr. Ira Drew was played hilariously by F. Murray Abraham ('The Grand Budapest Hotel'). In the role of Broadway producer Julia Budder was Megan Mullally (Young Frankenstein). No resemblance what so ever to one Mrs. Karen Walker! Ms. Mullally is such a delightful to watch. Although she doesn't have the knock-out jokes of the night, she's so subtle and brings such elegance to her character. Rupert Grint (Harry Potter films), as previously mentioned, makes his Broadway debut in such a complicated, yet so perfectly executed, character. Mr. Grint gives an electrifying, energy-filled performance. In another Broadway debut, Mikah Stock (off-Broadway's And Away We Go) gives a charming and heartwarming performance as coat check boy Gus P. Head. If you're indecisive [about] whether seeing Wicked, or seeing It's Only a Play, see It's Only a Play. Micah Stock's rendition of 'Defying Gravity' brings it home every time. Look out Idina Menzel! There's a new Elphaba in town.

Truly this is Terrance McNally's year on Broadway. With constant uproarious laughter and a full house standing ovation, It's Only a Play exceeded all my expectations, which from the beginning were high. 

(Photos by Joan Marcus)

Have a review you'd like to share?  Email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com.

Jeff

6.026

Jeff & Mike's 2012 Tony Picks

At last we are just 2 days from Broadway's biggest night, the Tony Awards!  And now, after a really full season of seeing shows - mid-June 2011 had Mike and I seeing the official opening of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, and 22 Broadway shows later, had us at One Man, Two Guvnors in late May 2012.  Mike actually saw 23 shows this season, having seen End of the Rainbow, too.

Below are our picks for all the Tony categories in which we saw more than half of the nominees.  We made no picks in the following categories: Outstanding Lighting Design (Play), Outstanding Costume Design (Play), Outstanding Featured Actress (Play), Outstanding Leading Actor (Play), and Best Revival (Play).  Any nominee we didn't see is marked with an "D".  We have given our choices in the style Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood  in The New York Times: "what WILL win," "what SHOULD win," and, in many cases, a "should have been NOMINATED."

Here goes!

UPDATE:

• Jeff: Guessed 11 winners of the 21 categories we predicted, another 6 "should wins" did win, and 4 were completely wrong.
• Mike: Guessed 12 winners of the 21 categories we predicted, another 3 "should wins" did win, and 6 were completely wrong.
• The winners are listed below.

The Creative Arts Tony Awards

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	JEFF	MIKE	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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff: Dan Knechtges, Lysistrata Jones

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/W	Winner

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

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

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

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 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

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: Joe Mantello, Other Desert Cities

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION (MUSICAL)	JEFF	MIKE	TONY
Jeff Calhoun, Disney's Newsies: The Musical	W
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Diane Paulus, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
John Tiffany, Once	S	S/W	Winner

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard and Bruce Joel Rubin, Ghost: The Musical

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL	JEFF	MIKE	TONY
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	S	S/W	Winner

The Performance Awards

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff: Melissa Van der Schyff, Bonnie and Clyde

Mike: Terri White, Follies

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: Michael Esper, The Lyons

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: Ricky Martin, Evita

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

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: Bernadette Peters, Follies

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: Jeremy Jordan, Bonnie and Clyde

The Production Awards

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL	JEFF	MIKE	TONY
Evita
Follies	W/S	W/S
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess			Winner
Jesus Christ Superstar

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: Godspell

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff and Mike: One Man, Two Guvnors

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

SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED:

Jeff: Bonnie and Clyde

Mike: Lysistrata Jones

Jeff

3.279

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